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stacked vegan brownies

Fudgy Vegan Salted Caramel Brownies

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 10 reviews
  • Author: Britt Berlin
  • Prep Time: 40
  • Cooling Time: 60
  • Cook Time: 30
  • Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
  • Yield: 16 1x
  • Category: Brownies
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegan

Description

These rich vegan caramel brownies are made using dairy free brown butter and stuffed to the brim with a thick and gooey homemade dairy free caramel. With the fudgiest molten centers and a paper thin, shiny crinkle top, these vegan brownies are pure decadence!

Ingredients

Scale

Brownie Base, based on my vegan fudgy brownies:

  • 1 2/3 cup (200 g) all-purpose flour or gluten free 1:1 baking flour
  • 1/2 cup (50 g) high quality Dutch-processed cocoa powder*
  • 3/4 cup (170 g) vegan butter*
  • 6 ounces vegan chocolate chips
  • 1/3 cup (80 mL) aquafaba or soy milk, room temperature
  • 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup (100 g) brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp ground flaxseed mixed with 1/2 cup (118 mL) water OR 1/2 cup (120 g) pumpkin puree, room temperature
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • Additional 1/2 cup (80 g) vegan chocolate chips

Vegan Salted Caramel:

  • 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup + 1 tbsp (95 mL) vegan heavy cream, room temperature
  • 5 tbsp vegan butter, room temperature
  • 1 tsp sea salt

Instructions

  1. Prep: Preheat the oven to 350F. Start by making the brownies first, so read through the instructions for those. Line a 9×9 baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside a separate glass square dish to cool the caramel in. 
  2. Make the vegan homemade caramel: First we’ll make the caramel. In a medium pot, add the sugar and heat on medium heat, stirring lazily to dissolv the sugar. The sugar will start to caramelize in color. It should reach slightly dark golden color (about 7-8 minutes). Once it does, remove the sugar from heat immediately. You don’t want it to burn!
  3. Add in the vegan butter and heavy cream: Stir in the vegan butter and continue stirring vigorously. The sugar will start to harden into a softball. Place the pan back onto the stove to heat on low and stir until the sugar integrates with the butter. Then pour in the vegan heavy cream, and continue stirring vigorously to allow the sugar to dissolve into the heavy cream. 
  4. Boil the caramel: Bring the heat back up to medium heat, and allow the caramel to bubble undisturbed for 3 minutes. Then remove from heat, and stir in the sea salt. Pour the caramel into a square casserole dish and place into the fridge to cool. This helps to speed up the cooling time.
  5. While the caramel is cooling, make the brownies: In a large bowl, use a hand mixer to cream together the sugar, brown sugar, aquafaba, vanilla extract,  and flaxseed mixture or pumpkin puree. Mix until the sugar granules are completely dissolved. This is crucial, as this gives the vegan brownies their crinkle top. Set aside.
  6. Brown the vegan butter: In a small saucepan, heat the vegan butter on medium heat, stirring occasionally until the fat solids in the butter start to brown, about 5 minutes. Vegan butter tends to foam, so to check how the butter is coming along, remove it from heat for 30 seconds and stir to allow the bubbles to calm down. Keep going until you reach a golden color and the butter smells nutty.
  7. Make the fudge sauce: Remove the saucepan from the heat and add in the chocolate chips . Allow the chocolate to sit for a few seconds to start melting. Then add in the cocoa powder as well, and whisk until the chocolate chips have completely melted and the cocoa powder is integrated into the mixture.
  8. Finish the brownie batter: Use a rubber spatula to spoon the chocolate fudge mixture into the dissolved sugar mixture. Whisk until combined. Then add in the flour and sea salt, and gently whisk JUST until the flour is completely incorporated. The brownie batter will feel really thick. That’s okay! Continue whisking just until the flour is incorporated. Add in the chocolate chips, and fold into the brownie batter to evenly distribute.
  9. Assemble the brownies: Pour about 1/2 of the brownie batter into the pan, and spread to the edges. Then take the caramel and pour an even layer of caramel over the brownie batter. Try not to spread the caramel to the edges, as that will make it harder to remove the brownies from the pan. Then spread the remaining batter on top. It’s okay if pockets of caramel poke out.
  10. Bake: Bake the brownies for 33-36 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out semi-clean. Remove the brownies from the oven and allow them to cool for 30 minutes at room temperature, then in the fridge for 15-20 minutes. 
  11. Slice and enjoy! Remove the brownies from the freezer, and slice them into 16 squares. Top with flaky sea salt, and enjoy!

Notes

Gluten free: Use King Arthur Measure for Measure gluten free flour in the fudgy brownies recipe.

Vegan butter: I recommend Miyoko’s and Plant Crock for browning vegan butter. 

Find it online: https://thebananadiaries.com/vegan-salted-caramel-brownies/