RAW RED VELVET VEGAN BROWNIES

Chocoholics, this recipe’s for you! I’ve actually had these Raw Red Velvet Vegan Brownies in development since last spring and am so thrilled to finally share it here at JustineCelina. With everything currently happening regarding ingredient accessibility, I rejigged my editorial recipe calendar to prioritize recipes I already had in development made with pantry staples, sturdy produce and simple ingredients — and I knew I wanted to push this one to the top of the list for publication! While I wouldn’t normally publish a more indulgent recipe like this as we head into summer, lately I find myself looking for simple ways to indulge my cravings at home — and these insanely delicious brownies have definitely satisfied my sweet tooth during quarantine! Sometimes, you just need a brownie — am I right?!

I believe you can treat yourself and nourish yourself at the same time — and my Raw Red Velvet Vegan Brownies are a perfect example of that philosophy. They come together with just 8 simple, plant-based, antioxidant packed, anti aging, brain and immune boosting ingredients (yes, including beets!) — and they’re truly one of the most decadent brownies I’ve ever tasted. These easy, no-bake brownies are earthy, fudgy, nutty and brimming with beautiful natural sweetness — plus, they’re free of dairy, gluten and refined sugar. If you’re looking for a fuss-free, fresh, veggie-centric twist on the traditional brownie that comes together in less than half an hour, you’ve come to the right place! The best part? If you have a well-stocked pantry and a beet or two on hand, you can probably make these delicious vegan brownies right now! Who’s ready to whip up some raw, spring-inspired treats? 

RAW RED VELVET VEGAN BROWNIES

I had so much fun shooting this recipe — and it actually went very quickly! As I don’t have a lot of dessert recipes here at JustineCelina, I wasn’t sure how I wanted to style it — but if there’s one thing quarantine has been good for, it’s been teaching me to be resourceful and do the best I can with what I have, where I am. And we almost always have the ingredients for my Raw Red Velvet Vegan Brownies kicking around! 

If you’re thinking that I’ve absolutely lost my mind for putting beets in my brownies, I encourage you to try this recipe with an open mind and experience just how lovely the combination of chocolate and beetroot really is. Sometime during my art school days I encountered a cake recipe that paired these two unlikely ingredients together — and the combination was forever ingrained in my mind. I knew I wanted to create a recipe of my own incorporating chocolate and beets — and I’m so thrilled with the way this one came together. Something about the subtle, earthy sweetness of beets perfectly enhances the depth and decadence of chocolate — making this offbeat pairing a classic case of opposites attracting!

I don’t think I’ve actually mentioned here on the blog that I’m foraying into gardening this spring! Later this month, my Mom and I are planting a [socially distanced] Country Garden — something we’ve wanted to do for years, but have never had time for. It’s always been a dream of mine to have a big country garden of my own one day, but in the meantime, we’re going to start small and see what happens! My family has a farming background and every year that passes I become more and more intrigued with sustainable, plant based, farm-to-table eating.

I snagged these gorgeous heirloom beets at my local Blushlane, and although organic leafy beets aren’t required for this recipe, I encourage you to support your local farmers whenever possible during this challenging time. This is something I’ve always been very passionate about, but it’s become an integral part of my lifestyle (and brand ethos) during this pandemic. Until I can pull my own beets from the ground later this summer, you’ll catch me supporting local in my own city (hop over to this post for a list of our favourite local grocers) as much as I possibly can — on and off of these pages!

Ingredients

Yield: 1 8″ square pan (9 – 16 servings)

RAW RED VELVET VEGAN BROWNIES

• 5 cups pitted Medjool dates
• 3 cups walnuts
• 1 cup cocoa powder
• 1 cup shredded beets
• 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 tsp Himalayan pink salt

DARK CHOCOLATE FROSTING

• 2 tbsp virgin coconut oil
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 2 tbsp pure Canadian maple syrup
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Add pitted Medjool dates to a large bowl and cover with warm water. Soak dates for 10 minutes to soften. Drain and discard water.

2. Rough chop dates and walnuts, shred beets.

3. Add all ingredients for your Raw Red Velvet Vegan Brownies into a food processor (not your blender or Vitamix!) and blend until mostly smooth. Longtime readers will know I use my Vitamix for everything — but trust me when I tell you it will not work for this recipe. Depending on the consistency you like in a brownie, achieving your desired texture may be laborious — but just keep processing, scraping down the sides with a spatula and repeating. This process can get a bit messy, but I promise you’ll get there with a little perseverance!

4. Once you’ve achieved your desired brownie texture, scoop the mixture into a parchment paper lined 8″ square baking dish. Distribute the mixture into the pan evenly, smoothing the top with your spatula. Set aside we work on the Dark Chocolate Frosting!

