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The Ultimate Unbaked Brownies

4.91 from 162 votes

Ooey gooey, melty, chocolatey unbaked brownies – the perfect recipe for those days when you just really need a brownie!

Secretly healthy unbaked brownies, from @choccoveredkt... dairy-free, egg-free, raw, vegan, paleo, & gluten-free
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And if you’re anything like me, that would be every day.

Good thing these babies freeze well!

Brownies are my Kryptonite. I love them even more than chocolate chips cookies.

Think about it: you only get a small amount of chocolate when you eat a chocolate chip cookie; whereas with a brownie, the entire thing is melty, gooey chocolate.

Also Try These Almond Butter Brownies – Flourless & Vegan

no bake brownies
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All chocolate is always going to be better than some chocolate.

If you put a plate of brownies down in front of me, you can pretty much do anything you want without me noticing.

My mind will only be thinking about the plate of brownies in front of me and how to stop myself from eating all the brownies.

I’m having a hard time writing this post, because there are brownies on my computer screen, and it’s making me hungry.

I want all the brownies. ALL THE BROWNIES!!!

What I Eat In A Day As A Vegan

vegan brownies
raw brownies
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So about these unbaked brownies…

The recipe takes 5 minutes to prepare and can be raw, gluten free, egg free, dairy free, soy free, and vegan.

They are like a cross between a brownie and a chocolate candy bar – and secretly GOOD for you at the same time!

unbaked brownies
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Leftovers (if there are leftovers… how could there possibly be leftovers?!) can stay out for a few days, making these brownies a fantastic option for a bake sale or to ship to faraway friends.

I’d recommend shipping them unfrosted or simply spreading melted chocolate chips on top if they’ll be left out for an extended period of time, as coconut oil will soften when warm.

You can also refrigerate these brownies for a few weeks, or you can freeze them for up to 2 months or more.

But seriously, who has the willpower to keep brownies that long without eating them all first???

(Above – watch the video of making the brownies)

The Best Secretly Healthy Brownies (No Bake, Vegan Recipe)
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Pin it now to save for laterPin Recipe

The Ultimate Unbaked Brownies

How to make secretly healthy unbaked brownies that can be vegan, gluten free, and paleo friendly.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Yield 16 brownies
4.9 from 162 votes

Ingredients

  • cups loosely packed pitted dates
  • 1 1/2 cups walnuts
  • 6 tbsp cacao or cocoa powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 2 tsp water
  • 1/4 + 1/8 tsp salt
  • 1/4 cup cacao or cocoa powder
  • ¼ cup pure maple syrup, honey, or agave
  • 2 tbsp vegetable or melted coconut oil
  • 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Instructions

  • Combine the dates, walnuts, 6 tbsp cocoa, 1 1/2 tsp vanilla, water, and salt in a food processor. (I use this food processor.) Process until completely smooth, scraping down as needed – It may seem dry at first, but don’t add any extra water.  Lightly grease an 8-inch square baking pan, or line the pan with parchment or wax paper. Transfer dough to pan and press very firmly until dough is evenly distributed in the pan. In a medium mixing bowl, combine remaining cocoa and vanilla extract with the maple syrup and oil. Stir until mixture forms a paste (this is the frosting). Spread evenly over dough in the baking pan. Refrigerate brownies for at least 2 hours, to set. Leftovers can stay covered at room temperature for a day, or up to 2 weeks in the fridge, or 1-2 months in the freezer.
    View Nutrition Facts

Notes

For a low carb and keto option, try these Keto Brownies.
 

Have you made this recipe?

Tag @chocolatecoveredkatie on Instagram

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More About The Cookbook

More Brownie Recipes

Black Bean Brownies

Vegan Brownies

Sweet Potato Brownies

Brownie Mug Cake

Brownie In A Mug

Brownie Batter Bars

Published on September 1, 2019

Meet Katie

Chocolate Covered Katie is one of the top 25 food websites in America, and Katie has been 
featured on The 
Today Show, CNN, 
Fox, The 
Huffington Post, and 
ABC's 5 O’Clock News. Her favorite food is chocolate, and she believes in eating dessert every single day.

Learn more about Katie

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Reader Interactions

298 Comments

Leave a comment or reviewLeave a rating
      • Christina says

        Hey Katie
        Do you have a good system for converting your recipes into grams? I know you mentioned to invest in a good scale, so I did! I love using it, however it’s such a hassle to convert imperial units to metric units in baking. 🙁

        • geordie john says

          Hi Christina
          I totally agree with you abour conversions being a pain, but I think the simplest thing is to buy a set of measuring cups 😉
          Hope this helps

          • geordie john says

            Update to my previous comment++
            Cups measure by volume, don’t go down the weight path, too complicated for wet and dry ingredients.
            Here’s a quick guide, converting cups to millilitres:
            1/8 cup 30ml, 1/4 cup 60ml, 1/3 cup 80ml, 1/2 cup 125ml and 1 cup 250ml
            Or, go to Amazon, and buy the cups as previously suggested

      • Troy Morrissey says

        Slayed this recipe with Organic Honey in place of maple syrup…and made some with maple syrup too. Both equally delicious. Now to keep my pregnant wife from eating all of the next batch!

        Happy Holidays
        The Hot Sauce Guy

  1. Alexa says

    🙂 This just made my week. I love your blog, but the recipes I find myself drawn to on your site are 99.9% of the time the savory recipes. We aren’t huge dessert people in my house and only will bake sweet treats very rarely or for events, but the sweet potato chili, lentil sloppy joes, baked mac and cheese cups, cool ranch hummus, and about a million others are staples on our menu. I can’t even tell you how excited I am to hear you’ll be offering more savory recipes in the future. We will be first in line to buy your new book. Congratulations!

  2. Shira says

    Congrats on the new book! Love your first one! I’d love to see healthy snack ideas (muffins, energy bars, roasted chickpeas, etc.). I always love to have plenty of plant-based snacks around.

  3. Caryn says

    YAY! If we could preorder right now, I would do it in a second. I have your first book but am even more excited about a “meals” book. I’ve been trying to eat vegan once a week, and this would be so helpful!!!

  4. Lily says

    So you’re telling me I can make chocolate frosting out of cocoa powder, maple syrup, oil and vanilla…?!!!!!!!!!! Day made!!!

