Seriously, these are the BEST vegan brownies. They’re easy to make, perfectly fudgy with a rich chocolate flavor and a gorgeous shiny, crackly crust we all love!
10 tries later and we finally have it. The PERFECT vegan brownies, completely from scratch! Seriously, these are so good you will never go back to a boxed brownie mix again.
They’re fudgy, but not too fudgy, have a gorgeous shiny, crinkly crust (I’ll explain the method soon), are made in one bowl, and work with gluten free or regular flour!
Plus, they’re made without black beans or avocado, just good old fashioned brownie ingredients that you can’t even tell are vegan!
As I’ve been testing this recipe, I’ve done a whole lot of research into what gives a brownie it’s characteristic shiny crust and fudgy center.
There are a lot of theories out there. Some say it’s the sugar, some say chocolate, some say eggs, but I’ve tried so many things and many of them just didn’t work.
Until I tried one unique method: melting the sugar into a bit of water before adding it to the batter. This essentially creates (sort of) an eggless meringue which rises to the top of the brownies as they bake and give a crackly, shiny crust.
Instructions
In a small bowl, whisk together the 2 tbsp ground flax plus 5 tbsp of water. Set aside to thicken. You can also use 1/4 cup of applesauce in place of the flax if you’re worried about any weird flavor.
I’ve tried both methods and love them equally! Plus, a flax eggs and applesauce are much easier than aquafaba, which we don’t need here.
In a medium pot on the stove, add the sugar and water and whisk together. Heat over medium/low heat. Stir occasionally, but after about 5-10 minutes, the sugar should completely dissolve. You can see the two images below for reference.
Be sure you don’t add any extra water. The water will look somewhat cloudy, but you shouldn’t notice any clumps of sugar. This is key for the shiny crust!
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, stir together all dry ingredients. Once the sugar has completely dissolved, give it a final whisk, then pour it into the dry ingredients.
Add all remaining wet ingredients, including the flax egg, and mix together with a wooden spoon until a batter forms. Careful not to overmix.
Fold in the chocolate chips if using. They’re optional, but they do help the crust get shinier.
Sprinkle with additional chocolate chips if desired. Transfer to an 8×8 baking dish lined with parchment paper to ensure the brownies come out of the pan easily. If you only have a 9×9, that will work, but I generally recommend an 8×8 for brownies for the best results.
Bake for 35-45 minutes. About 38 was perfect in my oven, but all ovens are different. You’ll know they’re done when a toothpick comes out clean, but bake for longer if you don’t like a fudgy inside and prefer them more cake-like.
Remove from the oven, let cool, then slice into 16 squares & enjoy!
What kind of cocoa powder should I use?
I’m not loyal to any one brand, but often buy the Whole Foods 365 or Trader Joe’s cocoa powder. Hershey’s and Ghirardelli are all great options. You can use dutch process or natural cocoa for this recipe.
Which chocolate chips are best?
I’ve recently been loving the brand Guittard because they are made in a gluten-free facility (I love the semi-sweet chips), but Enjoy Life, Lily’s and Trader Joe’s all have great ones as well.
The chocolate chips are really optional in these vegan brownies, but I will say that the crust does get quite a bit shinier when you include them! Even just a few sprinkled on top makes a difference.
How to keep brownies moist
Honestly, you don’t need to worry with these ones! The method of dissolving the sugar into the water adds a lot of moisture to the brownies and they really should stay moist for several days.
Plus, we have the flax “eggs” and oil which will naturally add moisture to the brownies.
These vegan brownies will keep for 3-5 days in a container at room temperature. I like to warm them up in the microwave for a few seconds so they get gooey and fudgy, then serve with vanilla ice cream!
Frequently asked questions
What flour should I use? I of course use gluten free all purpose flour for this recipe, but regular all purpose flour will work just as well if you are not gluten free.
Whatever you use, be sure you spoon and level the flour into your dry measuring cups, don’t scoop from the bag!
How should I mix the batter? Avoid using a whisk to stir the batter. This will force too much air into the batter and can change the final texture. A wooden spoon is best!
Can I use a different sugar? You can use another sugar like coconut sugar to make these refined sugar free, but the crust will not get as shiny as what is pictured. A liquid sweetener like maple syrup will not work here. For best results, I recommend a finely ground white sugar.
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Leave a comment and rating below if you try this recipe and let us know how it turns out! Be sure to follow on instagram for more recipes.
