The Absolute Best Vegan Brownies

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These epic Vegan Brownies are absolutely mind blowing. They’re supremely fudgy, chewy, and chocolatey, and feature the classic crinkle top. You’ll never settle for dry, crumbly, or cakey brownies after trying this recipe!
Prep 15 minutes
Cook 35 minutes
Total 50 minutes
5 from 558 votes

Life is too short for sad, one-dimensional brownies. That’s why you need the absolute best vegan brownies in your life… brownies that are the perfect mix of fudgy and chewy, and with an irresistible crinkle top.

You’ll have a hard time believing these brownies are vegan. It’s because they don’t have the dry, crumbly texture and underwhelming flavor most vegan brownies end up with. Instead, these brownies are:

  • Deeply chocolatey thanks to real dark chocolate and Dutch process cocoa powder.
  • The perfect mix of chewy and fudgy and 100% decadent, like any amazing brownie.
  • Shiny and crinkly on top (something you thought was only possible with non-vegan boxed brownies!).

I can’t wait for you to try them!

Table of Contents
1. Why this recipe works
2. Ingredient notes
3. Step-by-step instructions
4. Tips for making this recipe
5. Frequently Asked Questions
6. Recipe Card

a stack of the best fudgy vegan brownies

Why this recipe works

A chocolate lover’s dream

You’ll find three layers of chocolate in these brownies: (1) Dutch process cocoa powder, (2) good dark chocolate, and (3) vegan chocolate chips. All three result in an intense chocolatey flavor that is unreal.

Special shout out to Dutch process cocoa powder. It’s alkalized, meaning the natural acidic flavor has been washed away. Its flavor is pure, rich, and deeply chocolatey.

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An ultra-enticing and shiny crinkle top

Once you get a glimpse of crinkle top brownies, you know you can’t hold back. The texture is delightful: wispy, delicate, ridged, and flaky. When paired with a fudgy interior, the contrast is too good to describe in words. 

Unfortunately, this is almost never found in vegan brownies.

Typically, the secret to the flaky crinkle top on brownies comes from eggs. But I discovered you can achieve the same results by whipping aquafaba and sugar together.

I tested this method 11(!) times and ended up with a crinkle top every time. Can other vegan brownie recipes say the same? I don’t think so!

PS: These brownies even work gluten-free! Head to the FAQ section for tips!

Because you said so!

I don’t call these the “best vegan brownies” lightly. It’s proven by the more than 390 five-star reviews! 

Here’s what readers are saying:

Jennifer says, “They are THE BEST EVER BROWNIES I have had in my entire life, vegan or not!!”

Jackie says, “Hands down BEST brownies I have ever eaten. No joke. I followed the recipe to the T and it couldn’t have been more perfect. I can’t believe these are vegan.”

Tamara says, “I cannot believe how fudgy, chewy, and delicious they are. Like a million other commenters on here, I never thought I’d find good brownies again after going vegan. They’re amazing and totally live up to the hype.”

the best vegan brownies with a shiny top sitting on parchment paper

Ingredient notes

labeled ingredients for vegan brownies laid out on a wooden cutting board on a brown table.

Aquafaba. The liquid from a can of chickpeas. After some trial and error, I discovered that you can get vegan brownies with a shiny, crinkle top by vigorously whipping aquafaba and sugar together for several minutes before adding it to your wet ingredients.

It’s an unconventional ingredient in a brownie recipe but it works amazingly well here. My fan favorite banana bread is another vegan baked good that uses aquafaba to great effect.

Substitute: We don’t recommend substituting this, as it’s a key ingredient in making these so special.

Cane sugar. I use a fair amount of cane sugar for the above reason and because it gives the brownies structure (often missing in crumbly vegan brownies).

If you’re worried about the brownies being too sweet, use a dark chocolate with a higher cocoa percentage. The natural bitter flavors will help balance the sweetness from the sugar.

Vegan butter. In our testing, vegan brownies made with just oil turned out oily and bland in flavor. Brownies benefit greatly from a rich, buttery taste, and vegan butter works great. We have had great results with Earth Balance buttery sticks. 

Substitute: Some folks have asked if they can use margarine. We haven’t tested this, but keep in mind:

(1) If you’re strictly vegan, margarine in the U.S. often contains trace amounts of dairy.

