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.
I just made these and they are AMAZING! I used a 9×13 pan which made the brownies really thin so I only baked them for 30 minutes. Next time I will double the recipe for the bigger pan. This is now my go to vegan dessert for all my non-vegan friends!
I’m glad you enjoyed the brownies, thank you!
Quick question, and it may be a silly one, but regarding the chocolate chips, do you have to sprinkle the remainder on top? I don’t usually like chunks interfering with my bite, you know? Very excited to try this and thank you for all the work you do to create such delicious recipes!
No, you can leave out that step, no problem. Thank you! I hope you love the brownies.
I’m not a vegan, but I needed to find something to bake for my vegan friends. These brownies were so good that I’m likely making them forever for both vegans and non-vegans!
Perfect! I’m so happy you enjoyed the brownies.
I made these last night and they are delicious ~ truly a perfect brownie! I used just a little less than 1 cup of the white sugar and brown sugar and still achieved a good level of sweetness and the texture is great. I don’t have a 7 x 11 pan so I made a small foil “block” and put it in my baking pan, underneath the parchment paper, to achieve a smaller sized pan; it worked perfectly 🙂 Also please know that as Nora mentioned, this is a thick batter but it works! Thank you, Nora!
Thanks Trish, so happy you enjoyed the brownies!
I made these today. They are perfect. I think we have found our brownie recipe.
Thanks so much!
Nora,
I would like to make these in a sheet pan, would you recommend doing that with this recipe? Maybe double it, and bake it for a little less time?
Thanks,
Lynn
Yes, if it is a large sheet pan, I would double it and bake it a little less I think. I’ve never tried it, but I think it would work well!
Hi Nora,
My mum and I are hoping to make these over this weekend – can’t wait to try them! We wondered how well these freeze and if anything should be done when they’re defrosted/do we warm them in the oven again?
Thanks so much 🙂
I hope you both love them! They freeze very well. 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. I have never put them back in the oven, but it might work. Thanks!
This looks amazing, I wonder if I can use cane sugar instead of brown sugar… Would it work well?
Thank you
Yes, you can if needed. Thank you!
I made these tonight and they turned out fantastic! I didn’t realize I was using unsweetened dutch cocoa powder instead of regular unsweetened cocoa powder. They came out a little darker and less fudgy like you said- but still exceptional! Next time I will use the cocoa powder mentioned in the recipe. Either way, I am very pleased. This is the first time I’ve ever made homemade brownies at all. I am excited to check out more of your recipes. Thank you so much!
You’re so welcome! Glad you liked them.
I’m bummed that these did not come out as expected. Mine are too fudgey (if that’s possible), they seem undercooked. I used a slightly smaller pan since I don’t have the size you recommended. I cooked them for 38 minutes and when I took the pan out of the oven, the top was cooked well although underneath was jiggly. I figured it would solidify as it cooled but it didn’t so I put them in the fridge. The chocolate flavor is amazing so I think I need to cook them longer or get the right size pan. I want these to work!
Sorry they didn’t turn out as expected Holly! Yes, the problem lies in using a smaller pan. That would make them thicker and take longer to cook. I’ve tried making them in a 8 by 8 dish and I was not happy with the results. I would suggest making them in a 9 by 13 inch pan (larger than called for) if you must instead of using a smaller pan. They would be thinner and cook a little faster, but the results will be better. Thanks, and I hope that helps!
These are the HOLY GRAIL of brownies if you are like me and love CHEWY BROWNIES! This is what I have been seeking and now life is complete. 😀 You don’t just have to eat the edges to get that chewiness. These are pure magic.
I’ve made a few times, and my favorite version is the one I made last night, using coconut oil instead of butter but you’ll get a great result with vegan butter, coconut oil, vegetable oil. I used just slightly less sugar–slightly less than a cup of coarse white sugar, and didn’t pack down the brown sugar. So just a little less. If you cut the sugar too much you probably won’t get the magnificent results. The dough is thick and stretchy–don’t try to add more liquid to get a more traditional brownie batter–don’t mess with perfection!
I don’t have an 11×7 pan–I just fully line a 9×12 pan with parchment, and spread out the brownie dough, guessing what would be about 7×11 and bake for 35 minutes. It totally works.
Also I accidentally bought toasted flax seeds, and that works totally fine too, heck maybe even adding a depth of a nutty toasted flavor (I grind the flax seeds in my vitamix and keep the flax meal in the freezer).
Don’t delay, if you are seeking chewy decadent brownies these are IT.
Thanks for the great comment!
Hello, did you change the amount of coconut oil when replacing the vegan butter? I want to try to make them that way too.
I made it two times and every time the dough was too dry. Had to add additional 1/2 cup water and it turned out to be fine. I don’t know why…
However, excellent flavor and easy recipe and ingredients.
It is a very thick dough, not really a batter. It works fantastic for chewy brownies!