  5. Kayla says

    5 stars
    EEEE!!! I am so excited about a second book coming out in the future! I LOVE your first one! 🙂 I really want to try this recipe and I was wondering what I could replace the walnuts with? Perhaps good without nuts? Maybe use almond butter or peanut butter? 🙂

  6. Kirsti says

    4 stars
    Congrats on the new book! I bought your first one – love it – and I think it’s great you’re going to include savoury recipes in your second book! Especially as I love your savoury recipes ? Your pumpkin mac n cheese, homemade spaghetti o’s, portabello burgers…I could go on, but know this, even my meat-eating boyfriend loves them so you’re definitely doing something right!

    As for these brownies, they are the perfect recipe to make for my Mom when I next see her as she’s a chocoholic!

  7. M says

    5 stars
    Oh this is amazing news! As for requests, I’d like to see a couple new single serving recipes! Sweet or savory, anything goes really. Or some new cake/pie with (for example) beans or cauliflower as a main “secret ingredient”! Perhaps an oven baked tofu cheesecake? With chocolate? Vegan marshmallows? A fancy aquafaba creation of any kind? Extra cookie points if any of these could be made fat free as well 😀 Literally typing everything going through my head right now…. I’d be super grateful for even a variation of any of these, really. Love this blog and the first book so much I’ve basically baked through it all. Especially these brownies and the carrot cake bars. Oh goodness. I think that’s all. I don’t want this to become a wall of text, it’s already getting weird and rambly and just. Sorry. And thank you. I’ll leave quietly. For now. Not like I can actually stay away for long, but hey, small steps… 😛

  8. Whitney says

    YAAAAAAAAAAYYYYY!!!!!! I was wondering if you’d ever do a second cookbook! And I LOVE that you’ll include savory meals, too! Thank you, Katie!!!

  9. Samantha says

    5 stars
    I noticed this post today at uni, and could hardly wait to get home to try it out!

    And it didn’t disappoint; YUMMY! I sampled a small piece of it before it went into the fridge (couldn’t resist 😉 ) and will try to wait patiently until it’s actually set to have some more. This recipe sure is dangerous though! I’m scared I’ll eat the entire batch in two days by myself! XD

    Thanks for posting! 🙂

  10. Robin says

    Do you have a food processor suggestion. I love recipes with dates in them like this, but my food processor never seems to get the dates smooth, and it always sounds like I’m about to break the processor. I also have problems with banana ‘ice cream’ which is a shame because I love that so much too. I think I just need a new processor, but I’m looking for suggestions on a good one so I can enjoy more recipes like this (and your fudge baby recipes).

    Thanks.

  11. Aydrea says

    So excited for another cookbook, love that it will have meals in it! Of course also excited for the desserts 🙂

  12. Lori says

    I am ready! I love your first cookbook. I would like to see international recipes that are already vegan, like Indian, etc. But I trust you to surprise us. I also agree with the previous poster about a snack section. That’s the hardest “meal” for me to prepare for my kids.

  13. Emilia says

    I can’t wait for the new cookbook, this is so exciting! And those brownies look awesome, but can I use other nuts than walnuts?

  14. Alanna says

    Congrats, Katie!!! These brownies sound amazing; I’ve always preferred fudgy brownies to cakey ones. Must get dates!

  15. Anna McDonald says

    I am allergic to nuts and was wondering what a good substitute may be for the walnuts in the unbaked brownies? 🙂

  16. Kim says

    Man….We are on the same wavelength, Katie! I was just thinking about what sort of yummy thing I could make with some dates and you didn’t disappoint here. Can’t wait to try it!!

  17. Tammy Blomsterberg says

    5 stars
    Great news! I love your first cookbook and have even given it as a gift. The unbaked brownies are one of my favorite recipes from the book. The last time I gave your book as a gift I also included all the ingredients to make those. 🙂
    I’m looking forward to another cookbook from you. I love how healthy your recipes are and would love to see more recipes that are oil free. Thanks!

  18. Homeschool Mom says

    I would love it if the sweet recipes you do include in your next cookbook included even less sugar than your first cookbook. We love your first cookbook, but we’ve been weaning down our processed sugar and as we start to feel better, we are also more sensitive to the sweetness. When I first made your peanut butter cookies (a huge hit here), I remember thinking they weren’t as sweet as our old recipe, but we liked them. Now I cut the sugar in the recipe in half and they’re perfect. We aren’t vegan, but two of my kids have dairy and egg allergies, and we eat gluten-free as well. I would be interested in most recipes that don’t call for out of the ordinary ingredients (like something you’d buy and ONLY use for that one recipe). I’d love to see more snacks and/or treats that are fruit sweetened. Cobblers, pies, muffins, if you could figure out a gluten, dairy, egg free cake that ISN’T chocolate or carrot/spice cake and still tastes good, you’d make our birthday celebrations a lot less predictable and more fun! (I get that subbing out so many ingredients is tricky, but a girl can dream about strawberry cake, right? We’ve given up on vanilla or yellow cake as the gluten-free flours have a different taste…) Best wishes as you create, taste, and share your way toward a second cookbook!

  19. Cait says

    Hahaha, when I saw the pictures for this post I was like, “These seem…. familiar…”
    Now I know why. How exciting! 🙂 I love your book, I will definitely be buying the next one when it comes out.
    No requests from me, just keep doing what you already do. You always come up with recipes I never knew I needed… until they show up on your site! (Still don’t know how I lived my life before your healthy chocolate frosting came into it…)

  20. Jenna says

    5 stars
    Oh, Katie, PLEASE include a section for prepare-the-night-before breakfasts/lunches for us non-morning-people!! This category is *sorely* lacking =)

  21. Marianne says

    Those brownies *photos* are mouthwatering! A suggestion for your new book – a bigger version of a swiss roll? Or recipes combining chocolate in savoury recipes? I wonder if chocolate would go with sour recipes, as in the sweetness of the chocolate against the sour taste, or some other contrasting taste. Then again that could end up a disaster! Gosh, I’m even thinking of a beanburger with some kind of chocolate sauce on it with other spices! Well, it could work like BBQ sauce!

