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.
Super delicious & great texture! here’s what I changed:
– A bit of extra baking powder was mixed into the “eggs”
– White sugar –> half the quantity, using powdered Stevia (it was definitely sweet enough)
– I used real butter, so not vegan
Mom was craving something chocolatey, so I decided to surprise her with brownies. This was the highest rated vegan recipe, but the reviews scared me lol. Tried it anyway. I followed the recipe word for word and watched the video too. Ran out of butter, so I used applesauce instead. These brownies came out GREAT!!! Mine are more cakey than fudgey, most likely because I used applesauce instead of oil. Do note that once you start mixing the flour and cocoa powder it will seem super dry at first, but just KEEP mixing until everything is combined. Do not add any extra liquid. Thank you Nora, saving this recipe for next time!
Thank you so much for your wonderful review and feedback!
I really wanted to like these because so many of Nora’s recipes are great but they were just awful. They were so dry, like so much cocoa that wouldnt mix in, that I added milk and the result was a cakey gross mess.
Hi Nora, I need to use free from gluten flour, but the one I have is self raising white flour. Would you just remove the baking powder to account for this? Hopefully they will turn out just as well using this flour! 🤞🏻🤞🏻 I’ll let you know once complete!
I haven’t tried it, but I would probably attempt it without adding the baking powder, yes. Hope they turn out yummy!
Hello! Can I make these with an 8×8? They look great!
Hi Marie. Yes, an 8×8 pan works. The brownies wil be more fudgy, especially the middle ones. I suggest adding 5 minutes bake time. Enjoy!
They worked out great, perfectly fudgy and delicious. Thank you!
Nora you can always take your recipes to the bank. Baking for a middle school science project (vegan compared to non vegan) and these turned out perfect. We started with a recipe from another website and it was an epic fail. You saved the day. Baked in an 8 x 8 pan for 35 minutes.
Hi Anna. I’m so glad the brownies turned out great! Thanks for using my recipe in your class, and for sharing your fantastic review! It made my day!
How do you store the brownies? Room temperature or fridge, etc.?
Hi Morgan. I store them at room temperature for 3-4 days. They can get rather hard in the fridge, however, that works as well. They freeze very well, and will last about 3 months in the freezer. I just usually take a brownie out and warm it in the microwave or let it defrost for a half hour or so before eating. Hope this helps!
These are the best brownies I’ve ever made! I’ve tried them with the butter and applesauce substitute. They are great both ways! I also used gluten free 1:1 flour and they are perfect! Thank you so much for this recipe! You’ve made my dietary restrictions seem non existent with these brownies!!
Hi Anna. Thanks for your awesome review and feedback! I’m so glad you are able to enjoy the brownies! Wishing you lots of happy cooking!
These are the BEST brownies ever!!!!! Dense, fudgy, tough chewy edges, it’s everything I want in a brownie! Not cakey at ALL. I used Dutch cocoa and Country Crock plant butter because that’s what I had on hand and they came out perfectly, like the boxed brownie mixes of my childhood, only 1000x better. THANK YOU for this wonderful recipe!!
Thank you so much for the wonderful review and feedback, Ana! I’m thrilled you loved the brownies 🙂
Great recipe yielding a delicious pan of brownies
I baked these for the first time, & they came out perfect. I used melt butter because that was what I had on hand, and I also cooked them at 325F convection bake for 25 min. The batter is thicker although that is what I expect for brownies. I personally don’t like chocolate, I made these for a friend’s birthday and he LOVED them. I also could not help myself but to try some because they did look moist and delicious. Totally recommend this recipe!
Hi Nikki. How wonderful your friend loved the brownies! Thanks for sharing yaur wonderful review and baking experience!
Followed recipe exactly, turned out really good!!
We made these today and they were lovely. I discovered halfway through that my brownie tin is missing, so we made them using a muffin tin and cooked them for 25 minutes at 175C fan. The texture was perfect.
My son has dairy and egg allergies. I have made these brownies multiple times and they are arguably better than any other brownie I’ve ever had (including all traditional non-vegan brownies). Other people have said the same. I used Melt brand butter instead of Earth Balance just because that’s the vegan butter we typically have on hand.
I make them in mini muffin tins for perfect kid portions (make sure you let them cool completely before taking them out) and they freeze well too. Thanks for the thoughtful recipe!
Thanks Ashely, I’m so happy to hear these brownies are a regular in your home! Melt is great, and usually less expensive than other brands. And I just love your muffin tin idea, I’ve done that before but it’s been awhile!
Hi Ashley, if you make them in the mini muffin tins, how many does the recipe make?
I thought I followed precisely but finished cooled brownies are so so so gooey and still feel like batter. Cannot pick them up except maybe with a spoon. Keeps oozing. I don’t know what I did wrong but I’m antsy to try again.
Did you use a different sized pan? Cook them for long enough and truly let them cool before slicing? Did you make any substitutions to the flour, sugar or anything else? They shouldn’t be oozy like that; they are gooey for sure, but not that oozy and uncooked.
I halved the sugar and then followed this recipe to the gram and millimetre (including the flax water) but it was so dry and NOTHING like the video.
I can’t imagine how dry the batter would have been with another cup of dry sugar.
