This really is the Best Ever Vegan Brownies Recipe! Fudgy, gooey, perfect squares of chocolate that cut easily and are easy to make. You’ll never buy a boxed brownie mix again!

3 stacked vegan brownies recipe

In the last two days, I’ve made three batches of vegan brownies. That’s right, three. A few weeks ago, I tried some other recipes I was playing around with. All in an attempt to create the most perfect vegan brownies recipe in the world. It has been such a struggle you guys! (And yes I have a freezer FULL of brownies)

All of the recipes were edible (I mean, come on, it’s chocolate people!), but NOT the brownie perfection I was looking for. Either they were too fudgy, or too cake-like (my biggest peeve). Or one batch that cooked fine on the outside but wouldn’t fully cook near the middle.

looking down close up of 1 vegan brownies recipe

I had to do some serious brownie research, read about ingredients, what makes a brownie cake-like, what makes them more fudgy, how to create the right balance for what I was looking for, and then think about the best vegan swaps for the result I wanted to achieve.

Finally, just a few days ago, I made one more batch of vegan brownies, after carefully creating the recipe on paper. I was SO excited as the batter tasted incredible, and after baking they looked good in the pan. Still having doubts, I let them cool a bit and then removed them from the pan and sliced them slowly.

When I looked inside and took the first bite, I knew, I had finally created the PERFECT Vegan Brownies Recipe! They are thick and hold together when you slice them. Fudgy, but not overly so, chewy, rich, ooey-gooey and full of chocolatey goodness. No one would guess they’re vegan!

vegan brownies batter in pan with parchment paper

What kind of chocolate chips should I use for vegan brownies recipe?

I used Trader Joe’s semi-sweet chocolate chips because they happen to be vegan and are quite inexpensive. It can be difficult to find chocolate chips that don’t contain dairy, so just check the ingredients list. Enjoy Life is a good brand and you can order them on Amazon. You can also use your favorite chocolate bar and chop it into pieces.

What kind of cocoa powder should I use?

I used Trader Joe’s unsweetened cocoa powder in this recipe, Hershey’s unsweetened is also a good option. I would not recommend you use a dutch cocoa powder, as you will get different results.

many vegan brownies lined up

What is the best way to cut brownies?

If you are making vegan brownies for a party or to serve to others, it’s important to follow a couple of steps to get really nicely cut brownies. This is true whether they are vegan brownies or not!

It is helpful to line your pan with parchment paper that hangs out the sides for easy removal. After baking, let the brownies cool off for 15 minutes in the pan, then lift them out of the pan with the parchment paper and let cool 15-30 minutes more on a cooling rack. The longer you let them cool, the easier and cleaner cutting will be.

To cut, use a big, heavy knife. Run it under hot water for 30 seconds, dry it quickly and cut the brownies. Clean off the knife in between cuts, and you will have clean brownie squares.

close up 3 stacked vegan brownies

If you like this vegan brownies recipe, you may also want to check out these “best” dessert recipes:

The Best Vegan Chocolate Cake

Perfect Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

If you make this recipe, let me know how it goes! Rate it, leave a comment and tag a photo @noracooksvegan on Instagram or find me on Facebook. Enjoy!

3 stacked vegan brownies recipe
4.84 stars (555 ratings)

Best Ever Vegan Brownies Recipe

This really is the Best Ever Vegan Brownies Recipe! Fudgy, gooey, perfect squares of chocolate that cut easily and are easy to make. You'll never buy a boxed brownie mix again!
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 35 minutes
Total: 55 minutes
Servings: 16 brownies

Ingredients 
 

  • 4 tablespoons ground flax
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 cup vegan butter (earth balance brand), melted *see instructions
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 cup non-dairy chocolate chips OR roughly chopped chocolate pieces

Instructions 

  • Make the flax eggs by stirring the ground flax and water in a small bowl. Set aside to thicken. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a 7 x 11 pan with parchment paper.
  • Melt the vegan butter (earth balance brand preferred), and measure 1/2 cup. I do this by microwaving the vegan butter in a glass measuring cup, in 30 second intervals, until melted.
  • In a large bowl, whisk the melted vegan butter and sugars together. Add the flax eggs and vanilla, whisk until evenly combined.
  • Over the same large bowl, sift in the flour and cocoa powder. Add the salt and baking powder and stir with a large wooden spoon until just combined, do not over mix. 
  • Fold in half of the chocolate chips. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth out the top with a spoon or your hands. Sprinkle the rest of the chocolate chips on top of the batter.
  • Bake for 35-40 minutes. The brownies may still be bubbling and not look done, but they will firm up a lot as they cool.
  • Remove from the oven, allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then pull the brownies out, using the parchment paper and let cool for another 15-30 minutes before slicing and serving.

