Coconut Magic Brownie Bars
OMG, guys.
Are you as excited as I am?
It’s been so long since I last posted a dessert recipe, I’d almost forgotten how very enthusiastic they make me feel!
Or maybe it feels so special this time essentially BECAUSE it’s been so long?
Or maybe I’m so excited because this recipe is so particularly awesome?
I know I’ve been teasing you with these for a while now… and you all know that I know that you know that I’ve got another amazing dessert recipe coming, too…
But we do have to start with one, don’t we?
So I’ve decided to start with the brownies.
Save the best for last? Or start with my favorite?
Honestly, between the two, I couldn’t decide.
One thing I can tell you though is the minute I set eyes on the picture that inspired these brownies, I KNEW that I would have to try them, and the sooner the better.
That held so very true that despite the fact that I had originally planned on making crazy decadent brownies, (complete with Nutella, Condensed Milk and Chocolate Chips) to break my “Lenten Fast”, I opted on making these guys instead.
And I did not regret my decision one tiny little bit.
First off, it was MUCH better for my health, of course!
And seriously, these brownies, I swear, they ARE as good as they look.
Although they turned out to be a little bit more cake-y than I normally care for (I like my brownies REAL dense and fudge-y), these little squares of heaven really delivered in the taste department!
They have such an amazing and intense chocolate flavor that is ever so brilliantly and generously completed with that of the coconut.
Can you say Almond Joy? Oh yeah! Trust me, you do get LOADS of coconut with every bite.
And that coconut not only adds flavor, but also plays a major role as far as texture goes…
Look at how thick that top layer is!
Although it might look awfully thin and insufficient when you first spread it, that coconut layer seems to just poof up in the oven and just like that, turns into that tick, super satisfactory layer of awesome chewy tasty goodness.
For a little bit of extra crunch, I chose to add macadamia nuts to my chocolate batter. I also opted to top the bars with a little bit of toasted pecans and a drizzle of chocolate, mostly for looks!
Everything looks that much better with a drizzle of chocolate, doesn’t it?
All in all, I say this is one brilliant brownie recipe, a definite keeper!
And don’t be put off by how extensive and time consuming this recipe appears to be , they are actually quite easy to make.
I think the hardest part, really, is to wait patiently until the brownies have chilled long enough to be cut into squares.
And you know what?
I get the feeling that these guys would be equally good served warm…
So there you go, I just cut off the hardest step for ya!
Can’t say I’m not good to you now, can you?
Coconut Magic Brownie Bars
Ingredients
For the bottom Layer
- 1/3 cup date paste
- ½ ripe avocado
- 3 eggs, whisked
- 2 tablespoons unpasteurized liquid honey
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp coconut flour
- ¼ cup unsweetened dark cocoa powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp cream of tartar
- Pinch of Himalayan or fine sea salt
- 50 g macadamia nuts, chopped
For the top layer
- 1½ cups unsweetened shredded coconut, make sure it's sulfite free
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin coconut oil, melted
- 2 tbsp coconut butter, softened
- 2 egg whites, whisked
- 1 tbsp unpasteurized liquid honey
Garnish
- 30 g toasted pecans
For the drizzle
- 1 tbsp extra dark cocoa powder
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin coconut oil, melted
- 1 tsp unpasteurized liquid honey
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 365F. Lightly brush a 9” square baking pan with coconut oil and line pan with parchment paper, leaving enough extra to extend over the sides.
- In the bowl of your food processor, combine date paste, avocado, eggs, honey and vanilla and process until smooth and creamy.
- Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, mix together with a whisk the coconut flour, cocoa powder, salt, cream of tartar and baking soda.
- Add this flour mixture to the food processor and process until all ingredients are well incorporated, no more.
- Add macadamia nuts and pulse a few times just to break them into sligthly smaller pieces and mix them in with the batter. Pour that batter into your prepared pan and spread evenly; set aside.
- Now we need to work on the top layer. In the bowl of your food processor (you might want to rinse it first) add the shredded coconut, coconut oil, coconut butter, and honey and process to combine.
- In a medium clean bowl, whisk the egg whites until they become very frothy, like soft peak consistency; Fold in the shredded coconut mixture and pour that over the reserved chocolate layer.
- Again, spread as evenly as you possibly can while being careful not to disturb the bottom layer.
- Place brownies in the oven and bake for approximately 20-22 minutes or until top is nice and golden.
- Set brownies on a wire rack to cool for about an hour then finish cooling in the refrigerator for at lest 6 hours, preferably overnight.
- To make the drizzle, mix cocoa powder, melted coconut oil and honey together in a small mixing bowl until smooth.
- Transfer that chocolate sauce into a squeeze bottle. Carefully lift brownies from pan and drizzle chocolate sauce all over them. Sprinkle chopped pecans and cut into squares.
- These will keep in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to a week. (If you are able to keep them that long, that is!)
Notes
If you’ve tried this recipe, please take a minute to rate the recipe and let me know how things went for you in the comments below. It’s always such a pleasure to hear from you!
