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These Seriously Fudgy Vegan Brownies are rich, chocolatey, gooey in the centre, and finished with that irresistible crinkle top everyone loves. Made without eggs or dairy, this easy vegan brownie recipe creates perfectly fudgy brownies with crisp edges, a delicate crackly top, and plenty of deep chocolate flavour. Whether you’re craving an indulgent vegan dessert or looking for an easy eggless and dairy-free brownie recipe, these brownies are guaranteed to satisfy.
One reader, Harriet, says: “Honestly the best vegan brownies I’ve ever made, they’re sooo good! I’m making them for the fourth time today and can’t wait.”
Why you’ll love this vegan brownies recipe
- Fudgy and gooey: Rich, chocolatey centres with perfectly crisp edges.
- That gorgeous crinkle top: A delicate, crackly top makes these brownies look as good as they taste.
- 100% vegan: No eggs or dairy needed, but you’d never guess they’re vegan.
- Easy to make: Simple ingredients and straightforward steps make this a fuss-free brownie recipe.
- Deeply chocolatey: Every bite is rich, decadent, and packed with chocolate flavour.
- Perfect for any occasion: Great for sharing, gifting, or keeping all to yourself!
What you’ll need to make these Seriously Fudgy Vegan Brownies:
- Dutch-process cocoa powder: Gives the brownies a deep, rich chocolate flavour and dark colour.
- Granulated sugar: Adds sweetness and helps create those crisp, crackly edges.
- Light brown sugar: Adds extra moisture and a subtle caramel-like flavour for an ultra-fudgy texture.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances the chocolate flavour.
- Vegan salted butter: Adds richness, moisture, and buttery flavour to the brownies.
- Aquafaba: The liquid from canned chickpeas! It acts as an egg replacer and helps create a beautifully crinkly top and fudgy centre.
- Vegan chocolate chips: Melt into the batter for extra pockets of chocolate throughout.
- Vegan dark chocolate: Adds intense, bittersweet chocolate flavour and makes the brownies extra decadent.
- Pure vanilla extract: Enhances and rounds out the rich chocolate flavour.
The Secret to the Crinkle Top…
The secret to that gorgeous, crackly crinkle top? Whipping the aquafaba and sugar!
In a large mixing bowl, add the aquafaba, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar. Using a handheld electric whisk, beat for 3–4 minutes, or until the mixture becomes pale, thick, and slightly glossy, almost like a light meringue. This step is key to creating that signature crinkle top while keeping the brownies beautifully fudgy underneath.
Let’s Talk Chocolate…
For the most irresistible chocolate flavor, start by sifting the all-purpose flour and Dutch-process cocoa powder into a bowl, then whisk in the salt. For an extra chocolatey finish, take about 1 tablespoon of the flour and cocoa mixture and toss it with the vegan chocolate chips. Set them aside for later.
Next, it’s time for the good stuff! Using a bain-marie, gently melt the vegan salted butter and dark chocolate together until smooth, glossy, and wonderfully rich. Pour the warm, chocolatey mixture into the whipped aquafaba and sugar, then add the vanilla extract. Gently fold everything together until smooth and silky. The batter should already look incredibly fudgy and smell intensely chocolatey!
Finally, fold through the chocolate chips, making sure they’re evenly distributed throughout that rich, fudgy batter.
Baking the brownies…
Carefully transfer the brownie batter into a square baking dish lined with foil. I personally prefer using foil over parchment paper because it makes the brownies super easy to lift out once they’ve cooled, giving you those lovely clean, bakery-style slices.
Using an angled spatula or the back of a spoon, gently spread the vegan brownie batter into an even layer in the prepared baking dish.
Bake the vegan fudgy brownies for 32–35 minutes. Since every oven is different, I recommend checking them from the 30-minute mark to make sure they don’t overbake. If they need longer, check every 3–5 minutes by inserting a toothpick into the centre. The toothpick should come out with a little fudgy batter and a few moist crumbs attached. Don’t worry if they look slightly soft in the middle when they first come out of the oven, as they’ll continue to set as they cool. This is what gives you that irresistibly fudgy centre and crinkle top.
