Best Vegan Brownies

You don’t want just any brownie recipe. You want the best vegan brownies recipe ever, complete with a rich, fudgy center. That’s why you’ll love this rich and fudgy vegan brownie recipe!

A stack of vegan brownies with several more brownies behind them.

You know vegan is all peanut butter granola, nuts, and veggies. right? But did you know it can also be gooey brownies too? It is! In fact, I make these vegan brownies all the time!

I’m on a mission to show that a vegan diet can have it all, including indulgently delicious foods like easy vegan brownies.

I started with my mom’s brownie recipe and transformed that over the years into the best vegan brownies, complete with a shiny crust on top.

Serve these brownies with some No-Churn Vegan Ice Cream on top and some drizzled chocolate syrup.

What Makes This Recipe Shine?

  • Melting chocolate into the batter creates rich, dense, chocolate-infused brownies
  • Applesauce adds next-level chewiness and moistness in every bite
  • Coconut oil combined with vegan butter makes these the undeniably best brownies ever!

Key Ingredients

You can find the full printable recipe, including ingredient quantities, below. But first, here are some explanations of ingredients and steps to help you make this recipe perfect every time.

Here are the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe:

  • Dairy-free chocolate chips — The dark chocolate from Dairy-Free Chocolate Chips makes these brownies rich and indulgent. Some are melted into the batter, and the rest is added to create pockets of melted sweet chocolate throughout.
  • Vegan butter — You can use Earth Balance, Miyokos, or make homemade vegan butter, all of which add a rich, buttery flavor.
  • Coconut oil — There’s enough cocoa flavoring that you can use virgin coconut oil (more coconut flavor), but refined coconut oil (less coconut flavor) works well too. Either way, these brownies won’t taste like coconut.
  • Sugar — You can use granulated white sugar or coconut sugar to make it just the right amount of sweetness.
  • Applesauce — We’re adding applesauce to make these brownies extra moist.
  • Ground flaxseed
  • Cornstarch
  • Plant-based milk — Use your favorite plant-based milk, like soy, almond, cashew, etc.
  • Vanilla extract
  • Flour — You can use all-purpose flour or whole wheat pastry flour. To make gluten-free vegan brownies, use high-quality gluten-free baking flour.
  • Cocoa powder — To make them extra chocolatey, this recipe includes natural cocoa powder (the kind you find in the baking section of your grocery store).
  • Salt

Reader Reviews

★★★★★
These brownies are delicious! They are rich and fudge and if I didn’t know they were vegan, I never would have guessed it. I’m not vegan or even vegetarian but still found these very satisfying. Yum!

Karen

How to Make Vegan Brownies

If you’re used to using lots of eggs and dairy butter with your brownies, the ingredients in today’s recipe will seem a little different. Where are the eggs? Where’s the milk? Don’t worry, these brownies are fabulous without them!

Here’s a synopsis of the steps involved:

  1. Stir together melted chocolate chips, vegan butter, and coconut oil until melted.
  2. Mix in the sugar, applesauce, milk, water, cornstarch, ground flaxseed, and vanilla.
  3. Stir together the dry ingredients.
  4. Make the batter by stirring together the flour mixture with the chocolate mixture and remaining chocolate chips.
  5. Spread the batter into the prepared baking dish and bake for 40 to 45 minutes.
  6. Cool brownies completely before slicing.

Here are more detailed step-by-step instructions.

Step One: Melt Chocolate

First, melt the chocolate chips with vegan butter and coconut oil in a microwave. Stir it all together.

Chocolate chips, vegan butter, and coconut oil have been melted in the bottom of a glass bowl.

Step Two: Add Remaining Wet Ingredients

Add the applesauce, sugar, flaxseed, cornstarch, plant-based milk, vanilla, and water. Stir these all together and then set them aside.

A chocolate mixture is in a glass bowl with a green spatula.

Step Three: Combine Dry Ingredients

Next, stir together the dry ingredients, including flour, cocoa powder, and salt.

Cocoa powder has been mixed with flour and other dry ingredients and sits in the bottom of a glass mixing bowl.

Step Four: Making Brownie Batter

Stir together the dry ingredients with the chocolate mixture. Then, add the remaining chocolate chips and give it all one last stir.

Chocolate batter is in a mixing bowl with chocolate chips. A green spatula is in the bowl.

Step Five: Pour and Bake

Pour the batter into a prepared pan and bake it for 40 to 45 minutes.

Quick Fix Tip

This recipe makes a generous serving of simple vegan brownies. You can reduce it by half and bake it in a square baking pan if you prefer a smaller batch.

For frosted vegan brownies spread Vegan Chocolate Frosting on top.

Storage Tips

To store brownies, allow the pan to cool. You can cover the pan or transfer cut brownies to an airtight container. They will keep at room temperature for 3 to 4 days. They can be refrigerated for up to 7 days or they can be frozen for up to 3 months. To thaw frozen brownies, set them in the fridge overnight or on a counter at room temperature for several hours.

Marly’s Tips

  • You can use all vegan butter or all coconut oil.
  • Cut brownies without tearing them by letting them cool completely (or even refrigerating them first) to let them set. You can also keep a glass of hot water nearby and dip the knife in the water between slices.
  • Make your brownies gluten-free by substituting a gluten-free baking flour in place of the all-purpose flour.
  • Classic brownies do not require leavening (such as baking soda) because they’re dense and fudgy. Adding baking soda would make the brownies more cake-like.