Best Fudgy Vegan Brownies
by: claire cary
Ingredients
Wet:
- 1 ½ cups very finely ground granulated sugar the brand Domino is best
- ½ cup water
- 2 tbsp ground flax seed OR 5 tbsp apple sauce
- 5 tbsp water for the flax, separate from the sugar water
- ½ cup oil I used vegetable
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
Dry:
- ¾ cup cocoa powder sifted if clumpy
- 1 ½ cups all purpose flour I used gluten free, but regular works too
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the 2 tbsp ground flax with 5 tbsp water. Set aside to thicken. Skip this step if using the apple sauce. Some people notice a flavor when using the flax (I never have this issue) so if that worries you, stick to the applesauce. The texture will be slightly different, but still delicious.
- In a medium pot on the stove, add the sugar and water and whisk together. Heat over medium/low heat. Stir occasionally, but after about 5-10 minutes, the sugar should completely dissolve. Be sure you don't add any extra water. The water will look somewhat cloudy, but you shouldn't notice any clumps of sugar. This is key for the shiny crust!
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl, stir together all dry ingredients except for the chocolate chips if using (we'll add these later). Be sure to spoon and level the cocoa and flour into dry measuring cups, don't scoop right from the bag or you will inadvertently end up with more flour than needed.
- Once the sugar has completely dissolved, give it a final whisk, then pour it into the dry ingredients.
- Add all remaining wet ingredients, including the flax eggs once thickened or the applesauce and mix together with a wooden spoon until a batter forms. Careful not to over mix, stir just until combined.
- Fold in the chocolate chips if using. They're optional, but they do help the top get shinier and add a richer chocolate flavor.
- Transfer to an 8×8 baking dish lined with parchment paper.
- Sprinkle with additional chocolate chips if desired.
- Bake for 35-42 minutes. about 38 was perfect in my oven, but check with a toothpick. Bake for longer if you don't like a fudgy inside and shorter if you want them really fudgy.
- Remove from the oven, let cool completely, then slice around the edges of the pan and lift out the brownies using the parchment paper. Slice into 16 squares & enjoy! The longer you let cool, the easier/cleaner the cut will be.
Lexy says
10/10 recommend this recipe! My friend is vegan and another friend is dairy free. These were amazing. I used the applesauce and finished the top with a little salt while they were still hot. Served with oat milk vanilla ice cream, so good!
Claire Cary says
Brownies and vanilla ice cream are the best!
Kathryb says
Have never tried to make anything vegan before and I was pleasantly surprised! The instructions were easy to follow and the brownies were a little chewy, which I LOVED!
I am now a fan ❤️❤️
Claire Cary says
So excited to hear that! Glad your first try was a success 🙂
Leah says
Don’t you need a leavening agent? I made your recipe, but it didn’t rise at all because there was no baking soda on the ingredient list and I didn’t realize it until too late.
Claire Cary says
No leavening agent! These are supposed to be super fudgy so we don’t want them to rise much. If you prefer a more cakey texture, you can add 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder.
Sal says
These were simple and delicious! I didn’t melt down the sugar because I was being lazy so I just mixed it all up, added a TBS of instant coffee and threw it in the oven and they came out great! Thanks for sharing!
Claire Cary says
Perfect! Really glad that worked with the sugar.
Rebecca Crane says
Thank you for your hard work testing and perfecting this recipe. Your attention to detail and clear instructions made all the difference. Not only did your vegan brownies come out perfectly and were moist and delicious, they were much healthier than others I have tried, e.g., from recipes that called for a stick and a half of butter! All family members enjoyed consuming them, especially my child with multiple allergies.
Jess says
Best brownies I’ve ever made, seriously! My husband who is not vegan said 20/20 and he never says that about anything I make.
Yotsema says
These were amazing vegan brownies, definitely a keeper. Never heard of the dissolving sugar technique, didn’t have finely ground sugar on hand and used regular sugar and still turned out great! My non-vegan kids approved as well. Crackly on top, moist and dense. Very rich! Thank you for this recipe!
Claire Cary says
Perfect, so glad they were a hit!
Tara says
The brownies turn out better if you don’t hear the sugar and water.
Having that hot water hit the other ingredients stuffs up the Alchemy.
First time actually following the recipe exactly, all previous times I didn’t heat sugar and water just all went in. Turns out much better just all ingredients wet & dry in together without heating components.
Nicki says
Hey there!
These were the BEST homemade brownies i’ve ever made! My whole family loved them. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe, Claire!!
Claire Cary says
Thank you, Nicki! Makes me so happy to hear!
Nicki says
Hey there!
These were the BEST homemade brownies i’ve ever made! My whole family loved them. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe, Claire!
