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. 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.
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.
So amazing . I used bobs red mill gluten free flour 1 to 1 insteadbof AP flour and chocolate oat milk instead of water. These are sensational.
Thanks for sharing your great review! I’m glad you loved the brownies!
These are the best brownies ever ! Thank you Nora !
Do you think I can freeze them?
They freeze very well, I do it often. 🙂
So I’ve used an 8×8 pan and for my chocolate chips, I made them using coconut oil and cocoa powder. Also, my batter resembled a dough more than it did a batter, even though I followed all the steps perfectly. I baked them at 350 as well. Flavor-wise, this recipe is super rich and really chocolatey!
I don’t have ground flax but I do have Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer which is equivalent to 4 eggs if I use 4 TBS and 1/2 cup water. Does that sound right? It’s for a bday so I don’t want to mess it up too bad!
I’ve never tried that egg substitute in these brownies so I’m not sure how they will turn out honestly, but hopefully it will work. You do need the equivalent to 4 eggs, yes.
I used egg replacer powder mixed with water instead of the flax eggs. Came out perfect. Although my cutting skills aren’t as neat as yours! They’re very very rich so a small piece was enough for me! Xx
Thanks for sharing your review and comments! I’m glad you love the brownies!
Nora, these are the best brownies I have ever made. I left them in the oven for extra ten minutes and they are perfectly goey on the inside and nicely crisp on the outside. Ideal brownies ?
I’m glad you love them, Marta! Thanks so much for sharing your review and comments!
Sounds delicious. I have a couple of questions before I begin.
What happens if I used a “dutched” cocoa?
Can I substitute raw cacao powder for the cocoa?
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.
These are the best brownies ever!
To make it healthy I use…
– applesauce made from 2 fresh apples to replace the oil
– Oats to replace the flour
– 1/2 cup of sugar
and raisins for sweetness
Everyone is addicted to this cake! It’s so fudgy!
Glad you are loving the brownies! Thanks for sharing your review and comments!
Made these tonight, they where amazing, boyfriend said best brownies he’s ever had. Thanks for the recipe
I’m thrilled to hear they are the ‘best brownies’ your boyfriend has ever had! Thanks so much for sharing! Thank. you for using my recipes!
Would I be able to use applesauce as an egg replacer instead of the flax? If so, how much should I use? Thanks! I always love your recipes, Nora!
I’ve tried it and it works but the texture will be different. More soft, less chewy, still good though! I would use 1/2 cup applesauce. Thank you!
Tastes really good, but 35 minutes was not nearly enough cook time. I went ahead and took them out because the recipe said they would stiffen up after cooling, but they stayed gooey enough that you need a fork to eat them. Disappointed by that, but I might try again with a cook time of 42 minutes or so.
Oven temperatures can vary, but they do come out looking very gooey. If you leave them to cool completely they do firm up. If you over bake the brownies they will become super hard when cooled.
I make these all the time and they are so good and easy to make! Thank you for this recipe! ?
You are welcome! Thank you for sharing your review and comments!
Hi thanks for the wonderful recipe. Can i use pumpkin puree instead of vegan butter?
I’ve never tried that, but it might work. They will most certainly taste a lot different than the original recipe though.
Hi there!
I tried this tonight and tried to follow the recipe exactly. My batter was so thick it was almost a dough – I couldn’t spread it in the pan at all. So I added a dash of soy milk to soften it up
It has come out tasting delicious but very cake like – kind of like a muffin.
Any ideas what would cause that?
Did you use coconut oil instead of vegan butter by any chance? That can make the batter thicker. This batter should be thick though, it’s not cake batter-like, it’s very thick going into the pan. You can use your hands to push it down evenly in the pan if needed. If you add milk, they will be more cake-like. Also, measure everything carefully. If you add too much flour or cocoa, or not enough liquid, this will of course make the batter too thick. Hope that helps.
They came out perfect (at least the way I like them)
I only had bread flour and I messed up the order on the regular sugar it went in with the cocoa and the flour.
That meant sifting just didn’t work, so I simply dumped it all together and stirred and stirred. It was definitely thick batter, I let the flax soak a wee bit long. So apparently the brownie gods were smiling down on me it came out great anyway ?
I live at 7200 ft. I didn’t make any adjustments for that.
I’m so glad the brownies turned out great for you! Thanks for sharing your review and comments!
