Best Fudgy Vegan Brownies

Vegan Brownies incredibly fudgy, rich, and chocolatey with a beautiful crackly top. Made with simple ingredients like cocoa powder, almond milk, and neutral oil, they’re so easy to make and absolutely delicious.

Love More Dessert Recipes? Try My German Chocolate Brownies or this Irresistible Apple Brownies next.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Fudgy, chocolatey, and completely irresistible, these Vegan Brownies prove you don’t need dairy or eggs for a decadent dessert. With a moist, tender crumb and deep cocoa flavor, every bite feels indulgent and satisfying. Easy to make with simple ingredients.

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Ingredient List

Dry Ingredients:

• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• Pinch of salt

Wet Ingredients:

• 1 cup sugar (granulated or coconut sugar)
• ½ cup neutral oil (like vegetable or canola)
• ½ cup unsweetened almond milk (or other plant milk)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Optional Add-In:

• ½ cup vegan chocolate chips

Friendly Notes: You can use any plant milk you have on hand—oat, soy, or cashew all work beautifully! Coconut sugar will give you a slightly deeper, caramel-like flavor, while granulated sugar keeps things classic and sweet.

Why These Ingredients Work

The cocoa powder is your star player, delivering that intense chocolate flavor we all crave. I always use Dutch-process cocoa when I have it because it gives such a rich, deep color and taste.

The oil keeps these brownies incredibly moist and fudgy—unlike butter, oil doesn’t solidify when cooled, so your brownies stay soft and tender.

The sugar isn’t just for sweetness; it also contributes to that gorgeous crackly top and helps create the perfect texture. Almond milk adds moisture without any heaviness, and the vanilla extract enhances all those chocolate notes.

That tiny bit of baking powder? It gives just enough lift without making them cakey—we want fudgy, not fluffy! And if you’re adding chocolate chips, well, that’s just extra pockets of melty chocolate goodness in every bite!

Essential Tools and Equipment

You’ll need:

• 8×8-inch baking pan
• Parchment paper or cooking spray
• Two mixing bowls (one large, one medium)
• Whisk
• Rubber spatula
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Toothpick (for testing doneness)

How To Make Vegan Brownies

Step 1: Preheat and Prep Your Pan

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on the sides (this makes removal SO much easier later!), or lightly grease it with cooking spray.

Step 2: Mix the Wet Ingredients

In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar and oil until they’re smooth and well-combined. This should take about 30 seconds of good whisking. Then add your almond milk and vanilla extract, stirring until everything looks uniform and slightly glossy.

Quick tip: Make sure your oil is at room temperature so it mixes easily with the other ingredients!

Step 3: Combine the Dry Ingredients

In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Give it a good whisk to break up any cocoa lumps—nobody wants cocoa pockets in their brownies!

Step 4: Bring It All Together

Add your dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir gently with a rubber spatula until just combined. You’ll still see a few streaks of flour, and that’s perfect! Overmixing develops gluten and makes your brownies tough instead of tender and fudgy.

Important: Stop stirring as soon as you don’t see any dry flour. The batter will be thick and luscious!

Step 5: Fold in the Chocolate Chips

If you’re using vegan chocolate chips (and I highly recommend you do!), gently fold them into the batter. Reserve a few to sprinkle on top if you want that bakery-style look!

Step 6: Pour and Smooth

Pour the batter into your prepared pan and use your spatula to smooth the top evenly. Don’t worry about making it perfect—rustic is beautiful!

Step 7: Bake to Fudgy Perfection

Bake for 20-25 minutes. Here’s the secret: you want the center to be set but still slightly fudgy. Insert a toothpick into the center—it should come out with moist crumbs, NOT wet batter, but also NOT completely clean. This is the key to fudgy brownies!

Watch carefully: Ovens vary, so start checking at 20 minutes. Better to slightly underbake than overbake!

Step 8: Cool Completely

This is the hardest part, I promise! Let the brownies cool completely in the pan before cutting. I know it’s tempting, but warm brownies will be too soft to cut cleanly. I usually let mine cool for at least an hour, or pop them in the fridge for 30 minutes if I’m impatient!

You Must Know

The Fudgy Factor: The difference between fudgy and cakey brownies comes down to two things: baking time and ratio of wet to dry ingredients. For ultra-fudgy brownies, pull them out when they’re just barely set in the center. They’ll continue cooking slightly as they cool. Trust me on this—slightly underbaked is perfect!

Personal Secret: I always let my brownies cool completely, then refrigerate them for 2 hours before cutting. Cold brownies cut into perfect, clean squares without crumbling. Then I let them come back to room temperature before serving.

Room Temperature Matters: If your almond milk is cold from the fridge, that’s fine! But if your kitchen is very cold and your oil starts to solidify, warm everything slightly. You want a smooth, pourable batter.

Pro Tips & Cooking Hacks

• Cocoa quality counts: Use the best quality cocoa powder you can afford. It makes a huge difference in flavor! I love Ghirardelli or Valrhona.
• The pan matters: Dark metal pans conduct heat better and can cause over-browning on the edges. If using a dark pan, reduce oven temperature by 25°F.
• Don’t skip the parchment: That parchment paper overhang is your best friend for lifting the whole brownie block out of the pan for perfect cutting.
• Common mistake: Opening the oven door too early causes temperature drops. Wait until at least 18 minutes before checking.
• Smart shortcut: Use a pizza cutter to slice cooled brownies into perfect squares!
• Chocolate chip tip: Mix your chocolate chips with a tiny bit of flour before folding them in—this prevents them from sinking to the bottom.

