Ok, so you want a fudgy chewy brownies, but you’re trying to eat healthy. Enter these fudgy healthy vegan brownies. They’re chewy, gooey and slightly cakey – the best of both worlds.
Not only are these easy vegan brownies insanely delicious, they’re also refined sugar-free, nut-free and super healthy.
Plus, unlike other healthy vegan brownie recipes, these need no bananas, no applesauce or other strange ingredients. All you need are a few simple pantry staples and you’re good to go!
Healthy Vegan Brownies Ingredients
- Dates: Are the main sweetener for these fudgy vegan brownies. Additionally, they add a slight caramel flavor that compliments the other flavors!
- Spelt flour: I like using spelt flour for the nutty flavor as well as the numerous health benefits.
- Cocoa powder: I cannot stress this enough! Use a dutch-processed cocoa powder. Not only will it have a fudgier and richer chocolate flavor, it’ll also make the brownies darker and more black/brown in color.
- Tahini: For some richness and buttery flavors.
- Coconut oil: Is essential for creating that fudgy flavor in these brownies. Do not skip this!
- Instant Coffee: Amps up the chocolate flavor – it’s optional but highly recommended. Aka just add it!
- Chocolate: You can use chocolate chips, however I recommend chopping up a chocolate bar and using that. It tastes so much better and it just feels bougie!
Tips and Tricks
- Don’t overmix: I say this way too much, but it truly makes a big difference. Just gently fold the flour into the wet ingredients and leave it. It might look like it needs another mix or two, but trust me, leave it!
- Use boiling water: I have already specified this in the recipe, but it truly helps the cocoa powder and instant coffee ‘bloom’ – similar to when you fry spices to amp up the flavors.
- Under-bake: This is such an underrated tip. But underbaking ensures that you will always have fudgy and chewy brownies. The more you bake these brownies, the less moisture they will have. I would say at minimum, bake these for at least 20 minutes. The longest I would bake these for is 25 minutes. After that they will just be dry!
Why these Vegan Brownies are Healthy
You know those store-bought brownies. Laden with sugar, tons of chemicals to make them addictingly good. Well, these healthy vegan brownies could not be more different. These are sweetened with dates and use healthy whole-food ingredients. Overall they’re so healthy you could have one for breakfast! Yep, I really said that.
- Dates: Dates have a compound called phenolic that have shown to be effective in reducing bacteria growth. This means that dates will help you strengthen your immune system. Lastly, dates have vitamins X, B6, and A which are essential to the body!
- Tahini: One of my favorite benefits of tahini is that it has been shown to have a compound that aids in protecting liver and kidney function. These organs are essential for removing toxins and waste from our bodies and tahini contains a compound that aids in this process. Additionally, tahini contains anti-inflammatory compounds and antioxidants which are great for your overall physical health and skin health!
- Spelt flour: Spelt is an excellent source of slow-burning carbs and dietary fiber. It is particularly rich in iron, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, and niacin – Vitamin B3. Additionally, spelt has a high protein count per cup than wheat flour, plus more soluble fiber. Soluble fiber has been shown to help improve cholesterol levels that the body absorbs in the bloodstream.
Even More Healthy Chocolate Recipes
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Healthy Vegan Brownies
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 22 minutes
- Total Time: 57 minutes
- Yield: 12 brownies 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Description
Ok, so you want a fudgy chewy brownies, but you’re trying to eat healthy. Enter these fudgy vegan brownies. They’re chewy, gooey and slightly caked – the best of both worlds.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups Spelt flour
- ½ cup Cocoa powder ((can use half black cocoa and half regular cooca if you want them extra rich))
- 1 tbsp Instant Coffee or Dandy Blend
- ¾ tsp Baking powder.
- ¼ tsp Baking Soda
- 1 tsp Salt
Wet Ingredients
- 2 cups Boiling water or hot plant milk
- 16 medium Medjool Dates, pitted
- ⅓ cup Tahini
- ⅓ cup Coconut Oil, melted
- 1 tsp Vanilla (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line preferred pan with parchment paper, I used an 8×8 pan.
- Add the medjool dates into a large bowl and pour the boiling water over top, make sure the dates are completely submerged. Set aside and let soak for 10 minutes.
- In a medium bowl, add spelt flour, cocoa powder, dandy blend/instant coffee, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk well and set aside.
- Once the dates are done soaking, dump the bowl of dates + the water into a high-speed blender (I used a Vitamix) or a small food processor. Next, add in the tahini, melted coconut oil and vanilla.
- Turn the blender on low, slowly ramping the speed up to high. Let the mixture blend for 3-4 minutes until it turns a light golden-brown color and is super silky and smooth (btw it should taste like caramel).
- Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl of flour and gently fold the batter together. Once the batter is almost mixed, add in the chocolate chips and fold to incorporate into the batter.
- Pour the batter into the pan smoothing out the top. Sprinkle some additional chocolate on top for decoration.
- Bake the brownies for 20 minutes, until puffed up and the top starts to crack ever so slightly, we are looking for fine lines, not a fault line! The brownies might seem a little underdone, but trust me, this is what will make them super gooey and fudgy.
- Let the brownies cool 10 minutes before slicing into small squares. I like to top with a sprinkle of flaky salt for presentation.
- Store the brownies in an airtight container on the counter for a few days, or in the fridge for up to a week.
Notes
*I highly suggest adding in chopped walnuts as they elevate the brownies.
*If you would like to cut the brownies immediately, pop them into the refrigerator for 10 minutes. This will allow them cool down faster, and make for easier slicing. Plus, it makes the brownies have more of a sheen and crack!
One of the best brownie recipes I’ve ever made!! I loved how they were both wholesome and delicious at the same time. They’re going on the ‘must make again’ list for sure. Thank you for such awesome recipes!
MADE MY DAY!!! Thank you so much for leaving such a lovely review Charlotte, appreciate it!!