LAURA says
Hi,
Loved the recipe! Made some amazing brownies with it!!! Just want to add that you suggested using domino sugar and wanted to say that brand of sugar is not vegan – they still use animal bone to process their sugar in a lot of facilities so don’t use it if you’re actually vegan!
Claire Cary says
Thank you for pointing that out!
Kristie says
I am making these due to a dairy allergy. I know this isn’t vegan (I’m sorry!) but do you think it would be okay to use one egg instead of flax or applesauce? Thanks!
Claire Cary says
That should be fine, but I also have lots of other dairy free brownies on the blog that call for eggs!
Sabrina says
These are so easy to made and so delicious! Thank you for that recipe I’ll definitely make it for family during the Holidays!
Chloe says
One more question, could you swap out the choc chips in the batter for chopped hazelnuts?
Claire Cary says
Yes that should be fine!
Chloe says
Could I use coconut oil instead of vegetable oil?
Claire Cary says
That should be fine, just make sure it is refined coconut oil so there is no coconut flavor!
Lisa says
Thanks for this! These are the BEST vegan brownies I’ve made, and I’ve tried quite a few recipes. The one change I made was that I used 5 T of aquafaba instead of the flax eggs or applesauce (I don’t like flax eggs, and I was out of applesauce.) The aquafaba worked perfectly. Loved the crackly top, the fudginess, the flavor—the brownies were A-1! Thanks again.
Claire Cary says
Perfect! So good to know the aquafaba works well.
Kayla Dia says
How much water do I use to dissolve the sugar
Claire Cary says
It’s in the ingredient list- 1/2 cup!
Rosanne says
Made this last week with applesauce. Omg!!! Sooooo rich and chocolatey!!! Probably will be my favorite vegan dessert for a while!!
Claire Cary says
So happy to hear that, thank you Rosanne!
Macy Jordan says
Can you use whole wheat flour?
Claire Cary says
I can’t test that, so I can’t really say! I’d suggest sticking with all purpose for best results.
Tracy says
Thank you for coming up with this recipe! My son has several severe food allergies including flax and we have been trying so many vegan brownie recipes that never pan out. This is the closest we have gotten to traditional brownies and he has finally been able to have some and loved them!
I do have a question, after putting the chocolate chips into the mix they all melted from the sugar and water mixture being hot still. What do you do for the chocolate chips to not melt before being baked? Am I missing something?
Thank you!
Claire Cary says
You can try letting the sugar mixture cool slightly before adding it to the batter!
Harmony says
I had no clue brownies made with just cocoa powder (I didn’t have any chocolate chips) could be this fudgy. I used apple sauce and gluten AP flour. The sugar water trick is genius the texture of the crust/top is phenomenal chewy with a bite. Inside soft and fudgy. With this recipe under my belt, will truly never need boxed brownies again this was way better and only the one extra step of heating the sugar water.
Claire Cary says
Thank you Harmony, just made my day!
Lesley says
I tested out this recipe as I am not familiar with vegan baking and I have both vegan and gluten intolerant people coming for tea soon and this seems a good recipe to suit both. It went down very well at a family gathering and I was very impressed with the result. My only question, can I freeze these?
Claire Cary says
Yes, freezing should work well! Let them cool completely, slice and store in a freezer safe bag for up to 2 months.
Annik says
Can I use granulated cane sugar? Thanks. Can’t wait to try this recipe
Claire Cary says
Yes! Just make sure it is very finely ground.
Annik says
Thanks. I will try these tonight.
Kelee says
WOW!!! I just became gluten free two months ago and I am baking like crazy to find similar recipes that I am used to… as well as friends who loved my desserts prior to becoming gluten free. This brownie recipe is amazing!!! Absolutely delish!!! Gooey, sweet and no after taste!!! I made it just as the recipe indicated with the milled flax seed instead of egg and gluten free flour. I don’t own an 8×8 pan but used my trusty 7.5x 12.5 and although the brownies are not as thick… they are still FANTASTIC!!! Thank you!!!
Claire Cary says
Thank you, Kelee! So happy you enjoyed these.
Melissa says
I’ve tried so many recipes from Google and social media but we’ve finally found our winner! These turned out PERFECT! First time my husband tried one and couldn’t tell if it was vegan or not. THANK YOU. This is our new go-to.
Claire Cary says
Thanks so much Melissa!
Quinndara says
Sorry, the comment I left below was meant for the 3 ingredient oatmeal cookie. Not the brownies. I had the wrong page up. Do not know how to edit or erase that earlier comment.
Claire Cary says
Hi, I do not have a 3 ingredient oatmeal cookie recipe.
