Soft, chewy goodness with bursts of chocolate in every bite! This healthy treat is both satisfying and filling, so much that you will forget about brownies!
Wait what? Forget about brownies? Never. I will never let go of my brownies.
Especially after I perfected this recipe, I thought, "Why would you eat brownies without the chocolate?"
I got some reasons for you. First, there is still chocolate, in chip form (the best form) so you're still getting the chocolaty goodness in every bite. But also, sometimes we get so overwhelmed with a ton of chocolate that we forget about the other wonderful flavors that exist (I'm definitely guilty of that😂).
But I think the main thing that changed my mind is almond butter.
I honestly don't know where I've been this whole time. As soon as I tried it, I became obsessed. I've been spreading it on toast, stirring it in my oatmeal, even eating by the spoonful (whoops😂).
But most importantly, these blondies! Not only do they give it superior flavor, it also creates the perfect gooey and chewy texture you can't resist.
Also: peanut butter works beautifully in this recipe, if you prefer it over almond butter. I honestly can't choose. I've made these blondies both ways and they are both amazing.
Just make sure you don't eat all the batter before you bake it (I mean, you technically can since there's no eggs or flour...😏)!
Almond/peanut butter also has a lot of health benefits. They have a lot of protein, fiber, and healthy fats! They also keep you full for a while.
Medjool dates are another irreplaceable ingredient that are key to perfect texture and flavor. They have and intense, rich, caramel-like sweet flavor that you can't find anywhere else. Please don't swap them for regular dates!
Ever since I started using them, they have quickly become one of my favorite ingredients. I use them in these low-sugar cookies and these chickpea brownies to create the best flavor and nutrition you can get from desserts.
Medjool dates are full of fiber, nutrients, and natural sugars. Unlike other natural sweeteners, dates are not considered as added sugars by the FDA.
Besides the dates and nut butters, there are plenty of other healthy and tasty ingredients that make these blondies gluten-free, vegan, flourless, and so special!
To make these gluten free, we can't use regular flour made from wheat. That's why I use these three binders instead: oat flour, almond flour, and cornstarch!
No, oat flour is not really flour. It is literally ground up rolled oats. You can even make it at home in your food processor!
Oats are not only gluten free, but they also pack in a ton of fiber! One cup packs in almost 10 grams of fiber and 9 grams of protein!💪
Almond is also not really flour but the result of grinding up almonds in a food processor. I recommend buying it in flour form and blanched for the best texture.
These healthy blondies are also oil free and have no butter. Of course, the almond butter helps with this, but also: applesauce!
Unsweetened applesauce is a fat free alternative to oil or butter and it has all of the nutrition qualities of apples. This makes it perfect for maintaining moist blondies!🎉
Last but definitely not least, the flavor enhancers! These are extremely important to keep a ton of flavor in the blondies. Without them, the flavors won't shine.
Cinnamon, vanilla extract, and salt are the flavor enhancers I use here. No, it won't make them cinnamon-y, vanilla-y, or salty, but it will bring the flavors of every ingredient to its full potential.
Watch how to make these blondies:
If you decide to make these, post a picture and tag me @nutritiousdelights on Instagram--I'd love to see it!❤️
Healthy Almond Butter Blondies
Ingredients
Wet
- 1 cup medjool dates pitted
- boiling water
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons non-dairy milk
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
- 3 tablespoons pure cane sugar
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- ¾ cup natural almond butter or peanut butter
Dry
- ½ cup oat flour
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons almond flour
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ⅛ teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅓ cup vegan chocolate chips I used mini
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line an 8"x 8" pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, pour boiling water over the dates and let soak for 5-10 minutes. This will soften them.
- In a large food processor, blend the dates with a few tablespoons of "date water" (the water that was used to soak the dates) until it forms a smooth paste.
- Add the rest of the wet ingredients: milk, flax meal, maple syrup, sugar, applesauce, vanilla, and almond butter and process on high power.
- Add in the dry ingredients (except chocolate chips): oat flour, almond flour, cornstarch, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon and process. Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 20-25 minutes, covering with foil for the last 5.
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