Date brownies

Name: Date brownies
Ingredients: 2 cups dates ( pitted); 1 ¾ cups cashew nuts; ¾ cup cacao powder; ½ cup coconut oil; 3 tbsp chia seeds (optional); Pinch salt; Vanilla or espresso powder (optional); ¼ cup agave syrup; ¼ cup coconut oil (melted); ¼ cup cacao powder

A stack of three brownies topped with a raspberry, with three more raspberries on the side, arranged on a white plate with a gold rim on a pink surface.

When I first went vegan, my feed was full of diet-culture recipes. I’ve since learned that it’s totally okay to eat sugar and that real brownies are easy to find! However, I still love these bars because they are satisfying, nutrient-dense, and easy to make in a college dorm. They were the first thing I ever made as a vegan!

Ingredients

Brownie Base

2 cups

dates pitted
1 ¾ cups

cashew nuts
¾ cup

cacao powder
½ cup

coconut oil
3 tbsp

chia seeds optional
Pinch

salt
Vanilla or espresso powder optional

Glaze

¼ cup

agave syrup
¼ cup

coconut oil melted
¼ cup

cacao powder

Instructions

Soak dates in boiling water for 5 minutes until soft, then drain.
Pulse the cashews, cacao powder, salt, and espresso powder in a blender until they look like fine crumbs.
Add the drained dates and coconut oil. Blend until it forms a dough. If it’s too dry, add a splash of plant milk.
Press the dough into a parchment-lined pan and pop it in the fridge.
Whisk the melted coconut oil, agave, and cacao powder until smooth. Pour over the base and add a sprinkle of salt.
Let it sit in the fridge for a few minutes until the glaze hardens. Slice and enjoy!

Notes

Craving more plant-powered dishes?

The Youth Board Cookbook, developed by ProVeg’s global network of young changemakers, is packed with recipes, stories and cultural insights from around the world.

Download the full version here