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.
I’ve made these several times; even won a family contest with a non-vegan brownie connoisseur! Question: Can I substitute aquafaba for the flax eggs? I have to grind my own flax and it’s a lot 🙂 Thank you so much for this and all your delicious recipes!
Hi Beth. That’s so fun you had a family contest and that you won! You could try using aquafaba (12 tablespoons, whipped) or another egg replacer (I think Bob’s Red Mill has one). I haven’t tested this myself though so I can’t guarantee the results. I think the texture would come out a little bit different than using flaxseed. Thank you for supporting me by using my recipes! Wishing you lots of happy cooking!
So yummy and easy!!
For the water for the flaxseed eggs, I used coffee, not sure if it affected the taste at all because it was my first time making them! Next time I think I’ll try rose water and see if that is enough to give a rosy flavor. I left them in the oven a bit longer because I love crispy edges on brownies.
Thanks for the excellent recipe! I can always count on Nora Cooks for excellent vegan recipes ☺️
You are welcome, Shea! Thanks for sharing your awesome review and recipe experience! I’m so glad you loved the brownies, and that they turned out wonderful for you! I appreciate the recipe love! Happy cooking!
Hi, I did use the 2x amount. The 2 cups of cocoa powder is way too much and the brownie tastes bitter. I had to use instead of 2 cups of brown sugar 4 cups to rescue the batter, as well using at least 1 1/2 cups of oat milk as the dough was too thick! I would not recommend this recipe at all to anybody. It didn’t come out delicious, it needs a lot of improvement. I don’t know, why it has that high of a rating. I am quite disappointed with the brownie!!
Hi Barbara. If you follow the recipe exactly, they are indeed very delicious. That’s why all the high ratings over nearly 8 years. 🙂 You changed the written recipe a lot by doubling it (I also have no idea what size pan you used with doubling), it sounds like you used way more brown sugar than called for (4 cups of sugar is way too much, also it’s supposed to be a mix of brown and white sugar). To get the results of a delicious, fudgy brownie, follow the recipe exactly.
Hello – for diabetics, could we replace either/both the white sugar and brown sugar with Monkfruit Sweetener with Allulose? Thank you!
I’ve never tested the recipe with monkfruit/allulose so I’m honestly not sure how it will go. You can certainly give it a try!
My first attempt they were perfect. My second attempt I reduced the white sugar by 50g and it turned out cakey, and crumbling apart