5. Prepare the Dark Chocolate Frosting. First, add coconut oil to a bowl and microwave for 40 seconds — the oil should be warm and completely transparent. Add cocoa powder, stirring until smooth. Add maple syrup and vanilla extract, stirring constantly until mixture has the consistency of melted chocolate.

6. Pour the Dark Chocolate Frosting overtop of the brownies, coating the surface. Since it’s warm, the frosting will self-level naturally, but you can help it along by moving pan around and using your spatula to smooth the top.

7. Pop your Raw Red Velvet Vegan Brownies into the fridge to set for a minimum of one hour. Once you’re ready to enjoy, simply slice (I find 4 rows of 4 work best!) and serve! 

NOTES

• My Raw Red Velvet Vegan Brownies also freeze and warm well. I love to warm them up in the microwave for 20 seconds and enjoy them with a scoop of dairy free vanilla ice cream!

5 from 4 votes

Print

RAW RED VELVET VEGAN BROWNIES

Prep Time

25 mins

Setting Time

1 hr

Total Time

1 hr 25 mins

 

I believe you can treat yourself and nourish yourself at the same time -- and my Raw Red Velvet Vegan Brownies are a perfect example of that philosophy. They come together with just 8 simple, plant-based, antioxidant packed, anti aging, brain and immune boosting ingredients (yes, including beets!) -- and they're truly one of the most decadent brownies I've ever tasted! These easy, no-bake brownies are earthy, fudgy, nutty and brimming with beautiful natural sweetness -- plus, they're free of dairy, gluten and refined sugar. If you're looking for a fuss-free, fresh, veggie-centric twist on the traditional brownie that comes together in less than half an hour, you've come to the right place!

Course: Dessert

Servings: 16 servings

Author: Justine

Ingredients

RAW RED VELVET VEGAN BROWNIES

• 5 cups pitted Medjool dates
• 3 cups walnuts
• 1 cup cocoa powder
• 1 cup shredded beets
• 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 tsp Himalayan pink salt

DARK CHOCOLATE FROSTING

• 2 tbsp virgin coconut oil
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 2 tbsp pure Canadian maple syrup
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Add pitted Medjool dates to a large bowl and cover with warm water. Soak date for 10 minutes to soften. Drain and discard water.
2. Rough chop dates and walnuts, shred beets.
3. Add all ingredients for Raw Red Velvet Vegan Brownies into a food processor (not your blender or Vitamix!) and blend until mostly smooth. Longtime readers will know I use my Vitamix for everything -- but trust me when I tell you it will not work for this recipe. Depending on the consistency you like in a brownie, achieving your desired texture may be laborious -- but just keep processing, scraping down the sides with a spatula and repeating. This process can get a bit messy, but I promise you'll get there with a little perseverance!
4. Once you've achieved your desired brownie texture, scoop the mixture into a parchment paper lined 8" square baking dish. Distribute the mixture into the pan evenly, smoothing the top with your spatula. Set aside we work on the Dark Chocolate Frosting!
5. Prepare the Dark Chocolate Frosting. First, add coconut oil to a bowl and microwave for 40 seconds — the oil should be warm and completely transparent. Add cocoa powder, stirring until smooth. Add maple syrup and vanilla extract, stirring constantly until mixture has the consistency of melted chocolate.
6. Pour the Dark Chocolate Frosting overtop of the brownies, coating the surface. Since it's warm, the frosting will self-level naturally, but you can help it along by moving pan around and using your spatula to smooth the top.
7. Pop your Raw Red Velvet Vegan Brownies into the fridge to set for a minimum of one hour. Once you're ready to enjoy, simply slice (I find 4 rows of 4 work best!) and serve!

Recipe Notes

My Raw Red Velvet Vegan Brownies also freeze and warm well. I love to warm them up in the microwave for 20 seconds and enjoy them with a scoop of dairy free vanilla ice cream!

MORE DELICIOUS PLANT BASED TREATS & BAKING

Dark Chocolate Raspberry Energy Bites

Decadent Dark Chocolate Banana Bread

Hazelnut Oatmeal Golden Raisin Energy Bites

Wild Saskatoon Berry Crumble

Vegan Dark Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

Thanks for stopping by for my latest better-for-you indulgence! What recipe are you making to satisfy your sweet tooth lately? While I don’t eat dessert every day, this recipe curbs my chocolate cravings perfectly and I love that it freezes well too! Plus, it’s a great way to sneak some extra veggies in — and I promise no one will know these decadent brownies are loaded with beets (this recipe is also a hit with the littles!).

Did you make my Raw Red Velvet Vegan Brownies? If you did, I’d love to hear from you! Leave me a comment, or tag me on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook. You can use the hashtag #justinecelinarecipes in your recreations so I can find them — I love scrolling through the feed and seeing your beautiful recreations! I also have a Pinterest board for my recipes if you’re looking for more plant based culinary inspiration. Enjoy the rest of this short, post long weekend week, friends!

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