Crinkly Top Fudgy Vegan Brownies Recipe

posted by Britt Berlin on Feb 10, 2022 (last updated Jan 17, 2023) 22 comments »

If you’re looking for the PERFECT vegan brownies that everyone loves (not just vegans!), then this brownie recipe is it! Made in one bowl with simple ingredients, so fudgy, rich, and decadent, you’d never know they’re eggless and dairy-free!

stack of fudge vegan brownies with scoop of vegan vanilla ice cream on top

Forget the box mix brownies- you’re going to LOVE these easy vegan brownies from scratch!

I’m serious. You’ll never be tempted to make another box mix brownie again after giving these ultra fudgy vegan brownies a go.

These brownies are one of our favorite vegan dessert recipes for a good reason (and the base recipe for several of our other vegan brownie recipes, including my vegan gluten free Oreo brownies (and my inspiration for several of the brownie recipes in my cookbook!) .

These eggless brownies are just so easy: you only need one bowl! Plus with only 30 minutes for baking time and a few minutes to cool (the hardest part, I’ll admit), these vegan brownies make for the best vegan dessert recipe to meal prep.

We even achieve the iconic crinkle top on the tops of our brownies thanks to a little vegan baking science (that’s actually so easy!).

The best part about this brownie recipe in particular is that it tastes like a fudgy Ghiradelli brownie, yet is entire eggless, dairy free, soy free, nut free, simple in ingredients, refined sugar free and can actually be made gluten free!

You are just going to LOVE these super rich and fudgy brownies! Seriously, you won’t even miss that they’re eggless and dairy free.

sliced vegan brownies on parchment paper

Ingredients

The vegan pantry staple ingredients that we need to make these brownies actually come with some cool benefits:

Ground flaxseed: We’re going to be using ground flaxseed to make a flax egg. I’ve also tested these brownies with unsweetened applesauce and dairy free yogurt, and either works as well! Here’s more on vegan egg replacements to check out why we’re using flaxseed for eggs!
Aquafaba: Otherwise known as “chickpea brine,” aquafaba is the liquid found in your chickpea can. It acts as a great vegan egg substitute for egg whites found in traditional brownies.
Vegan butter: for this recipe, you can use either vegan butter or coconut oil. There are many nut free vegan butters on the markets these days, including Flora Plant Butter (my favorite for nut-free!). I personally use Miyoko’s. f you don’t want to use vegan butter, you can use coconut oil- in fact, using coconut oil may help in protecting both our brains and our hearts! The only note I have for vegan butter is that if you’re using earth balance, use the baking sticks rather than the tub of butter. You’ll get much better results!
Granulated sugar: The high amount of sugar is what gives our brownies the crinkly top, so please don’t reduce it! Make sure that it’s organic in order to be vegan. I always use Florida Crystals sugar, which is certified vegan.
Cocoa powder powder: if you’re wondering what cocoa powder to use for this recipe, I actually go over this down below. But I recommend using all natural cocoa powder, as it has the highest level of acidity, more so than even Dutch-processed.
All purpose flour: Many are so quick to knock flour, but it does contain nutrients, like selenium, riboflavin, and niacin. If you have an allergy to gluten, however, you can use gluten free 1:1 baking flour here if needed. I have not tried these vegan brownies with whole wheat flour, which definitely requires different ratios.
High quality dark vegan chocolate: my favorite brand to use for this recipe is Pascha Chocolate, as their vegan chocolate chips are no sugar added and entirely dairy free (the whole brand is vegan!).

How to make vegan brownies from scratch (overview)

For the full written instructions and ingredient measurements, see the bottom of this post in the recipe card. You can also hit the “jump to recipe” button at the top of this post! Here, we’ll go over a brief overview of the steps, along with providing visuals for a better understanding of the recipe.

Once you see how simple and easy these vegan brownies are to make, you might just be making them every week!

