Vegan Bites: Chocolate Pinecones (or regular brownies for less stress!)

 

Though these are SUPER cute and would look amazing with some other woodland-themed baked goods Gingerbread Toadstools or Mushroom Meringue, I highly recommend just turning them into pan brownies, unless you have some time and patience (neither of which are abundant at the end of the year.)

Either way, prepare the raw brownie base. Use cocoa. When we used carob, they just weren't as good. Brownies CRAVE cocoa.

If you're preparing pan brownies, simple pat in loaf pan (double the recipe, in that case) and frost with melted chocolate and some nut butter mixed together lusciously.

If you are brave and attempt your luck with pinecones, mold the brownie batter into stubby conical shapes, circle with slivered almonds poking out, pinecone-style and drench in melted chocolate. Warning: if you dip, bye bye almonds! It's best to pour chocolate over while rotating the 'pinecone'.  Best of luck!

Pinecone Brownie

~1 1/4c dates

~1/4c nut butter (we used almond)

~1/3c cacao

~1/2c almond flour

Pulse until begins to form ball. Shape. Frost or create 'pinecones'.

Frosting

~150g nut butter

~250g dark chocolate

Melt in double boiled. Mix well. Frost and refrigerate.