Grain-free Fudge Brownies (gluten-free, dairy-free)
Not only are these the fudgiest brownies ever, but these grain-free and dairy-free fudge brownies are entirely date-sweetened and have a healthier peanut butter chocolate fudge frosting!
First of all, I just have to say this – if you put these brownies in the fridge, they are like straight up fudge. Seriously. They do not taste grain-free! I took these pictures when the brownies were at room temperature because it was sunny (a rarity around here at this time of the year!) and I was sleepy and wanted to nap. But now I’m kicking myself for not waiting so you could see what they look like refrigerated!
I’ve been working on this recipe since I started grain-free baking about a year and a half ago. But the other day I realized… there’s no fat in there. Why have I never added fat?!
The brownies below are the fat-free version. Or I guess I should say the added-fat free version. If you want to make those, just omit the coconut oil from the recipe. I’m sure these would also work well with only 2 tablespoons of oil! The oil-free version is good and all, but why have fat-free good brownies when you could have the best ever fudgy brownies?!
I used coconut oil in these brownies, and I’m not sure if any other fats would work. So go with coconut oil! And I only have access to refined coconut oil (which has absolutely no coconut taste), so if you use unrefined, I don’t know if it’d have a slight coconut taste or not. But even if it did, I bet these would still be delicious!
The most amazing thing about these brownies is that they’re entirely date sweetened! No honey, no coconut sugar, no maple syrup. Just dates!
You whip the batter up in the food processor, meaning that the dates are totally processed to a paste and nobody will have a clue that there are dates in there!
I don’t normally like recipes with just coconut flour in them, but these are an exception. And I’m afraid that there are no subs for coconut flour here. You have to use coconut flour. It’s expensive, but you use so little at a time!
I also used Dutch process cocoa powder, just because that’s all we have over here. When I was in the US this summer and did some baking, I was a little surprised by the difference between Dutch-process and normal or even Hershey’s dark cocoa powder. I definitely recommend getting some of the Dutch-process kind! It just makes baked goods taste more intense and somehow more developed if that makes any sense.
I’ve also tried these with prunes but I found them a bit gross. You could definitely taste the prunes! Stick with dates. :) I just used normal dates because I’ve never seen Medjool dates around here, so if you want to use Medjool, get out your scale and go by weight.
After posting my healthier Halloween sugar cookies, I asked on Facebook what other Halloween goodies people would like to see healthified. The first answer I got was anything with chocolate and peanut butter – so I jazzed these fudge brownies up with a little peanut butter! It’s in both the batter and the frosting. While you can’t really taste it in the brownies, you can taste it in the frosting, although it’s not super peanut butter-y.
The frosting is the same one I used in my spiderweb cupcakes, but I doubled the peanut butter. And the frosting does have a tablespoon of honey in it. I couldn’t make that date sweetened. It just didn’t work.
The frosting is like dark chocolate peanut buttery fudge when refrigerated. When at room temperature, you can see what a mess it is. I didn’t refrigerate my brownies before cutting them, but you should to avoid a mess. And if you don’t want to use peanut butter, you can use any nut butter or maybe even coconut butter (not coconut oil!) And for a nut-free version, I bet SunButter would work just fine!
You can see my pathetic attempt at Halloween-ifying these fudge brownies. At least it was quick, easy, and free of super processed junk! It was just a little white chocolate, but you could use anything that’s pipeable.
If you try these, let me know how they come out! I’d love to hear what you think. :D
Grain-free Fudge Brownies (gluten-free, dairy-free)
Ingredients
Brownies:
- 80 grams dates this is 11 regular non-Medjool dates
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1/4 cup (65 grams) natural peanut butter the kind with no added fat or sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk of choice
- 1/4 cup (56 grams) refined coconut oil melted
- 1 large egg 50 grams, out of shell
- 1/4 cup (32 grams) coconut flour
- 1/3 cup (38 grams) Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Frosting:
- 1 1/2 tablespoons (21 grams) refined coconut oil
- 1/4 cup (64 grams) natural peanut butter
- 2 1/2 tablespoons (12 grams) Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon (20 grams) honey
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Prepare a 9″ x 5″ loaf pan with a piece of parchment paper for easy removal of brownies. If you don’t have parchment paper, you can spray the pan with baking spray.
- In the bowl of your food processor fitted with the S-blade, process the dates until it becomes pasty. It’ll be spreadable, but not a liquid.80 grams dates
- Add the vanilla, peanut butter, milk and coconut oil and blend until homogeneous.2 teaspoons vanilla, 1/4 cup (65 grams) natural peanut butter, 2 tablespoons milk of choice, 1/4 cup (56 grams) refined coconut oil
- Add the egg and pulse just until combined. Do not over mix here!1 large egg
- Add the remaining ingredients (coconut flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder) and pulse once or twice to get it mostly combined, and then use a plastic spatula and finish mixing it in.1/4 cup (32 grams) coconut flour, 1/3 cup (38 grams) Dutch-process cocoa powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- Bake the brownies for 10 – 12 minutes or just until the top appears set. If you press down into the brownies with your finger, they will be very, very soft.
