The Best and Healthiest Paleo Brownies

By Catherine Noonan on October 28, 2014 in Food

These paleo brownies are the best and healthiest treats you will ever make. They are gluten-free, sugar-free and dairy-free. Made with medjool dates, raw cacao powder, coconut oil, almond meal and eggs, they are high in protein too.

So if you’re prone to a little comfort eating every now and then, there’s absolutely no harm in scoffing a few of these ones down, as the more you eat, the more your body will thank you (well, maybe not, but it certainly won’t knock you sideways into a food coma like an old school high-sugar version might).

I made this recipe for some seriously restaurant savvy foodies last month. It was my job to bring a special dessert. I knew that not all were keen on ‘so-called health foods’, especially coconut oil, so luckily this recipe does very well at masking the coconut flavour, yet maintaining the oil in question’s most wonderful health benefits.

I served mine with fresh berries and got a huge thumbs-up from everyone. If you’re feeling like you deserve more of a treat though, you could take it to the next level and throw in an accompanying scoop of vanilla bean ice-cream – yum!

Ingredients (Makes 16)
• 250g coconut oil
• 6 eggs
• 20 medjool dates, pitted (approx 325g after pits are removed)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup raw cacao powder, sifted
• 2 cups of almond or hazelnut meal
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp baking powder

Tools
• 20cm by 30cm baking tin
• Food processor
• Large mixing bowl
• Wooden spoon
• Spatula

Method
1. Preheat a convection oven to 160 degrees celsius.
2. Line a 20cm by 30cm baking tin with baking paper and set aside.
3. In a food processor, whiz the coconut oil, eggs, dates and vanilla until smooth and caramel-like in colour and consistency.
4. In a large mixing bowl, add the raw cacao powder, nut meal, sea salt and baking powder. Stir with a wooden spoon until evenly combined.
5. Pour the egg mixture into the large bowl of dry ingredients and mix with a wooden spoon until the batter is uniform in consistency.
6. Pour the batter into the lined baking tin and spread evenly into the corners.
7. Bake for 40-45 minutes until just firm to touch.
8. Cool on a wire rack before slicing and serving.

Storage
Store in an airtight container in your refrigerator.