Robyn says
I baked this Brownie using Apple Sauce, it turned out delicious but next time I will bake for 25 minutes. I baked for 30 minutes and it is alittle cakey but no one complained. It was devoured.😋
Alanna says
These were delicious, thanks for the recipe! Fyi the chips still melted even when added last, because the sugar mixture heated up the dry ingredients. Still fine though. Maybe if the chips are refrigerated first they wouldn’t melt as much.
Emily says
This is a great brownie recipe! I have made it in many different variations now and they have all turned out wonderful! It’s just important to note that NOT all dominos sugar is vegan. Only a few of their factories do not use bone char in their sugar. The best thing to do is make sure you buy ORGANIC sugar so there is no bone char included.
Jay says
Made these tonight and LOVE the flavor, but they came out really cake-y. Any tips on what I may have done wrong?
Claire Cary says
Weird! They definitely shouldn’t be cakey since there are no leavening agents, but my first suggestion would be to decrease the bake time by at least 5 minutes. If that doesn’t help, you can decrease the amount of flour by 2-4 tablespoons.
Rhonda says
Made these for a mixed vegan, gluten free & no-special-dietary-needs crowd. Everyone loved them! Great texture, deep chocolate flavor. This will be my new go-to recipe!
Krystle says
How would it taste if I left out the chocolate chips? I don’t have vegan chocolate chips. I do have carob however, do you know how that tastes as a substitute?
Claire Cary says
No, you can leave them out! Just use the cocoa powder as usual in the recipe and leave out the chocolate chips.
Paula says
I love how lovely they make the house smell while in the oven. Living in high altitude has made it hard for me to bake and this recipe is perfect and oOooOh sooo good! Thank you 😊
Claire Cary says
Nothing beats the smell of brownies!
Brenda says
Can I use coconut flour for this recipe?
Claire Cary says
No, there are no flour subs here!
Shona Camirand says
This was a hit with friends! So fudgy and delicious. Thanks for sharing.
Lydia says
In step 6 is says “ Add all remaining wet ingredients, including the flax eggs”…is eggs just an included typo? Just want to be sure!
Claire Cary says
The “flex egg” is the mixture you make with the flax seeds and water. No typo!
Bec says
I made the brownie with flour and taste is good, but very dense. I put the chocolate chips in with the dry so when I added the warm sugar, maybe it melted them into the mixture? Is there something I could pour over like a sugar syrup to help soften it?
Claire Cary says
You want to add the chocolate chips to the batter after you mix in all the other dry ingredients. That will prevent them from melting and getting dense.
Natalie says
Hey,
Just trying the recipe and getting a little confused with a couple of things. So I want to make more, so I’ve tripled the recipie. Do I now use 15 tbsp of water to mix the flax seeds as I’ve tripled it? And also are these 5tbsp out of the measured water or extra, the mix seems very liquid and runny. Also the choc chips don’t fold in as the sugar water is very hot, they just melt? Help please? Thank you so much
Claire Cary says
The water for the flax seed mixture is different from the water that you dissolve the sugar in. The flax seed and water mixture will thicken as it sits. You do not fold in the chocolate chips until after all of the dry ingredients have been added, so they will not melt. What pan are you planning to bake these in if you’re tripling? I generally speaking would not recommend that.
Bec says
Has anyone tried raw cocoa powder instead of cacao? This recipe looks perfect and can’t wait to try it!
Claire Cary says
Cacao powder is going to be more bitter, but you can definitely try!
Bec says
Thanks. I’ll give it a go. Curious to how long these last? I’m baking them and was planning to cut them ahead of time, to last for school lunches. Will that make them go dry? Thanks!
Bec says
Excuse my last comment, I now know they last for 3-5 days, I think I was overthinking if they’d stay fresh because I haven’t made it before.
Claire Cary says
They should start pretty fresh if stored properly!
Kelsee says
I’m in love with this recipe!! I’ve always preferred box mix brownies over homemade (basically the only thing I’ve never preferred homemade,) because of that shiny top, but I always hated the ingredients in them. Now with egg and dairy allergies in our house, finding good brownies has been nearly impossible. This recipe is PERFECT. Nothing is “weird” about it, and I love that the ingredients are simple and it’s so easy. As someone who loves to bake, adjusting to our toddler’s many allergies has been really hard for me. This recipe may have reignited my love for baking! Thank you!
Claire Cary says
That makes me so happy to hear! Thank you Kelsee!
Veronica says
Amazing brownies!!
Chloe says
Could I bake these in muffin tins? Would they still come out moist and fudgey?
