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Raw Vegan Peanut Butter Brownies + PB Caramel Frosting

These raw brownies are made with a base of dates, raw peanuts (or other nuts), cacao, vanilla, and sea salt. Everything gets pulsed together in a food processor until a dense, sticky mixture comes to be. Then, it's compressed into a brownie and frozen for a bit to set. While the brownie base chills, you'll make the pb caramel frosting by processing raw peanuts in a food processor until smooth and glossy. Scoop the raw pb into a mixing bowl and add in powdered coconut sugar (see recipe), filtered water, vanilla beans/extract, and sea salt. Then, beat the mixture for a few minutes or until it's thick, caramel-like, and glossy. At first it will resemble cookie dough but as the water reacts with the oils in the raw pb, it will take on a glossy sheen. Slather that rich PB frosting over the brownies, slice, and enjoy!
Prep Time25 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: Dessert
Servings: 20 to 32 two-bite brownies

Ingredients

Raw Brownies

  • 2 cups raw peanuts
  • 2 ½ to 3 cups packed and pitted medjool dates
  • ½ cup raw cacao powder
  • ½ vanilla bean, seeds scraped*
  • A few pinches of sea salt, to taste

Raw Peanut Butter Caramel Frosting

  • 1 ½ cups raw peanuts
  • ½ cup coconut sugar
  • 3 tablespoons filtered water
  • ½ vanilla bean, seeds scraped*
  • A few pinches of sea salt

Instructions

Raw Brownies

  • Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
  • Add the peanuts to a food processor. Pulse and then process for 30 seconds or until a fine meal forms. Then, add the dates, cacao powder, vanilla bean seeds, and sea salt. Pulse several times and then process until mounds of thick, sticky "dough" form. When pressed between your fingers, the "dough" should easily hold together. If the dough isn't holding together, add more pitted medjool dates, one at a time, until it's sticky enough.
  • Transfer the dough to the lined baking pan. Lightly wet your fingers (this helps repel the stickiness of the dates), and press the dough firmly into the pan, forming an even layer. If needed, use a spatula to press and smooth the surface. Freeze for 20 minutes to set.
  • Thoroughly wash and dry your food processor.

Raw Peanut Caramel Frosting

  • While the brownies are setting, make the frosting by adding the peanuts to a food processor. Process for 10 to 12 minutes or until smooth and glossy, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed.
  • Meanwhile, add the coconut sugar to coffee grinder or high-speed blender and grind or blend on high for 1 minute or until the texture resembles powdered sugar.
  • Transfer the raw peanut butter to a medium mixing bowl and add the powdered coconut sugar. Beat for 10 seconds to incorporate (the mixture will be crumbly).
  • Add the filtered water, vanilla, and sea salt and beat for 30 seconds or until the water is incorporated and the texture resembles a thick caramel.
  • Scoop as much of the frosting as desired onto the brownie and use a spatula to smooth across the surface in a thick layer. Note: I used the entire batch of frosting for the photos, which creates a very thick layer. Feel free to adjust according to tastes.
  • Freeze for at least 10 minutes to set. Use a pizza cutter to slice into small bars or squares (trust me, it works much better than a knife for these). These are quite rich and dense, so I recommend cutting them smaller than shown in the photos. Also, be careful with little ones given the density.
  • Store in refrigerator.
  • *Substitute 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract if you aren't trying to keep this recipe completely raw.