(2) Vegan butter brands are usually formulated to mimic dairy in baking in a way that margarine isn’t. So if you have access to a product marketed as vegan butter, use that.

Dark chocolate. I like to buy a 65% to 75% dark chocolate bar and roughly chop it. The chocolate is melted with vegan butter to create a beautifully smooth chocolate sauce.

Tip: Don’t use semisweet chocolate, or the brownies will be too sweet.

Dutch process cocoa powder. You will get better results with Dutch processed cocoa powder vs. natural cocoa powder. The brownies have a purer, more intense chocolate flavor with a smoother taste.

Substitute: If you can’t find Dutch cocoa, natural cocoa powder still works. PS: For European folks, Dutch cocoa is just the standard cocoa available!

Espresso powder. Espresso + chocolate are a dream team. It deepens and intensifies the chocolate flavor without making the brownies taste like coffee.

Substitute: If you don’t have instant espresso powder, you can substitute with instant coffee powder (use slightly more, about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 teaspoons).

flatlay of sliced vegan brownies with shiny top on parchment paper

Step-by-step instructions

Sift the dry ingredients. Sift the flour and cocoa powder together in a medium bowl to prevent lumps.

dutch cocoa process powder mixed with flour in a glass bowl on brown table.

Mix the aquafaba and sugar. Add the aquafaba and sugar to a bowl. Use a handheld or standing mixer to beat the two together. You’ll know it’s done when the mixture looks thick, glossy, and has wavy ribbons.

Now you can fold the vanilla, salt, and espresso powder into the aquafaba mixture.

Melt the chocolate. Place a heatproof bowl on top of a saucepan filled with a few inches of water. Place the chopped chocolate and vegan butter in the bowl and heat the water until it’s at a rapid simmer. Stir until the chocolate has melted.

Or, melt the chocolate and butter in the microwave on high power in 30-second intervals, stirring after each round.

Fold the melted chocolate mixture into the aquafaba mixture until well combined.

Finish the batter. Gently stir the dry mixture into the wet ingredients until just combined and no dry flour remains. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Note: The batter will be quite thick, much more thick than a standard brownie batter.

Transfer the batter into your lined 8×8-inch (20×20 cm) baking pan and smooth out the surface with a spatula.

Bake. Bake the brownies for 34 to 37 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with some moist crumbs.

Tip: If it comes out with runny batter, the brownies aren’t done yet. If the toothpick comes out clean, the brownies have baked a bit too long. Tips on how to avoid this are in the FAQs section.

Let them cool before slicing (seriously though). Transfer the pan to a wire rack and cool for 30 minutes, or longer. Once they’re completely cool, slice and enjoy!

a grid of chewy vegan brownies sliced into 9 squares with a shiny top sitting on a parchment paper.

Tips for the best vegan brownies

Better quality chocolate = better tasting brownies.

Try to use the best quality chocolate you can find and afford: (1) for cocoa powder, Dutch process cocoa; (2) for the solid chocolate, use a chocolate you enjoy snacking on. 70% dark chocolate is a great place to start because it isn’t too bitter but will still produce decadent results.

Serious Eats has an entire list of amazing dark chocolate brands for you to peruse. Otherwise, stroll through the grocery store or artisan market to see what other options you can find (most good dark chocolate brands don’t contain milk, but always read the label!).  

Measure accurately.

I use a digital scale for all baking and highly recommend it for the most precise results (baking + precision are best friends).

Note: If you don’t have a digital scale, do not scoop the flour straight out of the bag or container. This always results in getting too much flour in your measuring cup, and too much flour = dry brownies.

Instead, use the spoon and level method. Spoon your flour out of the bag/jar into the measuring cup until almost full, then use a butter knife to level it off.

Overmixing = dry brownies.

Overmixing the dry and wet ingredients aerates the batter, resulting in dry or cakey brownies. Instead, fold everything together until they’re JUST combined and you no longer see dry streaks of flour. 

Check your oven thermometer.

Home ovens can be all over the place when it comes to temperature, so if you have an oven thermometer, check that it’s accurate before baking.

Don’t slice the brownies too early.

