Looking for a healthy brownie recipe? These healthy date brownies are just as rich and decadent as traditional brownies, yet they’re gluten-free and refined sugar-free. A healthy treat you can feel good about indulging in!
I’m constantly looking for innovative ways to make traditional recipes healthier, ones that lend well to a clean eating diet. I’ve tried (purchased and homemade) a variety of gluten-free flour combinations. Some were successful, and others not-so much. At the moment, I’m loving the simple combination of gluten-free oats and rice flour however, sometimes I like to splurge (because it IS expensive) on almond flour. There’s just something about almond flour that makes baked goods taste so, well, nutty. And creamy. And rich. And moist. And dense. I could go on.
These wholesome almond flour brownies have a rich nutty flavour, and a dense, slightly spongey texture, similar to that of traditional brownies. The other key ingredient in these brownies are plump Medjool dates which give a super rich, chewy texture to these brownies, with just the right touch of sweetness.
Let’s talk brownies. Some people prefer them chewy while others prefer that crumbly, crunchy exterior. It’s all about personal preference. On that note, while these are decadent, they are not super sweet. The honey adds a subtle sweetness-which I don’t mind because I love the flavour and richness of the dark cocoa. If you do prefer a super sweet brownie, you might want to add a few tablespoons of white sugar as a substitute for the honey.
The problem with brownies is not necessarily the fact that they’re prepared with refined ingredients, but rather the fact that you can’t eat just one-at least without feeling guilty about it! Now, these healthy date brownies? What’s there to feel guilty about? The dates? The almonds? The honey? I can attest to fact that if you eat more than one of these, you won’t feel guilty about it. I know because I did…and the guilt has yet to set in!
If you try this recipe (and love it!) be sure to snap a pic and tag me on Instagram with #bitesforfoodies so I can see your creation!
I have an autoimmune disease which has driven me to a Paleo diet. This recipe looks perfect and I am hoping to try it today. I am wondering what size pan did you use? The photo looks like a 13×9, but one of the comments said and 8×8. Please clarify. Thank you.
Hi Joyce! I used a 13×9 but an 8×8 can work too. It depends on how thick you want the brownies. I’d check them regardless 5-10minutes before the end cooking time…since ovens are all different!
Hi there I want to make these but there are no measurements. what is a cup of dates?. how much does that weigh?. What size are your cups if you use a 1/4 cup of coconut oil how much is that Oz or ml?? 1/2 cup cocoa powder – what size cup how much does that weight etc?.
Hi Tania, I just use the standard measuring cup that you can buy at any store. Since dates vary in size, it’s hard to have a specific number. One packed cup is what you need. Also, I’m not sure about the ‘weight’ of each ingredient. As long as you use a standard measuring cup the amounts will be the same as listed!
hello 🙂 i wanna make these but i don’t have an oven. do you think steaming them might work too? they look scrumptious!
Unfortunately I don’t think so. You could try 😉
Thank you so much for sharing this delicious, healthy, easy recipe. Made it a week ago, my husband and three year old loved it. Made it again today, but this time instead of cacao powder I used coconut powder. I love how dates and coconut taste together. Didn’t want it too sweet so swamped the honey with some water, to get the right consistency for the batter. It’s in the oven right now, hope it turns out good. The batter was amazing.
* the dates I used were the really sweet stickey kind, not majdool so maybe that’s why I didn’t need to ad honey. They are really sweet.
I like the substitution of coconut powder! Yes, dates and coconut together are SO good! I think the level of sweetness is subjective. I prefer less sweet treats but since I make these for the kids they like them sweet…and I don’t mind because they are all healthy ingredients 😉
Wow! I just made these and they are amazing! I love that they aren’t too sweet. I did sub out butter for the coconut oil, and I changed the process a little by blending the dates, butter, honey, and eggs together in the blender, and then mixing that in with the dry ingredients. Thank you so much for the recipe!
Thank you for your feedback!
Oh my goodness….I just made this recipe and I absolutely love it! Thank you! It’s my first time using dates. I did have some trouble chopping up the dates in the food chopper as if the dates were tough but they didn’t seem to be and yes I did take the pits out of them beforehand….LOL! Thanks again for a fantastic recipe!
So happy to hear!!!
soooooo dang good. just made these. I’ve cut dairy and refined sugar out of my diet and although I haven’t been craving sweets, I wanted a nice weekend treat. These are fantastic. I used butter instead of coconut oil (I know there is some dairy in the butter, but I had ran out of coconut oil) My dates were also very very hydrated so my end product was a creamy batter. I also added a teaspoon of instant coffee and maple syrup instead of honey. I will be making this quite often 🙂
So good to hear! This recipe is definitely one of our faves…now you can see why 😉
Would flax egg work? I can not eat dairy.