Flavor Variations & Suggestions

Peppermint Brownies: Add ½ teaspoon peppermint extract along with the vanilla and fold in crushed vegan peppermint candies.

Espresso Brownies: Dissolve 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder in the almond milk before adding it. The coffee intensifies the chocolate flavor!

Peanut Butter Swirl: Drop spoonfuls of natural peanut butter on top of the batter and swirl with a knife before baking.

Double Chocolate: Fold in both chocolate chips AND chopped vegan chocolate bars for maximum chocolate intensity.

Nutty Brownies: Add ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans for crunch and richness.

Sea Salt Caramel: Drizzle with vegan caramel sauce and sprinkle with flaky sea salt after baking.

Orange Zest: Add 1 tablespoon fresh orange zest to the wet ingredients for a sophisticated chocolate-orange flavor.

Make-Ahead Options

These brownies are perfect for meal prep! You can make the batter up to 24 hours ahead and store it covered in the refrigerator. Just let it sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before baking, and you might need to add 2-3 minutes to the baking time.

For longer storage, baked brownies keep beautifully! They stay fresh at room temperature for 3-4 days in an airtight container. In the fridge, they’ll last up to a week—I actually love eating them cold straight from the fridge on hot days!

Freezer-Friendly: These brownies freeze like a dream! Cut them into individual squares, wrap each one in plastic wrap, and store in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for 30 minutes, or warm in the microwave for 15-20 seconds for that just-baked taste.

Recipe Notes & Baker’s Tips

About the sugar: Coconut sugar works wonderfully here and adds a subtle caramel note. Just know that your brownies will be slightly darker in color and the flavor will be a touch less sweet with a hint of molasses.

Oil options: I prefer neutral oils like vegetable or canola because they don’t interfere with the chocolate flavor. You can use melted coconut oil, but be aware it might add a slight coconut taste (which isn’t necessarily bad if you like that!).

Pan size adjustments: Using a 9×9-inch pan will give you thinner brownies—reduce baking time by 3-5 minutes. A 7×7-inch pan makes thicker brownies and needs an extra 5 minutes of baking time.

The toothpick test: This is crucial! Your toothpick should have moist crumbs attached, not wet batter. If it comes out completely clean, you’ve overbaked them slightly (they’ll still be delicious, just more cakey).

Serving Suggestions

Oh, the possibilities! I love serving these brownies slightly warm with a big scoop of vanilla coconut milk ice cream melting all over the top. For a fancy presentation, dust them with powdered sugar and add fresh raspberries on the side—the tartness cuts through the richness beautifully.

For parties, I cut them into small squares and serve them on a platter with a drizzle of dairy-free caramel sauce and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt. You can also crumble them over dairy-free vanilla pudding for a quick brownie parfait, or sandwich dairy-free ice cream between two brownie squares for homemade ice cream sandwiches!

Perfect pairings: Serve alongside a glass of cold almond milk, a cup of strong coffee, or even a rich hot chocolate for ultimate chocolate indulgence.

How to Store Your Vegan Brownies

Room Temperature: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days. I like to place a piece of parchment paper between layers if I’m stacking them.

Refrigerator: If your kitchen is warm or humid, store them in the fridge for up to one week. They’ll become extra fudgy and dense—honestly, some people prefer them this way!

Freezer: Wrap individual brownies tightly in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer-safe container or bag. They’ll keep for up to 3 months. No need to thaw before eating if you like them cold and fudgy!

Reheating: Warm individual brownies in the microwave for 10-15 seconds for that fresh-from-the-oven experience. You can also warm them in a 300°F oven for 5 minutes if reheating several at once.

Allergy Information

Common Allergens Present:

• Gluten (from all-purpose flour)
• Tree nuts (if using almond milk)

Allergy-Friendly Substitutions:

Gluten-Free: Replace the all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend (like Bob’s Red Mill). Make sure your baking powder is certified gluten-free too!

Nut-Free: Use oat milk, soy milk, or any other nut-free plant milk instead of almond milk. Just make sure your chocolate chips are also nut-free if you have a severe allergy.

Soy-Free: Many vegan chocolate chips contain soy lecithin. Look for brands like Enjoy Life that are soy-free, or simply omit the chocolate chips.

Refined Sugar-Free: Coconut sugar works perfectly in this recipe as a 1:1 replacement. You could also use maple sugar for a different flavor profile.

Questions I Get Asked A Lot

Can I taste the difference between these and regular brownies?

Honestly? No! I’ve served these to non-vegan friends and family countless times, and no one can tell the difference. They’re just as fudgy, rich, and chocolatey as traditional brownies. The key is not overbaking them!

Why are my brownies cakey instead of fudgy?

This usually happens from overbaking or overmixing the batter. Remember, your toothpick should come out with moist crumbs, not clean! Also, mixing too vigorously develops gluten, which creates a cakier texture. Stir just until combined.

Can I use whole wheat flour instead of all-purpose?

You can, but I’d recommend using white whole wheat flour rather than regular whole wheat for a lighter texture. The brownies will be slightly denser and have a nuttier flavor. You might need to add an extra tablespoon of almond milk too.

My brownies turned out dry—what went wrong?

Dry brownies are almost always from overbaking. Every oven is different, so start checking at 20 minutes. Even 2-3 minutes too long can make a difference! Also make sure you measured your flour correctly—spooning it into the measuring cup rather than scooping can prevent using too much.

💬 Tried this recipe? Leave a comment and rating below! I’d love to hear how your vegan brownies turned out, and if you tried any fun variations.