They continue to cook after they come out of the oven, which is why it’s important to let them cool completely first. They’ll be a gooey mess if you slice into them too early.

Note: There are two ways to speed up the cooling process.

After resting in the pan for 20 minutes, (1) carefully transfer the pan to a large shallow pan filled with an inch or two of ice cold water; or (2) transfer the pan to the fridge for 20 to 30 minutes.

bite shot of fudgy vegan brownies on parchment paper

Frequently Asked Questions

How can you tell when brownies are done baking?

The best way to tell is to stick a toothpick in the center of the batch. If it comes out with some moist crumbs, the brownies are done. If the batter is liquidy or runny, they need ~5 more minutes.

Is the toothpick completely clean? Unfortunately, that means they’ve been baked too long and will likely taste dry. Brownies continue to bake as they cool, so to avoid this, err on the side of underbaking and check the brownies 5 minutes before you think they’ll be done.

Can I make these vegan brownies gluten-free?

Yes!

We tested these brownies with ¾ cup (82g) oat flour and ¾ cup (100g) all-purpose 1:1 gluten-free flour, and baked for 37 to 39 minutes with lovely results. The brownies have a bit less structure, but after they are refrigerated, the texture is great.

Many readers have also had success doing a straight 1:1 swap with King Arthur, Bob’s Red Mill, and Cup4Cup Ancient Grains gluten-free flour blends, but we haven’t tried this ourselves. 

Can I make these brownies with less sugar?

Baking the brownies with less sugar makes us nervous because they might lose their wonderful texture.

Instead, try adding chocolate with a higher percentage of cacao to help balance the sweetness.

Or, scale down by just 25% of the sugar. You can read more about reducing sugar in baking from Food52 experts here. 

How do you slice brownies without making a mess?

First, use a large knife (I use an 8-inch chef’s knife). Slice the brownies in one fell swoop instead of dragging the knife back and forth. The dragging method leads to more crumbs and uneven slices.

Also, you can try dipping your knife in hot water and drying it off with a kitchen towel before slicing. Repeat this process between every slice. I find that this method in conjunction with cooling the brownies on top of an ice cold sheet pan (see the Tips section) yields the cleanest slices.

How do you store vegan brownies?

First, try to slice only as many brownies as you need (or want). This is the best way to keep them as moist as possible. The leftover block of brownies can be stored in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days at room temperature of 8 to 10 days in the fridge.

If you don’t have a container big enough to fit the unsliced brownies, slice and and store the pieces in an airtight container. 

Can I freeze these brownies?

Yes, they freeze very well. Keep the sliced brownies separated with pieces of parchment paper in an airtight container.

Freeze for up to 3 months. Let them defrost at room temperature when it’s time to eat.

a stack of the best fudgy vegan brownies sitting on parchment paper

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Watch! How to make the best vegan brownies!

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How to make amazing vegan BROWNIES at home

If you love these best-ever Vegan Brownies as much as we do, please be sure to leave a rating and review below :) And as always, I love seeing your remakes on Instagram!

The Absolute Best Vegan Brownies

5 from 558 votes
These epic Vegan Brownies are absolutely mind blowing. They’re supremely fudgy, chewy, and chocolatey, and feature the classic crinkle top. You’ll never settle for dry, crumbly, or cakey brownies after trying this recipe!
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American, Baking
Diet Vegan, Vegetarian
Serving size: 12

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup (120 mL) aquafaba (liquid from a can of chickpeas, use unsalted chickpeas)*
  • 1 ½ cups (290g) organic cane sugar or pure cane sugar
  • 6 ounces (170g) 65-75% dark chocolate, roughly chopped
  • 8 tablespoons / 4 ounces (112g) vegan butter, cubed
  • 1 ½ cups (180g) all-purpose flour
  • 7 tablespoons (42g) Dutch process cocoa powder**
  • ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon espresso powder***
  • 3 ounces (85g) dark or bittersweet chocolate chips, or finely chopped dark chocolate

