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!
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.
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!
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. 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.
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.
If you like this vegan brownies recipe, you may also want to check out these “best” dessert recipes:
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!
Best Ever Vegan Brownies Recipe
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
- To sift, either use a sifter or a fine mesh strainer also works.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- You may also use dutch processed cocoa powder for slightly different results. They will be a little less fudgy, and darker in color.
Hiya, I had done this recipe twice now and the top hardens so much but the brownie itself is good. What am I doing wrong?
I’m not sure what’s going on, but perhaps your oven runs too hot? I suppose that could lead to the top being overcooked. Are you making any substitutions?
Hiya,
No I use all the needed ingredients.. I do tend to leave for longer as when I dip a toothpick in to test if done it comes out so watery so I tend to cook for longer.
Oh, well with this recipe the toothpick should never come out watery as the batter is super thick even before baking. But a toothpick check won’t really work here. The inside will be fudgy and a toothpick shouldn’t ever come out clean and dry, so my guess is that you are over baking them quite a bit.
Hi Nora! I absolutely love this recipe and have baked it several times for friends who have all agreed these are the best brownies. I have two questions: 1) do you think this would work with gluten free flour and if so do you have any suggestions for best adapting the recipe for gluten free flour and 2) can I freeze these for about two weeks? Thank you!! 🙂
Hi Gina. I am so glad that you are loving the brownie recipe! I’ve used a gluten free mix and King Arthur Measure for Measure GF flour with good results. I really like Better Batter. Any quality gluten free flour mix should work quite well. Also, yes, they freeze very well! Just give them plenty of time to thaw at room temperature before serving. Thank you for your terrific review! Happy baking!
I have made these twice in one week. Absolutely delicious the only issue I’m having is finding the non dairy chocolate chips that are not dark chocolate. But will continue to search.
Thank you for these recipes will continue making more. So glad I found this site.
Welcome to my site, Annette! I am so glad that you love the brownies, and that you are enjoying my recipes! Good luck on your chocolate chip search! I really appreciate your incredible review and positive comments! Please reach out with any questions you may have, and enjoy your journey through my recipes! Wishing you lots of happy cooking!
Can I sub the flax eggs with Bob’s Egg Replacer? I prefer them. Do the flax eggs total 3 or 4 eggs? Thank you.
You can certainly try, I hope it works. I haven’t tested it myself using Bob’s Egg Replacer. You’re really replacing 4 eggs here. Hope that helps and you enjoy the brownies!
Husband and I agreed that these came out kind of dry and crumbly. Could it be because I cut the sugar in half? That was the only thing I changed from the recipe as written. You have several other brownie recipes, so maybe I’ll have better luck with another one.
It could have been because you cut the sugar in half, I’m not sure. Or you over baked them. Ovens can vary and some run hot, and it would be possible to have over baked them by accident. Typically, these are very fudgy and moist, not at all dry or crumbly, so something went wrong.
Hi Nora
I love your recipes! Wondering if I could sub “Just egg” for the flax seed in this recipe! Thank you
Hi Sasha. Thank you for loving my recipes! That should work. Replace the flax egg with 3/4 cup of liquid Just Egg. Enjoy!
This is my go to brownie recipe! Its perfect.
These turned out so good! Way better than any box brownies. I did put about 1/4 – 1/2 cup less sugar and only 1/2 cups chocolate chips and they tasted perfect.
I followed the recipe exactly, but it came out extremely wet (even after baking for 50 minutes). It tasted okay, but I won’t make it again.
You may have put too much water with the ground flax, or not let it soak up long enough.
Great recipes and brownies are delicious, but every time I make it I have to add about 1/4 cup liquid, like oatmilk, as the ‘batter’ gets way too thick and dry to even stir it. With a bit of liquid it becomes manageable and still perfect, not like cake but crisp on outside and gooey inside.
No one would know they were vegan! Crackly crispy top, chewy middle, the best edge pieces too! These were not hard to make, did need the cooling time to handle well and were indulgent. I will use fewer chips next time and consider adding walnuts. Thanks for another winner!
You are welcome, Shilpa! I’m so glad that you enjoyed the brownies! Thank you for sharing your recipe experience and stellar review! Wishing you happy cooking!
I love your recipes but this one was a bit of a disappointment for me. I made them exactly as directed, no substitutions, and they were far too gooey – like, severely undercooked? – even with a little extra cooking time and a long cooling time. Everything but the edges of the brownie pan was kind of like a stretchy chocolate pudding rather than brownies. Not sure what would fix it – more flour? The flavor was good though.
Sorry these didn’t work out for you! Let’s see if I can help. The brownies are gooey when you take them out of the oven, for sure. But after cooling, they should not be anything like chocolate pudding, so something went wrong. Did you make any substitutions? Follow the measurements exactly? What size pan are you using? Bake in the center rack of your oven? What kind of vegan butter did you use?
Hello, this also happened to me and the only difference was I used Imperial butter instead of the one you suggested. Otherwise all the other cookie recipes I have tried I have used Imperial butter and haven’t had an issue yet.
I had the same experience – my guess is that it is because I used a glass pan and it is closer to 8×12 instead of the recommended 9×9 so the brownies had to be spread quite thin. The outer edges got hard but the rest of the brownie looks and feels underbaled inside, as if the dough were never heated.
