Bake up these heart-shaped brownies filled with strawberry frosting and shredded coconut.
Decadently rich, yet not overly sweet, these brownies are made using gluten-free flour, coconut oil, and natural sweeteners (like cacao and strawberries) to create the perfect treat.
The trick to achieving the perfect double-layer brownie is to let it fully cool within the pan at the end of the baking process. This allows the breading to firm up completely and will help prevent it from crumbling during the stacking process.
Freeze-dried strawberries and soaked cashews make up the red filling within the heart-shaped cutouts. It’s made without using any artificial coloring or dairy and comes with a tart and creamy flavor that rivals any store-bought frosting.
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To get started, melt the coconut oil and chocolate chips in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Stir continuously to prevent the chocolate chips from burning, then sift in the cacao powder until all is fully dissolved.
Next, transfer the mixture to a large bowl and add in the eggs, raw honey, vanilla, and coconut flour. Whisk until you get a thick homogeneous batter, then pour it onto a prepared sheet pan. Use a spatula to spread the batter into an even layer and bake for 20 minutes. When baking is complete, allow the brownie to fully cool for at least 30 minutes at room temperature before removing it from the pan.
As the brownie cools, blend the freeze-dried strawberries into a powder and set aside in a medium bowl. You’ll also want to reserve two tablespoons of powder on a separate plate to use for garnishing at the end. In the same blender, pulse the soaked cashews together with water and pour into the bowl with powdered strawberries. Whisk together until you get a creamy red mixture.
Then, slice the cooked brownie in half across the width and use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to create cutouts on one half of the brownie. (I cut out three rows with two hearts each). Gently place the cutout half on top of the other and fill the cavities with cashew-strawberry frosting.
When finished, sprinkle the tops with a mix of powdered strawberries and shredded coconut, then slice into six squares and enjoy!
Tip: I used raw honey in the recipe but you can also sub in equal amounts of maple syrup for a vegan-friendly version.
Be-Mine Strawberry Valentine Brownies
Be-Mine Strawberry Valentine Brownies
Felicia Lim- Large sheet pan
- Large skillet
- Large mixing bowl
- Medium mixing bowl
- Blender
- 3” heart-shaped cookie cutter
For The Brownies:
- 1¼ cup coconut oil
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips
- ½ cup cacao powder
- 6 eggs, beaten
- 2 t vanilla extract
- 1 cup honey
- 1 cup coconut flour
For The Cashew-Strawberry Frosting:
- 4 cups freeze-dried strawberries
- 1 cup raw cashews, soaked in water for at least an 1 hour and drained
- ½ cup water
- Shredded coconut, for garnishing
- Preheat the oven to 350°F, then line a sheet pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- To Make The Brownies: In a large skillet over medium-low heat, melt the coconut oil and chocolate chips together. Mix well to combine, then sift in the cacao powder and whisk until fully dissolved.
- Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl and add in the eggs, vanilla, honey, and coconut flour. Continue whisking until you get a thick, homogeneous batter.
- Pour the brownie batter onto the prepared sheet pan and spread it evenly with a spatula.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean from the center.
- Allow the brownie to cool for at least 30 minutes before removing from the pan.
- To Make The Cashew-Strawberry Filling: While the brownie cools, blend the freeze-dried strawberries into a fine powder and transfer to a bowl to set aside. Reserve 2 tablespoons on a separate plate to use as a garnish at the end.
- In the same blender, combine the drained cashews with the water and pulse until you get a creamy cashew butter. Pour the cashew butter in with the powdered strawberries and stir until you get a bright red mixture.
- Once the brownie is cooled, slice it in half across the width and use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut out 6 hearts on one half (I cut out 3 rows with 2 hearts each).
- Gently place the brownie half with the cutouts on top of the other half and fill in the heart-shaped cavities with cashew-strawberry filling.
- Sprinkle some of the hearts with a mix of powdered strawberries and shredded coconut, then slice into 6 squares and enjoy!
Looking for Paleo ingredients? Here are a few we’d recommend:
Cold pressed coconut oil (Viva Naturals)
Semi-sweet chocolate chips (Enjoy Life)
Raw cacao powder (Healthworks)
Vanilla extract (Frontier)
Raw honey (Bee Farms)
Coconut flour (Nutiva)
Raw cashews (Terrasoul Superfoods)
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