Video

Notes

  1. To sift, either use a sifter or a fine mesh strainer also works.
  2. Coconut oil does not work very well in place of the vegan butter; it makes them very oily so I don't recommend it. You could sub applesauce for the vegan butter if you are oil free.
  3. If you don't want the brownies as sweet, it is perfectly okay to reduce the sugar, even to 1 cup. They will still turn out well, just not as sweet. 
  4. When you initially take the brownies out of the oven, they will appear underdone and soft, but give them time to cool. They are even better the next day; fudgy and rich. These are NOT cake-like brownies. 
  5. You may also use dutch processed cocoa powder for slightly different results. They will be a little less fudgy, and darker in color.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 251kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 125mg | Potassium: 148mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 31g | Vitamin A: 270IU | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 2mg
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Author: Nora Taylor
Did you make this recipe?Mention @nora_cooks_vegan_ or tag #noracooks!

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Comments

  1. This was an amazing recipe I added a tbsp of espresso powder and walnuts in the mix and on top with the chocolate chips and decreased the white sugar a bit . It was perfectly fudgy and yummy gooey I made it for a birthday instead of cake. took it out at 40 min everyone loved it even the non vegan

  2. I tried baking these in an 8×8 pan but it didn’t turn out well. After 45 minutes they looked done from the top but when cut into they were still very raw. I let them cool for 40 minutes and they were still raw. I’m really bummed because all the reviews are great and I’ve had amazing results with other recipes from this website. I think I followed the recipe exactly so I’m not sure what happened!

    Any ideas of what I could be doing wrong? Is it the pan size? Or should I just bake longer? Any advice would be great 🙂

    1. Yes, it sounds like you over baked them. So brownies (at least this recipe) are not like cake where you want the batter to come out completely dry when you remove them from the oven. That will probably never happen here. Also, they work better in a larger pan (7×11 or even 9×13). Don’t bake for more than 35-40 minutes (more like 30 with a 9×13 pan). They will still look soft and rather uncooked, but amazing things happen as they cool, even just for 15-20 minutes. Don’t skip the cooling part, and you will end up with perfect chewy, fudgy brownies. Hope that helps!

      1. Thank you so much for the advice!! I’ll definitely try the recipe again. A friend of mine made me amazing vegan brownies and when I asked her what recipe she used it was this one! ?

  3. Nora, these are amazing brownies, thank you for the recipe! One thing I find is when I take them out of the oven, they sink a bit in the middle. The taste and texture is amazing but how can I stop them sinking? I notice in your video you don’t add the baking powder, would that help?
    Thank you ? 

    1. I think the baking powder actually helps them not sink so much, but they are brownies and not cake, so they are quite dense instead of fluffy. You could add just a little more flour (maybe a few tablespoons) and see if that gives you the result you are looking for. They will be more cake like with more flour though. I’m glad you enjoyed the taste and texture, thank you!

  4. Does the 1/2 water go into flax or is that to add to batter? My batter was dry. I used the 1.2 water for flax

    1. The water is mixed with the ground flaxseeds before being added to the batter. The batter should be thick but not dry. Hope that helps!

  5. I have just made this recipe (currently in the oven) my only concern is that my ‘batter’ was not a batter consistency, more like plate on! I followed the recipe to the T, not sure what went wrong!

      1. Hi! I’m not sure why it would feel like play dough, but the batter is not like cake batter that is quite runny, it should be thick, a bit difficult to stir even. Maybe that is what you are describing? If so, it is correct. Then you just transfer the brownie batter to the pan, push it down evenly and bake! Hope they work out for you!

  6. Sooo good. Thank you for posting. I only used 1 c brown sugar. I used my own homemade vegan butter.

    1. I’m not sure if that would work, the sugar not only sweetens but it provides structure and moisture. But you could try it I suppose!

  7. Love this recipe!  My non-vegan friends love it as well. I bake them for 25 minutes in an 8×8 pan and they are blissful perfection. I find they are best the day they are made. I live alone so I’m wondering if they freeze well?