In the words of Rachel Ray YUM-O. These were beyond delicious. I was looking a healthier alternative for dessert this V-Day and must say that when I stumbled upon this recipe, I knew I had found a winner! The taste, texture and bonus vegan aspects of this recipe were amazing. The only part that didn’t work for me was the use of the parchment paper, which stuck like glue to the deliciously semi-crispy edges and the bottom. I was afraid it would be a loss because I couldn’t get the paper off at first. Finally.I thought to invert the whole thing and scrape it off that way. I had enough that was salvageable and my sweetie and I will be enjoying them all weekend long! I will definitely make these again, sans the paper.
PS. I’m not even a huge fan of chocolate and I loved this recipe!
Hi, I made these and the taste is great. Very easy to make, too. My only problem is that the next day they were already dry and a bit crumbly. I followed the recipe, however I did make an exception: I cut the sugar amount in half (2 cups is way too much for my personal taste). I used Hershey’s 100% cocoa, and baked the brownies for almost 40min. To make them softer and less crumbly I warmed them up the next day and that seemed to help, however mine were not gooey and fudgy. Any ideas why?
Cutting the sugar in half is why they turned out dry and crumbly. The recipe is quite picky and everything really does need to followed exactly to get the best results! I’ve played with it many times myself, and the smallest changes will completely change the way the brownies taste. You could also try not baking them so long if you want them fudgier, maybe only 30 minutes. Hope that helps!
Delicious!!! I use egg replacer (guessed 4 eggs) for my flax-allergic sister and they were wonderful. Highly recommend!
Glad they were great!
Would these work in a standard muffin pan? If so, how long would you suggest baking for?
They probably would but I have never tried it. They would need a bit less time I would think, maybe more like 20 minutes.
I made this recipe and they were delicious. I have a couple of comments/suggestions. My batter was way too thick to stir so I added about 3 tablespoons of water. Also would have baked up better if they were in a larger pan I would say at least a 12 x 12.
Hi Henry, I noticed my batter seemed a bit dry as well, so instead of a cup of white sugar, I added half a cup of maple syrup (in addition to the one cup of brown sugar). Lately I’ve been adding half a cup of nut butter as well 🙂 with these adjustments I cook them for about 35 minutes.
I can’t have flax, do you think I could sub aquafaba instead?
I have never tried aquafaba here, so I’m not sure. I have tried other egg replacers and the texture is never quite the same as using flaxseeds.
This recipe is amazing! I use it as a base for ALL of my different food allergy versions. It is so easily adaptable. I use a gluten free flour blend and coconut palm sugar, only change is reducing sugar by half cup. Thank you so much! I’ve shared this with everyone 🙂
You’re so welcome!
I made these for a houseguest who is vegan and wow! They are delicious. It was easy to find ingredients and follow suggestions. Will be passing on this recipe to another friend who is lactose-intolerant…
Fantastic! So glad they turned out great!
I havent made these yet but am wanting to ASAP. My mouth is watering. I’m wondering what temperture to put the oven on. I couldn’t see it ont he recipe.
Keep up the great and creative ideas in the kitchen.
I’d like to request some vegan recipes that don’t have any legumes as they upset me. They have a similiar protein to gluten.
THanks
Simone from Sydney Australia
The oven should be set to 350 degrees for the brownies. Hope you love them!
Is there a substitute for vegan butter? Don’t no it is available in the nearby grocery store.
You could likely use canola oil or another oil. Coconut oil works but the brownie do tend to be greasier so it’s not my favorite choice.
I used mashed bananas in one batch after I ran out of vegan butter and it worked! You could really taste the bananas though, it was kind of like a super chocolatey/fudgy banana bread!
How much of the mashed bananas did you use? this sounds like it would be delicious 🙂
These brownies are absolutely delicious. My husband who is a picky sweet eater, loves them. I also add dried cranberries and walnuts just for a little variety.
So glad they’re good! Sounds like some good additions.
they were great. I used monk fruit ‘sugar’ and it was great!
Agree. They are the best, even without the chips(didn’t have any)but they were still delicious
These are not the best ever Vegan brownies-they are the best ever brownies period!!! Thank you so much for this recipe!! My 12 & 5yo daughters made these and WOW!! A new family fav!!!
That’s so great! I’m glad you all love them!
I agree! I was so nervous to make them (my first vegan brownies ever) but they turned out perfectly and are truly some of the best brownies I have ever tasted!
I loved these brownies! I have several food allergies… milk, eggs, tree nuts, and celiac disease… and it is hard to find a recipe that I can eat. I missed eating brownies so I thought I would try your recipe. I am so glad that I did! I substituted GF flour for regular and used Swerve sugar and brown sugar instead of regular sugar. I have actually made these twice… once in a 8 x8 pan and then in gingerbread silicone molds. The molds made a dozen brownies and I reduced the cook time to 17 minutes. Thanks again for such an awesome recipe!
I’m so happy to hear the brownies worked out even with gluten free flour and swerve. Thank you!