Yes, definitely!!
These look amazing and I’d love to try making them! I know they’re gluten free etc but would wheat flour work the same? I don’t have an intolerance to gluten and it’s all I have in the house
I’m sure it would. I think the ratio would be the same, but since I’ve never made them with wheat flour I can’t vouch for the results. I’d love to hear how they turn out!
I’m just getting around to finding healthier alternatives to some of my all time favorite desserts and this brownie! So yummy! Thank you for the recipe! I’m definitely making a few batches and freezing them! However, can I see the nutritional value on these please?
Thank you! First ever healthy brownie recipe to actually taste like a brownie. I substituted almond flour for coconut flour and also added 1/2 cup almond milk. Yummy!!
That’s so cool that you said that about coconut flour…I’ve just discovered it and didn’t know how to use it because of it’s “super absorbency” …so..THANK YOU VERY VERY MUCH. I’m a lil’bit excited to try this now. Bestest wishes to you and yours.xx
Is there an alternative for dark cocoa powder?
You could substitute the cocoa powder with carob powder, although it will change the favour of the brownies. If you like carob powder then that shouldn’t be a problem! 😉
Just made these……so delicious
So glad to hear!! Thanks for the feedback 😉
My dates must have been really dry because my mixture was nowhere as moist as yours. ended up adding an extra egg and 1/8c coconut oil to get closer to your consistency. I also used coconut flour because I love the sweetness and flavor it adds (coconut + chocolate = heaven for me). Did you soak your dates before you used them? Maybe that’s my mistake!! 😮 Thanks for the recipe. Batter tasted delicious! can’t wait to try finished product! My mom made the best brownies growing up…….but unfortunately the super unhealthy kind and I don’t want those in my house, so always looking for a great recipe! Thanks so much!
I’m thinking the dates were too dry! I didn’t soak mine but they were VERY fresh and moist. Good idea with the coconut flour! How did they turn out??
Coconut flour absorbs moisture a lot more than almond flour. You’d have to reduce the amount of coconut flour in order to substitute.
Yes! Good point…I forgot to mention that. I don’t cook often with coconut flour…I’m not a huge fan!
Can any other flour be used instead of Almond Flour? also is almond meal same as almond flour?
You could try hazelnut or walnut flour…I’m sure the texture would be the same. And yes, almond meal is the same as almond flour! 😉
Best brownie recipe – so delicious and healthy. I substituted coconut oil with melted butter though
Thank you so much Lopa!! Glad you loved them as much as we do 😉
Can you tell me how many dates you used in a cup? Or how many grams in a cup of dates? They all vary in size, so a weight would work great here. Thanks
Hi there, I agree that a weight might be helpful. I prefer using the large, super plump dates and can usually fit 8-10 in a cup! I press them down lightly into the cup, so I guess the variety doesn’t matter as much, as long as you get a nice, packed cup! Anyhow, I’m pretty sure one more or less won’t make a difference in terms of results. Hope this helps! 😉
my final batter was a bit drier than expected, still tasting delicious tho.
Hmm, I wonder if the texture differs a lot depending on the ripeness of the dates? Or perhaps next time you make them you could add more liquid content. Whenever I’ve made these they’ve turned out quite dense, but not dry. Thank you for the feedback…I hope you try the recipe again soon!
I made these last night… there’s 2 pieces left I can’t stop eating it!
Over 2 years of being a gluten & sugar free chocolate-lover this is the best brownie recipe I’ve ever tried (I’ve tried a lot).
I used 1/2c almond flour and 1/2c oat flour, and 1/4c olive oil and 1/4c of mashed banana instead of the coconut oil.
The best texture. Thanks for the recipe!
Great substitutions…I might try that! So glad you loved these as much as we do 😉
Gluten free means little to those who don’t have the disease preventing them from eating gluten. Less than 3% of the population have the disease. No need wasting your time and money on gluten free products. Sounds like a great recipe!
Thanks! Although many gluten-free products are good, I wonder about how much sugar is in them! I get some from time to time, but mostly prefer coming up with my own recipes.
How many calories in one brownie?
Hmm, I can’t tell you that. You could goole search the calories per ingredient and then divide by the number of brownies you cut! For example, one cup of almond flour has around 500 calories…
These are so good!! Guilt free too. Thank you so much! It’s hard to satisfy my cravings when I have a huge sweet tooth and training for running at the same time
Thank you!! So glad you love them!
