Vegan brownie recipe

How to make delicious vegan brownies

One of my favourite things in this world is a good brownie. Brownies, for me, are about both the flavour and texture in equal measure and getting both right is a tough feat! They should taste rich and chocolatey without being sickly and have a smooth, fudgy texture, but crispy edges just for a bit of contrast in the bite. My vegan brownie recipe delivers all of that!

I found it hard enough to achieve the perfect texture when using eggs and dairy (that I’m used to baking with), so it took me a few attempts before I mastered the vegan recipe with ingredients I was less familiar with. However, after A LOT of trial and error I finally got there! This is my vegan brownie recipe that now works every time. Enjoy!

Equipment

You’ll need only need a mixing bowl, spatula and a 10 x 6 inch rectangular baking dish for this recipe. Simple!

Ingredients:

113g vegan butter (melted)
200g white sugar
100g brown sugar
150ml vegan milk
150g plain flour
75g cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder

Method:

1. Pre-heat your oven to 180C and grease a 10 x 6 inch rectangular baking dish
2. Melt the vegan butter in the microwave (I find a 30 second blast on full 800W power does the trick)
3. Add the sugars and vegan milk and mix until smooth
4. Combine the flour, cocoa powder and baking powder and stir into the wet mixture, making sure to get rid of all the lumps
5. Pour the mixture into the baking pan and bake for 18 minutes (exactly!)
6. Remove from oven and put the pan on a wire rack to cool
7. Cut the brownies in the pan (they’ll be wonderfully fudgy, so best to keep them in the pan until you cut and eat them, as it will help them hold their shape)

Tips

For the vegan butter I like to use Flora Plant Butter as I find that it has the right fat content and doesn’t alter the flavour of my bakes like some other vegan butters do. For the vegan milk I find that oat gives a nice creamy flavour and texture, while others like soya are thinner and can alter the flavour of the bake.

Keep the closest eye on your baking brownies as even a minute over or under will make a massive difference to the texture! Over-cooking will leave them cakey and under cooking will mean they fall apart easily.
Cooling the brownies in the pan is important as it gives them a little residual heat just to set. These are super fudgy brownies, so they need all the help they can get to hold their shape and a slow cool like this will do the trick.

You can also buy a tray of delicious brownies, delivered to your door. They’re great for special occasions, or just to send some love.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I freeze these vegan brownies?

Yes! Once fully cooled, wrap them tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature for a couple of hours before eating – they’ll still be wonderfully fudgy.

What can I use instead of vegan butter or vegan milk?

Any block-style vegan butter should work well here, though I always come back to Flora Plant Butter for the texture. For the milk, oat gives the creamiest result, but soya or almond will work too – just expect a very slightly thinner batter with soya.

Why aren’t my brownies fudgy?

It almost always comes down to timing. Even a minute or two over the 18-minute mark will set them further than you want, so I’d recommend checking a minute or two early the first time you make these, especially if your oven runs hot.

Are these brownies gluten-free?

Not as written, since they use plain flour, but you can usually swap in a 1:1 gluten-free plain flour blend with good results – I’d just keep a close eye on the bake time as it can vary slightly.

How long do these brownies keep?

Stored in an airtight container in the fridge, they’ll stay fresh and fudgy for about 4-5 days.