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vegan brownies
Vegan Clean Eating Mocha Brownies
Vegan mocha brownies! Yes please!
How did this happen? It is somehow 2017, and time for new year’s resolutions. I know, I know, new year’s resolutions are kind of the thing we make and never stick to. I am always all like “new year, new me”. Then it takes me about a month until I am drinking a bottle of wine and eating vegan nachos on the couch in my underpants. Last year I was totally into the idea of rock climbing, and my husband and I were like, we are going to the rock gym ALL THE TIME. Well, needless to say, we never made it. Ha! This year, I really want to work more on eating clean. Let me tell you, if that is your resolution as well, I think these brownies will get you through the whole year without feeling like you are depriving yourself of any magical desserts.
These brownies somehow manage to be one of the best brownies I have ever had, so fudgey and moist, crunchy outside with a hit of coffee flavor that just does amazing work at enhancing the chocolate. All of this with just 10 ingredients, no sugar, no gluten or grains of any kind, and of course as always vegan! These brownies are pure magic, and I had to ask them this morning where they have been all my life? They were just waiting for me to discover them!
All of this really simple recipe is also done in a food processor, making this a one bowl recipe as well. Literally throwing all the ingredients and processing into a dough is another reason this recipe makes it so easy to maintain your clean eating resolution. I am super lazy, and love a good quick easy recipe that requires very little effort. I would also like to mention, that I am very aware that brownies usually have no leavening agent, however, I had to add something to boost these a little since they have no flour or anything to help thicken them up a bit, and I didn’t want them to be just fudge.
I have been coming up with a lot of clean eating ideas, and I am super excited to test them out and share them with you all! I am also really into soup ideas, since my feet are currently freezing. I love a good hot soup in the winter. So keep looking for all my super healthy recipes, as well as my regular vegan comfort foods, because, ya know, we all need a little of that every once in a while!
Vegan Clean Eating Mocha Brownies
Ingredients
- 8 Ounces Dark chocolate, vegan
- 1 Tablespoon Cocoa powder
- 1 Teaspoon Baking powder
- 1/2 Teaspoon Baking soda
- 10-12 Dates, pitted
- 4 Tablespoons Flax meal
- 6 Tablespoons Water
- 1/4 Cup Coconut oil
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla
- 1 Teaspoon Salt
- 2 Tablespoons Instant coffee
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a food processor, combine dark chocolate and cocoa powder. Pulse until the mixture is course, like small pea sized. It will take a minute.
- Add the baking soda, baking powder and dates. Process until the dates become soft and puree like, it will take another minute or so.
- Make the flax eggs, by combining the flax and water and let sit for a minute until it thickens.
- Add the flax eggs, coconut oil, vanilla, salt and instant coffee to the food processor, and continue to process mixture for a few minutes until it starts to come together and looks like a wet batter. It should still be pretty thick, but you want to make sure there are no large pieces of anything, and it looks pretty evenly combined.
- Scoop into an 8x8 baking dish lined with parchment paper. Press out so it is even.
- Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes.
- Let cool completely, serve!
Notes
Nutrition
Vegan Sweet n’ Salty Pretzel Brownies
Recently, my husband and I were discussing what flavor combinations we absolutely love. Chris mentioned the Take 5 candy bars that are chocolate filled with a pretzel, peanut butter and caramel. He is right, that is basically my idea candy bar or snack, sweet and salty, definitely with a pretzel involved. Trader Joe’s has one of the most epic snacks of all time as well, peanut butter filled pretzels! While in talks of making a fancier and healthier version of the Take 5 bar, I came up with, these Sweet n’ Salty Pretzel Brownies.
They can be made either gluten free and vegan, or just vegan, and I have instructions for both. Once you take your first bite of these, the heavens will part, and you will wonder how you lived without these beauties all your life. At least that is what happened to me. It is literally every flavor and texture that I want in a perfect snack or dessert.
The actually brownie batter makes a killer and super easy brownie on it’s own, but this combination is just to die for! I had to give some away just so I didn’t eat the whole pan by myself. They were kid approved, husband approved, family approved and friend approved. I feel like this is a great fall treat, or any time of the year.
Super fudgey, and moist, but still fluffy and not too heavy. Crunchy and creamy, sweet and salty. Oh my goodness, you will not be disappointed. I made a bit of a mess with these, I can not say they are a one bowl recipe, but I promise it is so worth it! Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens
Vegan Sweet n’ Salty Pretzel Brownies
INGREDIENTS
Pretzel Crust
- 1/2 c All purpose Flour or Gluten free all purpose flour
- 1 c Pretzels or Gluten free pretzels
- 1/2 c Brown sugar
- 1/4 tsp. Baking soda
- 1/2 c Vegan butter, I use Earth Balance(melted)
Brownie Batter
- 1 c Vegan butter, I use Earth Balance
- 2 c White sugar
- 1 tsp. Vanilla
- 2 c All purpose flour or Gluten free all purpose flour (if using gluten free, add 2 tsp Xanthan gum)
- 3/4 c Cocoa powder
- 1 tsp. Salt
- 1 1/2 c Almond milk
Toppings
- 1 c Dark chocolate (melted)
- 1/2 c Peanut butter (melted)
- 1/2 c Vegan caramel sauce, store bought or you can use my Vegan coconut cream caramel
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 350. In a food processor, combine crust ingredients, except vegan butter and pulse until pretzels are crushed into a semi fine consistency.
- Pour into medium sized mixing bowl, and pour melted vegan butter on top. Mix until fully combined and pour into a prepared 9×13 baking pan. Press crust down with a cup.
- Make the brownie batter. In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, cream together sugar and vegan butter, add vanilla. In a separate bowl sift the dry ingredients, flour, (xanthan gum if using) cocoa, and salt.
- Add the dry to the wet alternating with the almond milk until all combined.
- Pour batter over crust and bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Let cool, and melt dark chocolate in the microwave in 30 second intervals, then melt peanut butter in a separate bowl for 30 seconds.
- Once cooled, drizzle with chocolate, peanut butter and caramel. Eat em’ all!