WATCH: How to Make Food for the Gods

Food for the Gods is a popular Filipino holiday dessert recipe made with rich and tasty by dates and walnuts.

What is food for the gods?

At its most basic, it’s a brownie recipe. Just like any brownie, this baked dessert is chewy, moist, and instead of being just a chocolate bar cookie, it’s a butterscotch version that is instead studded with sweet and tender dates and bitter, nutty walnuts. It’s a wonderful contrast to the buttery sweetness of the brownie.

Make them at home for Noche Buena or give them as gifts to friends and family.

Food for the Gods Recipe

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

1 cup muscovado sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large eggs

1 cup all-purpose flour

1⁄4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup pitted dates, chopped

1 cup walnuts, roughly chopped

1 Preheat oven to 350?F. Line and lightly grease an 8” by 8” pan with parchment paper. Set aside.

2 In a mixing bowl, mix butter and sugar. Let cool slightly before beating in eggs. Stir in vanilla extract.

3 Add in flour, baking powder, and salt. Fold flour mixture into butter mixture until just combined. Fold in dates and walnuts until mixed in.

4 Spoon into prepared pan, and bake until a toothpick inserted into the brownies emerges cleanly, about 25 minutes. Don’t over bake! Let cool to the touch on a wire rack.

5 Lift out from pan and transfer to a cutting board. Lightly grease a knife before cutting into bars. Wrap bars individually in cellophane if desired for gifting.