Nut Butter Brownies

It amazes me how many recipes are out there for brownies. Some are dark, deep and fudgy, others are soft, billowy and cake-like. Some include piles of nuts, chunks of chocolate, dried fruit and even black beans. These brownies I made the other day seem to be in a class all there own. They were made for a dinner that included vegan and gluten intolerant stomachs, but I wanted them to be a treat for everyone that would be there and I'm always up for a food challenge.

The result was definitely a brownie, but with an unfamiliar slightly crumb-like texture I'd never experienced before. The flavor was definitely chocolaty with only hints of the almond butter and hazelnut butter I used. With Valentine's Day around the corner, I'm sure you might be looking for a special treat for loved ones. I think these would be the perfect thing.

Use your favorite nut butter or a combination to make these. Peanut butter always goes well with chocolate, but if you don't want that overpowering taste of peanut coming through I'd suggest almond or cashew butter. The next time I make these, I'm going to use an 8x8 pan so I have a thicker brownie, which also means the cooking time might be a little longer.

Nut Butter Brownies
Adapted from Elena's Pantry

makes 24

16 ounces almond butter, or any nut butter or combination (I used hazelnut and almond)

2 tablespoons flax meal mixed with 6 tablespoons water

1 cup cane sugar

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup dark chocolate chips, optional

Preheat oven to 325˚F and lightly grease a 9x13 pan.

In a large bowl, beat the almond butter until smooth with a hand blender. Stir in the flax meal mixture along with the sugar and vanilla.

Blend in the cocoa powder, salt and baking soda, until just incorporated. Fold in the chocolate chips, if using.

Pour the batter into prepared pan. It's a little thicker then regular brownie batter so you might have to spread it out a bit with the back of a large spoon or spatula.

Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Don't over bake or they will be dry.