Vegan Gluten-free Brownie Bites

Looking for a way to get a sweet treat without added sugar? These date bites are the way to go. My family loves them! (My child thinks they are brownies, hence the name.) And they only have 5 ingredients!

I can purchase all these ingredients in my local grocery stores, but I’ve included links in case you cannot.

I use Deglet Noor dates, I find them much less sweet than Medjool.

I use Raw Cacao Powder, (they now sell it in Trader Joe’s.) That’s also where I get my coconut flakes. I like to whir my coconut flakes in the food processor or blender and make it more of a powder than a flake. Final ingredient is raw sunflower seeds ~ these should be easy to find!

OPTIONAL: I added popped Amaranth as an optional coating, you can use it if you’re looking to get more of this gluten-free grain into your diet. It’s fun to pop! Just heat a pan on the stove for 5 minutes (I use my 3qt sauce pan) then add the amaranth grains 1 tsp at a time (I don’t bother with a lid – a few will pop out of the pan – that’s OK!). If the pan is hot enough, you’ll see them start moving immediately! Count to 5 – maybe 10 – they’ll be done! Pour them out quickly or they will burn. Roll the brownie bites in the  popped amaranth for a fun crunchy coating.

This recipe is adapted from the Date, Coconut and Cacao Bars from Emma Spitzer. The original recipe uses date syrup, which I eliminated. I also halved her recipe – the original made my blender work too hard!

Ingredients

  • 185 Grams dates, pitted (Deglet Noor variety)
  • 50 Grams cacao powder
  • 35 Grams unsweetened dried coconut (plus an extra 2 Tbsp for rolling)
  • 13 Grams raw sunflower seeds
  • 20 Grams amaranth, popped (optional)

Instructions

  1. Place 2 tablespoons of coconut flakes in a high speed blender (or food processor) and whir until pulverized, about 10-15 seconds. Set aside, this will be used to roll the bites in later.
  2. Add the dates, cacao powder, coconut flakes and sunflower seeds to the blender. Whir until smooth, scraping down the sides as necessary.
  3. Scrape the mixture out of the blender into a bowl. Using a small cookie scoop or a tablespoon measure, scoop the mixture into balls and roll them between your palms (wet hands work best for this purpose.)
  4. Roll the bites in the powdered coconut, or the popped amaranth (see Note above). Chill for ten minutes in the refrigerator, then enjoy! Store in refrigerator.