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raw walnut brownies

Raw Walnut Brownies (no added oil!)

Author : Ashley Madden
Prep Time: 10 mins
Servings: 16 Brownies
Course: Dessert
A raw vegan brownie made with omega-3 rich walnuts and ground flaxseed! I like to snack on these right out of the freezer! Prepping only takes a few minutes but the brownies do need to be popped in the freezer to set.

Equipment

  • Food Processor

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups walnuts soaked for 4 to 6 hours (optional, see notes)
  • packed cups pitted medjool or deglet noor dates
  • 3 tablespoons ground flaxseed
  • ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt plus more for garnish

Optional Garnishes

  • cacao nibs, crushed nuts, coconut, flaky salt

Instructions
 

  • Line an 8-inch square dish with parchment paper. Set aside.
  • Drain the walnuts well. I like to lay them out on a clean dish towel to remove all excess water. Place the walnuts in a food processor along with the dates, ground flax, cocoa powder, and salt.
  • Pulse to combine then process continuously until the walnuts are finely ground. Be careful not to overprocess or you’ll end up releasing the natural oils in the walnuts. The “dough” should be relatively smooth, but flecks of walnuts are ok!
  • Transfer the dough to the parchment-lined pan and press it evenly into the pan. Finally, and this is optional but adds a nice touch, sprinkle a pinch of additional salt over the surface of the brownies. Place the pan in the freezer for 1 to 2 hours to set.
  • Remove from the freezer, flip the brownies onto a cutting board and cut into 16 squares. Here you can also sprinkle extra goodies into the surface of the brownies like cacao nubs, additional crushed nuts, or coconut and press them into the surface so they stick.
    I like to keep these in the freezer and grab one whenever I have a chocolate craving! You can also keep in the fridge for up to 3 days in a sealed container.

Notes

Soaking the walnuts isn’t absolutely essential but it does help with the digestion and assimilation of the long list of nutrients in the walnuts! If you’re short on time, you can simply skip and continue as written.
Optional additions to the brownie "batter":
  1. 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  2. Zest of 1 orange
  3. Another tablespoon of cocoa powder for extra chocolatey brownies
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