No Bake Brownies
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My no-bake brownies are fudgy, rich, and need only 4 ingredients. There’s no flour, no eggs, and NO butter needed!
Craving more no-bake desserts? Try my fudge cookies, cookie dough bites, crunch bars, and no bake peanut butter cheesecake next.
When I’m craving a brownie but need instant gratification, I make my no-bake brownies.
The texture is shockingly similar to freshly baked brownies, but what gives it away is the soft and ultra-gooey center. The chocolate frosting ties it together, making it a truly decadent treat.
Table of Contents
Why I love this recipe
- Instant gratification. There’s no preheating the oven, no heat-treating flour, nada! Just mix the ingredients and refrigerate until firm.
- Made with 4 ingredients. Aside from the frosting, the only ingredients you’ll need are almond butter, maple syrup, and cocoa powder.
- Minimal prep time. Everything comes together in one bowl, and you don’t even need a food processor.
- Secretly healthy. These brownies are 100% naturally sweetened, gluten-free, AND vegan!
Ingredients needed
- Almond butter. Smooth and drippy almond butter with no added sugar or salt.
- Maple syrup. For sweetness and to bind the dry ingredients. Honey or agave nectar also works.
- Cocoa powder. I used 100% unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder, which I find has the most natural, rich chocolate flavor. For a stronger flavor, use dark cocoa powder.
- Chocolate frosting. Use store-bought frosting or make my healthy frosting or 2 ingredient dairy free frosting.
Find the printable recipe with measurements below.
How to make no bake brownies
Step 1- Prep. Line a square pan with parchment paper.
Step 2- Mix. In a large mixing bowl, add the brownie ingredients (minus the frosting) and combine.
Step 3- Chill. Transfer the batter mixture to the lined pan, press down, and smooth out. Add frosting on top and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Once firm, slice and serve.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Adjust the consistency. Depending on how thick my almond butter is, sometimes the batter is too thick. If this happens, add more maple syrup. If the batter is too thin, add more cocoa powder. The consistency should be similar to cookie dough.
- Don’t skip the chill time. Trust me, those 30 minutes in the fridge make all the difference and really help to firm up the bars.
- Slice the bars with a warm knife. Getting clean and even cuts can be tricky. I find it’s easier if I run my knife under hot water, dry it, and then slice the brownies.
Variations
- Cut the carbs. Use keto maple syrup and my keto chocolate frosting.
- Make extra thick brownies. Add a little blanched almond flour to the batter.
- Swap the almond butter. Use peanut butter, cashew butter, or seed butter (I like sunflower seed butter) to keep it nut-free.
- Add mix-ins. Like chopped walnuts, dried fruit, coconut flakes, or chocolate chips.
- Omit the frosting. Blasphemy, I know, but these brownies taste good even without frosting.
- Enhance the flavor. Fold in vanilla extract or top the bars with flaky sea salt.
Storage instructions
To store: Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator, covered, for up to two weeks.
To freeze: Place the brownies in an airtight container and store them in the freezer for up to six months.
Frequently asked questions
I don’t recommend baking these particular brownies, as there isn’t enough liquid to keep them fudgy and soft.
More brownies to try
- Protein brownies
- Black bean brownies
- Zucchini brownies
- Nutella brownies
- Or any of my brownie recipes
No Bake Brownies (4 Ingredients!)
Video
Ingredients
- 1 cup almond butter
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 2/3 cup cocoa powder
- 1 cup chocolate frosting
Instructions
- Line a square pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add your almond butter, maple syrup, and cocoa powder and mix well.
- Transfer the batter into the lined pan and press down and smooth out. Add your frosting on top and refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes.
- Remove the no bake brownies from the refrigerator and slice and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Originally updated April 2022, updated and republished July 2024
So appreciate your dedication and love your attitude! Simple and tasty!
Thanks so much, Teleia- I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Can I use regular butter instead of almond butter?
Hi Ruchi- Unfortunately butter isn’t an equal swap for almond butter- you need to be using another nut or seed butter to get the ideal texture required for the brownies. Peanut butter, cashew butter, tahini, and sunflower seed butter all work 🙂
I’m going to try it and hope its good
Let me know how it goes, Ratoul!
Exquisite!!!
Just love your quick and healthy recipe and I thank you
sounds delish
I use this recipe and roll it into balls and cover with crushed nuts. Wonderful snack.
It was hard to find the recipe but it was easy to find what to do next.
Thanks, Jasmine. I hope you enjoyed them 🙂
Made this recipe past week. My friends were so satisfied. They couldnt believe when I showed them recipe. They said they thought it was very complicated.
Can I use coconut flour?
Hi Lynnsie- there’s no need to add coconut flour to this. It will just thicken the batter and make it more dense than fudgy 🙂
This was so rich that I’d compare it to fudge. Initially, I thought the brownie “dough” was spread too thin over an 8×8 pan, but after adding icing, it was thick enough. I didn’t have coconut cream to make the icing, but I had a container of Miss Jones organic chocolate buttercream icing that is made with coconut oil and palm fruit oil. Half a container worked very well to make a light icing for these fudge brownies. I’m seriously going to have to freeze most of it because it will take weeks to eat it by myself. Next time, I would halve the recipe and opt for a smaller pan.
Thanks for the lovely feedback and review, Lisa. Using store-bought frosting is totally fine 🙂
These do freeze really well, so go for it!
What kind of frosting do you put on these brownies? Can you help me out?
Hi Donna- yes, I’ve added a link to the simple 2 ingredient frosting. Any chocolate frosting works, too. If you want something healthier, I have a healthy frosting recipe you could try.
I watched the video and then looked at ingredients. There is no sweet potato in the recipe but it is in the video!!! ?
Hi Sandra- the recipe video is the first then it goes to related recipes, so perhaps that is what you saw after 🙂
This was delicious. I only had Sunflower butter vs. Almond Butter, but it turned out perfect. I frosted it with some leftover date caramel and toasted almonds. Thank you, for the recipe. This would even be terrific with a bit of peppermint oil for the Holidays. A definite keeper! Thank you!
They really turned out tasty. Thanks for the recipe!
Wow never hears brownies can be made without baking. Thanks!