No Bake Vegan Brownies with Chocolate Ganache

As of March 13, John and I have been married five years. We did it!

To celebrate I’m sharing 20 random facts about us that you may or may not know. Here goes.

1. John hates the smell of brownies baking (hence this no bake recipe). He literally vacates the house when I’m baking anything reminiscent of them.
2. I love sweets; he could care less.
3. We both grew up in Kansas.
4. We dated four months before getting engaged.
5. We honeymooned in Breckenridge, Colorado, but didn’t ski once. (We ate our way through town and napped all day – it was perfect.)
6. We were opposites growing up – he was into computers and I was into sports and my hair.
7. We’ve lived in three states and moved 10 times in our five years of marriage!
8. We both think Portland, Oregon is the greatest city on earth (where we currently reside and intend to stay forev-ah).
9. Between the two of us, we’ve visited 14 countries since getting hitched.
10. We don’t have kids but are expert succulent caretakers.
11. I’m 2 years older than John. He’ll be 27 this year and I’ll be 29 (cougar alert).
12. We’re lovers of good wine and coffee.
13. I have one older sister, John is the oldest of six!
14. Before Minimalist Baker I had many jobs, including web writer, barista, house cleaner, and waitress at approximately 100,000 restaurants.
15. John went to law school and hated it. So I put him to work on Minimalist Baker (wink, wink).
16. We desperately want to visit Iceland, Ireland, and pretty much every other country we haven’t been to yet.
17. We have a Sunday tradition of eating pizza and watching Saturday Night Live.
18. John is a voracious reader. I can hardly sit down long enough to write a grocery list.
19. While I write the content and take the photographs for the blog, John does literally everything else. We make a good pair.
20. I think he’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me.

Now that you’ve taken a virtual tour of our relationship, onto dessert! You deserve it.

These brownies are entirely raw (except for the frosting) and super fudgy and rich. They come together in about 20 minutes and require simple ingredients you likely have on hand right now – such as,

Walnuts
Almonds
Dates
Cacao (or cocoa) Powder Nibs
Sea Salt

And the ganache? Oh man.

It’s butter-free and utilizes coconut oil for an extra creamy finish.

While your brownies are chilling, whip this up in about 15 minutes and you’re good to go!

Spread it on thick, friends. This isn’t the time to skimp.

These gems are everything you want in a brownie. They’re:

Rich
Dense
Super Fudgy
Studded with walnuts (and cacao nibs) for crunch
Incredibly satisfying
Simple to make
And highly shareable

One bite in and I was done for.

Hence the reason I shuffled downstairs and handed these off to our apartment manager. Brownies of any form are too tempting to have around the house.

Not to worry, though. I managed to consume three before giving them away. OK, maybe four…

John had none, obviously.

If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, or – our favorite – take a picture and tag it #minimalistbaker on Instagram so we can see. Cheers!

No Bake Vegan Brownies with Chocolate Ganache
Print
Prep time 20 mins
Cook time 1 min
Total time 21 mins
Simple, raw vegan brownies studded with raw walnuts and cacao nibs! A 5-ingredient coconut oil chocolate ganache is optional but recommended for a fudgy, decadent finish. A healthier vegan, gluten free dessert!
Author: Minimalist Baker Recipe type: Dessert Cuisine: Vegan, Gluten Free Serves: 12
Ingredients BROWNIES

• 1 cup (93 g) 1/2 cup (47 g) raw walnuts, divided more for topping
• 1 cup (150 g) raw almonds
• 2 1/2 cups (~425 g / 15 ounces) dates, pitted (if dry, soak in warm water for 10 minutes, then drain)
• 3/4 cup (60 g) cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 Tbsp cacao nibs more for topping
• 1/4 tsp sea salt

GANACHE FROSTING

• 1/4 cup (59 ml) almond milk
• 1 cup (~175 g) dairy-free dark chocolate, chopped
• 2 Tbsp coconut oil (or sub vegan butter), melted
• 1/4 – 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1/4 tsp sea salt

Instructions

1. Place 1 cup walnuts and almonds in food processor and process until finely ground.
2. Add the cacao powder and sea salt and pulse to combine. Transfer to bowl and set aside.
3. Add the dates to the food processor and process until small bits remain. Remove and set aside.
4. Add nut and cocoa mixture back into food processor and while processing, drop small handfuls of the date pieces down into the food processor or blender spout.
5. Process until a dough consistency is achieved, adding more dates if the mixture does not hold together when squeezed in your hand. You may not use all the dates.
6. Add the brownie mixture to a small parchment lined 8×8 dish and before pressing, add remaining 1/2 cup roughly roughly chopped walnuts and cacao nibs and toss to combine and evenly distribute. Then press down with hands until it is flat and firm. I like laying down a piece of plastic wrap to prevent sticking and get it really flat.
7. Lift parchment paper to remove brownies from dish and use hands to slightly squeeze in the sides to create a smaller square – this will make the brownies slightly thicker and more dense.
8. Transfer back to dish and place in freezer or fridge to chill for 10-15 minutes before cutting into 12 even squares (If adding ganache, slice afterwards!).
9. FOR THE GANACHE: Add almond milk to a mixing bowl and microwave for 45 seconds or until very warm. Alternatively, heat in a small saucepan until just simmering, then transfer to mixing bowl.
10. Immediately add chocolate to warm milk and loosely cover. Don’t touch for 2 minutes so it can melt.
11. Add salt and stir gently with a wooden spoon to incorporate, then add melted coconut oil and use a whisk to mix. Set in fridge for 10 minutes to thicken.
12. Remove from fridge and add powdered sugar a little at a time to thicken. Whisk again to combine. If it’s still too thin, add another few Tablespoons powdered sugar and beat until light and fluffy.
13. Frost brownies generously with frosting and then top with additional raw walnuts and cacao nibs (optional). Slice into 12 even squares.
14. Store brownies in an airtight container to keep fresh. Will keep for 3-4 days at room temperature, or in the freezer for at least 1 month (though best when fresh).

Notes *Brownies adapted from my 5-minute Vegan Espresso Brownies.
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