This vegan brownies recipe is quick and easy to make with a handful of everyday ingredients. Simple, fudgy and so delicious!
I’ve been making and bringing these vegan brownies to gatherings for nearly a decade now. And my friends — vegans and non-vegans alike — always adore them!
I’ve honestly found myself returning to these brownies so often because it’s one of those back-pocket recipes that only takes about 30 minutes to whip up and calls for basic pantry ingredients that I almost always have on hand. Plus it also sneaks half of a fresh avocado into the batter, whose healthy fats stand in for part of the oil needed and whose flavor is (at least in my opinion) completely undetectable in these brownies. People are always surprised to learn that they’re eating avocado brownies and give them rave reviews!
The most important thing you need to know about these brownies is that they’re rich and very chocolate-y and fudgy. And they are downright heavenly when served warm out of the pan with a cool scoop of vanilla ice cream. If you’re into the salty-sweet thing, I also highly recommend a pinch of flaky sea salt on top. Yum.
Let’s make some homemade brownies together! ♡
Vegan Brownie Recipe | 1-Minute Video
Vegan Brownie Ingredients
Before we get to the vegan brownies recipe detailed below, here are a few notes about the key ingredients you will need:
- Avocado: Fresh avocado, with its mild flavor and healthy fats, stands in for some of the oil in this recipe. Just mash it well with a fork and pack it firmly into a measuring cup to ensure that you use the proper amount.
- Oil: I recommend any neutral-flavored oil, such as avocado oil, grapeseed oil or vegetable oil.
- Flour: I typically make these brownies with basic all-purpose flour, but we’ve also enjoyed making them with white whole wheat flour too.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder: To give the brownies a rich chocolate base.
- Sugar: You’re welcome to use whatever type of granulated sugar that you prefer here. I often just reach for white granulated sugar, but we’ve also made these with coconut sugar and light brown sugar, and both options are delicious.
- Baking soda: To help the brownies rise.
- Vanilla extract: I recommend pure vanilla extract, as always, which tastes wonderful in these brownies.
- Salt: There is a hint of fine sea salt included in the batter, but you’re also welcome to sprinkle some flaky sea salt on top of the brownies just before serving.
- Water or coffee: You’re welcome to just use water to thin out the batter. However, if you happen to have some brewed coffee on hand, coffee does wonders for enhancing the chocolate flavor in these brownies (without making them taste like coffee). Feel free to use caffeinated or decaf coffee if you choose to go that route.
- Chocolate chips: Feel free to use whatever brand of vegan chocolate chips that you prefer, either standard-sized or mini chips.
Vegan Brownie Variations
Here are a few different ways that you’re welcome to customize this vegan brownie recipe:
- Double the avocado: Use 1/2 cup mashed avocado and omit the extra oil entirely. The brownies will have a slightly stronger avocado taste, naturally, but the texture will still be similar.
- Omit the avocado: If you don’t happen to have a ripe avocado on hand, you can use 1/2 cup of oil (instead of 1/4 cup oil) and omit the avocado entirely.
- Use a chocolate bar: If you’re having difficulty tracking down vegan chocolate chips, you’re welcome to roughly chop a vegan chocolate bar (you will need around 8 to 10 ounces) into small pieces and add those to the recipe instead.
- Add nuts: Stir up to 1/2 cup of chopped nuts (such as pecans or walnuts) into the batter along with the chocolate chips.
- Add cookies: Roughly chop and sprinkle a few vegan cookies (similar to Oreos) on top of the batter before baking.
- Add different chips: Add vegan white chocolate chips instead of semisweet chocolate chips.
How To Store Brownies
In case you find yourself with leftovers, here’s everything you need to know about how to store brownies:
- On the counter: Once the brownies have cooled to room temperature, you can cover the top of the pan with foil or transfer the brownies to a sealed container and store on the countertop for up to 48 hours.
- In the fridge: Likewise, you can refrigerate the brownies in a sealed container for up to 1 week.
- In the freezer: Can you freeze brownies? Definitely! Once they have cooled to room temperature, wrap them (either individually or as a large brick) tightly with some type of cling wrap. Then place the wrapped brownies in a ziplock freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to thaw the brownies, unwrap the brownies and let them rest on the countertop until they reach room temperature.
More Vegan Chocolate Dessert Recipes
Looking for more chocolate vegan dessert recipes to try? Here are a few of my faves:
Vegan Brownies
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup well-mashed avocado*
- 1/4 cup avocado oil (or any neutral-flavored oil)
- 1 cup (140 grams) all-purpose flour (or white whole wheat flour)
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3/4 cup granulated white sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2/3 cup water (or coffee, see note below)
- 1 1/2 cups (around 9 ounces) vegan chocolate chips
Instructions
- Prep oven and pan. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Line an 8-inch square pan with parchment paper or grease lightly with cooking spray.