Claire Cary says
I shouldn’t tried that but it should work! You’ll need to decrease the bake time though
Kathryn says
I could eat these every day.
Ashley says
The water that you put together with the sugar…is it 1/2 cup in addition to the 5 tbsp you put with flax seed or whatever is left?
Claire Cary says
You need 1/2 cup for the sugar, then an additional 5 tbsp for the flax mixture.
Abby says
WOWWW this is the first successful vegan brownie I have ever made. The sugar thing was definitely the trick. I preferred it without the chocolate chips but I’m sure it would be just as good with a different brand. THANK U for creating this masterpiece 😙 ^ chefs kiss
Brittany says
Can I use chia seeds instead? I only have whole flax seeds and don’t know what else to use instead of ground flax seeds. What can I use instead? Thank you!!!!
Claire Cary says
Applesauce! Or just grind up some of your chia seeds and use that!
Brittany says
I didn’t grind them up, I literally just soaked them in water😂 it was still amazing and delicious!!!
Claire Cary says
oh perfect! So glad that worked.
Robin Winston says
The brownies are delicious. This was my first time making them and I will try more recipes by àeatwithclarity. Thanks…
Claire Cary says
Thank you, Robin!
Diane says
I have tried so many vegan brownie recipes and these are by far the best!
Claire Cary says
Thank you Diane!
Elizabeth Stanley says
I never post on blogs, but I just have to thank you for this delicious brownie recipe! Best vegan brownies ever! I used applesauce and Bob’s red mill gf 1 to 1 flour. You have changed my life!!!
Claire Cary says
You’re so sweet! Thank you Elizabeth!
Chelsea says
Ahhhmazing! These are the best brownies I’ve ever had. I topped them with some yummy vegan fudge frosting and they were so perfect. The best part is that no animals were harmed to make these. Thanks so much!
Claire Cary says
Oh yum! That sounds delicious, I have to try the fudge frosting!
Joan Beech says
I only have ground flax seed – could you tell me how many grams of this to use?
Claire Cary says
That’s what you need! So just follow the recipe as usual 🙂
Robin says
You need 25 grams of ground flaxseed.
KareninStLouis says
I use natural almond butter instead of oil in all baking, including brownies, and it works well. Adds some protein and provides the fat. Works well in brownies.
Tracy says
These look delicious!! Have not made them yet but just wondering if it is possible to use like a date purée with the water for the sugar. Although it looks beautiful, I’m not concerned about the shiny crust if I can have them without regular sugar.
Claire Cary says
I don’t recommend using date puree, I would look for a recipe that specifically calls for that if you don’t want to use sugar!
Sarai says
These are amazing brownies and a year ago I never would have even thought to try these. I’m so thankful to have found your website! When I got my Celiac diagnosis earlier this year, I was really struggling. That is, until I found Eat With Clarity. You will never know how this website has changed my life!
tina says
Ive been caught out by the ” all purpose” thing again.. despite googling. I thought “Why are these rising so much?” oh… ” all purpose” is uk plain. 🙁
Claire Cary says
Oh no! Yes, you definitely don’t want any self-raising flour or flour with any leavening agents 🙂
Jj says
If I didn’t need it to be vegan friendly how many eggs would I use for this recipe?
Claire Cary says
two eggs in place of the flax eggs! I haven’t tested it this way however
Polin says
Hi,
Thx for the recipe but I would like to check for the 1/2 cup of water is it including the 5 tbsp of water for the ground flaxseed or its 1/2 cup of water and 5 tbsp of water (if using the ground flaxseed)? Also may I know in measurements in grams for the gluten free flour! Thank you!
Claire Cary says
The 5 tbsp of water for the flax is different than the 1/2 cup for dissolving the sugar! If you click over to the metric measurement, you’ll get everything in grams!
Polin says
Thx Claire! By the way when I mix the wet and dry ingredients the batter have excess liquid? And when I bake it in the oven there are bubbles forming in top of the brownie. Is it too much oil or water? So now my brownie is slightly undercook in the middle but it taste great!
Claire Cary says
What exactly do you mean by excess liquid? Make sure you’re mixing the batter really well until everything is incorporated. You can bake for a few extra minutes to ensure the center is more cooked!
Amanda says
This is the only vegan brownie recipe that I use. They are soooo delicious 😋
I always use regular flour and the recipe works perfectly every time but I recently tried with gluten free all purpose flour and it didn’t go well I’m afraid. The edges were very hard and the middle sank too much and was really oily and soggy. Any idea what I did wrong please? I’d really like to have a go to gf brownie recipe to use. Should I adjust the temperature or cooking times?