  22. Tiina says

    Hi!
    Such a nice recipe, and the brownies will turn out delicious I hope (they are cooling in the fridge now :)) Only thing is, I can’t afford proper food processor, so I had to use my blender. Aaand… I broke it in the process 🙁 It seems it wasn’t fit to process the dates and walnuts and got overheated and one small but crucial piece melted.. I had to finish the mixing with a mixer, and when it didn’t work, I even used a fork. 😀 It took nearly an hour, not 10 minutes. Well, no can do.

  23. Coila says

    4 stars
    I probably should have known to do this, but I didn’t and it would help if the recipe suggested it. My food processor kind of freaked out with all the ingredients at once. I think if I’d put just the walnuts in, then just the dry ingredients, then the dates, it would have been fine, but the gooey stickiness of the dates made it too gummy to properly crush the walnuts.

    That said, this is a REALLY yummy recipe and I don’t mind walnut chunks. Not the end of the world, just a thing that I’d do differently next time and that it would have been nice if the recipe warned me about. Although I guess I may have an under-powered processor?

  24. Amy says

    5 stars
    These unbaked brownies are great-solved my chocolate craving without guilt! Mine look pretty ugly, but the chewy chocolatey taste more than makes up for it!

  25. mary says

    I am eager to make this. However, I don’t want to mess it up. Soooo, Could you possibly provide gram weights for the walnuts and dates? It seems like “loosely packed dates” of one kind or in one particular measuring cup could vary quite a bit from another kind of dates as they all have a pretty uneven surface. And walnuts make a lumpy surface as well: not easy to see if that’s really 1.5 cups or 1 3/4 cups. And since dryness-or not dryness is an issue, grams would help lots. Thanks

  26. Stephanie says

    5 stars
    I made a half batch of these brownies and they are great! Chewy, fudgy and satisfying, even though I cut them into smaller squares than the recipe called for! I used honey instead of maple syrup in the frosting and ended up adding another tablespoon of cocoa to balance out the honey taste. I’m not one for nuts in brownies, but there’s a subtle walnut undertone that really works. I almost understand why people intentionally add them to baked goods. 😉

  27. stephanie says

    5 stars
    Omg i cant believe ive had this recipe since the book came out and only just made them for the first time last night. My husbsnd n i r soooo in love with these. Perfect texture made in the vitamix. I have to tell my ciliac sister anout them cuz they are AMAZING!
    To everyone who is thinking of trying these dont think about it. Just make them!

  28. Ashlee says

    5 stars
    Did you use coconut oil for the frosting? I used vegetable oil and it was too thin. The brownies are amazing. My husband who hates nuts said “they’re pretty good for what they’re made of” haha 🙂

  29. Denise says

    These are sooo delicious and easy… I used cashews instead of walnuts and didn’t blend it completely smooth so there were chunks of nuts for texture. However, even after leaving it in the fridge for 5 hours they were extremely gooey and didn’t resemble a brownie at all, more like chocolate frosting. I put them in the freezer so i’ll see how they turn out in the morning. I don’t mind too much because they still taste SO good but it’s also very hard to get a slice out of the pan

  30. Rachel says

    These are incredible. I’m waiting for them to chill right now and can’t wait to have my husband try them – THANK YOU!! One questions – my frosting came out with teeny lumps. Is this avoidable if I heat up the maple syrup (I keep mine in the fridge)? I figure it’s the cold syrup clumping up the coconut oil. Thanks again!

  31. Rachel says

    These are incredible. I’m waiting for them to chill right now and can’t wait to have my husband try them – THANK YOU!! One question – my frosting came out with teeny lumps. Is this avoidable if I heat up the maple syrup (I keep mine in the fridge)? I figure it’s the cold syrup clumping up the coconut oil. Thanks again!

  32. Stacey says

    I’ll be honest. I didn’t have high hopes when making these. Dates absolutely creep me out. I put them to soak in a bowl in the sink, and went to take a nap. Two hours later, I was back looking at them in disgust. (Seriously, I’m from Florida and they bear a striking resemblance to our state bird/bug.) I almost bailed on the recipe. Thank goodness I didn’t give up! Hallelujah!!! They were incredible! I only had about a cup and a half of dates, so I had to tweak the measurements a bit, and I subbed pecans for walnuts, but holy amazing! And they’re filling enough that I’m not getting that crazy urge to go back and finish the entire pan. (Plus, it still kind of weirds me out that I just ate dates…) Thanks, Katie!

  33. Caroline the bee says

    5 stars
    My god these brownies look good.
    Congrats on your blog Katie! I just found it recently on Pinterest, in the weirdest way: looking for photographs of brunettes for a writing project, I type in “Katie Melua” and accidently delete “Melua”. Well I ended up with a bunch of photos of other katies and… of this recipe. I thought “Wouldn’t it be great if you could just describe people like you describe food?” Good people are like good food. Anyway – this brownie made me think of my character (gooey and delicious). Thanks for that 😉
    I am suscribing to your newsletter and buying your book, it all looks amazing!
    Congrats

  34. Bri says

    5 stars
    Thank you soooo much for this recipe. I followed to the T. Used parchment sprayed into 8×8 and had to wet my fingers just a bit to pat it down. I also added a few drops of stevia to frosting as I’d used sf maple syrup. Tried after just under two hours and WOW THESE BABIES ARE TASTY! I had bariatric surgery so I need to be creative with baking.

  35. Christine Rodriguez says

    5 stars
    I made these brownies last night and even though mine are not as visually appealling as yours, they taste absolutely delicious.

  36. Natasha says

    I love Katie’s recipes as much as the next person, mostly because my kids love them, (nuts, healthy oils, moderate real sugar or fruit, …. Srsly dude, thumbs way way up) but I’m curious, do any of the commenters actually Make something first and Then complement it? I would love to see the comments on how things taste versus look. (Cause… Katie takes awesome pics, and I could drool over these for minutes, before I actually have to go and do something)

  37. Angie says

    5 stars
    I’m a chocoholic! I love this recipe! I made a batch the other day, soooo delicious! I’m impressed with this recipe, as my daughter who is not a fan of dates is hooked on the brownies. Oh, I added an extra tablespoon of cocoa powder to the brownie mix, they turned out so rich. This recipe is definitely a keeper, an addition to Momma’s collection of quick chocolate fixes! Thanks for sharing, Kate 🙂

  38. Kathleen says

    5 stars
    Just made these for a girl’s night and they are the best brownies I’ve ever had! All my friends agree:)

  39. Eliza says

    5 stars
    Katie, you’re a genius! Mid-making these right now, and just from tasting the batter I can tell this recipe is a keeper! I don’t have a food processor, so I added a splash of hemp milk and gave my blender a go. Not the smoothest consistency, but I wouldn’t consider that a flaw.