For these vegan brownies, you’ll only need one bowl, a whisk, an 8×8 baking pan, and parchment paper.

melted vegan chocolate in a bowl — Whisk together the vegan butter and chocolate: You’ll melt the vegan butter then stir in the chocolate. Mix until everything is combined, almost like making a vegan ganache.

aquafaba combined with sugar — Whisk together the vegan butter and chocolate: You’ll melt the vegan butter then stir in the chocolate. Mix until everything is combined, almost like making a vegan ganache.

flax eggs and vanilla added to the aquafaba — Then mix in the flax eggs and vanilla extract. Whisk until completely mixed.

chocolate whipped into the brownies — Then mix in the flax eggs and vanilla extract. Whisk until completely mixed.

brownie batter mixed in a bowl — Sift in the dry ingredients: Sift in the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, and baking powder, and then fold gently until the batter is just mixed. Then stir in the chocolate chips!

vegan brownies before baking — Sift in the dry ingredients: Sift in the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, and baking powder, and then fold gently until the batter is just mixed. Then stir in the chocolate chips!

vegan brownies after baking — Bake the brownies for 30 minutes. Once baked, allow them to rest in the pan for 20 minutes before slicing.

sliced vegan brownies — Bake the brownies for 30 minutes. Once baked, allow them to rest in the pan for 20 minutes before slicing.

Pro Tip:

Allow the brownies to fully cool before slicing! This will help achieve that really clean nice slice!

How to know when brownies are done

This really depends if you’re looking more for fudgy vegan brownies or more cakey vegan brownies. I personally air on the fudgy side, so I would check the brownies after 20 minutes.

Use a toothpick to test: if the toothpick comes out slightly clean (there might be a few crumbs on it) they’re good to go! If there’s more batter than actual brownie on the toothpick, I would give them another 3-5 minutes.

When you remove the brownies from the oven, the tops of the brownies will be soft– that means they’re definitely fudgy inside! As they cool, the brownies will become firmer, yet still remain fudgy when you take that first bite.

two brownies stacked on top of each other next to a glass of milk

What’s the best way to cut brownies?

The key to cleanly sliced brownies? The most important part is allowing the brownies to fully cool before slicing. This means waiting for about 25-30 minutes after they’ve been removed from the oven.

Next tip is slicing them with a large kitchen knife, using one fell swoop. DO NOT drag the knife through the brownies, as that’s what causes the crumbling to occur. Make sure to also gently clean the knife with a kitchen towel between each slice.

Another trick is to run the knife under really hot water. Make one slice, then use a clean kitchen towel to clean the knife after each slice.

This method will ensure that you don’t get any ruined edges! Your vegan fudge brownies will be the perfect squares of chocolatey bliss.

Remember: the brownies should be cool before slicing!! If they’re not, no matter how hot or clean the knife is, the brownies might crumble around the edges!

Pro Tip: Which cocoa powder is best?

Many people in the healthy eating realm, and even in the vegan recipes world, always recommend cacao powder. I used to too, as I know that cacao powder is full of antioxidants.

However, using cacao powder will not result in the best vegan brownies. In fact, even using Dutch process cocoa powder won’t either.

I highly recommend using all natural cocoa powder. The reason being is that all natural cocoa powder has the highest level of acidity. This will react with the baking powder and soda, which will create a rise in your brownies, while still maintaining a fudge texture.

Can I make these vegan brownies gluten free or Paleo?

Absolutely! I actually already have a vegan Paleo brownie recipe that’s very similar to this one, but to make these just gluten free vegan brownies, you can swap in gluten free 1:1 baking flour.

I haven’t tested these brownies with almond flour, so I can’t speak to those results. However, these brownies DO work with oat flour, whether homemade oat flour or store bought!

Brownie mix-ins

If you ever want to jazz up this recipe for something different, here are some of my favorite brownie mix-ins:

More chocolate chips (of course!)
Pecans, walnuts, cashews, peanuts (if you’re nut free!)
Peanut butter or coconut butter (or try these amazing vegan peanut butter swirl brownies!)
Vegan chocolate gems
Crushed oreos (use the new gluten free ones if you need to!)
Vegan white chocolate chips

stack of vegan brownies with a bite taken

How to store brownies

I recommend slicing the brownies, then storing them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. This will help them remain fudgy and soft!

Alternatively, you can absolutely store them in the fridge (also in an airtight container) for up to 5 days.

You can also freeze these vegan brownies for up to 3 months.

You are just going to LOVE these super easy vegan brownies! Truly, this will be your go-to brownie recipe, I’m sure of it!

Happy brownie baking!

Watch how to make vegan brownies:

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