They said, “Love is all you need,” but they were wrong. You need water, right? To exist, you need water, oxygen, food…and chocolate, of course. Let’s face it, sometimes you need chocolate. It’s not oxygen, but when that chocolate craving strikes, it sure feels like you can’t survive without it. Keep breathing and make this recipe for Raw Cacao Chip Brownies. Quick, easy and allergy friendly, these crowd-pleasing treats are raw, vegan, paleo and gluten free. You’ll wonder how you ever managed to live without them.
Raw Cacao Chip Brownies
Serves 12
Ingredients
2 cups almonds or walnuts
1 cup cacao dark chocolate chips
1 cup Medjool dates, pitted
½ cup sunflower or pumpkin seeds
½ cup coconut oil, melted or almond or sunflower seed butter
¼ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
¼ cup hemp seeds
2 Tbsp. cacao or cocoa powder
1 tsp. birch xylitol
1 tsp. granular erythritol
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 vanilla bean, seeds only
Pinch of sea salt (optional)
Directions
- Use non-stick spray to coat an 8×8 glass baking dish.
- In a food processor, combine almonds, sunflower seeds and hemp seeds. Process for about 30 seconds, until mixture is ground but not yet pasty.
- Add coconut oil, shredded coconut, cacao powder, vanilla bean seeds, xylitol, erythritol, cinnamon and sea salt, if using, to the food process. Process for 20 seconds, scraping down the sides as necessary.
- Through the tube of the processor, add the dates and process for 30 seconds, until fully incorporated.
- Add cacao chips and pulse until combined, but stop before they melt.
- Pour batter into prepared baking dish and smooth out the top with a spatula.
- Chill for at least 2 hours. Serve chilled.