    One suggestion for the website comments, if I may: it would be great to somehow filter comments from only those that had actually made the recipe. I love reading about everyones variations, but it gets tiresome scanning through all of the anticipation posts.

  40. Alicia says

    5 stars
    Can I use cashews or almonds instead of walnuts? Ido t have walnuts on hand at the omens and I would love to make these now! Lol

  41. Dawn Laughlin says

    5 stars
    Okay, so I am going to charge you for a new keyboard as I just drooled all over mine!!!! Having company on Saturday and def going to make these…..just not sure if I will be able to share them!

  42. Barbara Noseworthy says

    5 stars
    I combined two cups of walnuts, 1 cup of coconut, cocoa and vanilla, added coconut peanut butter. Formed into small balls and spooned melted dark chocolate over each one. I got 2 dozen or more. Put each one in a small muffin cup and we can’t stop eating them.

  43. Amber says

    5 stars
    These are ridiculously easy to make and super delicious! It’s like a brownie batter brownie with frosting aka a little bit of heaven! Love this site!

  44. Gayle Mayani says

    5 stars
    Would it taste different if you didn’t put the frosting on top. Because I am not really a fan of frosting.

  45. Ashlee says

    4 stars
    These remind me of the Cosmic Brownies you can buy in the junk food smack cake aisle. I’m nit a fan of those, but I might eat the whole pan of these!

  46. Janine says

    5 stars
    Thank you for this wonderful recipe, really delicious. I hope I can keep them until my book club meeting and not eat them all myself!

  47. Roisin says

    5 stars
    Hi. These taste amazing! When I made them, the base turned quite oily (I presume from the walnuts) – does that mean I blended things too much? Thanks

  48. Jessie says

    These look awesome!! I just have a quick question, what are loosely packed pitted dates and where can I find them?? THANKS!! 🙂

  49. Rachel says

    Like several others, I am here looking for the weight measurements so that I don’t have to guess how loosely to pack the dates, that kind of thing. I looked at every comment because I don’t remember how to search, but no answer to the question.

    I’m going to try it in my vitamix! I’ll let you know how it goes. I already have your book and look forward to the next!

    Also, I’ve noticed with this visit to your website that every couple minutes I get a popup asking for me to subscribe by entering my email address. I am already subscribed, so I don’t want to do that again, and I click the “x” to exit. But seriously, every couple minutes…is there a way to get around that?

  50. Lindsey Tessada says

    Will the consistency turn out ok if I omit the nuts. I want to make them for a party but there will be kids will nut allergies attending.

  51. Jake b says

    4 stars
    Love the no bake brownies. Concept completely makes sense and to be honest, the dessert water of the house ate them without even saying a word. Looking forward to trying more recipes and to your book!

  52. Jake b says

    4 stars
    Love the no bake brownies. Concept completely makes sense and to be honest, the dessert eater of the house ate them without even saying a word. Looking forward to trying more recipes and to your book!

    • A H says

      Try it, as long as you’re OK if the result isn’t as you hoped. Please be sure to report back if you experiment.

  53. Parker says

    How do I get a copy of this recipe without taking a screenshot? I can’t print the recipe from my iPad but I would love a copy of it like the printable version that is provided. I will be giving this recipe a try in the next couple of days. It looks amazing!

    • A H says

      You can either print it from a desktop, or hi-light just the recipe itself and then copy to a new document and print from that.

  54. Katy s says

    Omg these are divine!! And I’ve only just got them in the fridge to set so I’m going purely on the mixture and frosting!!???????? I have a work colleague who will love these as he has coeliac disease and I’m always telling him about your recipes ??? thanks Katie for another winner!!

  55. paloma says

    I have a question i live in Argentina and i don’t know what is the first ingredientes: ” 2 1\2 cup loosely packed pitted dates , can you tell me please

  56. Anna says

    I’m afraid I didn’t blend the dough enough! There were still visible bits of walnut throughout the dough, and I already iced them. Think they’ll still be ok?

  57. Sarah Leddige says

    This recipe is delicious! I’m a total lover of dough, and these brownies are nice little fudgy treats. I froze them, and they taste great straight out of the freezer. It took quite a bit of blending to get the dough moist, so I was skeptical at first that it would form into dough. Once the walnuts got blended enough, the oils from the nuts made the dough perfect! I will definitely be making these again.

  58. Jean Hose says

    The frosting on your Melty Gooey Brownies looks dry and grainy, To fix this easily, finish off your frosting with a knife dipped in hot water. The wetness and heat from the knife will turn your dry frosting into a creamy smooth look.

  59. Donna says

    The Ultimate Unbaked Brownies look fantastic! We have a nut allergy in the house – do you think it would be possible to use coconut or pepita seeds instead? Sunflower seeds and sesame seeds aren’t an option either (allergy). I love your recipes, THANKYOU!!

  60. Nicole says

    These are excellent! I thought they would have a strange date/maple syrup taste. You know the kind we pretend tastes like real brownies, but we’re are just trying to fool ourselves?! Well, not so! These are so yummy and fudgy! My kids love them (I almost hoped they wouldn’t so I could have more). I will definitely make these again. (I added some sea salt to the top after cooled). Love having a treat I can feel good about eating!

  61. SW says

    I’m allergic to all tree nuts. Is it possible to make the recipe without any nuts? Can I replace it with anything else?

  62. Claire says

    I just tried to make these and batter turned out great but the frosting is oily and grainy… It won’t even spread. What did I do wrong?

  63. gabrielle says

    I made them and it’s so good! Best raw recipe ever!!! they’re so delicious and incredibly satisfying… amazing

  64. Bex says

    5 STARS!! These are fantastic! You are right – they do taste like a cross between a brownie and a chocolate bar. I might try some peanut butter in a future batch to give it that peanut butter cup taste. I will definitely be making this recipe over and over. Thank you so much for sharing!

