Name: Vegan No-Bake Brownies
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 cups walnuts; 1/2 cup almonds, whole; 1/2 cup dark chocolate pieces (I used Ghirardelli 72% Cacao Twilight Delight Bar); 2 cups dates (I used Medjool); 3/4 cup dark chocolate cocoa powder (I used Ghirardelli ); 3 tbs maple syrup (sub honey for non-vegan); 2 tbs peanut butter; 2 tbs melted chocolate

Rich and decadent with intense chocolate flavor, these vegan no-bake brownies are beyond indulgent. They’re fudgy, dense, and so nutritious!

Vegan no-bake brownies are a delicious combination of nuts, dates, almonds, and chocolate, sweetened with honey and adorned with a drizzle of peanut butter. They’re just as, if not more, decadent than the brownies your favorite recipe yields. Each vegan brownie has a fudgy texture, a bit of that signature brownie chew, and taste-wise, expect nothing less than 100% chocolatey goodness! Vegan or not, these will satisfy your chocolate dessert craving, so don’t get thrown by the words vegan and no-bake.

Why You’ll Love Vegan No-Bake Brownies

Quick and convenient – When you’re short on time, and that brownie craving hits, this is the recipe to turn to. The entire process takes 20 minutes from start to finish, unlike baked brownies, which require prep time, bake time, and time to cool.
Flourless – Besides being no-bake and vegan, these brownies are flourless, meaning those who are gluten intolerant can enjoy them. Instead of flour, ground nuts are the dry ingredients.
Healthy sweet treats – Vegan no-bake brownies are healthy, refined sugar-free sweet treats. The recipe only utilizes natural sweeteners, including maple syrup (or honey) and dates. No granulated sugar here.

Vegan Dark Chocolate

Vegan dark chocolate is required for the brownies to be vegan so be sure to check the label to ensure the dark chocolate is dairy-free. I used the Ghirardelli 72% Cacao Twilight Delight Bar which is the only vegan Ghirardelli dark chocolate bar. Lindt, Ritter, Compartes, Trade Joe’s, Ibarra and many other brand have vegan dark chocolate.

No-Bake Brownie Ingredients Notes

You’d think that making no-bake brownies that look fresh out of the oven would require a lot of ingredients, right? Wrong! Here’s what you’ll need for this recipe:

Nuts: Walnuts and almonds give these brownies some heft in the form of healthy fat while also acting as a flour replacement.
Dates: Specifically, Medjool dates, are the base of this recipe. They serve as a binder, a source of sweetness, and give the no-bake brownies a fudgy texture. It’s important to use Medjool dates instead of deglet noor dates because of their texture and taste. They are sweeter than noor dates and have a softer, chewier texture. The last thing you want is a dry brownie.
Natural sweetener (of choice): If you’re vegan, use maple syrup, and go with honey if you’re not. Either one, along with the dates, will give these no-bake treats a dessert-like sweetness.
Dark chocolate: You can’t make brownies without it. Dark chocolate is responsible for the intense chocolate flavor of the brownies. For the best result, use dark chocolate within the 70% range.
Peanut butter: To keep the no-bake brownies refined sugar-free, go with natural peanut butter or the no sugar added kind.

Find the full ingredients list with amounts in the recipe card below!

How to Make Vegan No-Bake Brownies

Pulse the nuts: Add the walnuts to a food processor and pulse until they reach a flour-like consistency.
Time for chocolate: Next, I toss in the chocolate and almonds and pulse a few times to break them down. Doing so at this stage ensures even distribution. Then, the dates, honey, and cocoa powder go in, and everything is processed until the mixture reaches a dough-like consistency. If the vegan no-bake brownie mixture isn’t hydrated enough to start to hold together, add more maple syrup/honey.
Press and pack: Transfer the “dough” to a small parchment-lined brownie pan and press it into the pan in an even layer. Pack the mixture into the pan with a spatula to ensure that the no-bake brownies hold together when cut.
Briefly chill: Pop the brownies in the fridge for 10 minutes to firm up. Yes, just 10 minutes!
Drizzle and serve: Drizzle these tasty sweet treats with peanut butter and a little melted chocolate, then slice them up!

Variations & Substitutions

Go nut-free – Replace the ground nuts with oat flour. To make oat flour, add oats to a blender or food processor and pulse until they reach a flour-like consistency. Oat flour is also an excellent substitute for those who are nut-free. Those with a nut allergy can also swap peanut butter for sunflower butter.
Add a little espresso powder – A mere pinch intensifies the chocolate flavor.
Switch up the sweetener – Other options include date syrup, agave nectar, and coconut nectar. Swapping the sweetener for nut butter is also an option, but this substitution will alter the flavor.

What to Serve with Vegan No-Bake Brownies

Vegan no-bake brownies are great alone but are even better with a scoop of avocado ice cream. Since the brownies aren’t warm, they’ll go well with something hot like an espresso, a cup of coffee, hot chocolate, or even black tea.

Storage & Freezer Tips

To store no-bake brownies in the fridge, put them in an airtight container or individually wrap them in parchment or plastic so you can grab one and go. If you wish to freeze them, individually wrap the brownies with plastic, and store them in an airtight container before they go into the freezer. If they are not individually wrapped, they may stick together.