Thank you for your help
Mandy
Claire Cary says
That’s strange because I always use GF all purpose flour for mine and that’s what I tested the recipe with. What brand were you using?
Patty Duggan says
Hi. Does this recipe work well doubling it and making it in a 9 x 13 size pan? Thanks!!
Claire Cary says
That should work! Keep an eye on the bake time though, you’ll likely need 10-15 extra minutes, maybe more!
Sarai says
I just tried this tonight and it worked great!
Dana says
These really are the best brownies. SO PERFECT! I used cane sugar and it still worked amazing!
Curious though, would they still turn out well if I used half a cup less sugar?
Claire Cary says
So happy you like them! They should be fine with less sugar, obviously they’ll be less sweet and they may look a bit different, but I think it’ll be ok! Let me know if you try!
Mandy says
Hi Claire – I have made these so many times now, they are my go to Brownie recipe. I add walnuts/orange zest/vegan white chocolate all of which work beautifully.
I now need to make them gluten free. I notice you say ‘all purpose gluten free flour’ and I believe that means Plain flour in the Uk.? If that’s right, do I need to add xanthan gum as well? Or could I use gluten free self raising flour that already had the gum in it?
Once again, thanks very much for your expert advice 😊
Mandy
Claire Cary says
Hi Mandy! That sounds so good, love the addition of orange zest, I’ll have to try that! I’m not sure how the UK labels flour, but you don’t have to use gluten free flour. You can use plain all purpose flour (if it has gluten, there is no need to add xanthan gum). I wouldn’t use self-raising flour as that has added baking powder and will change the texture of the brownies. Hope that helps!
Mandy says
So the gluten free flour blends available here are plain or self raising. The plain (Us all purpose) does not have xanthan gum in but the self raising does. Regular plain flour has gluten in it so I wondered if the gluten free plain flour should have xanthan gum added to mimic the gluten? Sorry to be a pain.
Mandy
Claire Cary says
No worries! I would suggest using plain gluten free all purpose flour, then adding about 1/2 teaspoon of xanthan gum.
Mandy says
Perfect! Thank you very much. I will try a gluten-free batch at the weekend. I really appreciate your help 😊x
Claire Cary says
Of course! let me know how they turn out!
Jocelyn says
I would love to make double or even triple batch at a time. What would you recommend for using the larger, 9X11 pan? Would baking time be increased for a double batch? Thanks!
Claire Cary says
I’d probably do a 9×13 which would be double, and the bake time will likely be a bit longer, I’d start with just 5-10 minutes and keep an eye on it! Let me know how it turns out!
Mandy says
Hello there- I have just put a tray of your delicious looking brownies in the oven. I just realised there is no baking powder/raising agent in the recipe?? Brownies usually rise up in the oven then drop back when they are cooling so I am wondering what might happen with this recipe 😬 Any advice gratefully received. Thank you
Mandy
Claire Cary says
That’s right! There’s no rising agent in this recipe and that’s to ensure the texture remains fudgy. You shouldn’t have any issues with them rising then falling.
Mandy says
Hi Claire – I was worrying unnecessarily! The recipe worked perfectly, thank you. The brownies are just the texture I was looking for, The perfect mix of fudgy and cakey. Your recipe was my eighth attempt at the perfect brownie. Thanks so much 😊
Claire Cary says
Perfect! These took so many attempts to get right, so I’m so happy you enjoyed them!
Mandy says
Another quick question. Would it be ok to do half white and half brown sugar? Brown sugar seems to give a lovely flavour that’s all. Thanks for your help 😊
Claire Cary says
you can, but brown sugar doesn’t dissolve as well as white sugar so you won’t get that same shiny appearance with the brownies!
Ali says
These brownies were so delicious. The tip about dissolving the sugar with water made a huge difference. It gave it that crackly top which my homemade brownies were never able to achieve. I baked these in a mini muffin tin and omitted the chocolate chips as it was quite chocolately on its own.
I did notice an aftertaste from the flaxseed so I may substitute a chia egg for the flax next time. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Claire Cary says
Yes! Dissolving sugar is one of my favorite tricks. So happy you liked them! Chia should work just the same, but probably without any taste.
Paige says
This is going to sound like a stupid question, but if I wanted to back this in a 9×13, I would just double the recipe, right? I don’t have to worry about cook times?
Also, I made these a bit ago and they were AMAZING. SUCH a good recipe, their texture would be perfect to freeze and mix into ice cream, too
Thanks!