One other thing I did differently was that I used 4tbsp flax seed freshly ground and d mixed with warm/hot water.
What is the temperature of baking please?
350 degrees F – the instructions are all in the Recipe Card.
Anyone else use Violife butter in this recipe? My brownies came out super oily, so I’m not sure if it’s due to it being a coconut oil based butter (saw the note about coconut oil after making). The edges and bottom are kind of fried and the middle is gooey. Flavor is still great, but wondering if I need to switch to a different butter.
Honestly, I haven’t had the best luck with Violife butter because it behaves so much like coconut oil. Earth Balance is really my favorite, but I also have success with Country Crock and Melt.
Will try Melt next since I have it on hand. I stopped using Earth Balance a while back because I didn’t love the flavor it tends to leave but I think in brownies that wouldn’t be an issue so will try that if Melt doesn’t work. This is the closest I’ve gotten to a good vegan brownie after so many recipes over the years so I’m not giving up! Thanks 🙂
Let me know how it goes for you! Happy cooking!
I don’t know where you are based, but I am in the UK. I’m not sure if we have the brand that Nora uses. I used one of the Flora blocks (not the tub), and they turned out really well.
These came out amazing! So delicious and rich…i almost ended up with no brownies due to scoffing the batter mixture! Thankyou for sharing xx
Hi Sophie. I’m glad you saw the recipe through, and that you loved the brownies! Thanks for sharing your wonderful comments! Happy cooking!
Best brownies ever i gave them to my best freinds they loved them, they begged me for the recipe. I told them it was vegan. They were so shcooked
Hi Trady. I’m thrilled that you and your friends loved the brownie recipe! Thanks for taking time to share your glowing review and moments!
Hello. I was wondering how many eggs are the flaxseed substitute replacing. As I only have egg replacer. Thank you!
4 eggs worth. I hope it works well with your egg replacer!
Oh wow! I just received your cookbook yesterday, and these brownies are the first thing I have made. They are perfectly chewy and gooey. It’s been several years since I have made brownies, and I don’t consider myself really a chocolate person, but here I am sneaking two of them out of the bowl before my husband gets home! What a great recipe!
Hi Jen. Thank you for your support! I am so glad that you are enjoying the cookbook! I love these brownies and I’m thrilled that they are a hit with you guys! I appreciate you taking time to share your stellar review and comments! Wishing you lots of happy cooking from your new cookbook!
Hi Nora, love your recipes. If I double the recipe do I use a larger pan. Thank you. Audrey
Hi Audrey. Thank you for loving my recipes! Yes, you can double and use a 9×13 inch pan. They will need a bit longer in the oven, perhaps an extra 10-15 minutes. Happy cooking!
I’m planning on making these tomorrow…I don’t have a 7X11 baking dish. I have 8×8 and 9×13. How should I adjust the amounts to work with either pan? Thank you, I love your recipes!
An 8×8 inch baking dish will work well; simply add an extra 5 minutes to the bake time. So bake for 40-45 minutes. They will be a bit thicker and fudgier, but it works well. Enjoy!
Thanks! They came out great! I used half the amount of sugar, and subbed applesauce for the butter. I also used peppermint extract instead of vanilla, put the whole cup of chocolate chips in and put crushed candy canes on top. My non vegan friend said they were the best brownies she’s ever had!
You bet, Monica! Thank you for taking time to share your recipe experience and terrific review! I’m so glad that the brownies turned out wonderful for you! Wishing you happy cooking!
If I decrease the amount of sugar to 1/2 cup brown, 1/2 cup granulated, should I decrease the amount of flour or baking powder? Seems like in the past when I’ve decreased the sugar amount in a recipe the end product did not come out as expected. Thank you.
I would not decrease the flour or baking powder, no. I haven’t made these with less sugar, but others have reported success cutting the sugar in half. Hope you enjoy them!
These are the BEST brownies ever! I decrease the sugar by half and they are still fabulous and the best ever!
Angie
could I use normal butter if I do not have any vegan butter? Would it cook the same?
I honestly have no idea if dairy butter will work or not, it might not work the same. You could try it though!
The brownies are really good so thank you for this recipe. I have a question, when I was making the brownie batter, it formed into a lump instead of a liquid batter before I put it in the baking dish. Is that normal?
You bet, Sawyer. I’m glad you like the brownies! The brownie batter is very thick with this recipe, it’s not thin like cake batter or even non-vegan brownie batter. Adding more liquid to thin the batter will make the brownies more cake like.
Hello Nora! I have followed many of your recipes in the past and all have come out delish!
I want to make these brownies for a party tonight, but all I have is Dutch-processed coco powder. Will that be okay to use? Should I adjust anything in the recipes to help it all work together?
Thank you so much!
Dutch cocoa is fine to use, the brownies will be darker and a bit different texture wise, but good! Raw cacao powder can also be used. Happy baking!
Hi Nora! I love all of your recipes! I’m vegan and I’ve made several and they always come out great! I’m making these brownies tonight. Would these be okay with chia seeds, not grounded (as the egg)? I’m thinking it should. Thank you for sharing all your great recipes!
Thank you so much! Chia seeds might technically work, but you will have whole chia seeds all throughout the brownies, which I personally would not enjoy. But if you don’t mind it, you can give it a try. I’m so glad you’re enjoying my recipes!