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Vegan Brownies are so rich and fudgy! These brownies are made with applesauce instead of eggs but you’d never guess – they are just as decadent as regular brownies – no black beans in sight. And you can make them gluten-free!
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Best Vegan Brownies EVER
I like to keep a few vegan dessert recipes up my sleeve because you never know when you might be making dessert for someone following a vegan diet. Case in point: vegan brownies. They’re rich, they’re fudgy, they’re SO GOOD. You’d never guess that they’re applesauce brownies without eggs.
The first time I made this vegan brownies recipe was several years ago for a school cookie exchange I organized for the teachers. I wanted to make sure everyone would enjoy the exchange so made a batch of these fudgy brownies. Since then, they’ve been my go-to when I need a chocolatey vegan treat!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Easy vegan brownies are simple to make: one bowl, no mixer needed
- You can make them into gluten free brownies easily
- Skip the black bean brownies – these are better!
- I love when recipes are accidentally vegan, like my chocolate cupcakes!
Ingredients Needed
- Vegetable oil – This is the fat needed to make nice and fudgy brownies. While traditional brownies use melted butter, that’s not vegan, so we’re using vegetable oil. You can also use coconut oil.
- Unsweetened applesauce – This is used in place of the egg. Since I’m not a regular vegan baker, I’m not versed in using flax eggs or things like that, so applesauce is a great substitute. It also helps keep the brownies moist.
- Chocolate – this recipe has THREE kinds of chocolate! Unsweetened cocoa powder, unsweetened baking chocolate and chocolate chips. You can also use Dutch Process cocoa if you want. Be sure to use natural cocoa powder and vegan chocolate chips.
- Flour: I used all-purpose flour, but it’s easy to make these gluten free flour. I like to use Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free 1:1 AP Flour (in the light-blue bag!).
How to make Vegan Brownies
- Combine the oil and sugar in a large bowl. Add the vanilla, cocoa, applesauce, melted chocolate and salt and stir.
- Slowly add the flour and then fold in the chocolate chips.
- Bake the brownies in a preheated 350 degree oven for 25 to 28 minutes – cool them in the pan before slicing.
- I also like to dust the cooled brownies with some powdered sugar for a pretty presentation.
Expert Tips
- If you’re not used to vegan baking like me, be sure the ingredients you purchase are actually vegan. Things like chocolate chips and baking chocolate might not be – so check the labels.
- Don’t over bake the brownies – you want a rich fudgy texture. They should just lose their glossy sheen and not look wet in the center when they’re done.
- I often line my pan with foil but you can also use parchment paper.
- Make Cosmic Brownies vegan by using this brownie recipe.
FAQs
Store these in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze them for up to 3 months.
I wouldn’t consider these healthier, with all the sugar, but they do have a better oil and applesauce, so they’re good if you’re following a vegan diet.
Vegan Brownies Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 4 ounces unsweetened applesauce (about 1/2 cup)
- 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate , melted
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (Vegan ones, to keep it vegan)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9×9” pan with foil and spray with cooking spray.
- Stir together oil and sugar. Stir in vanilla, cocoa, and applesauce. Add melted chocolate and salt, stir until smooth. Slowly stir in flour. Add chocolate chips.
- Pour into prepared pan and bake 25-28 minutes. Cool before cutting.
- Top with a sprinkling of powdered sugar for a pretty presentation!
Recipe Notes
- If you’re not used to vegan baking like me, be sure the ingredients you purchase are actually vegan. Things like chocolate chips and baking chocolate might not be – so check the labels.
- Don’t over bake the brownies – you want a rich fudgy texture. They should just lose their glossy sheen and not look wet in the center when they’re done.
- I often line my pan with foil but you can also use parchment paper.
Recipe Nutrition
Special Diet Recipes
You will never know these are egg free brownies! These are still rich and fudgy, but made with applesauce instead of egg – the perfect vegan dessert recipe.
Just to clarify the comments about sugar, it is true that most sugar is not considered vegan due to the high percentage of sugar refined using bone char (usually cow bones). Because it is not known whether particular sugar was processed this way, vegans avoid regular sugar. To be sure sugar is not processed this way, vegans (or people who do not like the idea of cow bones being in their sugar) can buy sugar labeled organic, raw, turbinado, evaporated cane juice or simply vegan sugar. So it does not make sense to say the recipe is “not vegan.” It depends what specific ingredients you use. A vegan person would look at the recipe and make it with vegan sugar and vegan chocolate chips (yes, due to the sugar, strict vegans wouldn’t use the Ghiradelli chips). Enjoy Life makes vegan chocolate chips (also free of major allergens minus soy) as does Whole Foods 365 brand. There are also other brands available at Whole Foods, health stores or online. Major grocery stores now carry many more natural products as well.
I commend you on your thoughtfulness in providing the teacher a gift she can enjoy!
Thank you for the clarification Sarah! I’ll keep it in mind for sure next time I bake vegan!
Firstly, I just want to point out that these are not truly vegan brownies, because of the sugar. Animal bones are used in the process of making normal sugar that the average family uses. However, I was making these because there are several dairy allergies in my home, and I really wanted to make something chocolatey and delicious for the kids. These were PERFECT. I’ve made them twice, once with the normal amount of sugar and once with only one cup. I definitely prefer it with a bit less sugar, but only because then I can eat so many more! I also added in a little bit more applesauce. The centre is so chewy and soft, without feeling like dough. It’s perfect. My family couldn’t even tell they were “vegan” (sans the sugar)! 🙂
I had no idea that sugar wasn’t vegan!! Thanks for letting me know. I’m totally craving these brownies!
These are in the oven now. I made them gluten free though. Can’t wait to try them
Enjoy! Let me know how they are gluten free!
Hi I just looke at your sight for the first time the other day. I’m making a vegan brownie for a restaurant I work for and I tried your recipe to get ideas of what a good vegan brownie is like. Something went wrong though and I was wondering when you make them what is the consistency of the batter supposed to look like?
It’s a very thick batter – you have to spread it with your hands instead of pouring. It’ll be dense!
Ok thanks. In the oven now ill let you know.
These look so delicious and i’m making them for a party this weekend.
But i can’t help but ask, doesn’t the chocolate have milk in it? Its so hard to find milk free chocolate at supermarkets.
And i’m sure ghiradelli put milk products in theirs….
Thanks Blanca! I googled a few things and ghiradelli semi-sweet chocolate is supposedly vegan. There is no dairy listed in the ingredients. But, if you’re worried about it, I know that some grocery stores carry a vegan chocolate chip in the healthy food/natural aisle. Or, you can leave them out! 🙂
thanks so much. i know ghiradelli is a little hard to come by over here in aus. and they sell small amounts of dairy free choc for ridiculous prices in the health aisle. a few of the people are lactose intolerant so i want to make them something that they don’t have to miss out on. i’ll just keep my hunt on for chocolate!
Just a quick thing about the Ghiradelli Semi Sweet Chips. Check the ingredients to make sure it does not contain Milk Fat. some of their formulas are now containing milk fat that was not there before (the ones on my shelf do not list it. but the package I just bought DOES have milk fat listed, and the front of the package looks the same. Maybe they reformulated?) I am not a Vegan, so makes no difference to me. But i know a lot of people may not know about the change 🙂
Good to know Matt! Thank you for letting me know that. I’ll be sure to check before I bake vegan again!
I’m not sure about semi-sweet chocolate (honestly just never looked it up), but most dark chocolate is actually vegan. I know this because I’m lactose intolerant, and for the past four years it is the only chocolate I have been able to eat.
Good to know!! I figured as much, but I knew for a fact that that one was. 🙂 Thanks so much!
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