Claire Cary says
Not stupid! But yes, I would double. a 9×13 is slightly less than double an 8×8, so the volume will be slightly more and you will want to extend the bake time. I haven’t tested it in a 9×13 so I can’t say exactly how long you’ll need to bake, but I would start by adding about 5 minutes and go from there! Also love that idea of mixing into ice cream! Have to try that.
Tonicia says
These were phenomenal!! I used coconut oil instead of vegetable oil. I’ve never made brownies from scratch so I was a little skeptical but I’m so glad I don’t have to buy vegan brownies anymore. I can just make my own! My taste buds thank you.
Claire Cary says
Yay!! So glad I could be your first homemade brownie experience!
Vitaliya says
I really wish to try this recipe! Just wondering if I can substitute oil into peanut butter and sugar into coconut sugar? Is that coconut sugar works that different that not gonna make a shiny crunchy top? 🙁
Claire Cary says
I definitely wouldn’t sub peanut butter for the oil, but you can try coconut sugar instead of regular sugar but the tops won’t get as shiny. You can also try my almond flour brownies which are made with coconut sugar and a bit healthier than these 🙂
Sarah says
I have to reduce my fat intake for a little bit, and looking up vegan recipes has been the best way to do that so far. That’s how I found this recipe! And it looks AMAZING! I’d love to try it. I’m just a little worried about the oil content for my own particular case. Do you think it would still turn out alright if I halved the oil and replaced it with a little extra applesauce, or should I try a different variation?
Claire Cary says
I think that will be ok, but definitely won’t be as rich or flavorful! Let me know if you try it!
Sarah says
I tried it, and they turned out pretty good! The chocolate flavor was great, the texture was great. Still super, super fudgey, even with the modification! LOVED IT! It didn’t get as shiny or crackly on top; I think that’s because of the increased water that the extra applesauce added (in place of the oil). I also think that my flour may have been getting a little old, so that affected the flavor a little bit as well. But overall, 10/10. I’ll be trying this recipe again with new flour. They’ll be perfect. 🙂
Claire Cary says
Perfect!! Good to know that worked! So happy you enjoyed them 🙂
Aimee Hutton says
This recipe was great !!
thanks so much!😋
Your_happydoc says
These turned out amazing!! Will defn make again 🙂
Jessica Ramirez says
This is hands down the best vegan brownie recipe that I have ever tried!!! My whole family loved it!!!! This is definitely going to be my go to recipe, will make it again!!
Claire Cary says
Thank you Jessica! These are a favorite of mine too so I’m so glad you enjoyed them!
Simplejoys_72 says
Made this last night. Everyone in my family who loves chocolate loved it! (Believe it or not, I have one daughter who does not like chocolate). I don’t like things that are too sweet and this has just the right amount of sweetness to it.
Claire Cary says
Aww yay! So happy to hear everyone enjoyed them!
Kat says
I made this before with a cheesecake swirl and just last night with a caramel swirl on top! They both turned out super delicious and rich. Will definitely come back to this recipe from now on it’s so easy!
Claire Cary says
I have to try that with the caramel! Sounds amazing, so glad you enjoyed them!
Tami says
As always Claire – this recipe is delicious! It is snowing here today and we wanted to bake- so these brownies got moved to the top of the list. I did a few subs because of ingredients I had on hand, I used coconut sugar, Dutch Cocoa Powder and grapeseed oil. Mine didn’t turn out as crackly as yours did – probably due to the coconut sugar and mine are very dark chocolate color, but oh my – they are yummmmmmmy!
Claire Cary says
Perfect! The coconut sugar and dutch cocoa can make them look much darker, but glad they worked out with those subs!
Lisa says
Such a deep fudgey flavor! I used 1 1/4 cup of Monkfruit sweetener instead of granulated sugar and it was the right amount of sweetness for me.
Claire Cary says
Oh perfect! So glad the monkfruit worked!
LEXTHEVEGAN says
These brownies are SO GOOD. I made them tonight for my family and topped them with walnuts, chocolate chips, and sea salt and they were to die for. I used only 1/4 cup coconut oil and found that to be more than enough.
Claire Cary says
oh yum!! Need to try with walnuts! So glad they turned out well with that variation!
Nadiah Nurshirwan says
Finally! A recipe that works! And simple ingredients! I especially love that u don’t use any milk in it. So far the best I’ve tried. I posted photo on my ig @nadihangry. 😉
Claire Cary says
Thank you Nadiah! So happy you enjoyed them and for sharing 🙂
Casey Ridings says
This is the brownie recipe I’ve been searching all my life for. I love to bake and brownies are my favorite dessert, but for some reason I find that homemade brownies never turn out quite right. These, however, are perfect. I also love that they are vegan and use super simple swaps that happened to all be in my kitchen already. I only had cinnamon apple sauce so I used that and WOW. It’s subtle but I think it took them to the next level. This is officially my go-to brownie recipe.
