I joined The Secret Recipe Club at the end of May, which was too late to participate in June, so I was super eager to finally get my assignment for July. In this club, each month the participating bloggers make a recipe from another participant’s blog. The blog is assigned secretly and at random, so no one else knows who’s making something from their blog that month. I found the whole idea really fun and exciting! (Don’t judge me.)
I was assigned to make a recipe from Ginger Lemon Girl’s blog, and my first reaction was a mixture of both trepidation and anticipation. Carrie follows a gluten-free diet, and since I don’t have any dietary restrictions, I wasn’t sure if the recipes would appeal to me, but I knew I could adapt them if necessary and was ready for the challenge. Once I started browsing her archives, I quickly realized that her recipes were good, wholesome foods that anyone could enjoy, and some of them were naturally gluten-free because no flour was involved. Like this one!
When I came across Carrie’s recipe for Raw Chocolate Brownie Bites, I immediately thought of my love for Fudge Babies, and knew it was the one I’d have to make.
I made the recipe as it was written the first time (pictured above) and really liked it (maybe that’s an understatement, seeing as how I ate half the batch the first day!), though adding as much agave nectar to sweeten them as I liked (2 T) made them too soft for me. I wanted them chewier and a little sweeter (i.e. more dates!). I also wanted more of the chocolate dough so that it would completely cover the bottom of a loaf pan. The first batch, spreading it to the thickness I wanted, filled only 2/3 of the bottom of the pan. So I took Carrie’s rockin’ recipe and tweaked it a bit, and couldn’t help adding some mini chocolate chips to make them doubly chocolatey! The chocolate chips only add 16 calories per Brownie Bite and don’t change the points, so I really recommend you put them over the top to make these bites, well, over the top. :)
For those unfamiliar with raw desserts, they are a lot like Larabars, but better (at least I think these are). If you’ve never had those either, now’s your chance to see what all the fuss is about. This isn’t like eating a candy bar or any sort of processed sweet, because it’s all-natural, raw, and much healthier (not to mention allergy-friendly), but they are very good! I bet even your kids will love them. Give them a try and see if you don’t agree.
Raw Double Chocolate Brownie Bites
Printable recipe
Printable recipe with picture
1 cup pitted dates
1 1/3 cups raw nuts (I used 2/3 cups each almonds & pecans)
¼ cup cocoa powder
½ teaspoon Fleur de Sel or kosher salt
~or ¼ teaspoon table salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
Soak the dates in a bowl of hot tap water for five minutes; drain well. (Skip the soaking step if you are using Medjool dates.) In a food processor fitted with the blade attachment, grind the nuts until very fine. Add the drained dates, cocoa powder, and salt. Process for a minute or two, until nuts are very fine and the mixture sticks together quite easily, if it’s not already coming together in the bowl. With the food processor running, add the vanilla through the feed tube and continue processing until the mixture starts to form a ball. Just run it for another 10-30 seconds and if it doesn’t form a ball, check the consistency and see if it will stick together when pinched. If not, add a teaspoon of water and continue processing, adding more water if necessary (it shouldn’t be) until the mixture is sticky. Pat the chocolate dough into a loaf pan. It is OK if oil separates a little and forms a layer on top; it will soak back down into the brownie dough while it sits in the refrigerator. Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the top and pat them down into the surface so that they will stick. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2-3 hours. Cut into 18 squares (6 rows x 3 rows) and enjoy cold.
Makes 18 Brownie Bites
Per Brownie Bite: 107 calories; 7 g fat; 1.1 g saturated fat; 1.6 g polyunsaturated fat; 3.8 g monounsaturated fat; 0 g cholesterol; 33.2 mg sodium; 151 mg potassium; 12 g carbohydrates; 2.4 g fiber; 2.1 g protein; Vitamin B-6 2%; Vitamin E 8%; Calcium 2.2%; Copper 10%; Iron 4%; Magnesium 8.4%; Manganese 21.3%; Phosphorous 5.6%; Riboflavin 3.6%; Thiamin 3.3%; Zinc 3.6% 3 Points Plus
Recipe source: adapted from Ginger Lemon Girl
Veronica's Cornucopia 
Oh…these are definitely a much healthy Brownies that I would love to indulge in always! Lovely to be in SRC with you.
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These look simple to make and delicious! And healthy! I saw these on another Gloria’s blog as part of the secret recipe club.
