These easy no bake chocolate brownies are made with 5 simple ingredients, and can be put together in under half an hour. A delicious, chocolate energizing treat.
These no bake chocolate brownies are a breeze to make with just 5 ingredients. Like all my brownie recipes, including my chocolate peanut butter brownies, this no bake brownie recipe is rich and chocolatey, as well as dairy free.
Why You'll Love These
A melt-in-your-mouth brownie. These no bake chocolate brownies are the chocolate treat you are looking for. Fudgy and velvety smooth, one bite will make you swoon. If you haven't discovered dates yet, I recommend you do. Their caramel flavor makes recipes like my classic chocolate smoothie, these chocolate-dipped fudge bars, and this no bake brownie, swoon worthy.
Unusually nutritious. With the protein from nut butter, and the iron and fiber from dates, these brownies will help you feel great. They are also dairy free, vegan, and even gluten free, making them suitable for most everyone to enjoy.
Ingredients
- Nut butter. I use almond butter, cashew butter, peanut butter, and even tahini (sesame seed) butter.
- Medjool dates. You can find these packaged in the produce section of your grocer. Soak them for 5 minutes in just boiled water before you pit them. Use about 10-12 dates.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder. I use dutch processed because it's darker and it has a milder flavor, less acidic. But any unsweetened cocoa works.
- Chocolate chips. Melted, or melt your favorite chocolate bar. I use Enjoylife semi sweet mini chips because they melt smoothly and easily.
- Salt. Essential for flavor.
Optional Topping. I melted chocolate chips and coconut milk together for a fudgy chocolate top.
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1: Line a loaf pan with parchment paper so the sides hang over the sides. Soak the dates for 5 minutes in just boiled water. Then cut them open, remove the pit and the end knob if there is one, and toss into the blender.
Step 2: Melt ½ cup of chocolate chips in the microwave for 45 seconds. Stir until chips are melted.
Step 3: Add the melted chocolate to the dates in the blender. Then add the nut butter, cocoa powder, and salt.
Step 4: Press the batter into the lined pan and even off the surface by pressing with the bottom of a measuring cup.
Step 5: Melt ½ cup of chocolate chips in the microwave for 45 seconds. Stir in 2 tablespoon of warmed coconut milk, or your favorite milk.
Step 6: Pour the chocolate on top of the brownie batter and even off by tipping the pan.
Step 7: Set the pan in the freezer for 25 minutes to set. Then cut into 8 slices.
Recipe Tips
1. Soften the dates quickly by dropping them into a pot of just boiled water for five minutes. No measuring of water necessary. Then drain the dates, rinse and pit.
2. If your nut butter is unopened, the oil might be at the top. Open it and stir to combine the oil and nut butter fairly evenly. You can even microwave the jar, lid off, for 15 second intervals to help loosen it up to stir.
3. Be sure all ingredients are at room temperature when you add them to the blender. Uneven temperatures could lead to funky textures.
4. When cutting the chilled brownies, use a sharp knife, and run it under hot tap water to heat it, then dry it thoroughly and make a cut. Keep repeating between cuts to get even clean brownie sides.
Storage
Store in an air-tight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Or put each brownie in a storage bag and freeze for up to three months.
Substitutions
Nut butter. You can use any nut butter, almond, cashew, or peanut butter. Choose the runny kind that have only nuts and oil as ingredients, no added sugar.
Cocoa powder. You need the cocoa powder but it can be regular unsweetened or dutch processed.
You can use whole dates or date paste. You can make date paste ahead and store it frozen for occasions as this. Here is my date paste recipe. To use date paste instead of dates in this recipe use ¾ cup of date paste.
Variations
Make nut-free brownies. Instead of nut butter, use tahini (sesame seed butter), or sunflower seed butter.
Make no bake brownies without dates. To ditch the dates, try this recipe for chocolate peanut butter brownies which uses maple syrup instead.
More Brownie Recipes
Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownies
Cauliflower Brownies
Oreo Brownies
Sweet Potato Brownies
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📖 Recipe
No Bake Chocolate Brownies
Ingredients
- 1 cup Medjool dates 10-12 dates or date paste*
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- ½ cup peanut butter or almond butter or cashew butter
- ¼ teaspoon of salt
- ½ cup chocolate chips, melted
Chocolate top
- ½ cup chocolate chips, melted
- 2 tablespoon coconut milk, canned and full fat or your favorite milk
Instructions
Prep
- Soak the dates in just-boiled water for 5 minutes.
- Melt the ½ cup of chocolate chips in the microwave for 45 seconds. Stir until all chips are melted. Microwave another 15 seconds if needed to melt all the chips.
- Line a loaf pan with parchment paper, 8x12 inch, so the sides hang over.
Make brownies
- Blend all ingredients into a combined batter. It will be somewhat sticky and pressable.1 cup Medjool dates, ¼ cup cocoa powder, ¼ teaspoon of salt, ½ cup chocolate chips, melted
- Press it into the lined loaf pan and put another sheet of parchment over the top to protect the batter as you flatten the top to make it uniform and level. I use the bottom of a 1 cup measuring cup to slide around to even off the top.
- Melt the ½ cup of chocolate for the top in the microwave at 45 seconds. Stir until all chips are melted. Heat 2 tablespoon of milk and stir that in. Coconut milk will make the fudgiest texture, but regular milk is acceptable.½ cup chocolate chips, melted
- Pour that on top of the brownie batter. Tap the pan to even off the chocolate.
- Set the pan in the freezer for 25 minutes, then remove and cut into 8 pieces.
Storage
- Store at room temperature sealed for 2 days. After that refrigerate for one week. After that freeze.
Xiomara
One more question it says two tablespoons flaxseed eggs, does that mean I should make the flaxseed egg and use two tablespoons of the mixture or make two flaxseed eggs and use it all ? I want to be clear so I don’t mess it up. Thanks.
Dee Dine
Of course, no problem. The only flaxseed mixture to use it this: 2 tbsp ground flaxseeds + 6 tbsp water
Xiomara
Step four in the prep says “Fold in ½ the melted chocolate. Mix again until creamy.” What do you do with the other half of the melted chocolate?
Dee Dine
Thank you, I updated the recipe. Use the remaining melted chocolate chips after bars are cooled.
Ela
Wow! Looks absolutely amazing, Dee! The texture is fantastic. Love that you added flaxseed eggs. 🙂
Dee Dine
Thank you Ela! Flaxseeds are awesome! Thanks for stopping by, Dee xx
Klara
OMG! I made these today and they came out perfect! I even doubled the recipe and used a loaf pan. Thank you for that option.
Dee Dine
That's great news Klara! Thanks for your feedback! Dee xx
V
Hello
Could I use oil instead of butter ?
Dee Dine
I don't think so, although if you try, let us know how it worked out.
Alli
Just want to point out that the recipe says 1/3 cup butter but the instructions say 2/3 cup.
Dee Dine
Thank you Alli, I fixed it. The ingredient list is correct for a 4-inch by 4-inch pan. Many thanks for notifying me! Dee xx