Fudgy Date Brownies
February 9, 2025
If you're craving rich, chocolatey brownies you're in the right place! These fudgy date brownies are everything you love about a classic brownie—deep chocolate flavor, a soft, chewy texture, and that perfect crinkly top—but without the granulated sugar.Instead, they're sweetened with dates, which not only add natural sweetness, but also help create an irresistibly moist and fudgy bite.
Equipment
- 8x8-inch pan
- small saucepan
- Food processor
Ingredients
- ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips (86 g)
- 3 TBS unsweetened cocoa powder (24 g)
- 1 stick unsalted butter (8 TBS, 113 g)
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 1 cup pitted Medjool dates (~10 large dates, 144 g)
- 7 TBS whole wheat flour (52 g, ¼ cup + 2 TBS)
- 1 TBS cornstarch (9 g)
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 2 large eggs (room temperature)
- ½ cup milk (room temperature)
Mix-Ins
- ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips (86 g)
Instructions
Prep
- Place an oven rack in the center position. Heat the oven to 350℉. Lightly grease an 8x8-inch pan with butter, then put a piece of parchment paper across the pan, leaving an overhang on each side. Set aside.
- In a large heat-proof bowl, put ½ a cup of chocolate chips and 3 TBS of cocoa powder. Keep nearby.3 TBS unsweetened cocoa powder, ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
Browning the butter
- Cut the butter into 8 pieces and brown it in a small sauce pan over medium-low heat. First a layer of foam will appear on the surface and it will be noisy. Stir the melted butter often to see what color it is under the foam. After a few minutes, the noise and foam will subside, the melted butter will be a beautiful brown color, and it will have a nutty aroma. As soon as it's brown, pour the hot butter over the chocolate chips and cocoa powder. Stir to melt the chocolate. Stir in the vanilla.1 stick unsalted butter, 2 tsp vanilla
Process the dates
- Put the dates, whole wheat flour, cornstarch, and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Process on high until the dates are broken down to the size of large crumbs(see photo above in the post). Set aside.1 cup pitted Medjool dates, 7 TBS whole wheat flour, 1 TBS cornstarch, ½ tsp kosher salt
Beat in the eggs
- Crack the eggs into the cooled butter and chocolate mixture. For 4 - 5 minutes, beat the eggs into the melted chocolate using an electric hand mixer. It should be very smooth, have grown in volume a bit, and slightly lightened in color. Beating in the eggs A LOT gives the surface of the baked brownies that signature crinkly look.2 large eggs
- Pour in the milk and mix to combine.½ cup milk
- Add in the processed dates mixture and fold until combined with the wet ingredients.
- Fold in the remaining ½ cup of chocolate chips.½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
Bake
- Pour the batter into the prepared 8x8-inch pan. Smooth the batter into an even layer.
- Bake until just set in the center, about 15 - 18 minutes.
- Let the brownies cool in the pan for about 15 minutes before lifting out and letting cool completely on a wire rack. Slice into 9 squares and enjoy!