- Let cool completely before frosting.
- For the frosting, melt the coconut oil, natural peanut butter and cocoa powder in a small pan over low heat. When completely melted and smooth, take the pan off the heat, add the honey and stir until well combined.1 1/2 tablespoons (21 grams) refined coconut oil, 1/4 cup (64 grams) natural peanut butter, 2 1/2 tablespoons (12 grams) Dutch-process cocoa powder, 1 tablespoon (20 grams) honey
- Frost the brownies and place the loaf pan back in the refrigerator to allow the frosting to set (to allow for easier cutting).
- Once the frosting is set, cut the brownies and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Notes
- If you want to use Medjool dates, please go by weight!
- The nutrition information provided is calculated as a courtesy and is only an estimate. I am not a licensed nutritionist or dietitian. For the most accurate nutritional data, consult a professional or use your preferred calculator.
Oh my word girl, these look insanely good! I was looking at a recipe for ‘The Best Brownies Ever’ on Smitten Kitchen, trying to figure out how to use coconut flour in place of the all-purpose, so this recipe comes at a great time! I can’t tell you how happy I am that you used dates in here too. Nicely done! :-D Pinned for my ‘After Halloween Sugar Coma’!
Thanks so much for pinning! :) And you try subbing coconut flour for all-purpose?! Wow. You’re brave! I don’t even bother. I hope you’ll like these! :D
All I can say is YUM!!!
Ooh, hey, it’s Winnie! Nice to see you here. :)
Sweetened with dates, huh? You have me really curious! They look incredible, I wish I had one right now!
I know it sounds weird but they’re really good! :)
Those look outrageously fudgy and rich, yum!
Thanks so much, Sylvie! :)
Can I substitute the coconut flour with Almond or Oat flour?
I’m afraid not. You have to use coconut flour here because it absorbs a lot more moisture than all the other flours. Sorry! :(
AMAZING!!! I am a serious sugar addict so have to be very careful about what kinds of sweeteners I eat. These are just subtly sweet and with that peanut butter chocolate combo! Perfection!!! I was lamenting not being able to eat any Reese’s Peanut Butter Halloween Pumpkins because they are a serious trigger for me. What a great alternative!!!
Yay! So happy that you like the brownies, Emily! :) I don’t get to eat any Reese’s either but that’s just because I live in Germany at the moment. At least we have these brownies! ;) Thanks so much for the feedback. I really appreciate it!
I just taste tested them on my 2 year old and YEP, they are a hit!!! :)
That’s awesome! Brownies for toddlers without the guilt. Woohoo! :D
is there anything that I could sub for the peanut butter?
Any other nut butter or SunButter (made from sunflower seeds) if you’re allergic to nuts. :)
Erin!!!! Seriously?! I am all over these! My three year old has been obsessed with dates, so I have a big tub of them.
Well that’s an awesome obsession for a three year old to have! Good job. :)
Totally love the look of these brownies – I’d never have realised how fat/sugar/grain free they were from the pics. They look so decadent!
Thanks, Kathryn! Happy I could “trick” you. :)
These look SO delicious, Erin. I tried to make brownies with coconut flour once and they had that chalky taste that coconut flour seems to give things sometimes. I am so excited to try your version!
Exactly! I don’t usually like coconut flour only baked goods. They just have a funky texture. But these are so full of creamy stuff that it’s not a problem. :D I hope you’ll love these!
These look insanely delish! Looking at the pictures I would never have guessed that they were sweetend with dates and did not contain butter or flour!
Amazing!
Thanks, Shashi! So happy that they don’t look date sweetened. It just sounds… unpleasant looking. ;)
These look amaaaaayzing! I am swooning over that frosting!
You have to try that frosting! So quick, easy and not that bad for you. :)
Wow, now that is a fudgy brownie if ever I’ve seen one!! Your recipes are so impressive – I wouldn’t even know where to start with grain-free baking.
That’s why I make it easy. Almond flour, coconut flour and oat flour – that’s all you’ll find over here! :)
As if girl!! These brownies are totally rocking my world right now!!
Haha. Good! :)
Nothing short of incredible! These are the definition of chewy, fudgy decadence in a brownie. Brilliant recipe!
Thank you, Georgia! Such a compliment, coming from you. :)
These look incredible! So rich and fudgy!
Thanks, girl!
These sound amazing! I love dates so this is perfect for me :)
Buuut, you can’t taste the dates! Just to make that clear. :D
Oh yum, these sound amazing! Love that they’re grain free too!
Thanks, Holly! :)
Please pass me a spoon for that frosting, yum! (P.S. I have an aversion to dates too, for the same reason you mentioned. Guess I will have to get over it for these fudgy brownies! ;))
Haha. It was torture touching those things. I avoid touching them at all costs!
If these are anything like those godly brownies you made with the peanut nutter filling then I am so in! These look supurb!!! :)
These are even fudgier! ;)