  8. I cooked these in a cupcake pan and they came out great! Do not use cupcake cup though because they do not come off easily with these. Next time I’ll just grease the pan instead.

    I did not have enough margarine so I melted and mixed in lard to make the measurements for vegan butter. I am not vegan so the lard was a personal choice. I also topped them off with walnuts before throwing them in. They are worth the effort to make again!

    1. Hi Nora!! I’m so glad i found your recipe of vegan brownies… i was searching this reacipe for a really long time. Finally I’m gonna try this one tonight. Thanks a lot ❤

  9. These were UNREAL. The absolute perfect brownie. I ate the entire batch myself and have zero regrets. Nicely done!

  10. Hi – this recipe looks amazing! If I only have Dutch  cocoa powder, will it still come out ok? Anything I can edit in the ingredients to create the same outcome?

    1. Yes, I have used dutch cocoa powder and it works well. It just changes the texture a bit, but I like it actually. Hope you enjoy them!

  11. Quick question – I have not yet made this recipe – is it possible to cut back on the sugar and still get the same texture and consistency? Just looking at the recipe it seems like these may be a bit too sweet for me (but maybe not!) so I’d like to try less first. Thank you!

    1. They do freeze very well. They will stay fresh at room temperature for 2-3 days, a few more days in the refrigerator.

  12. Could you use just egg the egg replacer product in this recipe instead? Would it also be 1/2 up (equal to 2 real eggs)? 

  13. I tried to post this comment before but it never went through 🙁 Regarding the flax egg, I have Bob’s Red Mill flax meal, which is the one you have linked to in the recipe. Do you use the flax meal as is, or do you have to grind it again? It seems its already ground up as packaged, but sometimes there are larger flecks of flax sometimes. Would that affect the texture in this recipe or is it fine to have that happen here? Thanks!

    1. You don’t have to grind it unless you have whole flax seeds. You might want to try a different brand, some seem to still have larger flakes in the mix, I don’t like that either. But it will work here.

      1. Reporting back with my results and substitutions to help anyone else trying out the recipe. So I ended up using the same brand I had, but throwing it in one of those smoothie blender things since I don’t have an actual coffee or spice grinder. It worked the same and made the flax meal finer a bit finer as I wanted. I used a tablespoon of instant espresso powder to bring out the chocolate flavor more and left out the vanilla extract. I used vegetable oil instead of vegan butter, about 1.25 cups of sugar instead of the full 2 cups, and less than half a cup of chocolate chips. Then I left it in the oven for 40 minutes with a 7×11 pan.
        They came out really good! I would say the quarter inch around the perimeter of the pan was a little hard, but otherwise the texture of these was perfect! Next time I think I would omit the chocolate chips entirely because there is enough chocolate so they aren’t necessary. I would also take them out at 35 minutes as suggested so they are perfectly done throughout the whole pan. I would probably not use the espresso powder, or if I do, make sure I use the full amount of sugar, because I think it definitely made these very intensely chocolatey. I would definitely make these again. Thank you for the recipe!

  14. Delicious! I changed the flax seed for chia seeds and it worked just as well! Had to resist eating the whole pan on my own (and it makes quite a lot) Thank you!

  15. This is the quintessential brownie. So unbelievably delicious. I went with half the sugar and drizzled with peppermint royal icing. They were a huge hit!

      1. Absolutely delicious!!! Used half vegan butter & half applesauce. Baked in a 9×13 for 30 minutes & forced myself to follow the suggested cooling times/directions even though they smelled sooo good & I was very tempted. Well worth the wait, another great recipe from Nora!!! 

  16. Fantastic! I highly recommend going the half vegan butter/half applesauce route and baking a little longer in a glass pan. These were a dinner party highlight with ice cream on the side.

  17. Could this be made with oil instead of butter? I have all the other ingredients. Since it is 1/2 cup melted, would 1/2 cup of oil (canola oil) work? Thank you.

  18. Delicious! I accidentally put a full cup of chocolate chunks in the dough and then some shreds on the top instead of splitting half and half ? but it’s chocolate! More the better, right?
    I used Dutch processed cocoa powder, halved the sugar, and used 70% dark chocolate chunks. So goooood! My partner’s face changed when they tried the first bite. Thank you for the recipe! ?

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