Instructions

  • Line an 8×8-inch (20×20 cm) square metal baking pan with parchment paper and ensure there is some overhang on the sides (this will make it easy to lift the brownies out of the pan).****
    Preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C).
  • Sift the flour and cocoa powder together in a medium bowl. Sifting ensures there are no flour or cocoa lumps in the batter.
  • Add the aquafaba and sugar to a large mixing bowl. Use an electric handheld mixer or a stand mixer on high speed and beat the mixture for 2 ½ to 3 minutes until thickened, glossy, and wavy ribbons frequently appear in the bowl.
  • Add in the vanilla, salt, and espresso powder, and fold with a silicone spatula until well combined (the espresso will continue dissolving into the mixture as it rests).
  • Assemble a double boiler*****. Grab a heatproof bowl that can be nestled into a saucepan. Fill the saucepan up with a few inches of water – not so much that the bottom of the bowl would touch the water. Heat the water on the stove and keep at a rapid simmer.
  • Add the chopped dark chocolate and cubed vegan butter to the bowl on top of the saucepan. Allow the chocolate mixture to melt, whisking occasionally until smooth and the chocolate is completely melted. Once the chocolate is completely melted, keep the bowl on the saucepan for an additional 30 to 60 seconds to further warm through.
  • Pour the warm butter-chocolate mixture over the aquafaba-sugar mixture and fold together with the silicone spatula.
  • Add the flour-cocoa mixture to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined (stop mixing once the flour traces are gone). Fold in the chocolate chips. Pour the batter into the lined pan and smooth out the surface with the spatula so the batter is in an even layer as possible (for even baking).
  • Bake the brownies in the preheated oven for 34 to 37 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with some moist crumbs and/or a tiny bit of thick batter (the latter could be the melted chocolate chips). If the batter is liquidy or runny, though, the brownies need about 5 more minutes in the oven.
    To avoid overbaking and since every home oven varies, I err on the side of underbaking and check the brownies 5 minutes before I think they're going to be done. My oven usually takes between 34 and 37 minutes.
  • Transfer the brownies to a wire rack to cool for 30 minutes. Then carefully lift the brownies out of the pan using the parchment paper handles onto the wire rack. Allow to cool for a further 20 to 30 minutes before slicing. Slice the brownies and enjoy!

Notes

* If your canned chickpeas have salt, use a bit less salt in the batter. Taste the batter before baking, add a pinch more as needed. 
** I included the measurements in grams for the Dutch process cocoa powder brand I used (Valhrona), but the exact weights vary slightly across brands.
*** If you don’t have espresso powder, you can substitute with instant coffee powder (use slightly more, about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 tsp).
Here is the espresso powder I use (also available at Target, Whole Foods, and Walmart). Check out this blog post or this post for more options. 
**** I highly recommend using parchment paper so you don’t have to grease the pan (the brownies already have sufficient butter). 
***** Don’t want to assemble a doubler boiler? Melt the butter and chocolate in the microwave on high powder in 30-second intervals, stirring after each round. 
General tips for the best brownies
Use the best chocolate you can find. A high quality dark chocolate bar and dutch process cocoa powder will make a big difference.
Measure accurately. Use a digital scale and an oven thermometer for the best results.
Speed up the cooling process, if you want. After resting the pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes, you can (a) carefully transfer the brownie pan to a large shallow pan filled with an inch or two of ice cold water; or (b) transfer the pan to the fridge for 20 to 30 minutes.
For extra chewy (or fudgy) brownies: Cool the brownies for a few hours—the chewy texture sets up over time. These brownies are noticeably chewier on day 2. Refrigerating the brownies seems to make them more fudge-like. 

Calories: 340kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 0.5mg | Sodium: 218mg | Potassium: 222mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 31g | Vitamin A: 6IU | Vitamin C: 0.04mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 3mg

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887 comments on The Absolute Best Vegan Brownies

  1. Rose

    5 stars
    Hey!
    May I omit the expresso powder or instant coffee powder and still get a great brownie? Sharing with famiky next time so I’m curious… Last time I got a terrible headache from eating them too much, it came out perfect but I do not drink coffee. Just tried it for the recipe. I’m assumming its the instant coffee powder’s fault. Please let me know! Thanks💕

  2. Grace

    5 stars
    I made these for a vegan outreach stall at my university and despite initially having problems due to our oven, everybody loved these! I had multiple people coming back just to say how good they were and was asked by multiple people for the recipe. Personally I thought they were absolutely delicious and I will be making them again very soon

  3. Jeanne

    Hello, If I want to make a blondie by following your recipe, by what can I substitute the cacao ?