  65. Jeannie says

    Fabulous recipe, these are delicious!! Question though, what kind of dates do you use to achieve the brownie consistency? Mine never quite get as smooth as yours.

  66. Dalena says

    I think it’s funny that a freezer deters you from eating! For me, the freezer is no super power deterrent! LOL I will try this recipe. And eat one straight outta the deep freeze. 😀

  67. Elise says

    These look amazing- I’ve had them pinned forever, but finally got some dates so I can try my hand! 🙂 I am wondering if honey would work for a sweetener for these as well?

  68. Claudia says

    Thank you so much Katie!
    Since I live in a dormitory without a kitchen (which is unfortunate because I’m obsessed with cooking…) I often try to find no bake or no cook recipes. I’m also a dancer and always try to find healthy recipes since I have to stay skinny. So I made these the other day and it was a hit among all of my dancer friends! They keep begging me to make more 😀 Thank you so much!!!

  69. Rachel says

    I blame it entirely on a terrible, tiny food processor, but I confess I did need to add almond milk just to make it mix at all. Even still, I’m having the worst time getting to the “refrigerate” part, as I keep eating the batter!!

  70. Toni says

    Wow, wow, wow! These are fantastic! I used a combination of black cocoa and double-dutch dark cocoa. I used organic pitted dates and organic medjool dates. I was pleasantly surprised when I saw that the consistency got so nice and smooth like the recipe says. They’re definitely fudge-like. I love them! I’ll be making these again.
    I can’t wait for your new cookbook to come out! I’m sure I’ll find a whole bunch more recipes to love!
    Thank you Katie!

  71. Tracey says

    Can i use raisins instead of dates?Dates is not locally available in our place. What other substitute for walnuts? I do not have food processor, can I use blender instead? thank you very much. Cant wait to bake these babies!!!

  72. Yosefa says

    Love this!! i used oliv oil instead because I dont really do coconut and it was a little more liquidy but still fine just a bit messy haha.

    But i LOVE this recpe!! I def won’t feel guilty if I eat the whole tray.. maybe I’ll span it over a few days and not just one haha

    Thanks !!!!

  73. Kay says

    These were fantastic! They totally took me back to my childhood and reminded me of the Little Debbie walnut fudge brownies my grandpa always had on hand (but with clean ingredients!!).

  74. Raji says

    I tried this unbaked brownie and we just hogged into it without any guilt! This is so easy to make and kids loved it! I am loving your blog and would definetely explore more of them in my kitchen! Great thanks to you for sharing to make eating so much healthier!

  75. Salla says

    I have made these 3 times now! So good. Last time I added some almond flour which made it even more delicious taste. Recommend!

  76. Mel says

    I discovered your website about a year ago, and have yet to find a recipe that I don’t like. One of my favorites is the Ultimate Unbaked Brownie recipe. We liked it so well, that we took the frosting and used it to make chocolate coconut walnut balls. Just add walnuts to the frosting, and coat with unsweetened shredded coconut. Thank you for making all these great recipes for those days you just need that little chocolate fix.

  77. jime says

    hey Katie!
    QuickQ:
    what if I try preparing the recipe whith no nuts all?
    shall I add more dates?
    and
    have you ever tried it with prunes instead of dates?
    loving it in any case!!!
    u re great!!!
    a fanfromBuenosAires#

  78. Paige says

    How is your brownie layer so smooth!? No matter how long I had mine in the food processor, there’s still loads of visible bits of walnuts. Did you pulse the walnuts first or anything? They taste perfect, just visually aren’t as nice as yours, haha!

  79. fay says

    Hi

    Thank you so much for this recipe. Kindly confirm the measurement re the vanilla extract..the ingredients list and instructions differ. Thanks.

  80. Rochelle says

    We’re nut allergic (as well as eggs, dairy and more), is there any way to replace the walnuts in this recipe? Looks divine…

  81. kelly says

    These taste great! The only problem was my food processor could not handle the dense ingredients. I had to combine in small batches. I ended up making energy balls and rolling them in coconut. Skipped the frosting.

  82. Katie says

    Oh my gosh.. These are SO GOOD. And this is coming from a sweet tooth/chocolate addict. I don’t miss the “real” thing with these. I saw this recipe posted on Facebook somewhere, and decided to give it a try, thinking I might take it to the superbowl party we were invited to. But, of course, it’s a “healthy” recipe I’ve never tried before, so I need to sample them before taking them and serving them. Well, I tried them and decided to keep the whole dish for just me and hubby cuz I didn’t want to share! lol! Don’t worry, we still took guacamole for the party ;oD
    And then of course while I was here, I saw more recipes that are must-tries. Thanks for all the yummy but not horrible for my body treats!

  83. Ellen says

    I rate the Unbaked Chocolate Brownes at 3?. They were good but Katie has so many delicious looking recipes to try that for me to repeat a recipe it must be 5? “To Die For”. The nuts and dates also make this recipe on the expensive side. I’d rather use those ingredients for another purpose. There are two CCK 5? “2D4″s that my freezer is never without: Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Bars and Peanut Butter Bliss Balls. Keep up the good wrk Katie! Yours is one of my most visited websites.

  84. Emily says

    I just made these and they were amazing!! I was skeptical that they would taste anything like chocolate, but I was so wrong!! I need to get a better food processor because I had some trouble blending the ingredients, but once it was all blended, amazing!!! 10/10 would recommend!

    Thanks!

  85. kati says

    These look so good! To cut back on calories, could you suggest the at. of powdered stevia I could use instead of maple syrup or agave? I would love it if you could put in a stevia substitute for your sweetener in your other recipes as well! TIA!

  86. Sara says

    These looks great! I’m new to your site and so excited to start making just about everything!!

    I was wondering if I can use honey instead of maple syrup?

    Also, a question that I ask myself often with your recipes- when you write honey/maple syrup, can you use date honey instead? (though specifically in this recipe there are so many dates maybe date syrup would make it too datey 🙂 )

  87. Katie says

    I love this recipe BUT it permanently burnt out the motor on my food processor ??? I have a nice kitchen aid one but it could not handle blending the dates and nuts. Be careful!!!

