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Hi Bold Bakers!
I don’t have a lot of limitations regarding what I eat but I know many of you do, so I’ve enjoyed compiling my best tips, tricks and ingredients to make all of your favorite recipes guilt-free. Although many of you loved my Best Ever Brownies, I’m empathetic to the requests for an egg-free alternative. Combined with the positive reaction to my Guilt-Free Twix-Bars, I’ve developed my wholesome and deliciously fudgy Vegan Brownies.
The best brownies are the epitome of chocolate heaven. While the thick, luxuriously yummy squares are usually achieved by mixing together a hefty amount of butter or oil with cocoa, flour, eggs and sugar, this recipe takes those ingredients and swaps them out for wholesome alternatives; the new ingredients create the same flavor and texture without the excess oil, sugar or eggs. In other words, this recipe is magical!
How do you make homemade brownies without eggs?
Eggs are used as binding agents in brownies but they are not necessary when replaced with the right substitute. In vegan brownies, eggs can be substituted with “flax eggs.” When flax meal is combined with water, it congeals together to create a gelatinous consistency similar to eggs. This process is called “blooming.” Once bloomed, the flax egg replaces the egg as the binding agent. For other egg alternatives, check out my handy and downloadable egg substitution chart.
Making a Delicious Gluten Free Dessert
I begin the recipe with almond flour (get my homemade almond flour recipe); the nutty, finely ground meal stays moist and flavorful right through the baking process. Into the almond flour, I add coconut sugar (a naturally unrefined sugar that tastes and looks similar to brown sugar), cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.
Is all chocolate and cocoa powder vegan?
That all depends. Cocoa derives from toasted, natural cocoa beans so at its core, yes, cocoa powder is suitable for vegan desserts. The same goes for chocolate. However, both can often have added ingredients in it such as milk powder. It’s important to check the label for any unwanted additives when looking for your choice powder and baking chocolate!
In addition to a ton of melted chocolate, the wet ingredients include the above mentioned flax egg, almond butter, coconut oil, vanilla and maple syrup. All of these combine to make the fudgiest of decadent brownies. The almond butter and oil make this vegan recipe densely moist while the maple syrup adds just the right sweetness – without any extra sugar.
I think it’s easy to imagine how rich and chocolaty these brownies are. While this process may seem a bit unconventional, the flavor and texture is arguably even better than your same old brownie recipe. I cannot wait for you to sink your teeth into these brownies – they’re a luxury everyone can feel good about indulging in!
Check out my other Vegan Recipes and Guilt-Free Desserts:
Watch The Recipe Video!
Egg Free Brownies Recipe (Vegan)
Ingredients
- 2 flax eggs: 2 tablespoons ground flax mixed with 5 tablespoons water, mixture needs to sit for 15 minutes
- 2/3 cup (4oz/115g) sugar (coconut or brown)
- 1/2 cup (2oz/57g) almond flour
- 1/3 cup (1 1/3oz/37g) cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (3oz/85g) bittersweet chocolate, roughly chopped
- 1/3 cup (2 1/2oz/71g) creamy unsalted almond butter
- 1/4 cup (1oz/28g) coconut oil (or vegetable oil)
- 1/4 cup (1oz/28g) maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup (2oz/57g) chocolate, roughly chopped
Instructions
- First, prepare the flax eggs by combining the ground flax with water. Allow sitting for 15 mins while preparing the rest of the batter.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C) and line an 8x8 inch square pan with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl combine the sugar, almond flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt, set aside.
- In a medium, microwave-safe bowl, melt the chopped chocolate. Once melted add in the almond butter, coconut oil, maple syrup and vanilla and stir.
- Allow to cool slightly then add in the flax eggs and whisk until evenly combined.
- Whisk the dry mixture into the wet until just combined (be careful not to over mix). Then fold in the chopped chocolate.
- Transfer the batter to the lined baking pan and bake for 20-25 minutes or until just set in the center. Take care not to over bake or they won't be as fudgy on the inside.
- Allow cooling completely to room temp before cutting into squares. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze and thaw for another time.
Recipe Notes
I just got done making these. The flavor is amazing, however, they are super greasy (when I cut them and took a square out, there was standing oil on the parchment paper). I used 1/4c Coconut oil as stated in the recipe. Any suggestions to remedy the greasiness would be super helpful. Thanks so much!
Hola Gemma! This is an amazing recipe! Definitely gonna try it ASAP. I know there are more vegan recipes up on your blog! But, can you please upload more vegan recipes on your blog! Please ! Please!
Hi Gemma,
Thank you SO MUCH for adding egg free/dairy free recipes!! Oh I love these!
Please share more recipes like this.
Thanks,
These are the best vegan brownies I’ve ever tried, I gifted some to a friend and she loved them! (I used a chia seed egg instead of a flax egg – 1 tablespoon of chia seeds mixed with 3 tablespoons of water) and they worked perfectly! ????????
These are the best brownies ever. When I first made the recipe, I didn’t have any almond butter, but I did have vegan nutella – so I used that, and they came out amazing.
I’m making them again right now, and even though I have almond on hand, I decided to stick with the vegan nutella.
Honestly, these are the best ooey, gooey, brownies.
i’d love to try this! can i substitute maple syrup to date paste? and coconut oil with butter or vegan butter? thank you
Substitute for maple syrup??
Heyy Gemma I have tried this recipe
My whole family is vegan gluten free and sugar free so we can’t find a lot of it specially in sweet and I am 13 and my mother felt so good when I baked this trust me whenever I bake any any of ur recipes it’s never like it’s going in the bin if u don’t make the recipe which I am looking for then I don’t even try it from some other person
U and ur work is just amazing
Can I use regular butter instead of almond butter
Best vegan brownies ❤️❤️