Vegan Raw Brownies--grain free with keto option

These Vegan Raw Brownies are the perfect easy treat to satisfy your chocolate craving guilt-free! They're delectably rich and full of all kinds of healthful nourishing goodness!

No need to heat up your own for these no bake brownies. They're so good, everyone will love them, and so healthy you can feel good about serving (and eating them) anytime.

I love no-bake treat recipes since they are easier and don't use energy (or heat up the kitchen on warm days). Typically I will turn to these No-Bake Coconut Cookies or Chocolate Mint Bars or Bean Fudge, when we need an easy treat, but now I am thrilled to have a new no-bake dessert to add to my recipe box!  

When I first started an anti-candida diet back in 2009, I remember looking through the various food restrictions associated with the diet and thinking that I could find a work-around for pretty much all of them. (Luckily, that turned out to be true).

But then I noticed that chocolate isn’t allowed in the early stages of the diet, and I immediately felt a pang of despair: What? I have to forgo my very favorite food—the food I love more than any other? The food I have, in the past, eaten for breakfast, snacks, lunch and dinner (sometimes all in one day)?

The food that whispers, “comfort” and “love” and “serotonin” to so many of us, far too often?There went my resolve.

I wasn’t sure I could handle that restriction (Luckily, it turned out that I could. So I did, and I got better).

Even though I discovered other delicious replacements for my beloved confection, my love of chocolate never waned, and as soon as I was able, I brought it back into my diet. These days, of course, it’s homemade, stevia-sweetened chocolate for the most part, but I’ve come to love the current bittersweet treat just as much as the processed sweets I used to consume.

And I’m delighted to be sharing a great chocolate-centric recipe with you today!

More About These No Bake Vegan Brownies

If you follow a sugar-free (and often grain-free) diet like I do, you know it can be difficult to find delicious, easy-to-make, low-glycemic chocolate treats.

These decadent-tasting raw brownie bites are one of my favorite indulgences.

I can whip up a batch in almost no time, and then completely enjoy a decadent treat without worrying about blowing my anti-candida lifestyle. These confections are rich-tasting and dense, cloaked with an irresistible fudgy “frosting.”

Cut them as small as you like for a perfect little snack in the afternoon . . . . or any time you just need that extra boost of chocolate in your life.

These brownies offer a double fudgy treat that’s reminiscent of Nutella in its chocolate-hazelnut glory.

Ingredients

For the Brownies

• 1 1/2 cups walnuts (raw; halves and pieces - 170 grams)
• 1 1/2 cups hazelnuts (raw or lightly toasted - 225 grams)
• 1/3 cup low carb sweetener (25 grams)
• salt
• 3/4 cup raw cacao powder (80 grams)
• 1/3 cup agave nectar (80 ml)
• 2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla powder (10 ml--or use 5 teaspoons pure vanilla extract)
• 1/4 teaspoon pure stevia extract powder (1 ml) (or to taste)

For the Fudge Topping

• 1 cup coconut butter (240 ml) (not coconut oil; melted)
• 1 cup hazelnuts (raw or lightly toasted - 140 grams)
• 1/4-1/3 cup raw cacao powder (70 ml)
• 1/4 cup coconut sugar (60 ml)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract (5 ml)
• pinch of salt
• 3/4 teaspoon pure stevia extract powder (or to taste)

Directions

For the Brownies

Line a square pan with parchment paper. Set aside (for thicker brownies, recipe can be made in a loaf pan instead).

In a food processor, process the walnuts, hazelnuts, coconut sugar, and salt until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Add the cacao powder, agave nectar, vanilla powder, and stevia and process until the mixture begins to come together in a ball.

Stop and scrape the sides if necessary while processing. Take care not to over-process, or you just might end up with nut butter!

The mixture should be moist enough to stick together when pinched, but not wet.

Turn the brownie “dough” into the pan and press down firmly with hands or a stiff spatula so that the mixture is dense with no air bubbles. Place in the refrigerator while you prepare the fudge topping.

Place the coconut butter, hazelnuts, cacao powder, coconut sugar and salt in a high-speed blender until the mixture liquefies.

Add the vanilla extract and stevia. Blend again.

Pour the mixture over the brownie dough in the pan.

Return to the refrigerator until the fudge is set--about one hour.

Pull out the brownie and place it on a cutting board. Cut into 1-inch (4-cm) squares and store, covered, in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Recipe Notes

• For brownies that are not completely raw, you can use lightly-toasted nuts and organic unsweetened cocoa powder instead of the raw cacao powder (though you may need to increase the sweetener in that case).
• For those with allergies, substitute other nuts or seeds as needed. I think almonds would be especially nice.
• You can use 1/3 cup xylitol or approx 3/32 teaspoon (or 3 scoops) stevia extract powder instead of the coconut sugar in the brownies for low carb (see How to Use Stevia).
• Organic coconut nectar can be substituted for the agave nectar, and you can also use xylitol for a low-carb option - add a small amount of water if needed.
• Stevia alternatives: You can use 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) (or to taste) pure plain or vanilla liquid stevia (use only 2 teaspoons vanilla if using vanilla liquid stevia) for the powdered stevia in the brownies (see how to make your own DIY Liquid Stevia). the fudge topping for a low-carb option.
• Substitute 20-30 drops (or to taste) plain or vanilla liquid stevia for the powdered stevia in the fudge topping (use only 1 teaspoon vanilla if using vanilla liquid stevia).
• 1/4 teaspoon stevia is equal to about 1/2 cup regular sweetener so convert accordingly if you want to omit the stevia extract.
• If you would like to make your own coconut butter, see Easiest Homemade Coconut Butter.
• Use 1/4 cup low-carb sweetener or 2 scoops stevia extract powder instead of the coconut sugar in
• Homemade Vanilla Powder: You can make your own homemade vanilla powder for use in this recipe, if you so desire.

Would LOVE to hear what you think about these easy raw no-bake brownies!
Let us know in the comments below!

Ricki Heller is a holistic nutritionist and anti-candida crusader who shares sugar-free, gluten-free, allergy-friendly recipes and articles about healthy living on her site, RickiHeller.com. Her fourth book, Living Candida-Free, is currently available for preorder on amazon.com. Get social with Ricki on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook.  Ricki Heller, PhD, RHN --Ricki's new book, Living Candida-Free, will be out in January 2015! -- Naturally Sweet and Gluten-Free was an instant Amazon bestseller! --Sweet Freedom is recommended by Ellen DeGeneres!  (See Sweet Freedom and all of Ricki's other books here.)