OMG! Theses brownies are delish! Now, I have yo get my kids to dry them without them knowing they are healthy..lol
Thanks Sandra! So glad you love them! I’m sure the kids loved them too 😉
This recipe is fantastic. I didn’t have coconut oil and have substitute it with peanut butter.Its the best brownie
I never thought of swapping the coconut oil for peanut butter! What a great idea! Thanks for visiting and leaving a comment 😉
Thank you thank you thank you for sharing this awesome recipe, sooooooo good 🙂
Thanks so much Narjes! I’m so glad to hear you loved it! I hope you’ll find more recipes on the Blog that you’ll enjoy 😉
have I missed the Print Button. I cant see it.
Hi Joan! It’s at the top of the page (above the title to the right). The last one icon is a print pad. You’re right though – it’s sort of hard to see. We’ll look into changing that. For the future, you could also press CTRL + P! I’d love to hear your thoughts on the recipe 😉
Do you think date syrup would work too, and how much would I use? Thanks.
Hi Ravynne! I definitely think it would work! It might change the texture somewhat…depending on how watery the date syrup is. Honey and brown rice syrup can be used interchangeably since they have the same consistency. You could also use maple syrup, although I can’t vouch for the results (which would probably be the same anyway!). I’m curious now…please let me know how they turn out for you if you use the date syrup!
Omg!!! Just made these ….delicious!!!
Thanks so much for your feedback! I’m so glad you love them! No more fattening, unhealthy brownies, right!? 😉
Made these last night – they turned out AWESOME!! The perfect texture and consistency…will bring you a sample and you can let me know how I did… 😉
Glad you love them! You did a great job at following the recipe, lol!
Thanks for this recipe! They are great! I try to eat low carb but don’t want to use artificial sugar so this was perfect. I’m sharing your recipe (linking to your site)
on my FB blog Debbie’s Choice
Thank you! Glad you love them! Can you send me the link of the Blog post? Would love to read it! Thanks so much for sharing!!!
sorry! totally forgot to send you the link. http://debbieschoice.com/delicious-low-carb-brownie/
Love them! These are the best gluten and refined sugar free brownies I’ve made- the addition of the fresh dates REALLY makes a difference (I’ve always used dried dates). I topped mine with date/cocoa/coconut oil icing. Delicious!
Wow, the “best?!” How flattering! Thanks so much for the feedback and I’m glad you love them, Not sure if you follow the blog on a regular basis but have you seen the recipe for my spinach brownies?! I think those are MY new fave! The recipe isn’t gluten-free but you could substitute the flour with almond or oat flour! 😉
The problem I’ve found with other brownie recipes is they either turn out too fudgy or too cakey, your were just the right texture for me. Oh wow, I’ve never heard of spinach brownies but I’ll give them a go next time.
I guess it depends on personal preference too…Glad you liked mine though!
Made these and loved them! I did not have access to almond flour so used oat flour instead and sprinkled walnuts on top!
Yum…never thought of using oat flour (I’m way too addicted to almond flour, lol!). The walnuts sound like a great addition to the recipe too. Glad you enjoyed them and glad they turned out-I love when people personalize recipes-that’s what cooking is all about!
Coconut oil is almost impossible to get here in Spain (without paying a FORTUNE to ship from the UK) could I use the normal butter or olive oil instead? No problem with dairy in our house but like the idea of lower sugar and grain consumption! Pick ya battles and all that!
I think it’s safe to say that it IS impossible to find coconut oil in Sardegna!! I bring some with me every year we come here. Of course, you can use oil or butter…if you want a healthier option you could use mashed banana, avocado, or unsweetened applesauce (but obviously that would change the flavour somewhat!). Let me know which option you decide to use as a substitute. I love personalizing recipes myself so I’m always curious how mine turn out with substitutions 😉
Made these today for a family BBQ. They were a hit! It’s so nice to see a grain & dairy free recipe. Thanks 🙂
(Used 3 full eggs, maple syrup as sweetener, baked in 8×8 pan & baked 25 min- perfect!)
Glad they were a hit! They’re pretty easy to make too, aren’t they? Next time I make these I’m going to add maple syrup as well…just to see the difference in flavour compared to the honey!
Guilt free brownies!!! Whooo this look awesome. I love the photos too. I need a private lesson!!
No lesson needed, Monica! Just blend everything in a food processor, pour in a pan, and turn on the oven! Seriously, it’s that easy…you should try them 😉
Just dawned on me…did you mean a photography lesson?! If so, thanks for the compliment, lol!