I’d be interested if the author could show on the video or a picture of how her batter looks before it goes into the tin – all you see in the video is it nicely smoothed out.
Disappointed and a waste of chocolate.
I gave it three stars because it is a lovely page, nicely written and maybe it was something I did wrong.
Hi Kelly. It’s hard to know what went wrong without being there but the batter shouldn’t be dry. Did you make any other substitutions? If you try it again, you can thin the batter with some milk.
Could you sub gluten-free glue for regular ? Would it be the same amount?
You can and I have done it before. They come out a bit different, but not too much. And it will depend on what brand of gluten free flour you use. I really like Better Batter, but I’ve used King Arthur and Bob’s Red Mill brands and they work pretty well.
I made these brownies exactly as instructed and found that they were perfectly chewy and deliciously chocolate-y. I have made these several times with the exact same results, so not sure how people are having them turn out dry. The batter is very thick and must be pushed out to the corners and then flattened by patting with hands, but they turn out perfectly every time. (I wonder if people aren’t melting the butter, and just softening it instead…that could make a difference.) Served them this time to a bunch of nonvegan folks at a meeting, and everyone commented that they were the best brownies they had ever had.
They taste good but way too sweet and weirdly very chewy. I guess I had different taste expectations. As PP said, batter was very dry and I added a bit of almond milk but still the result wasn’t really what I was hoping for. I also had a hard time with the cooking time since I live in a high altitude city everything baked different! Will probably give it another try sometimes.
Hi, the brownies turned out AMAZING! However, I had exactly the same problem as the couple of previous comments, as the ‘batter’ wasn’t a batter, it was very dry. I followed the recipe exactly. I realised that the only liquid is 1/2 cup with the Flax so I’m not surprised it was dry. To remedy, I added vegan milk (oat in this case) a bit at a time until it became more like the diary equivalent, and more batter like. They turn out like perfect gooey brownies. Maybe it’s the term batter that is misleading, as I wasn’t brave enough to put them in oven in the dry state the batter was in, because I was assuming a classic batter.
Anyway, by adding more liquid (in my case, oat milk), worked perfectly!
Hey Nick- same I made them right now and they’re so dry and tough. How much milk? I added 3/4 cup oat and it’s finally batter like.
Jill – do you have a video?
There is a video in the recipe card if you want to see what the batter should look like. It’s very, very thick and nothing like a runny brownie batter. But that makes them fudgy, and not cake-like, which is what happens when you add a lot of milk.
Hi! Great recipe, can you replace the flaxseed “eggs” for something else?
Thank you!
You can try using applesauce or another egg replacer, but I’ve found flax eggs work the best here. Other egg replacers will change the texture and taste of the brownies.
These are go good! Can they be made into cookies? Is this recipe the same: https://www.noracooks.com/vegan-chocolate-cookies/? Looking for the chewy brownie consistency but in cookie form. Thanks!
Hi Nicole. I’m glad you love the brownies! I have never made this brownie recipe into cookies, however, it could be fun! The cookie recipe is not the same recipe, yet it does yield wonderful brownie like cookies! Thanks for your fabulous review!
My husband said these are the best brownies he’s ever had
Hi, if non-vegan how many eggs would I use in place of the flax eggs? Thank you
4, hopefully it works I haven’t tried it.
It is a vegan recipe. There are so many non-vegan recipes out there. Just, why come to a vegan recipe asking about eggs??
I just made these and the “batter” is so dry! What did I do wrong?? I had to add an additional 1/4 cup butter and 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce just to get all the dry ingredients incorporated. I also added cubes of butter to the top before baking because the batter still seemed dry. Is the 1/2 cup water to be used to make the flax eggs or am I supposed to also add 1/2 cup water after making the eggs?
I’m not sure what went wrong here. The batter is really thick, and takes a bit to come together. But it shouldn’t be dry. The 1/2 cup water is used for the flax eggs. Are you sure your measurements were correct for everything?
I just had the same results, the mixture was way too dry! The dry ingredients far outweigh the wet ingredients. I persisted with cooking the dry mixture but it’s come out dry and bitter 🙁
Has anyone tried maple syrup? I only have brown sugar on hand and miyoko’s vegan butter.
I measured everything just as the recipe was written. The only changes I made was I used monk sugar instead of regular sugar (diabetic friendly) and I didn’t add chocolate chips to the batter. I did cook the the batter but the brownies were more cake-like than googy like I was hoping for. Mine *most definitely* did not look like yours. I’ll probably try it again in case there was something I did wrong but I feel like there isn’t enough wet ingredients to incorporate all the dry ingredients. Unless I missed something, there is really only a 1/2 cup melted butter to 4 cups of dry.
Oh okay, yeah the problem was using monk fruit sugar instead of regular. That alters the recipe both in terms of texture and flavor. The sugar is really important to the structure of brownies, and to come up with a monk sugar sweetened brownie, I’d have to do a lot of testing. You are also adding 1/2 cup water with the ground flaxseeds, so I’m not sure if you forgot the water or just aren’t including it in your comment. I’ve made these many times over the past 7 years (so have many other people) and the batter is thick, but the brownies turn out perfect and fudgy, not dry or cake-like. I would recommend following the recipe exactly without changing a thing. That’s the only way I can guarantee they will turn out.