Raw vegan brownie with chocolate ganache - Panaceas Pantry (2024)

This is the BEST raw vegan brownie EVER. I have been making these for years, and we ever sold them for a while in bakeries and markets. Fudgy, decadent, no bake, whole food based and healthy.

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I have been making this raw vegan chocolate brownie for YEARS over on Instagram (since 2015!) and they are still one of the most popular recipes there. Tried and tested. Loved by me and everyone else who makes/eats them. Wholesome. Moorish, Easy.

They even graced the cover of the Nourish magazine in 2016!

They are deliciously moist, decadent and fudgy- and healthier than most brownies recipes you’ll find.

You needonly 9 ingredients AND they aregluten free, dairy free, grain free, paleo, vegan, and egg free and DELICIOUS.

I use a mixture of pecans, dates and cacao as the main ingredients, but you’ll need a few other staples, too.

INGREDIENTS for the BEST RAW VEGAN BROWNIE

• Pecans. Raw or activated, whatever you prefer (walnuts work too).
• Raw cacao powder (or dutch pressed cocoa if you prefer)
• Medjool dates, or any soft fresh dates. If you want to avoid vegetable oils then do not use dried dates- they contain up to 40% vegetable oil.
• Coconut flour. Coconut flour absorbs a lot of moisture and helps to create a chewy texture. There is no stright up swap for coconut flour in this recipe.
• Pure maple syrupor your preferred sticky sweetener. Maple syrup gave the best texture and flavour in my testing of these no bake chocolate brownies.
• Vanilla extract, paste or powder. Vanilla brings the flavour of chocolate alive, and a little goes a long way here.
• Coconut oil
• Salt. Flavour, always!
• Smooth nut butter of choice– almond butter, peanut butter or sunflower butter all work great.

What equipment do I need?

• A food processor
• A 15cm tin/mould- similar sizes will work too
• measuring cups
• Dehydrator (optional)

Why you will love this recipe

• These raw vegan brownie is soDELICIOUS, you’ll please everyone
• They are so easy to make, and require only 9ingredients
• The recipe isallergy friendly for pretty much everyone, except those with tree nut allergies
• Theyfreeze well

Pecans are too expensive here, though. What can I use instead?

Pecans are expensive if you live in Australia- they are a special occasion nut in my opinion.

So, if you want to make this amazing fudgy raw brownie more regularly, some cheaper options are;

• Walnuts. I have tried this, and it works wonderfully for the texture. the flavour is slightly more bitter, so beware.
• Almond meal. This will alter both the texture AND taste, but if it’s all you have, you can make it work. Ensure you swap by weight, not volume.

Can i just use dried dates instead?

Yes, you can! A few notes though;

1. Dried dates will need to first be soaked in warm water before you use them. In order to get the right texture at the end, you will need to squeeze excess water from the dates before using them. Water logged dates will make a dense, sticky brownie. Not what we are after.
2. Did you know, most dried dates contain up to 40% “vegetable oil’? Yep, I know- I was shocked, too. Most likely, the vegetable oil is genetically modified CANOLA or SOY BEAN oil (unless you buy organic), and is thus a far less healthy option than fresh dates.
3. My recommendation? Source Medjool dates, in bulk, from a middle eastern grocer. They are often far cheaper, fresher, and free from hidden vegetable oils.

How to make the our no bake vegan brownie

Step 1. Activate the pecans.

You can skip this step if you don’t have a dehydrator, but activating your nuts, seeds and grains will really boost the nutrition of your food, and help you to avoid ‘anti-nutrients’ that contribute to mineral deficiencies and gut irritation.

I like to buy all my nuts (and seeds) in bulk, and spend a few days soaking and activating them so that I have a pantry full of activated nuts for the month ahead- doing it this way requires far less effort than activating nuts every time i need them for a recipe, and ensures my dehydrator is full when I use it.

So, this is what you do to activate PECANS (note; the process will slightly for different nuts and seeds).

• Add pecans to a large bowl, and cover liberally with filtered water, and 1 tsp salt. If you live in a cold climate, you will want to make the water about 20 degrees C. Leave to soak for 6-8 hours.
• Now, dehydrate the pecans. Drain, and rinse well, then place in your dehydrator for around 18 hours, at 46 degrees C. If you don’t have a dehydrator, you could dry the nuts in the oven on the lowest setting- the time will vary, but you want the nuts to be completely dry.
• Store nuts in airtight containers in the fridge or panty until needed.

See? Simple! Just follow my advise and do the bulk-nuts method, otherwise you will forever put off making these no bake vegan brownies, and that would be a shame.

Step 2. Make the brownie base.

Using a for processor, you need to add the pecans and grind to form small crumbs- you are not after a flour texture, but you want them to be small. Next, add the coconut flour, salt and cacao and pulse to combine. Set aside.

Prepare the dates

I use medjool dates for this recipe, but if you are using dried dates simply soak them in warm water for 5 minutes to soften before use. Carefully remove all pits and squeeze out all excess water. With the food processor running, add in the dates, then drizzle in the maple syrup.

By now, you should have a large, slightly sticky dough ball. If your ingredients are not sticking together, you’ll need to add more dates- likewise, if the dough is very sticky, add more coconut flour.

Press into your lined baking tray

You will want a small baking tray (mine is only 15cm square) that is lined with baking paper, or a silicone one will work well too. Pressing in the dough requires some attention, because you don’t want to compact it down- lightly press the dough so that its firm and even, but not so much that you create a dense base. Just like when baking a cake, you want to create the perfect texture- and a light hand will help you do that here.

Step 3. Make the chocolate ganache

The ganache frosting is optional but adds a decadent touch- its a gorgeous way to mix up textures and flavours in the mouth.

Melt coconut oil by stovetop or microwave until just liquid. Add to a bowl with remaining ingredients. Whisk until smooth. Pour over base.

Top with anything you like- salt flakes, dried rose petals, chopped nuts or leave as is.

Set in the fridge or freezer next until that devious, decadent raw brownie is set.

Storage

Remove your now set raw vegan brownie from the tin and store it in an airtight container in the fridge (for up to 1 week) or the freezer (for up tp month). If you live in a cold climate, this can be stored in the pantry in the cooler months, too.

Sourcing ingredients for the best raw vegan brownie

Its true- this amazing no bake brownie is on the expensive side to make. Here is how I source my ingredients;

• Buy in bulk! I always source my nuts in bulk when I can. Nuts do not have a long shelf life, so I store excess in the fridge or freezer.
• I buy my organic cacao, dates and nut butters from Part&Parcel store. The store has a small annual fee that then gives you access to so many amazing products for 20% less than RRP. My code JADE10 gives you a further discount.
• Source local ingredients. If you live in Australia like me, walnuts will be a much more affordable option.

Has this fudgy raw vegan brownie got you hungry for more healthy chocolate snacks? You might like to try;

• Healthy fruit nut slice
• Easy berry gummies
• Raw blueberry swirl cheesecake
• Nut free chocolate bliss balls
• Honey oat banana muffins

We hope you enjoy this raw chocolate pecan brownie as much as we do. We love hearing your feedback and comments, and doing so helps others find this recipe too.

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