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37 Comments on “Coconut Magic Brownie Bars”
Ook those look prettig amazing Sonia!! Wow… I love the addition of the dates and the macadamia in here an if they look anything like they would taste…. I want one now!
Ah, but they do, Simone! Too bad you don’t live right next door, I ended up giving more than half the recipe away… and I was like LOOKING for takers! 😉
I am weeping for joy! I saw these on your facebook and could not wait until you posted the recipe!! thank you thank you thank you!!
Wow, yay! Happy to see you so happy, Annie! I hope you’re still just as happy, or even happier still, once you’ve actually tried them! 🙂 Make sure you let me know how it went! 🙂
Oh my gosh… My gosh!!!! I cannot believe how amazing these look and the taste they must have.. Oh man.
HAHA! Love your enthusiasm, Kammie! They do taste pretty good indeed… as good as they look, in fact! 🙂
Well I am very glad you posted a dessert recipe, these look and sound completely awesome.
I just tried to put avocado in brownies yesterday. 😛
Avocado is by far my favorite fat to bake with… so long as I’m not doing anything light in color… It works wonders for anything “chocolate”, as the greenish tint completely disappears. They are such an awesome source of healthy fat! 🙂 And you can use them to replace butter in just about any recipe, too! 🙂
Thank you, thank you, thank you. These look incredible.
Oh, glad you like, Tender. These will have you sing the opera, for sure! 🙂
This dessert looks dreamy! I love all the coconut-yum!
These look divine! One of my fave treats is to have a cup of Earl Grey Tea with a brownie. I like my tea black, and my brownies sweet, of course. A little whipped cream on the brownie….and a cherry on top perhaps? 🙂
Oof… if you like your brownies sweet, Tara, I’m afraid you won’t be a fan of these… because sweet is one thing they truly aren’t! Well, not overly so, anyway! 😉
You’ve outdone yourself birthday girl! (hey, when it’s a big birthday, you celebrate *all* year). These bars are simply brilliant in every sense of the word. (And I think I could even undertake them – pretty straightforward and not too time consuming – I like that! ;-)). Lovely styling touches Sonia – the browns with flash of red is so pretty.
Of course, you could undertake them! They are super easy to make. And I’m sure you could even outdo me in the photo department, especially with the help of that super assistant of yours! 😉
Thanks for yet another amazing comment, Kelly, and for the birthday wishes also! You know, I didn’t even have my birthday cake yet… I was planning on making myself a carrot cake, but ran out of time. Maybe I’ll make it this week-end instead… or the one after. Plus, since you just gave me permission to celebrate all year, I guess there’s no rush anymore, is there? 😉
I am such a chocoholic, and just happen to love macadamia and coconut too, so these bars are right up my alley. Something tells me I am going to have give these a try real soon.
I hope you do, Peter! They sure satisfied the chocolate lover in me! And if you do give them a try, make sure you let me know your thoughts…
i’m definitely bookmarking these… these look so amazing.
These look divine! And each bar is just 187 calories….amazing!
sounds delish!
You have the most beautiful site! I just found you and wondered where you’ve been all my life! I’m going to stalk your blog and make your recipes… starting with this delish dish ASAP. xo
Awww, thank you so much, Becky! That is so incredibly nice of you to say! You just made my day! 🙂
Made these yesterday. They are delicious!! Thanks!
Super happy to hear. Thanks for the feedback, Caroline! 🙂
Aaaah! Sonia. What are you doing here?! These look incredible. 🙂
And yes. We have to fudgify these somehow. I’m sure they’re insanely delicious but way too cakey. 😉
And I’m perplexed by the coconut topping! The whole thing is just awesome.
Fudgify! LOL! I love it! I think what the recipe needs is more fat! More avocado, and some coconut oil, maybe! I need to experiment!
Hmmmm… now you got me wanting to make brownies again. Bad, bad Erin! 😉
Hey, if you experiment with this one, keep me in the loop, will you? I want to know every little detail! 😀
Any suggestions on where to get macadamia nuts or a brand?
Your recipe calls for half an avocado. Did you use a really big one? Some of the avocados I get are on the small side. Also, do you think a really ripe mashed banana would work instead of the date paste? The brownies really look fabulous!
Sorry about the late response, Lesley, I’m currently on vacation and not spending as much time behind my computer screen… I used half a standard size hass avocado. Maybe you want to use a whole one, or three quarters of a fruit if yours are particularly small. As for using banana, I’m fairly positive that it would yield great results! Keep me posted if you do give it a try! 🙂
Wow… made these for a 4th of July party. They were amazing!! Thanks so much for the great recipe.. it’s a keeper and a repeater!
Thanks for the great feedback, Annie. Glad you liked ’em! 🙂
I really love your site and recipes. The only wish I have is that the website text was black so that I didn’t have to struggle reading it! Otherwise, rock on! 🙂
Thank you for your feedback, Jill!
I would really love to make these, but I have an allergy to avocado. Is there anything you suggest that could take the place of it?
If it was me, Melinda, I would use half a cup of ghee instead of the avocado. That should do the trick!
Hi your recipe looks delicious.
Do you have the measurements in metric (grams) please?