Claire Cary says
OMG yes I need to try with that cinnamon apple sauce, that sounds amazing! So happy you enjoyed these!
Sarah says
I tried these for the first time yesterday (went with the applesauce version) and they turned out amazing. This will be my go-to brownie recipe from now on.
Claire Cary says
Love to hear that! Thanks Sarah!
JM says
Hello, what type of GF flour did you find works best? We have a few in our home and found each work a little differently based on recipes. Thanks!
Claire Cary says
I am very loyal to the Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Baking Flour (in the blue bag), so that’s what I usually stick with! Brownies are a bit more forgiving than other recipes (like cake), so you should have good results with any blend. let me know what you end up using!
Misty says
Thank you for this! I have been wanting something chocolaty and have just been diagnosed in the past couple of weeks with allergies to eggs, dairy, and apples. I made this without the chocolate chip and used the flax egg. I am so excited to find something sweet that I can eat.
Claire Cary says
Aww I’m so happy you found something you’re able to enjoy! I totally get the struggle with food allergies, but I have tons of egg and dairy free recipes so hopefully there’s lots more for you to try!
Bailey says
Made this recipe last night, and was very impressed. Followed the recipe exactly and they turned out perfect. I used the flax and could not detect it at all after baking.
I layered them on-top of a peanut butter cookie base, and made an awesome brookie. Thanks a lot! This will be my new go to!
Claire Cary says
ohmygosh such a good idea! I’ll have to try that too. So glad you enjoyed these!
Lia says
I’ve been looking for vegan brownies with the shiny top so I’m excited to try these! When you incorporate the dissolved water is it still boiling hot from the stove or should I let it cool a bit?
Claire Cary says
It won’t ever come to a boil since the sugar will dissolve before that point, so you can just add it in right away!
ingrid says
Does sugar and water have to end in a caramel consistency in the pan? (before mixing with dry ingredients)
i used brown sugar and it hardened a bit fast awith the rest of ingredients
Also, what’s the weight of flour used in this recipe¿?
Claire Cary says
No! You don’t want it to turn into caramel and you actually don’t want to use brown sugar. You just want the sugar to dissolve into the water which will help the crust of the brownies get a nice shiny and crackly top.
Nat says
This recipe is amazing, I wouldn’t change anything, it’s really easy to make and sooo delicious, best brownies ever!🤯❤
Suneeti says
Hey, why not Dutch cocoa powder?
Claire Cary says
You can use dutch cocoa if that’s all you have, I just generally don’t recommend it since it has a different flavor and I haven’t tested the recipe with it.
Suneeti Agarwal says
I tried the recipe, the look and the texture were exactly like a nice fudgy brownie but the taste…I could only taste the flax seed. Is there anything I can do to omit it.
Claire Cary says
You really shouldn’t taste the flax at all if you’re using a mild ground flax seed, but you can try use another egg replacer like Bob’s red mill or using 4 tbsp of apple sauce instead or the two flax eggs. Let me know how they turn out if you try that!
James says
Do you think It’ll affect the brownie if I use Caster instead of Granulated sugar? 🙂
Claire Cary says
Nope! That’ll work well and even dissolve more easily. Just make sure it’s caster sugar and not powdered sugar.
Tanvi says
I just made these and they turned out amazing! Although I halved the amount of ingredients ‘cause I was running low on coco powder. Still worked. Thank you for this recipe 🙂
Claire Cary says
Perfect! So glad they still worked out!
Joyce C says
I have to confess that I didn’t make these (PMT, folks!) but my lovely boyfriend made them – and wow! They are amazing. Crunchy on the top, soft in the middle. He’s a great cook, but not usually a great baker, but he had these perfectly… Probably because the recipe is fantastic and easy to follow. He used chia seeds instead of flax. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Claire Cary says
Thanks Joyce! So happy you enjoyed them!
Sara says
WOW it looks sooo goood!! Do you have any idea if I substitute the ALL purpose flour into GF oat flour ? AND replace the white sugar into coconut sugar is it gonna work?
Thank you for sharing your lovely tips with us.
Claire Cary says
Thanks Sara! I don’t recommend any substitutions for this recipe, except the ones listed. I used GF all purpose flour which works really well. If you prefer using coconut sugar, I’d try my almond flour brownies instead!