  88. RC says

    Confused about the directions. The ingredient list calls for 6 TBS of cocoa. The first instruction is to “combine the dates, walnuts, *6 tbsp cocoa*, 1 1/2 tsp vanilla, water, and salt in a food processor.” Later on it says “combine remaining cocoa…” What remaining cocoa?

      • Julie Dove says

        It looks like her publisher gave them permission to print the recipe (with credit) in their actual magazine. Would have been nice for them to include some form of credit on their website though :(. Really disappointing. Anyway, thanks for letting us know – really means a lot that you took the time to do that!

  89. Elizabeth says

    These look amazing, but I have diverticulitis and am not able to digest nuts. Is there a good substitution for the walnuts?

  90. Monique says

    Hi there, walnuts seem to be a main ingredient, but for nut allergies, do you perhaps have any suggestion for a substitute that would work well for this recipe please? Thanx in advance!

  91. Katie @ Old World Taste says

    These are amazing! I made them last night for my family. So easy to make in the afternoon and let them chill until after dinner. My 6-year-old daughter was sold! My husband said they were really good (and no one was the wiser about the dates and walnuts). I have been using dates a lot too in my European cooking blog, as they were one of the first natural sweeteners… like in my brown rice pudding with date compote. http://oldworldtaste.com/brown-rice-pudding-with-dried-fruit-compote/

    I will be making these again and again! Just waiting for the bulk walnuts and dates to go on sale at my natural food store.

  92. Liv Nash says

    The measurements for the frosting didn’t produce enough to really cover the brownies. They were still yummy? Why do they have to be refrigerated? Thanks!

  93. Babie says

    Omg these were insanely good! We’re trying to cut refined sugar out of our diets, this is a great addition!!! Pure genius!

  94. Elodie says

    Hello, this cake looks fabulous, I was wondering what ingredients you use to do the chocolate icing ?
    Thank you! Elodie

  95. Flaviana says

    Hello and thank you for this wonderful recipe! Can I just ask what blender/food processor you use? My small hand blender couldn’t keep up with the dates. Thank you!

    • Jason Sanford says

      She has a Cuisinart food processor, which works really well. Also recommends Sunmaid or Sunsweet pitted dates (the kind that come packaged in the grocery store near the raisins), which are softer. If you buy the harder dates, try soaking them first to soften them!

  96. Katie says

    These are delicious! A friend told me to try them & they live up to the expectations! Thank you!! I haven’t had a brownie in a LONG time because of health issues that prohibit gluten & refined sugar. These met my criteria perfectly. Will recommend them! <3

  97. Dave says

    Finally got around to making these ULTIMATE UNBAKED BROWNIES and they are next level! Its shocking how they are so much better than any other brownie ive had and theres no refined sugar! Ive made a lot of your recipes and they are all incredible but this one is hands down the best

  98. Becky says

    I made these yesterday and oh my goodness they’re delicious! You can’t tell they’re not full of sugar and butter and flour. Theyre gooey, and sweet, and chocolatey. What’s more, they’re so easy to make – takes about 15 mins at a leisurely pace to prepare, then just 2h to set in the fridge!
    Thanks Katie!

  99. Julie says

    I love these! My only problem is when I make these or any other of your recipes with dried fruit and nuts, there is an excess of oil. I can pour the oil off after I pat these into a pan. What am I doing wrong? Am I blending it too long/short? Should my ingredients all be at room temperature? Am I the only person with this problem? Help, please.

  100. Lisa says

    Made these brownies last night and they are delicious! Would definitely recommend them to anyone! Next time I’m going to make them into balls and cover them in coconut! Will make a great finger food!

  101. Rachel Kerwin says

    I love these healthy brownies. Absolutely delicious and filling. May be my favorite recipe of yours yet.

  102. Kate says

    I just made these for a guest that has multiple food restrictions. These are amazing! I did modify things just slightly by not spreading them quite so thin…only took up about 2/3 of the pan instead.

    Thank you for posting the recipe!

  103. Yummycake says

    Baking different type of cakes is my profession and visiting this website, again and again, is my habit now. Every time when I visit this website I find something special that I love too much.

    Thanks….

    Yummycake

  104. Ellen Lederman says

    These are my favorite raw brownies! So moist and chocolatey. The fudgy icing on top truly makes them special. I finally got some Medjool dates instead of the more dried Deglet Noors and am so glad I chose this recipe to try it out. What a healthy, delicious treat.

  105. Stephanie says

    This was delicious, but my kitchen aid started smoking before I could get it completely smooth. Do you have any hints to processing dates without causing a processor to smoke? 🙂

  106. Mandy says

    Topping on this was amazing. So much like an indulgent ganache. I have tried many raw / vegan / paler brownies that all taste pretty much the same. This recipe is really good.

  107. Bailly says

    Made these and they are incredible! Batch one is exactly the recipe, batch two I ran out of walnuts and did half raw cashews in a mini muffin tin for brownie bites (all walnuts way better brownie texture, half cashew was closer to an eat-more texture). Both batchs are delicious, but they got really oily. As if the food processor caused the oil from the nuts to separate. I dabbed off in the ones in the sheet with a paper towel before adding the icing, but has this happened to anyone else? Any tips on preventing this? Oily or not, I still love them!

    • Jason Sanford says

      Just don’t process as long, and then the nuts won’t release as much of their natural oils. Although I guess if the oil comes out and is discarded, they are actually healthier!

  108. Sherah says

    I’ve tried hundreds of online recipes but have seldom felt compelled to go back and comment. I just had to come back to comment on these, though! These are Fan-Freaking-tastic! I made them with a few modifications (based on what I had on hand)
    I subbed the maple syrup for FiberYum Prebiotic fiber and added an additional 1/8 c. of powdered erythritrol (since the FiberYum isn’t very sweet by itself) I also didn’t have any walnuts on hand so I used a cup of pecans and a half of a cup of unsalted mixed nuts. SO Amazing! They remind me of the Little Debbie brownies, except better! After I made them I made a second batch of the frosting alone just to eat by the spoonful! <3 Thank you!!

