Preheat your oven to 350℉/176℃ and line a square 8 inch baking pan with parchment paper.
Add the dates and water to your food processor and process until you have a smooth paste. Then add the chickpeas, aquafaba, peanut butter, cocoa, and process until well combined.
Next, add the optional fill-ins, if using, and pulse a few times to mix them through without overprocessing.
Scoop the brownie batter into your dish and smooth out the top with a silicone spatula. The batter will be very thick, so press it down to ensure there are no gaps. Sprinkle more chocolate chips and walnuts on top if you'd like and bake for 25-30 minutes.
Let it cool in the pan for 5 minutes, and then lift the brownies out, using the parchment paper, and transfer to a cutting board. Let cool for AT LEAST 20 minutes before slicing.
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Notes
For nut-free, use wow butter or sun butter instead of peanut butter and omit the optional walnuts. Feel free to sub for dried fruit, like raisins or cranberries, if desired.For sweeter brownies, add 1-2 tablespoons of maple syrup to the mix after processing the dates, and/or use up to ½ cup of chocolate chips.Use parchment paper to line your pan to make it easier to remove the brownies once baked.Do not overbake! Overbaking will result in drier, less fudgy-tasting brownies. They will look underdone when you take them out of the oven, but they will set as they cool.Wet your knife in between cuts when slicing your brownies for smoother edges and to prevent sticking.Leftovers keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.