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. My very favorite brownies. So chocolate-y.  This is now my only brownie recipe.

    Tip: the best way to cut brownies is with a plastic knife. The brownie doesn’t stick to it.

    1. Thanks for the tip, Cathy! I’m thrilled these are your favorite brownies, and that this is your go to brownies recipe! Thank you for taking your time to share your review!

  2. I made these for my grandma’s birthday, she loved them! She had no idea they were vegan. She insisted that I leave her leftovers.
    Thanks for the easy recipe!

    1. Thank you for sharing your fun review, Jessica! I’m glad the brownies were a hit for your grandma’s birthday!

  3. I’ve made these brownies loads of times and they have always been so delicious. They are so easy and the best vegan treat.

  4. do you know any butter replacements? i was thinking coconut oil or canola oil (i only have unrefined though)

    1. Coconut oil will work pretty well, though I feel like they come out a little greasy, not bad though. I haven’t tried any other oil. Thanks!

  5. This was a really outstanding recipe! I was worried about the thick batter, too, but it worked. Husband says this is the best batch of brownies I’ve made (in 14 years!). This will be the one I make over and over again. Thank you!

    1. Hi Jenny. I’m thrilled to hear you guys loved the brownies, and that this will be your go to brownie recipe! Thank you for taking your time to share you great review!

  6. Excellent, made these today! I think I should have taken them out a bit sooner than I did but they were delicious and really hit the mark for all the brownie points: a little crisp, a little chewy, and very choclatey! Will definitely make again, thank you!

      1. These are delicious, I added a ton of spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, rose water, cardamom, cayenne, ginger). However, they  are still verrrrry fudgey and gooey about an hour out the oven.I’m hoping they’ll firm up after being in the fridge overnight.  What can I do next time to make them a bit more firm and less gooey? I replaced the white sugar with coconut sugar but besides that and the added spices, I followed the recipe. 

        1. Hi there! Honestly using coconut sugar is probably the culprit, I’ve never tried it without the mix of brown and granulated sugar. They shouldn’t be that fudgy an hour after coming out of the oven. Other than that, make sure you are using the correct size pan (7×11 inches). The spice mix sounds interesting!

  7. Hi Nora, the brownies taste yummy but I’ve tried to make them twice now and the batter came out super thick both times. I don’t know what I’m doing wrong since I put the exact measurements of everything. Do you have any suggestions on how to make the batter a little thinner?  Thank you!

    1. This batter is quite thick, actually. For vegan brownies, this tends to work best and make for the best brownie texture. So don’t be afraid of thick batter. 🙂 If you must, add a few tablespoons of non-dairy milk, but if you add too much the brownies will be cake like instead of fudgy.

  8. Are we supposed to grease pan or parchment paper. I’ve read over the recipe many times and if that info is there, I continue to miss it.

    1. Yes, it’s listed in step 1 of the instructions. I line a pan with parchment paper for easy removal. Thanks!

  9. Hi Nora
    I have made this recipe 3 times in the last week.
    1st time over bakes it.
    2nd time was perfect at 30 mins
    3rd time took it out at 30 mins and it has sunk quite a lot in the middle , I did load  the top with Oreos.

    Can you suggest why this may have happened, and how to fix it?

    Thanks, I’m new to vegan baking abs really enjoying your recipes.

    1. Hi Louise! Gosh I’m not totally sure what’s going on, but loading the top with oreos would certainly make it sink in the middle, so that makes sense. Make sure to bake them in the center of your oven, in a metal pan if you can. I’m so happy you are enjoying the recipes!

  10. Hi there Nora☺ I just tried this recipe and it was amazingly good! My kids agree! Ive tried a few other recipes such as the vegan stuffed shells…it was so filling. I was suprised how good, easy and fast to assemble and you didnt have to eat much! I love your blog! Thank you for all your hard work putting it together. Your top of my list for recipes!

    1. Hi Jessica. Thank you for taking your time to share your wonderful and kind comments! I’m thrilled that you love my recipes! Reading your comments are so fun! Thank you for using my recipes, and happy cooking!

  11. Just made these for my daughter’s birthday. Huge hit! They are delicious!! I love every recipe I’ve ever used of yours!

    1. Thank you for sharing your review, and for your kind words, Shannon! I’m thrilled that you use my recipes, and that you love them! Happy birthday to your daughter!

  12. These were absolutely amazing!

    I was looking for a fudgy brownie and these were a little cakier than I expected, but I plan to make them again and use them for brownie sundaes. My mom says that this might make really good, dense chocolate cake and I agree.

    I followed the recipe really closely, is there anything I could do to make them fudgier next time?

    Thanks for the recipe! Excited to make these for everyone.

    1. That’s not something I’ve heard about this recipe before, they should be quite fudgy and not cake like at all. So glad you enjoyed them anyhow! I wonder if you accidentally added too much flour or cocoa powder, making them dry. Did you make any substitutions or changes at all?

      1. I didn’t make any substitutions, but I used part dutch-processed and part “regular” cocoa powder because it was what I had. I wonder if that was it.

        I’m about to make them again, because it’s still the best homemade brownie recipe I’ve tried. I only have dutch-processed cocoa powder left though—should I add less flour?

        Thank you for the response!!

        1. I like how they turn out with dutch processed cocoa, but they are a bit more cake like. Maybe try decreasing the flour by 1/4 cup. That will make them extra fudgy! Hope you enjoy them. 🙂

  13. Hi Nora, 
    Thanks for the recipe.
    Can I substitute the vegan butter for oil? There is no vegan butter where I live.
    Thanks!!

    1. Hi Fabiana. I have subbed coconut oil before and it works quite well. Sometimes it makes the brownies a bit greasy, but I think it works pretty well. Hope that helps. Others have used applesauce instead of vegan butter and enjoyed it.

  14. Delicious brownies!! I made these into gf vegan brownies by replacing the flour with King Arthur Gluten Free 1:1 flour mix and also used coconut sugar, they turned out perfect. So incredibly tasty!!

  15. Hi nora!! Loveee your recipe!!! Do you know what could i be doing wrong if hard edges form???
    Also for half the recipe how much time will you bake and what size of pan? ( you used metal or glass pan?)

    1. If the edges got too hard, you likely baked them for too long. Remember that even though they will look undercooked after 35-40 minutes, they will harden as they cool. So if you over bake, the edges will get very hard and the whole thing could get too hard as well. Also always bake in the center rack of your oven, and consider baking them for a little less time, because perhaps your oven runs hot. If you halve the recipe, you could bake them in a 8×8 dish for about 30 minutes. I always use metal and have best results doing so with brownies. Hope that helps!

  16. I followed the recipe to the letter. These were amazing the night I baked them. I was shocked that they were even better the next day. Definitely “best ever.”

  17. These were amaziiiiing. Not just amazing for vegan, they were amazing. I baked them in a 9×13, used egg replacer instead of flax, added instant coffee granules, and sprinkled with sea salt after baking and uuuuuuuyyyy. Lemme tell you, so bomb. The day after, they’re even fudgier and so good. The coffee and salt really balance things out. Highly recommend the recipe. Nora never disappoints. Much love!

    1. I’m so glad you enjoyed the brownies, I’ll have to try adding instant coffee sometime, I haven’t tried that. Sounds so good! Thank you.

    1. Hi Bianca. Thanks so much for sharing your great review and encouraging words! I’m glad you love the brownies!

    1. Hi Eva. The brownies will keep at room temperature for 2-3 days, covered, or a few days longer in the refrigerator. They also freeze well! I hope that helps.

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