    Thank you !

  4. Dan

    I’ve made these brownies a few times now and they are always amazing – definitely the best vegan brownies (or probably any brownie??) I’ve ever had. They are well worth the extra effort of whipping the aquafaba. Even my non-vegan family and friends think they’re the best!

  5. Ben

    5 stars
    I would say a vegan dessert is a good recipe if it is better than 50% of the non-vegan versions. I would say that this recipe here is better than 90% of the non-vegan versions.

    I filled up a plate to bring upstairs to my computer and half did not make it to the top of the stairs.

  6. Louise

    4 stars
    I’ve made these brownies twice and in both cases the center part of the brownies sank, leaving the edges much higher. Can you advise me as to what I may have done or not done that caused this to happen? I’d like to try to make them again, this time without them shrinking. I look forward to your suggestions. Thank you.

    1. Ben

      You might get a oven thermometer, my oven is consistently a whole 50 degrees F off.

    2. Ronna Wallace

      I made these two days ago and had the same thing happen the centre sunk and the sides were quite high, my oven is accurate so I am wondering what other factors may have caused this to happen?

  7. Celina

    5 stars
    These truly are the best brownies ever. I have made this recipe so many times, and it is always a success! The recipe has become really famous among my friends and they ask me to make these or to send them the recipe all the time.
    Thank you so much for this recipe, Nisha!

    1. Kaitlin @ Rainbow Plant Life

      Your positive feedback is the best reward for our hard work. Thank you, Celina!

  8. Bellinda

    Hi, brownies look yummy delicious. Can i use butter instead if i dont have vegan butter?

    1. Kaitlin @ Rainbow Plant Life

      Hi Bellinda, we’re vegan and don’t cook with regular butter, so I’m afraid we cannot advise you about whether it will work in this recipe. Sorry we couldn’t be of more help, we hope you get to try the recipe!

  9. Jill

    5 stars
    This is the BEST vegan brownie recipe!! They are soooooo delicious and prefect in every way. I baked them 37 mins and they were still super fudgy in the middle. Next time will try baking a bit longer because I preferred the texture of the edge pieces :) AND they are even better the next day!

    1. Kaitlin @ Rainbow Plant Life

      Hi Jill, so jazzed to hear you loved the recipe 🎷 This is a favorite in my house too!

  10. Natalia

    5 stars
    Okay! I LOVEEEEEE LOVE LOOOVEEEE These brownies! I mean they are Sooo addicting
    Great recipe,my family loves them.. thank you so much for these!!!💚

    1. Kaitlin @ Rainbow Plant Life

      Hey Natalia! Wow, I can feel your enthusiasm about this recipe through the screen! Love it!

  11. Priyanka

    Hi,

    I live in the UK and can’t find cane sugar, is there another type of sugar I can use to replace the cane sugar. I have caster sugar, brown sugar or white sugar.

    Thanks,
    Priyanka

    1. Celina

      I just use normal white sugar, and it works perfectly!

      1. Priyanka

        5 stars
        Hi!

        Thanks so much, I realised it’s golden caster sugar which I found in Asda :)

        Made the brownies using that and turned out exceptionally good.

  12. Ali

    5 stars
    Amazing recipe! Thank you so much. Can I ask how you store these and how long they are good for? Sorry if you already answered this! I couldn’t find the answer.

    1. Kaitlin @ Rainbow Plant Life

      Hi Ali, we are so happy you love the brownies! The answer to this question can be found in the FAQ section but I’ll paste it here for your convenience:

      “First, try to slice only as many brownies as you need (or want). This is the best way to keep them as moist as possible. The leftover block of brownies can be stored in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days at room temperature of 8 to 10 days in the fridge.

      If you don’t have a container big enough to fit the unsliced brownies, slice and and store the pieces in an airtight container.”

  13. Diane

    5 stars
    Just out of the oven and these are truly delicious, chocolatey, rich, chewy brownies. They may not last the night 💖

    1. Kaitlin @ Rainbow Plant Life

      We’re so happy that the brownies turned out well for you, Diane. Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment and for trying out the recipe!

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