Meet the fudgiest, most-secretly-healthy brownies you'll ever bake. Deep, dark cacao brownies get folded with warm cinnamon-spiced Honeycrisp apple chunks and sweetened almost entirely with Medjool dates and coconut milk — no refined sugar, no butter, no eggs. Every bite tastes like a bakery brownie with a warm apple pie tucked inside.
The apple has to hold its shape and add real fresh flavor to the batter. Honeycrisp is our top pick because it stays tender-crisp through baking without turning to mush. Northern Spy is another wonderful bakers' apple. Order fresh from our orchard by clicking here.
Ingredients (makes 16 brownies)
Cinnamon Apples
- 3 Honeycrisp apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
- 1/3 cup fresh orange juice
- Pinch of ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Brownies
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (or 1:1 GF blend)
- 1/2 cup raw cacao powder (or unsweetened cocoa powder)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 oz dark chocolate (70% or higher), roughly chopped
- 1 (14 oz) can full-fat coconut milk
- 3/4 cup pitted Medjool dates, chopped
- 1 cup pecans, roughly chopped (plus more for topping)
- Optional: 1 teaspoon vanilla; 1 teaspoon extra cinnamon; pinch of instant espresso powder
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13-inch pan with parchment, leaving overhang on two sides.
- Cinnamon apples. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the chopped apples, orange juice, cinnamon, and vanilla. Simmer 6–8 minutes until tender. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Brownie batter. In a blender or food processor, combine the coconut milk, chopped dates, and dark chocolate. Warm slightly in the microwave to help the chocolate melt, then blend until smooth. This is your sweetener + fat + chocolate base.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cacao powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Fold the coconut-milk mixture into the dry ingredients until just combined.
- Fold in the cinnamon apples (with their juices) and 1 cup of chopped pecans.
- Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan. Top with a scattering of extra pecans.
- Bake for 30–35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs (not wet batter).
- Cool completely in the pan — at least 1 hour — before slicing.
- Lift out using the parchment overhang and cut into 16 squares.
Tips & Variations
- Chop apples small. 1/4-inch dice ensures even distribution and no giant apple pockets.
- Warm the coconut milk mixture. This helps the chocolate melt smoothly and the dates blend into a paste.
- Add espresso. A pinch of instant espresso powder deepens the chocolate flavor without making them taste like coffee.
- Frosted version. Top with a simple ganache: melt equal parts dark chocolate and coconut milk, drizzle warm.
- Store & freeze. Airtight container at room temp for 3 days, refrigerated for 5 days, frozen for 2 months.
Made these? Send us a photo — we'll send you a coupon for 20% off your next order. Comment below or email [email protected]. Enjoy!
