Chocolate-Frosted Paleo Pumpkin Brownies
Chocolate-Frosted Paleo Pumpkin Brownies are a no-bake dessert treat that features a pumpkin pie-flavored base topped with a rich, chocolate-y icing. Fall spices paired with cocoa, sweet dates, and your choice of liquid sweetener means you’ll have a dessert recipe tailored to your tastebuds in no time! {Paleo or Vegan}
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Chill Time:: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 16 brownies 1x
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Food Processor
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Helpful Equipment:
- Food processor with a small work bowl (preferred)
- High-speed blender
Pumpkin brownie base:
- 2 1/2 cups soft dates, pitted and chopped (the finer, the better)
- 1 cup canned pumpkin
- 1/3 cup coconut oil, melted
- 1/4 cup 100% pure honey (or agave nectar for a vegan option)
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- Pinch of ground cloves and allspice, optional
Chocolate frosting:
- 1 medium avocado
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 3/4 cup 100% pure honey (or agave nectar for vegan option)
- 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
- 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Using a food processor, combine the dates, canned pumpkin, melted coconut oil, honey, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and ground cloves in the small work bowl. Pulse several times and then stop the food processor to scrape the sides of the work bowl. Process on LOW until the ingredients blend together, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl as needed. If some pieces are still whole, then process on HIGH for several seconds. Once the desired consistency is reached, pour the mixture into an 8×8 baking dish and set it aside.
- Rinse the work bowl and place it back on the food processor base. Next, in the work bowl, combine the flesh of the avocado with the cocoa powder, honey, coconut oil, and sea salt. Pulse several times to combine. Scrape the sides of the work bowl and then process the frosting on LOW until a creamy consistency is reached. Pour the frosting over the pumpkin layer and spread it to reach the sides and corners of the 9×9 baking dish.
- Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to one hour before serving. Keep refrigerated in an airtight container for about 4-5 days.
Notes
- Work with a food processor. I have made this in a high-speed blender and a food processor, and I much prefer the latter. It blends the ingredients well without requiring extra liquid, which is a plus because it doesn’t alter the recipe balance. You CAN make this in a high-speed blender, however make sure the dates are finely chopped, check under the blades frequently for stuck pieces, and plan to add extra liquid (coconut oil and/or liquid sweetener) if the blades get sluggish. Basically, you’ll want a small kitchen appliance that could blend a sweater and still make it taste good. If you’ve got that, then you’re in business. And I’m joking about the sweater. Mostly.
- If you do need to add more liquid to your high-speed blender, then add a tablespoon or two of coconut oil and liquid sweetener. I start with one tablespoon of each and increase only as needed.
- If the dates are hard or dry, then try chopping them into super-fine pieces, if you can, and use a food processor. If neither is an option, then consider soaking them for a few minutes to soften them. One drawback to this method is the dates may lose some of their flavor and sweetness. Admittedly, I only resort to this method if I absolutely have to.
- Use a fresh avocado. This seems obvious, however there are times when you can sneak a slightly over-ripened avocado into a recipe, like Single-Serving Chocolate Chia Smoothie. This is not that recipe. A fresh avocado will give you the creamy texture you want with the neutral flavor you’ll need to let the chocolate take center stage.