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Holy yum! These look amazing, Veronica! And yes, I have been on Carrie’s site (especially when I tried a gluten-free experiment) and everything always looks so good!!
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Seems everyone in the blog scene is participating there!
Those bites look so yummi!
btw, my mum tried your henna tricks and it turned out perfect :) thanks again!
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Isn’t the SRC fun? These look awesome! Very dangerous but delicious!
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Oooh, can’t wait to make these! I haven’t really ventured into the world of raw treats but these look too good to pass up!
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These look wonderful! I would really need to be careful around them…
Great SRC entry!
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The chocolate chips on top = mmmmmm. And the recipe exchange sounds like lots of fun! I can’t wait to see what other goodness comes forth from that.
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I agree with Jenna, the chocolate chips on top were making me drool! I have never made anything raw, but brownies would be a great recipe to start with :) Great job with this month’s SRC!
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I love these. Kind of reminds me of the Larabar!
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Oooh, love this chocolate-y treat, Veronica! They’re really perfect for the summer since they don’t require use of the oven!
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I’ve never made anything like these before and all I can think is these would have been great while we were camping over the weekend! I am going to have to try these soon!
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Could these be any more chocolatey & fabulous!
So fun to be in the Secret Recipe Club with you. This looks amazing :)
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These do look very good! Especially with the chocolate chips. I will have to try them out!
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Oh yummy! And raw? Even better – no turning on the oven in this crazy heat!
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These look suprisingly good! ( you know how i love my eggs and butter…lol ) The club sounds cool :)
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Such awesome challenge and club! also, fab photos I like the look of these, but again the dates are not ever going to work for me! I have a serious intolerance… Nice one though Veronica, they look wonderful!
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These look amazing whwn Isa these beauties I was hungry!! look delicious! gloria
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They look really dense – and I love the calorie stats! Happy Monday Veronica!
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Those look so rich and good for those chocolate cravings.. I love larabars but not their price for such a small bar.
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Those really do like rich and delicious!
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These look so delish!
If you haven’t already, I’d love for you to check out my SRC recipe this month: Holy Guacamole.
Lisa~~
Cook Lisa Cook
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Wow! These look amazing!
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What? No flour? Wow! They look amazing. I had no idea that you could make something like this with no flour. These look amazing!
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My friend Jane bought this bag of raw chocolate macaroons, and she hasn’t opened the bag so that I can filch a piece. I was pouting and then I saw this recipe and now I know how to pay her back! Wahahaha!
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I’ve seen recipes like this before, but none have ever looked as tasty as yours! I love food so it’ strange that I’ve been hesitant to make something like this, but I will definitely be trying this recipe. Thanks!
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You sound like me. I read other gluten-free blogs and think the recipes sound so good, but since I don’t have any dietary restrictions, I’m often too lazy to go out and shop for all of the necessary ingredients. These don’t sound too crazy, though. I could easily buy dates! And these brownies look like I could easily eat half the batch the first day. ;)
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This post is truly one of the best SRC posts I’ve seen today! You had quite a challenge, and you have me craving raw/gluten free brownies! Well done!! I’m so glad I found your blog through the event!
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To be totally honest, I ADORE larabars. Which means that I would probably inhale this whole batch in 2.5 seconds. I’m okay with that. They look amazing!
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Those look so yummy, and so healthy!
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These look excellent. I have tried raw foods before and I love the taste and texture that you just dont get from cooked or baked goods. I will definetely be trying these.
Come on over to mine for Friday Night Drinks if you can, we’d love to have you!
Thanks for sharing…
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WOW! This looks fabulous. Nice work on the Secret Recipe Club. Isn’t it fun. I love finding new blogs and reading through them.
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This recipe is perfect for ex-pats in Korea who live in oven-less, tiny apartments and officetels. :)
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That looks like chocolate bliss to me.
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Yum! They look so decadent that it’s a surprise to see how healthy they are! I wonder if I could sneak these past my husband’s discerning eye (mouth)? ;)
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Raw is a wonderful thing in this heat! They look really decadent and yummy.
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Oh that would have been me too! I am totally waiting to get a gluten free assignment or something similar. It will be a fun challenge though. So glad you played along and these look marvelous!
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these look fab YUM!
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It’s summer down here in Australia and I can not wait to try this fabulous little recipe! Thanks so much for sharing!!!
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I need these now haha!!! Mmmm!!!
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