  109. AmyLynn Hunt says

    H Katie and all! I have a question about an ingredient – I hear a lot about Medjool (I probably spelled that so very wrong!) dates in vegan baking – is that the kind of dates to use here? Or just any? I admit to not knowing anything about dates, have probably never eaten one! But I see them in a lot of recipes and hear all good things. Any advice before I head to the store?
    Thank you Katie as always for sharing such amazing desserts, I discovered you right before I became a vegan – I was Googling “How to make your house smell like chocolate” & almost every post about chocolate listed this wonderful “Chocolate covered Katie” person :0) Just such a great site, it always feels very warm and cozy here, if that makes sense!!

    • Jason Sanford says

      Yup, that works here! Katie recommends SunMaid brand dates (they are sold at regular grocery stores) because they are already pitted and they are also softer. I think SunMaid are delget noor dates. But if you use harder dates, just soak them in hot water for an hour to soften them. And be sure to de-pit them if they aren’t bought that way already!

  110. Ellie says

    Hi Katie,
    I tried making these last night, the taste is amazing but somehow they turned out real sticky and thus I can’t get them out of my pan after refrigeration overnight. is there anyway I can save them?
    thanks!

  111. Divya says

    Hey Katie, I don’t have a food processor, but would really love to try this recipe! Any other way you’d suggest I can make this – perhaps in a blender (Nutribullet)? Thanks in advance!

  112. Ana says

    Is the frosting necessary for the recipe, or is it just an added bonus? The reason I’m asking is because I cannot have the oil and maple syrup in the frosting. I could make substitutions, but I’m wondering if the brownies would simply be good on their own without the frosting! Either way, looks very yummy!

  113. Tonya Adams says

    Not gonna lie, these were kind of a pain to make (blending issues), but oh my gosh, they were so worth the effort. Ecstasy in my mouth. No joke. So good.

  114. Gigi says

    I’ve made this recipe many times and absolutely love it . But I have been having problems with keeping the frosting from not clumping or staying smooth. I have had success several times though and it makes a big difference! I use coconut oil and prefer it over vegetable oil. Do you have any suggestions?

  115. Capa says

    LOVED LOVED LOVED THESE!
    Thank you so much! I really appreciate a great sugar-less dessert made with simple ingredients and yet to die for! Any chance of a cookbook entirely made up of such desserts? 😀

  116. Shelley Johns says

    I couldn’t get them to set at all. The base was all crumbly so I remixed everything including the frosting together and made moist balls. Delicious x

  117. Sabrina says

    These have been, by far, my favourite treat for well over a year now. The only problem is, when you eat as many as I do in one sitting, I don’t think they can any longer be considered “healthy”!!!! LOL. So I have to limit how frequently I make them! But I do also love using this recipe as a base for granola bars. I make this recipe without the frosting, and then add into my food processor any other nuts, seeds, hemp hearts, whatever I have on hand, and just roughly chop them in. Sooooooooo good!!!! Thanks for another amazingly awesome recipe!!

  118. Pikturesk974 says

    Thank you sooooo much for this amazing recipe! I made it for guests in our fully raw vegan ashram in Germany and everyone was delighted and asked for the recipe! I’ve made some photos and I’ve tagged you on Instagram on both my account (Pikturesk974) and our ashram’s account (spiritbalance_ashram) so you can see all the photos. But SUUUUCH A DELISH <3 thank you again!!!!!

  119. Chantel says

    I was wondering if the walnuts are crucial or if there is a good alternative either gluten free or not ? I have a bit allergy in our camping group and thought this would be a nice sweet treat over the weekend. Some people are vegan/gluten free and I would love to make something everyone is welcome to eat.

  120. Kaitlyn says

    I made these last night for my very pregnant friend (dates can supposedly induce labor lol). I want to say they were SO GOOD. Mine came out more fudgey, I think because I added too much water. I do want to say though that my food possessor could not handle the stickiness of those dates. I think I would chop them up next time.

  121. Chocoholic says

    Absolutely delicious and easy to make. Thanks for the wonderful recipe. Chocolate cravings are the worst for me and these will definitely help with those.

  122. Meriam says

    Hahah it looks amazing ! Can’t wait to try it.
    My cheap blender got broken with the dates, so gilrs be careful for that 🙂

  123. Kendall says

    Hi Katie

    It seems that I am slow to the party with my comment, but thank you for this recipe. I make it so often and absolutely love it ?

  124. Shirley Bauman says

    I am a confirmed chocoholic so I love this recipe! I make it and just want to hide the pan from the rest of the family so I can have it all to myself. Easy, healthy ingredients, and CHOCOLATE! What’s not to love?!

  125. Shaheen Hanifa says

    Warning, I just tried this recipe using my cuisinart food processor and I followed the directions of not adding any extra water and now my food processor is broken, the night before Christmas Eve! This sucks.

    • Jason Sanford says

      Oh yikes sorry about your food processor! I’m guessing it sounds like maybe you got a date that accidentally had a pit in it? There are hundreds of comments on here from people who made it in a food processor so it definitely is normally fine to use one!

    • jordi says

      This happened to me too. I think it might have been wise to suggest that the dates be soaked in hot water to soften them if necessary and reduce the amount of liquid as appropriate.

    • Jason Sanford says

      We’ve never tried so can’t say for sure, but feel free to experiment, and please be sure to report back if you do!
      Jason (media relations)

  126. Robin says

    These are AMAZING. So rich and gooey. Truthfully, they don’t need the added coconut oil in the ganache. I omitted the oil and the ganache was perfect. I popped the hole batch in the freezer and just grab one when I need my chocolate fix. My 13 yo can’t stay away.

  127. Geoffrey Levens says

    Just made The Ultimate Unbaked Brownies for a “finger food potluck”. Holy smoke!!!! They got vacuumed. And 4 people requested the recipe. Dangerously excellent. Thank you!

    p.s. Can’t show off pictures because there’s nothing left, Not even a dab…

  128. jordi says

    Just made the Unbaked Brownies. I followed the directions to the T but have to say that the dates which were from a fresh bag should have been soaked for a while to soften them. As it was I have cracked my food processor due to them being so hard to process and I had to add more liquid than called for just to blend and had to rest the food processor so it took ages to make.

  129. Erin B. says

    This recipe is DA BOMB DIGGITY!!! I’m in the process of going (refined, added) sugar free. I love that the dates are the sweetener here. Very interested in what else can be done with dates and figs to make sweet treats!