These taste amazing!! My only problem is that they were more chewy than I like them. I made these substitutions: coconut sugar in place of brown sugar and baked them in an 8×8 pan instead since I didn’t have a 7 x 11, I might have taken them out a bit early, could that have made them more chewy/fudgey? I do like them fudgey but not too chewy. Also had a bit of trouble mixing so I might have over mixed them. I reaaaally loved the flavor so I want to make them again but want them not as chewy. Are they supposed to be very chewy?
Hi there! So, it’s a problem of the coconut sugar and baking them in a smaller pan. But mostly, the coconut sugar. The type of sugar you use in a brownies recipe is actually super important. Brown sugar is more moist and subbing it will change the recipe a lot. They aren’t typically that chewy actually, a little bit, but more fudgy.
These aren’t just the best vegan brownies I’ve ever tasted, they may even be the best brownies in general. My only issue is that I made them after moving to a new place and they will not cook for the life of me. I triple checked the recipe, so it seem that the consistency may be really dependent on your oven. I’m not sure what exactly went wrong here.
Hi Avery! I’m so glad you have enjoyed the brownies before, but I’m sorry that something is going on with your new oven. Maybe get a thermometer so you can make sure your new oven temperature is accurate. Sometimes they are off. Not sure what else it could be, I’m pretty sure it’s your new oven and hopefully you can figure it out. 🙂
Hi Nora!
My friends that are vegan are coming for dinner tomorrow and so I decided to go all out and make vegan desserts as well. I followed your recipe exactly and are thrilled with how the brownies turned out. Very yummy! I have just put the lemon bars in the oven and they look great too.
Thanks for such a great recipe, helpful tips, and precise directions. This was my first attempt at vegan baking and I am so glad that I found your website.
Welcome to my food site! I love knowing people find the recipes easy to follow! I am all about delicious and easy! I hope you enjoy journeying through my recipes. Let me know how they go for you, or if you have questions. I appreciate you taking your time to share your review and comments! Happy cooking!
Super yummy! I just made these and they turned out great. I did half the sugar and the sweetness was perfect. I also used a 9×13 pan so I set my timer for 30 minutes. I will say they turned out a bit dry but I’ll set my timer for less next time! Overall it was great, thank you!
Thank you for sharing your review and comments! I’m glad you loved the brownies!
Hi, I tried this recipe yesterday and added half of the sugar only, and used normal butter instead of vegan butter. The mixture turned out super dry so I added a splash of milk at the end. I suspect I overcooked the brownies a bit as well. They turned out super crumbly, you can not even pick them out to eat ): What do you think was the cause for that?
Hi Laura, well there are a few things. Adding only half of the sugar does change the outcome quite a bit. The sugar is needed not only for sweetness, but for the texture of the brownies, so I imagine that affected the recipe quite a bit. And while I don’t see why regular butter would make a huge difference, I have never tested it so I’m not totally sure it works the same. Also make sure you are using the correct size pan, if you used a large pan you may have overcooked them, making them crumbly instead of fudgy.
Have tried this recipe in the past and absolutely loved the result. Could this be tweaked to fix an 8 x 8 pan, and if yes, how so? Thank you so much :>
I’m so glad you loved the brownies! Sometimes I make them in an 8×8 inch pan, they are just thicker and very fudgy in the middle. Hope that helps!
This is an amazing vegan brownie recipe! I used the equivalent of 4 eggs in egg replacer instead of flax and it still worked so well. It had the shiny top and was still gooey. Finally found a good vegan brownie recipe!
I’m glad you love the brownie recipe, Rebecca! I appreciate you taking time to share your review and comments!
Hi can I double the recipe and what size pan should I use please?
You can double it and bake in a 9×13 inch dish. It might need a little extra time in the oven, maybe 15 minutes longer.
How many eggs are you intending to mimic here? I have a potato starch/tapioca flour (Bob’s red mill brand) egg replacer and 4 tbsp just seems like a lot…?
4 eggs are being replaced here. Just to note, I did try other egg alternatives and none worked as well here as the flax eggs, so I can’t guarantee results with Bob’s egg replacer.
Have you ever tried these with spelt flour?
I haven’t tried it, so I’m not sure how it will work here.
Do you think I can I double the recipe to make tall brownies?
You might be able to, but I’m afraid they might just sink and be really gooey in the middle.