Fudgy Gluten-Free Brownies

Name: Fudgy Gluten-Free Brownies
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cup Medjool dates, (pitted); 1 cup unsweetened apple sauce; 2 tablespoons melted vegan butter or margarine ((or light-tasting oil)); 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1/2 cup cocoa powder; 1/2 cup oat flour; 1 tablespoon corn starch; 1/2 teaspoon baking soda; 1/4 teaspoon salt; Chopped chocolate and/or walnuts ((optional))

Fudgy gluten-free brownies made with simple ingredients. These brownies are also vegan and sweetened with dates and applesauce!

It’s taken me 2 months and countless attempts, but I’m finally sharing my fudgy brownies that also happen to be gluten-free. I’ve been teasing you guys long enough.

They may be gluten-free, vegan AND sweetened with dates, but trust me, that doesn’t make them any less good. They’re soft, rich and perfectly sweetened with fruit, including dates and apple sauce. Honestly, these may just be the fudgiest brownies you’ll ever try.

Like I said, I’ve tested them countless times over the past months and none of them were good enough to my liking. I mean, they were delicious enough to eat and enjoy over the past months (I’m not going to say no to fudgy brownies!), but I wanted them to be more than just good. I needed them to be the best brownies I’ve ever tasted. And I’ve tasted some good brownies in my life (these sweet potato brownies being my other favorites).

So these are what I came up with.

How to Make the Fudgiest Brownies:

Add the dates, applesauce and other liquid ingredients to a blended or food processor. Process until smooth, then add the dry ingredients. Blend a little longer to combine and you’ll get the most delicious fruit-sweetened brownie batter. Seriously, the best part is always licking the spoon.

I also added a bit of chopped unsweetened chocolate for added richness, but of course you can omit that or use dark chocolate. Walnuts could also be a good addition.

Bake it all together in a bread pan and you’ll end up with warm, fudgy brownies.

It’s best to let it cool 30 minutes in the pan first, but I won’t judge you if you scoop it out when warm and top it with ice cream (yum). It might just make more of a mess, but that’s fine, it’ll taste incredible.

Fudgy Gluten-Free Brownies

The most delicious, rich and fudgy brownies, made vegan, gluten-free and fruit-sweetened! Trust me, they may be healthier than regular brownies, but that doesn't stop them from being good.

Course Dessert

Cuisine gluten-free

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Total Time 45

Servings 8

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup Medjool dates, pitted
1 cup unsweetened apple sauce
2 tablespoons melted vegan butter or margarine (or light-tasting oil)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup oat flour
1 tablespoon corn starch
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
Chopped chocolate and/or walnuts (optional)

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350F. Line a bread pan with parchement paper or lightly grease with vegan butter/margarine.
Add the dates, apple sauce, butter and vanilla to a high-speed blender or food processor. Process until smooth. (There may be a few small pieces of dates, this is fine).
Add the cocoa powder, oat flour, corn starch, baking soda and salt. Process until combined.
Stir in chocolate or walnuts if desired.
Transfer to the prepared pan. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for at least 10-30 minutes. The longer you let it sit, the more it keeps its shape when cut.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge when completely cooled.

Notes

I also tried this recipe using spelt flour with success. You can substitute the oat flour for spelt flour if not looking for a gluten-free recipe. I also tried it using almond flour and millet flour, which were good, but had a softer texture I wasn’t fully happy with.

If you make these brownies, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! I love to hear from you guys. And of course, if you try this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram!

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View Comments

rachel says:

2019-11-02 at 12:32 pm

fantastic! tastes just like real brownies. only down point is that you dont get too much out of one recipe :)
- Unsweetened Caroline says:
  
  2019-11-03 at 6:50 am
  
  Yes! It's definitely not a large batch. Thank you for the feedback though! Maybe 2 batches next time. :)
Alex says:

2019-11-26 at 7:16 pm

Yum! Could use a little less time in the oven (maybe 25min instead of 30) and a little larger portion size, but tastes great for a brownie that's vegan, gluten-free, and sugar-free! Thanks for the recipe :)
- Unsweetened Caroline says:
  
  2019-11-27 at 12:15 am
  
  Hi Alex, I'm so happy you loved them! And thank you for the 5 stars. :) I agree the portion is on the small size (you can never have enough brownies). I may have to add a note on doubling the recipe. And all ovens are a little different, so that could be the difference in baking time. But it's always a good idea to check in the last 5 minutes. Thank you again and enjoy!
- Laure says:
  
  2019-12-23 at 2:32 pm
  
  Hello, what is the applesauce for?
  With what can i substitute it?
  Hope i can malle this recipe for xmas.
  Thank you ?
  - Unsweetened Caroline says:
    
    2019-12-24 at 4:14 am
    
    Hi! The applesauce helps with the fudgy texture, adds moisture and a light sweetness to the recipe. I haven't tried alternatives, but I'm guessing a mashed banana, pumpkin puree or sweet potato puree would give a similar result (maybe with a slight change in taste). Again, I can't guarantee it will be as good, but it's worth a try! Hope you'll love them. :) Merry Christmas!
    - Laure says:
      
      2019-12-28 at 11:59 am
      
      Thanks for the reply, will let u know ?
      Best wishes for 2020
      - Unsweetened Caroline says:
        
        2019-12-29 at 4:44 am
        
        No problem. Thank you and happy New Year! :)
Laure says:

2020-04-13 at 1:11 pm

Just made these, with mashed banana instead of apple sauce and it turned out delicious. I got 4 parts with the portions. I would tho use less dates next time to make it less sweet.
Thanks for the recipe
- Nourished by Caroline says:
  
  2020-04-14 at 10:34 am
  
  Hi Laure, I'm so happy you like them! It's great to know that it worked well with bananas. They may have made the recipe extra sweet, so I can imagine less dates could be better. Thank you for the feedback, I'll have to try them this way too. :)
Danica Talbot says:

2020-11-14 at 4:14 am

These taste just like real brownies! I am always amazed by your recipes. Every recipe I have tried has been delicious. You have such a talent for creating delicious recipes. Yum!!
- Nourished by Caroline says:
  
  2020-11-16 at 3:10 pm
  
  You're so sweet Danica! Thank you :) I'm always so happy to hear that you're loving my recipes!
Lucy says:

2020-12-15 at 8:53 am

Thanks for the recipe it looks great? What size pan would you recommend using? If I was to double it and use a larger pan (as some people said it doesn't make very much) do you think it would still cook ok or would you suggest baking it in two separate batches? Thanks so much!
- Nourished by Caroline says:
  
  2020-12-15 at 9:25 am
  
  Hi Lucy! You're right, it is a small batch recipe. If you double it, the safest thing would be to bake it in two batches. However, it should work with an 8x8 inch pan (which is about double the size of a bread pan). You can bake it for the same amount of time, but add a few minutes at the end if they're too soft. Though keep in mind that they will be a little softer when they're warm. I hope this helps!
Sharon Borovay says:

2021-02-18 at 2:56 pm

Have you ever tried freezing them?
- Nourished by Caroline says:
  
  2021-02-19 at 8:39 am
  
  Hi Sharon, no I haven't. But it should work well. From past experience, date-sweetened baked goods tend to freeze well and keep their texture. But I can't guarantee! Let me know if you try it. :)