Nothing in this world satisfies the chocolate cravings quite like a dense and luscious chocolate brownie. And even though this brownie is rich and delicious it is made with whole food plant based ingredients that are gluten free, oil free, refined sugar free, and vegan.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups dates
1 cup unsweetened peanut butter
1/2 cup oat flour
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
2 cans garbonzo beans (drained)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Add all ingredients to a food processor and mix until smooth.
- Press into a silicone pan or a parchment paper lined brownie pan.
- Bake for 30 minutes.
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31 comments
Jill could I use black beans? I don’t have any garbanzo beans? Thanks
I used black beans and they were great!
I haven’t tried it yet but I have a strong feeling that adzuki beans (which are a naturally sweet bean and often used in Asian cuisine for desserts) would also be a tasty, worthwhile substitute.
I soaked my dates prior to adding the other ingredients and used black beans instead of garbanzos. The date water allowed for easier blending, but added to the bake time. I also sprinkled in a few walnuts and chocolate chips after blending. Soooo good!
What size pan for the brownies?
9″ x 9″
Hi there, I cant find the name of those beans, but is any brand chickpeas ok?
Any brand of chickpeas will do =)
I made this last night. Very good brownies. Very filling. Thank you, Jill! My food processor did have some trouble processing all the ingredients. It may be time for a new one.
Ditto here and my processer is brand new. I pulled the dates out and put them in my hi speed blender and then added it back and it came out fine.
The most delicious brownies I have ever tried! I cannot think of a more nutritious, filling and simple recipe. PERFECT!
Can you make this without the oat flour? No flour or GF flour?
I think gluten free flour would work ok.
I made it with GF flour. I assume it would have been better with oats, or maybe I needed more dates for sweetness. Either way, very delicious. Thank you.
Made this the first time and I did not like it. I made a few adjustments for our palette and they were great. I lessened the peanut butter but about a 1/4 cup and added 1/4 organic pure maple syrup and 2 tbsp organic local raw honey. They stayed really soft and chewy for days. Loved it. Great base recipe to fool around with and to get a lot of protein for a dessert. Thanks!
Thank you for this suggestion. When I made the original recipe, they came out very dry and crumbly, but I did your modifications and they turned out great! Thanks!
Mine came out dry and crumbly too. So disappointed. Seems they need some liquid or something.
HELP??
Hi, everyone, I have recently made the jump to be a vegan. I have to say that these recipes have kept me on target. I thought it was going to be dreadful and also was very afraid of carbs. All my life, I have been supressing my carb intake. Feels amazing.
Jill – This recipe is absolutely fantastic. My kids and I thoroughly enjoyed making this a part of our 4th of July dessert spread; they even helped me make it. It was hilarious to hear my daughter’s shock when I pulled out the chickpeas and her promise that she would not be eating these brownies. After trying them she and the rest of us are hooked. I did add just a little soy milk while mixing in the processor as this batter gave it quite a workout (I probably could use something more powerful). Thank you, you’re amazing and we appreciate all your hard work!
Thank you Jason and I am so glad you guys enjoyed the brownies!
Can you substitute garbanzo beans for any other kind of beans? I sadly only have one can.
I haven’t tried it but it my guess is that it would work.
Just made these. They are wonderful! Except one thing. They were so thick I couldnt process them well, so I had to add some water to thin the mix. It came out good though, and will make again. Thanks!
Definitely need to add a little water to get these to mix. My food processor is on the smaller side so I mixed things in batches then combined everything together in a big bowl. I know dates are naturally sweet but they do need a little something extra. Next time I will follow the Jill lead and add honey and some maple syrup. Overall they taste good. If you’re expecting the traditional brownie taste, it’s not that but a tasty healthy other option.
My blender and food processor are weak and old so I steamed 2 c dates in 1/2 C of water for 5-10 min before adding them to my blender with blended garbanzos. Then I used 1/2 C applesauce, 1/2 c peanut butter, and put everything in my mixer. I cooked them 55 minutes. I had to resist eating the entire pan. Next time, I am going to add chopped mint and nuts.
Hi could you share gram measures please
If you are using garbanzo beans dried and cooked, how many cups of beans do you need? I try to stay away from canned goods.
Each can equals 1 1/2 cups cooked beans
Hi Jill going to make these tomorrow. Looking at the recipe I feel there should be some liquid as all the ingredients are dry except for peanut butter, which is thick and gluggy. I’m wondering if you have missed putting milk or even water to soften the dates?
Yes, it is a VERY thick mixture. You can add 1/2 cup of plant milk to help things mix better.
I found your blog while searching for healthier dessert recipes, as I suspect the so-called “healthier” sweeteners like erythritol and monkfruit have been messing up my digestive system. I have to admit I had my doubts about this recipe, but I tried the suggestion to cut the peanut butter to 3/4 cup and add 1/4 cup maple syrup. They are delicious! No, they don’t taste like a traditional brownie, but they have a really good flavor that isn’t just a sugar-y type of taste. Also, I ate a couple of my stomach felt great and I wasn’t suddenly wanting to eat everything in the house. I’m eager to try more of your recipes now.