Coffee and Chocolate are a match made in heaven, am I right?!  These Vegan No Bake Espresso Brownies combine both coffee and chocolate to make the perfect craving for your sweet tooth. Made with wholesome ingredients, they’re naturally sweetened, moist, soft and oh so delicious!

Addressing sweet cravings:

Chocolate, and sweet things in general, are a huge craving for many of us.  And to no surprise.  It actually goes back to evolution.  A bitter or sour taste was an indication of poisonous inedible plants, and sweet, on the other hand, was often a sign of a food rich in nutrients.

That being said, it’s natural to want sweet tasting foods, and now you don’t have to feel guilty about it.  By replacing things like refined white flour and sugar with fruits such as dates and cherries and using fatty pecans or cashews in place of refined oils, this brownie is actually a powerhouse!

Healthy eating made easy and DELICIOUS!

It’ a misconception that by adopting a healthier diet you’re depriving yourself.  In fact, I’ve found that my clients usually don’t miss their old way of eating, and often find they’re eating a wider variety of foods in general.

Did I mention, Easy…

What I also love about these vegan, no bake espresso brownies is how incredibly easy they are to make.  As you’ll see in our video, you put everything in a food processor and that’s basically it!   Super easy, no baking required, chocolatey brownies infused with a hint of espresso.  Yum!

These brownies are sweetened with dates and bing cherries along with only 2 Tablespoons of vegan chocolate chips.  The pecans offer a nice balancing dose of fiber and protein.  And if the word “espresso” makes you think that you’ll get totally wired from this recipe, I wouldn’t worry too much.  With only 1 teaspoon of espresso in the entire batch, if you cut these into 24 squares, that’s 0.0416th of a teaspoon of espresso per square.  You can also omit the espresso all together and these brownies will still be delish!

Some random facts about coffee and caffeine:

• Darker roast coffees, like Italian or French Roast, have less caffeine than lighter roasts, like Kona or Guatemalan.  This is because the roasting process burns away some of the caffeine.  The strong coffee flavor we associate with darker roasts is the result of how the coffee beans have been roasted, not with the amount of caffeine present in the beans.
• Next time you feel like you need to be jolted awake, don’t order a shot of espresso.  The notion that espresso yields a ton of caffeine in a small dose is a misconception.  Due to its deep roast (again, the roast is what gives it that flavor, not the caffeine) and its quick brewing time, espresso actually has less caffeine than a cup of joe.  In fact, 3 shots of Starbucks espresso is equivalent to just one 12 ounce cup of coffee!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_uOUB4JHJ0

PRO TIP:

Make these brownies in big batches, cut into squares and store them in sealed, airtight containers in the freezer so you always have a quick and delicious treat on hand!

Specialty appliances and ingredients for this recipe:

For this recipe I used an espresso by a company based out of Utah called Sumato Coffee Company. They serve ethically sourced, FRESHLY roasted, whole bean coffee that’s smooth and absolutely delicious!  You can find out more about Sumato HERE.

Vegan No Bake Espresso Brownies

Going Vegan or Gluten-Free and not sure what to eat? Check out our Vegan and Gluten Free Meal Plan complete with With delicious recipes and shopping lists!