Chocolate lovers rejoice! Today I'm sharing with you my brand new recipe for Easy Fudgy Vegan Brownies. These aren't no sad cakey brownies (does anyone actually like cakey brownies)? These are super rich, super lush, super chocolatey, and incredibly FUDGY. This vegan brownies recipe is easy to make, and it also freezes very well. So I love to whip up a batch, toss em in the freezer, and then I have a brownie to grab whenever chocolatey cravings strike!
I wanted to post this recipe for two main reasons:
Reason 1: brownies. Need I say more?
Reason 2: in my first cookbook Fuss-Free Vegan, there is only one recipe that seems to deliver inconsistent results, and that is, you guessed it, my brownie recipe. For about 50% of people the recipe turns out gorgeously, but for the remaining 50% it unfortunately seems to result in a puddle. (A chocolatey delicious puddle, but still not the results we were going for).
So I wanted to rectify this by posting a new and improved recipe that I hope will knock your socks off! These easy vegan fudgy brownies work every time.
Just 10 simple ingredients you likely already have in your pantry, and just 10 minutes of prep time (plus 35 minutes cooking time). Chewy on the outside, gooey on the inside. Yes please!
How to make Easy Fudgy Vegan Brownies:
In a small bowl, mix together the water and ground chia, set aside. If using flax it will take about 10 minutes to thicken. If using chia it will thicken almost instantly.
In a large microwave-safe bowl, add the vegan butter and ¼ cup chocolate chips. Melt the vegan butter and chocolate in the microwave stopping to stir every 20 seconds. Once it is almost melted (there will still be a few chips or small pieces left), remove it from the microwave and stir to finish melting. (This ensures you don't burn the chocolate). Remove from the microwave and whisk well to combine.
Add the flaxe or chia mixture, sugar, and vanilla extract to the melted chocolate and butter and mix well. Lastly add the cocoa powder, flour, baking powder, salt, and the remaining ¼ chocolate chips and mix well to make a thick batter.
Evenly spread into the prepared baking pan, and bak 30 - 35 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few wet crumbs (but no wet batter). You may have to test a few areas incase you hit a chocolate chip. Allow to cool completely in the pan before removing and slicing.
Welcome to brownie bliss! Easy fudgy vegan brownies are delicious served with a glass of cashew milk, a nice cup of coffee, or even a glass of red wine for a real treat.
Bon appetegan!
Sam Turnbull.
Easy Fudgy Vegan Brownies
My Notes:
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons warm water
- 3 tablespoons ground flax or ground chia seeds
- 6 tablespoons vegan butter
- ½ cup vegan chocolate chips, divided
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350F (180C). Line an 8" x 8" square pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides which will make it easier to remove the brownies.
- In a small bowl, mix together the water and flax or chia, set aside. If using flax it will take about 10 minutes to thicken. If using chia it will thicken almost instantly.
- In a large microwave safe bowl, add the vegan butter and ¼ cup chocolate chips. Melt the vegan butter and chocolate in the microwave stopping to stir every 20 seconds. Once it is almost melted (there will still be a few chips or small pieces left), remove it from the microwave and stir to finish melting. (This ensures you don't burn the chocolate). Remove from the microwave and whisk well to combine.
- Add the flax or chia mixture, sugar, and vanilla extract to the melted chocolate and butter and mix well. Lastly add the cocoa powder, flour, baking powder, salt, and the remaining ¼ chocolate chips and mix well to make a thick batter.
- Evenly spread into the prepared baking pan, and bak 30 - 35 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few wet crumbs (but no wet batter). You may have to test a few areas incase you hit a chocolate chip. Allow to cool completely in the pan before removing and slicing.
Melanie says
I saw this recipe and was hoping for so much brownie love. After using expensive chocolate, butter, flax seed it failed miserably. I really dislike wasting ingredients when I am on a limited budget. I then remembered making this one time before it failed then too. It separates and leaves a flat mushy, not gooey, oily mess. I love Sam's other recipes and have both of her books but I suggest everyone skip this one.
Lisa says
The same thing happened to me. It was an oily mess. I wonder if it was due to the vegan butter I used.
Melanie Stafford says
I used earth balance buttery sticks. I never have had a problem like this before or since
Connie Sawatzky says
What brand of vegan butter do you use in this recipe?
I have been using becel sticks and unfortunately cookbook recipe was a total fail for me. Love so so many of your recipes and desperately want this one to work. Thank you!
Ingrid says
Thank you Sam for once again, providing a recipe that is delicious and so EASY! You keep making me look good, and I love you for it. The texture of these brownies is perfect, and the whole chocolate chips add a lovely burst of extra chocolate flavor. Yum, yum, and yum!
Sam Turnbull says
Haha! Wonderful! So happy you enjoyed, Ingrid!!
Kim says
Easily the best brownies I've ever had! This recipe is incredible! Thank you so much!
Sam Turnbull says
Yay!!! So happy to hear that Kim!!
Jessica says
I made these tonight and they were dubbed Best Brownies Ever by my kids, husband and mother in law. Delicious! Thanks for another AWESOME recipe Sam!