More Vegan Chocolate Brownies

If you love these vegan brownies, you will want to try these easy vegan pumpkin blondies with pumpkin and chocolate infused in every bite. Here are even more delicious vegan brownie recipes to try:

A hand holds a brownie with a bite taken out, the text below it reads: Best Vegan Brownies.
A stack of vegan brownies with several more brownies behind them.

Best Vegan Brownies

If you're looking for vegan brownies, complete with a crispy, shiny top and a rich, fudgy center, look no more. Make them frosted or unfrosted, either way, you'll fall in love with these "gooey in all the right places" brownies!
4.80 from 10 votes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Resting Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 24
Calories: 278kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F/175°C. Lightly grease a 9×13 baking dish.
  • In a large, microwave-safe mixing bowl, combine ¾ cup chocolate chips, vegan butter, and coconut oil. Cook for 1 minute. Set aside until the chips have melted. Stir to combine. 
  • Add the sugar and give it a good stir. Then add the applesauce, milk, water, cornstarch, ground flaxseed, and vanilla. Stir to combine. Set aside.
  • In a separate bowl stir together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Pour the flour mixture into the bowl with the chocolate ingredients along with the remaining chocolate chips. Stir until just combined (with no more big clumps of flour). Do not over-mix.
  • Spread the batter into the prepared baking dish. Bake 40 to 45 minutes. For more gooey brownies, remove them from the oven at 40 minutes. Otherwise, cook for 45 minutes.
  • Let the brownies cool completely before slicing.

(The products above contain sponsored links to products we use and recommend)

Calories: 278kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Sodium: 88mg | Potassium: 172mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 225IU | Vitamin C: 0.8mg | Calcium: 52mg | Iron: 1.6mg

The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator and should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

This post was originally published in 2019 and was updated to include new photos, new text, and an updated recipe in 2021.

45 Responses to Best Vegan Brownies

  1. Avatar thumbnail image for Marlycheryl Reply

    The vegan brownies look delicous. But I do have a question. I thought chocolate chips were made with milk. How is that vegan if they are? Thanks

    • Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyMarly

      Hi Cheryl. Not ALL chocolate chips have dairy in them. For example, Baker’s has some chocolate chips that are dairy free. There are also several brands that offer dairy-free chocolate chips in health food stores.

  2. Avatar thumbnail image for MarlySuzette Reply

    I am not vegan but I try to eat as healthy as possible. Do you think these would work if I use organic buttermilk from grass-fed cows and butter instead of margarine? Margarine is SO BAD for you!! Do you know (I’m assuming you don’t) that it’s only one molecule away from being plastic? There’s no way your body can process that. I also try to stay away from soy as much as possible. 🙂

    • Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyMarly

      Hi Suzette. Thanks for your comment! I don’t eat butter or buttermilk made from cows (or other animals) because of the way animals are treated on factor farms, but also because those products have cholesterol. The thing about vegan products it that there is no cholesterol involved. That’s great! However, I agree that it’s always important to be concerned about what we’re eating. I recommend the use of margarine but in moderation. And I’m picky about what margarine I use. If you wanted to use something besides margarine, I would recommend coconut oil. Earth Balance even makes a coconut spread that is perfect for brownies or baked goods. I sometimes will do half margarine and half peanut butter too. You can also use vegetable oil in place of the margarine. Thanks again for your comment. Best wishes!
      Marly

  3. Avatar thumbnail image for Marlyjenn Reply

    Made these vegan brownies yesterday…OMG the best Brownie ever! And I used almond milk.

    • Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyMarly

      I’m so glad you loved these vegan brownies! I agree with you – they are the best!

  4. Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyOliviaRose Reply

    I made these today and they are insanely awesome! They are not just the best vegan brownies, they are the best of any brownie! They are very rich and fudgy. Will be serving these to a bunch of non-vegans and I know they will love them.

    • Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyMarly

      Ah, thanks so much! So glad you loved the vegan chocolate brownies! Rich and fudgy brownies are the best!

  5. Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyJennifer Reply

    5 stars
    Marly, these look incredibly yummy!!

    • Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyMarly

      Thanks, Jen!

  6. Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyJC Reply

    There is a tidal wave of consciousness sweeping across the land. Here are two uplifting videos to help everyone understand why the number of vegans has doubled in less than 3 years and why so many are making this life affirming choice: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKr4HZ7ukSE and https://www.veganvideo.org

  7. Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyKate Reply

    These vegan brownies look so good.

    • Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyMarly

      Thanks, Kate!

  8. Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyCandy Rae Reply

    These look amazing and I can’t wait to make them!! Do you think it will make a difference if I make them with almond milk, instead of soy?

    • Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyMarly

      Hi Candy Rae. Love your name!

      You know what? I’ve never had a problem subbing almond milk for soy. I say go for it! And then let me know.

  9. Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyRuby Reply

    These look beautiful and delicious! Brownies are my favorite.

    I know what you mean, I hate to be a pushy vegan, but whenever my friends eat something I bake and their eyes get all big when I tell them it’s vegan, I just want to say “See? Who needs the animal products!” Vegan and proud!

    • Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyMarly

      Yes, Ruby! I swear I think most people I meet believe vegans subsist on an assortment of nuts, twigs, and maybe chopped carrots. I always think, wait ’til they see the great vegan food we eat!

  10. Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyTiffany Reply

    The vegan brownies look irresistible. I definitely see myself making a batch in the very near future. 🙂

    • Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyMarly

      Yeah! Let me know how it goes! Once you have an easy vegan brownie recipe that you love, there’s no going back! 🙂

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