This vegan brownie recipe yields such gooey and fudgy treats, you’ll never look at a boxed mix again! Made with simple ingredients, they have gorgeous crinkly tops, chewy edges and a wonderfully soft center.
When it comes to classic vegan desserts, my go-to recipes usually rotate between chocolate cupcakes, blondies, and these easy vegan brownies.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- They’re easy. Unlike other brownie recipes, there are no flax eggs, chia eggs, or any hard to find ingredients AND just a few simple steps to follow.
- Wonderful texture. Gooey, fudgy, and with gorgeous crinkly tops. I love bringing these brownies around to dinner parties and events because NO ONE believes me when I say that they are vegan.
- Rich chocolaty taste. The combination of vegan chocolate, cocoa powder and coconut oil intensifies the chocolaty impact these brownies have, all without any dairy!
Ingredients needed
- Cocoa powder– Unsweetened and Dutch processed cocoa powder. For richer brownies, you can use dark cocoa powder.
- Vegan chocolate (for melting)– Your favorite vegan chocolate bar, chopped into bite sized pieces. Lindt 90% is great for melting.
- Instant espresso powder– Just a touch to intensify the chocolate flavor. You can also use instant coffee powder or omit it completely.
- Salt– brings out the sweetness of all the other ingredients.
- Boiling water– Poured over the chocolate ingredients to create a very thin syrup.
- Coconut oil– Melted coconut oil.
- Sugar– I used white sugar, but any granulated sweetener can be used.
- Vanilla extract– A must for any good brownie or blondie.
- All purpose flour– Also known as plain flour. Sift your flour prior to adding it to the mixture, to ensure there are no clumps throughout.
- Baking powder– Gives some rise and structure to the brownies.
- Vegan chocolate (for mix-ins)– Some more dark vegan chocolate giving extra mouthfuls of chocolate throughout.
How to make the best vegan brownies
Step 1 – Melt your chocolate mix. Start by adding your cocoa powder, chopped chocolate (for melting), espresso powder, and salt into a large mixing bowl. Next, pour your hot water over it and whisk very well, until smooth and glossy.
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Step 2 – Add remaining ingredients. Add the coconut oil, sugar, and vanilla extract and whisk well. Gently add the all purpose flour and baking powder to you wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Finally, fold through the chocolate chunks (for mix-ins) at the end.
Step 3 – Bake! Now, transfer the brownie batter into a parchment paper lined 8 x 8-inch pan. Bake the brownies for 22-25 minutes, or until a skewer comes out mostly clean. Allow the brownies to cool completely, before slicing and serving.
Tips to make the best vegan chocolate brownies
- Do not overbake the brownies, as they continue to cook as they are cooling down.
- When melting the chocolate, do it very slowly and gently, so the ingredients are fully incorporated.
- Use good quality vegan chocolate bars, like Lindt or Enjoy life (my favorites). Avoid using vegan chocolate chips as they often keep their shape and don’t melt as well.
- Use a slightly wet, sharp knife to slice the brownies.
- These brownies are even better the next day. The chocolate flavor intensifies and they become extra fudgy.
Storing and freezing brownies
- To store: Brownie leftovers will keep at room temperature in a sealed container for up to 1 week. Store them in the refrigerator if you’d like them to keep longer.
- To freeze: Place brownies in a ziplock bag and store them in the freezer for up to 6 months.
More vegan dessert recipes to try
Watch how to make it
Vegan Brownies
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 oz vegan dark chocolate for melting, I used 45 grams of 90% dark
- 6 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3/4 tsp instant espresso powder
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 cup boiling water
- 1/3 cup coconut oil 80 grams, melted
- 1 1/4 cups sugar 250 grams
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1/8 tsp baking powder
- 3 oz vegan dark chocolate to mix in, I used 90 grams chopped into chunks
- 1/2 cup walnuts chopped
Instructions
- Line an 8×8 inch baking tray with baking paper, and preheat your oven to 180C/350F.
- In a bowl, combine cocoa powder, dark chocolate (for melting), espresso powder, and sea salt. Pour boiling water over slowly and whisk until you achieve a smooth and silky chocolate base.
- Add coconut oil, sugar and vanilla to the mixture and whisk to combine. Leave to cool for 10 minutes. Once cooled, add flour and baking powder to the mixture and whisk till smooth. Fold in dark chocolate chunks and walnuts.
- Pour batter into the lined pan and bake for 22-25 minutes.
- Remove the brownies from the oven and let cool completely, before slicing and serving.
Mary Jean Goodman says
Crazy Vegan says