Sam Turnbull says
Ha! Love it!!! You're most welcome, Jessica 🙂
Sayani says
Hi Sam! I'm a big fan of your recipes, especially the baked tofu bites and the super-fluffy vanilla cake. Just wondering if you used natural or Dutch-processed cocoa powder for this recipe? I would love to give this recipe a whirl but I only have natural cocoa powder in my house and don't want to risk ruining a batch with the wrong variety of cocoa powder. Thanks so much for clarifying!
Sam Turnbull says
I used Fry's Cocoa Powder for this recipe. Enjoy!
Kellye says
Although we are not vegan I wanted to add more vegan dishes to our menu and stumbled across these brownies. They are THE BEST brownies I have ever had hands down! I had ground flax seed on hand and used it. Since I didn't have vegan butter I used 3 T of regular butter and 3 T of olive oil. I cut the sugar by 1/3 and they are still plenty sweet. Other than these substitutions I made the recipe exactly as instructed. Couldn't be happier with the results:)
Sam Turnbull says
Haha I love that!!! Thrilled you enjoyed them so much Kellye!
Deenie says
No worries, but what I meant is that in this recipe it does actually convert them for some reason, wrongly - 1/4 tsp salt shows up as 1tsp metric, which was rather too much unfortunately!
Sam Turnbull says
Oh! I see! I fixed it now. That's weird that that happened! Sorry about that Deenie 🙂
Deenie says
Just letting you know that the metric conversion isn't working for the salt and baking powder - unfortunately I missed this and thus mine turned out rather salty and cakey 😛 But I can tell it's a great recipe, so will try it again in future, thanks!
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Deenie, the conversion is automatic but it never converts teaspoons, it always keeps them the same. 1 teaspoon is 5 mls. Hope that helps!
Danielle says
Just made these! They are decadent!
So I was one of those people who had trouble with the first brownie recipe. I have no idea why, they tasted delicious but they came out crumbly and fudgy at the same time. So that was interesting. BUT I just made this version and had perfect success and they taste amazing. Fudgy inside, just slightly crisp on the edges. I added walnuts to mine as well, fantastic!
I can’t wait to bring these to family functions. Easy to make and no one will ever know they are vegan 😉
Sam Turnbull says
Amazing! So thrilled they turned out perfectly for you Danielle 🙂
Jayde says
Can you use only melted chocolate instead of coco powder?
Sam Turnbull says
Not for this recipe
Gail P Sherman says
It turns out that if you don't read the instructions and put the full 1/2 cup of melted chocolate chips in the batter you end up with a bit of a mess. A delicious mess, but a mess. I will try to follow the actual directions next time!
Sam Turnbull says
Haha! Oh no! Yes, always follow directions carefully, especially when baking 🙂
Annie says
Does it matter what kind of vegan butter? Will the spreadable kind work even though it has a higher water content or does it have to be the stick kind? These look like the most perfect brownies & I can’t wait to make them 🙂
Sam Turnbull says
I used Earth Balance Buttery Spread in the tub. 🙂
Milica Yaksich says
I'd like to make these with walnuts and monk fruit sweetner instead of sugar. Is there anything I need to change in the recipe?
Sam Turnbull says
I'm not an expert in alternative sugar, so I can't advise on that, but you could stir in 1/4 cup of chopped walnuts at the end and that will add a nice crunch 🙂
Kim Emons says
Just made these. Sam hits the ball out of the park...again! Thank you for the weekly recipes Sam. I love the ease of your recipes and simple recipes. You make vegan cooking, baking so straightforward, there is no reason for people to NOT become vegan.
Magnificent! Decadent! And just downright yummy!
Sam Turnbull says
Aww thank you Kim!! That is my goal for sure... make food so good everyone will have no excuse! Haha 🙂
Mary Pritschet says
Can this recipe be made with a sugar substitute... I’m trying to watch my sugar intake.. Thank you
Yvonne says
She doesn’t suggest sugar substitute because that’s not her expertise. From what I know (I’m quite a noob), sugar has other functions aside from sweetening in baking. I’m not sure Sam’s purpose is solely for sweetening, if it is I think you can lessen the amount. Hopefully she sees my comment and reply us. I would like to know too! Xx
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Yvonne and Mary! Yes I'm really not an expert in alternative sugars. Here is a guide that may help you. 🙂
Sarah says
Can I use ground flax seed instead of chia? Or does it need to be chia for it to work out?
Sam Turnbull says
Yes! I meant to add that in, both flax or chia work wonderfully. 🙂
Heather says
Do you think flax eggs would work instead of chia seeds? I don't mind the texture of chia seeds, but I know some of my brownie eaters will find them and whine.
Sam Turnbull says
Yes you can use flax and it will work wonderfully! The chia and flax seeds need to be ground so there won't be any texture from them 🙂
Mindy says
Is ground chia the same as chia seeds? How do I grind up the seeds? The seeds are pretty small. Thanks.
Lucie says
Yes, you can use a coffee grinder to grind them up
Sam Turnbull says
Yes, it is! You can buy chia seeds already ground, or you can use a high-powered blender, food processor, or coffee grinder to grind the seeds yourself 🙂