The Dessert: Cashew Butter Brownies

I tried a lot of brownie recipes this summer - and honestly, it has been difficult to find options worth sharing. When I made these, Matt immediately said they had the best texture of all my recent attempts. The cashew butter gives them a creamy, yet neutral taste, and the dates and maple syrup sweeten them without a grainy texture.

Plus, these are BIG - not like those brownies that might as well be called energy bars.

I found the recipe on the Chalkboard Mag years ago and saved it in my ‘Recipes to Try’ folder. When I began to write this blog post, however, I noticed the authors are the owners of Sweet Laurel! So basically- I’m obsessed with their recipes.

I tweaked the instructions and modified a few ingredients - the way I made them is written below. If you are low-carb, try using 1 & 1/4 cups of the Lakanto syrup and omitting the dates.

The Ingredients:

• 2 cups cashew butter

• 2 eggs

• 1 cup Lakanto maple-flavored syrup or 100% pure maple syrup

• 4 pitted dates, soaked for 5 minutes in hot water

• 1 tbsp vanilla extract

• 1/2 cup cacao powder

• 1/2 tsp Himalayan pink sea salt

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 1 cup stevia-sweetened chocolate chips

The Instructions:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

• Liberally spray an 8x8 inch baking pan with coconut oil. I like to use this spray, but you could also grease the pan by hand.

• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the soaked dates and the maple syrup until well combined. If you do not have a stand mixer, puree the dates in a food processor before combining with the maple syrup.

• Add in the cashew butter, eggs, and vanilla extract one at a time, ensuring each ingredient is well combined before adding the next. If using a stand mixer, scrape down the sides of the bowl in between ingredients.

• In a separate small bowl, mix together the cacao powder, baking soda, and salt with a fork. Then, add to the wet ingredients, mixing until well combined.

• Slowly fold in 1/2 cup of the chocolate chips with a large spoon or rubber spatula.

• Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and drizzle the remaining 1/2 cup of chocolate chips on top.

• Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a fork inserted into the middle comes out with some moist crumbs. Do not wait until the fork is completely clean, as that will lead to overcooked brownies.

• Allow the brownies to cool in the pan for 1-2 hours at room temperature before slicing. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.