Raw Brownie Bites

The Brownie Project

So I obviously needed to include brownies in my week of sugar-free chocolate treats. But the brownie project proved to be a bit stubborn. After a couple close-but-not-quite attempts, I decided to try a different tack and go with a raw bite rendition of the classic chocolate treat. I will be returning to the sugar-free baked brownie attempts, but nixing sugar completely is a tricky beast. One or two more tweaks to the recipe and I think I’ll get it, but I was inspired to mix it up and try out a raw version since I have another baked treat coming your way next!

Raw to the Rescue

Baking was always my go-to of choice to satisfy my sweet tooth, but lately I’ve had a lot of fun mixing things up in the kitchen and trying raw treats using whole, unrefined foods. I have a few variations under my belt, but most use dates, which are definitely not ok on my current sugar-free regime.

On this temporary super-strict diet, ‘sugar-free’ includes all foods that easily convert to sugars in the body: sugar, alcohol, processed foods, carbs, grains, legumes, fruit (especially dried fruit), and root vegetables. Sadly, even sweet potatoes are off the table for the time being, as are carrots. A few flours are ok in small quantities, like almond and coconut, but even some nuts, like cashews, are not an option for a while – talk about tricky!

So the typical paleo baking sweeteners like honey, maple, coconut sugar, and even dates are definitely out, which is why I turned to stevia as my sweetener of choice for these truly sugar-free chocolate recipes. Fortunately, stevia is an all-natural, no side-effects, zero-sugar, zero-calorie sweetener that is completely fine for a no-sugar diet.

Raw Bite Bliss

Because of this strict diet, I’ve had to get extra creative with these creations. Fortunately, the basics of a raw treat are pretty straightforward, and the results are surprisingly delightful!

These Raw Brownie Bites are no exception: with a blend of hazelnuts, cocoa powder, and a little almond butter and full fat coconut milk to bind, these treats are packed with both nutrition and flavor. I opted to go with hazelnuts in this recipe because the hazelnut-chocolate blend is beyond delicious, and these little treats have that note of nutella – um, yum!

To finish these babies off, I coated them in unsweetened cocoa powder, which give them an extra oomph – a little bitter to balance the sweet. Best of all, they’re super simple and just require a food processor.

Raw Brownie Bites: Vegan, Paleo, Sugar-Free, Gluten-Free Recipe

What you’ll need:

• 3/4 cup hazelnuts (soaked overnight, ideally)*
• 1/8 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup smooth almond butter (or nut butter of choice)
• 2 tablespoons full fat coconut milk (or vegan milk of choice)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon stevia extract
• 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
• Optional: cocoa powder to coat

*Any nut of choice will work here.

How to make:

1. Chop nuts in the food processor until fairly small.
2. Add the remaining ingredients and mix until thoroughly combined.
3. Scoop out rounded half tablespoons of the dough and shape into a rounded ball.
4. Optional: place a few tablespoons of cocoa powder in a small bowl and roll the balls in the powder until thoroughly coated. Unsweetened coconut would work well here too.

Enjoy! xx