  130. Pamela Manners says

    Made these yesterday – went down well with whole family! Only 9 left out of 16. I buy similar readymade products – these are far more delicious and way cheaper, so I’ll be making them regularly from now on! Thank you, Katie.

  131. Natalie says

    I normally don’t comment on here, but thought I would help with the ever “nut allergy” question since nobody has followed up on it. Sunflower seeds work. Not sure how it compares to the original recipe but it doesn’t matter! I followed Katie’s suggestion of replacing the frosting with melted chocolate chips since the brownies were going to be sitting outside for a while. So good and easy to make!

  132. Cindy D May says

    I was thinking this was a newer post until I saw the comments. Anyway, my useful humor kicked in, and I decided to leave my comment anyway.
    That’s my food processor too…. I use it, but sometimes with great trepidation. And here’s my next food processor! Do you have it yet? Or something even better? Do tell! My reasons for this one over the Cuisinart:
    a. it doesn’t take so much brain power. I use iphone and android devices that are simpler to use than this Cuisinart baby!
    b. 16 cup Brebille Sous Chef….that means 5 cups more brownies. No brainer, right? (12 cup also available.)
    c. The video I somehow discovered–made the sale. I watched with a little jealousy as she could have used the food processor even blindfolded. It doesn’t steal brain cells. On Youtube search for Breville Sous Chef Food Processor.
    d. It’s also available on Amazon. This might be the one I get and keep for life!

  133. Leslie Fladd says

    The Unbaked Brownies are seriously delicious. The first batch I used regular cocoa. I thought they were good, but not as chocolate-y as I would like. So the second batch I used a high quality Dutch process cocoa; HUGE difference. I can’t stop eating them. Thank you Katie!

  134. Noam says

    Made these last night, and they mostly taste like dates and not so much like chocolate or brownies… A nice treat, but not what I expected at all.

  135. Patricia Suttmiller says

    I made these brownies yesterday. They are amazing. Almost like fudge but not nearly as sweet. I will be making them again as soon as I get more ingredients. I added coconut to the top of half of them. 10stars

  136. Helen says

    These look so amazing and the closest to having ingredients I can eat. Wondering if by any chance you think they would work made with avocado instead of nuts? Even if they don’t stay together beautifully – they are only for me to eat! I’m not eating nuts, beans, sweet potatoes or any of the options in the other awesome looking brownies and desserts. Thanks for your input.

    • Helen says

      Or cauliflower, carrots or some other veggie? That’s what I’m eating right now – raw fruits & veggies – and I can’t get these brownies out of mind! LOL!

  137. Charity K says

    I wasn’t sure about this going in but I’ll give any recipe on chocolate covered Katie a go because I’ve learned to trust her. (Seriously that chickpea chocolate chip pie was one I thought “no way” and it made me a believer!) anyway, commenting to say that these were FABULOUS. Easy as anything. First thing I said after eating one was I need more dates so I can make more of these! I’m not sure what everyone else was using but I used Medjool dates that I manually pitted and swapped walnuts for pecans as thats what I had on hand and they were amazing. Going to be my go to, I think! Thank you again.

  138. Priya says

    Hi Chocolate Covered Katie! My auntie got me some of the softest, sweetest dates from her tree in Dubai and I used them to make this recipe. It’s sooo good, so sticky and delicious. It doesn’t have a straight sweetness but a rich, dark chocolate taste which I actually enjoy more. Thanks!

  139. Kristina says

    These are INSANELY good. I stopped eating refined sugar a couple months ago and thought I would never find a solution for the brownie shaped hole in my heart, but these are so so good and feel so guilt free. Thank you!

  140. Katie says

    These are wonderful! I generally prefer gram measurements but it turns out this recipe is quite forgiving, I just throw in a bag each of nuts and dates. The most recent time I made them I ended up with quite a lot of big chunks of unprocessed nuts (my food processor isn’t the best and I used almonds which I guess are a bit tougher than walnuts anyway) but I think I actually preferred them that way as it added a lovely crunch which complimented the heavenly gooey topping. Great recipe!

  141. Beverly moore says

    This is not a kid friendly recipe. I wanted to make this with young children at day camp however, it is too messy for a time sensitive schedule. Also I found the 8×8 pan too large. The kids loved them but I did the making and the the name of the class is maker baker…however, on the up side alls not lost, THEY TAST GOOD

  142. Rachel says

    5 stars
    Had to get a room alone while eating these orgasmic brownies. There were a LOT of groaning sounds. This recipe was like Magic Mike for my taste buds.

  143. Stephanie Zick says

    5 stars
    My kids love helping make these and eating them even more, we have to double it each time. Very adaptable, the last time we made them I ran out of dates and used prunes, never tell the difference! Thanks for the great recipe!

  144. Ashley says

    5 stars
    These brownies are BEYOND delicious! I really cannot even believe how insanely chewy, decadent and tasty they are. You must make them. The frosting is exquisite and comes together so quickly. Both my teenage kids said I need to save this recipe and make it often. Thank you Katie for such a enjoyable and healthy sweet treat. No flour, eggs, butter or sugar? YES PLEASE!

  145. Richard says

    Made these for the first time this morning and OMG, they’re amazing! So easy to make, and I love the hint of coconut flavor in the frosting. I’ve always loved brownies but have rarely eaten them over the years because of the calories/sugar, so it’s awesome to be able to make these healthier ones myself, thanks so much!

  146. salmon says

    5 stars
    It looks so yummy and delicious.. I will definitely try this recipe and share my comments! You know I am not a good cook but will put my efforts for the same !

  147. Snigdha Roy says

    5 stars
    My mouth is already watering just by looking at this recipe! I can’t wait to get into my kitchen and start whipping up a batch of these yummy brownies. The aroma of the ingredients blending together is going to be simply heavenly. I’m thrilled to have the chance to recreate this dish and add my own personal touch to it. Thank you for sharing this mouth-watering recipe with us!

  148. hilda rodgveller says

    5 stars
    These are the best brownies ever. They taste like fudge. We’ve been making them for years since I became vegan. I usually double the frosting and we eat them frozen.
    I’m the only vegan in my family but EVERYONE loves these and they are always excited when I have them in the freezer. Thank you Katie! <3

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