- Mix the batter. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the mashed avocado and oil to combine, taking care to break up any big chunks of avocado. Add in the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, vanilla extract, salt, and water (or coffee) and stir until combined. Use a spatula to gently fold in 1 cup of the chocolate chips until just combined.
- Bake. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it in an even layer. Sprinkle evenly with the remaining 1/2 cup chocolate chips. Bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. (Be careful not to over-bake, or else the brownies will move from being more fudgy to much more cake-like in texture.)
- Cool. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool for at least 20 to 25 minutes before serving.
- Serve. Cut into squares, serve and enjoy!
Notes
Did you make this?Let me know how it turned out in the comments below!
I’m confused with the sugar mesurements! It says sugar and brown sugar, but in the ingredients list it only shows how much cane sugar to use. Is there a seperate measurement for brown sugar? You you just split the brown sugar and cane sugar?
Hey Cristina, we apologize for confusion — Ali adapted the recipe some when she re-posted it. So it is actually just cane/granulated sugar (3/4 cup.) The recipe has been updated, but we just wanted to let you know! We hope you enjoy them!
These were EXCELLENT.
They were rich but not too sweet.
Everyone was asking for seconds, and thirds.
We used the coffee-water combo and added a handful of chopped pecans.
Thanks so much for the recipe.
Thanks Ann, we’re so happy you enjoyed these! And mmmm, pecans — great addition! :)
Thank you for this recipe. As a vegan who has given up all baked goods because it’s difficult to find any not made with processed sugar, I have several questions:
The instructions include Brown Sugar, but I don’t see that ingredient listed in the recipe. I have read all the comments to date and noticed someone substituted Maple Syrup for the Brown Sugar. (yay!) But where and how much?
As I mentioned above, I don’t eat processed sugar, so I need suggestions on what to use as a sweetener instead of the cane or granulated sugar, without throwing off the dry to wet ratio. My preferred sweeteners are Agave Nectar, Maple Syrup, Mashed Bananas or another fruit. (I don’t like the bitterness of Stevia.) It is possible for me to use a wet sweetener? And if so, what dry ingredient do I need to add, to keep the balance?
I also noticed that someone mentioned Lemon Juice in the recipe, but I don’t see it listed! How much Lemon Juice is used, and when? (I prefer the taste of lemon juice to apple cider vinegar, which is what someone else used as a substitute.)I liked someone else’s suggestion to use Walnut Pieces instead of chocolate chips. I have yet to find vegan chocolate chips made without processed sugar, so I had planned to leave them out of the recipe. I love walnuts or pecans. Good to know I can add them instead.
I have tried to use code to create line breaks in this long comment for easier reading. I hope it worked. If not, sorry! I look forward to your reply.Hi Yolanda! We apologize for the late response on this. And we apologize for confusion — Ali adapted the recipe some when she re-posted it. So it is actually just cane/granulated sugar (3/4 cup.) The recipe has been updated, but we just wanted to let you know! You could certainly use maple syrup or agave in these! We’d suggest using 1/2 cup of agave or maple syrup, and then reduce the coffee/water down to 1/2 cup, instead of 3/4 cup. Hmmm, not sure where you saw lemon juice in this recipe? There’s a possibility that Ali may have originally included it, but it no longer appears to be in the recipe. We hope this helps, and that you enjoy these — please let us know if you have any other questions!
LOVE the variation of using coffee instead of just water!
Thanks Sarah, we hope you enjoy these! : )
Yum! Made them with walnut pieces instead of chocolate chips. So easy and great! Thanks
Leah, that sounds delicious, we love walnuts!
Just made these and they were super easy and sooo yummy! Had to stop myself from eating half the pan!
That’s awesome, Becky! We’re so happy you liked them!
These look great! Has anyone calculated the nutrition facts by any chance?
What about using almond flour and stevia instead? Would I need to adjust the measurements?
Hi Mary! Sure, you can do just under a teaspoon of stevia, but you don’t need to adjust the the flour amount, so use 1 cup of almond flour. Hope you enjoy these!
Wow. What a great alternative to normal brownies. These look great!
Thanks, Erin!
I am also with you in that 0.0001% of women who do not eat chocolate. I am actually allergic, but it doesn’t appeal to me very often, so I’m not sure I would eat it even if I wasn’t allergic. But these look incredibly sinful and something that would be great for a crowd! Yumm!
Wow, I feel like chocolate allergies are pretty rare, aren’t they? That’s great that you’re not too interested in it, I imagine it would be such a hard thing to be allergic to otherwise!