The hardest part (letting them cool)…
The hardest part of making these vegan fudgy brownies? Waiting for them to cool! Once baked, transfer the baking dish to a cooling rack and allow the brownies to cool completely.
Once the baking dish has cooled, cover the brownies tightly with foil and refrigerate overnight, or for at least 4 hours. I know it’s tempting to cut into them straight away, but this chilling time is what helps the brownies fully set and gives them that extra fudgy, rich texture.
When you’re finally ready, slice them up and enjoy! You can eat these brownies straight from the fridge for a deliciously dense and fudgy texture, let them come back to room temperature for a softer bite, or pop one in the microwave for a few seconds for the ultimate warm, gooey vegan brownie.
Tips on making the perfect vegan brownies…
- Use Dutch-process cocoa: This is a must for this recipe! Dutch process cocoa powder gives these brownies their deep, rich chocolate flavor and smooth, balanced taste. I don’t recommend substituting it with regular cocoa powder or cacao, as this can make the brownies taste more bitter.
- Whisk the aquafaba properly: This step is key to achieving that beautiful crinkle top. Whisk the aquafaba and sugars until the mixture is thick, pale, and almost meringue-like. Don’t rush this step!
- Use low-medium heat: Melt the vegan butter and dark chocolate together using a bain-marie over low-medium heat. Stir gently until completely smooth and glossy, then remove from the heat.
- Measure with precision: For the best results, I recommend using a digital scale rather than relying on a measuring cup. Baking is all about precision, and accurately measuring your ingredients will help you get that perfect fudgy texture every time.
- Don’t overmix the batter: When combining the dry and wet ingredients, gently fold everything together until just combined. Avoid vigorously stirring the batter, as overmixing can affect the final texture.
- Keep an eye on the bake: If it’s your first time making these brownies and you’re worried about overbaking them, check them after 30 minutes. If they aren’t ready, continue baking in 5-minute bursts, checking between each one. You want a toothpick to come out with a little fudgy batter and a few moist crumbs.
- Don’t skip the chilling time: I know refrigerating brownies might seem a little extra, but trust me, it makes a difference! Allowing the brownies to rest overnight, or for at least 3 hours, gives them time to fully set and develop that beautifully chewy, fudgy texture.
How to store:
These vegan brownies are perfect for making ahead and storing for later! Keep them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. For longer storage, place the brownies in a freezer-safe container or wrap them individually before transferring them to the freezer, where they’ll keep for up to 1 month.
When you’re ready to enjoy a frozen brownie, simply let it thaw at room temperature or pop it in the microwave for a few seconds for that deliciously gooey texture.
Watch the how-to tutorial:
Did you try this Vegan Brownie recipe?
If you make these vegan fudgy brownies, I’d love to see them! Tag me on Instagram so I can see your creations and share them. Don’t forget to leave a rating and let me know how you liked the recipe!
More vegan brownies you’ll love:
Print Ingredients
- 126 g aquafaba
- 160 g granulated sugar
- 120 g light brown sugar
- 1/2 tbsp vanilla extract
- 113 g salted vegan butter
- 140 g vegan dark chocolate (or more vegan choc chips)
- 46 g Dutch process cocoa
- 160 g all purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 120 g vegan chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C/356°F. Line a 9-inch or 8-inch square baking pan with foil. Lightly grease the foil with vegan butter.
- Sift all-purpose flour and Dutch-process cocoa. Mix in salt. Then, take around 1 tbsp of that mixture and combine with vegan chocolate chips – I like to toss them using my hands! Set aside.
- In another bowl, add aquafaba, granulated sugar and brown sugar. Whisk with a handheld whisk for around 3-4 minutes or until it becomes white in colour and thick – kinda like meringue!
- Using the bain-marie method, melt salted vegan butter and vegan dark chocolate. Pour into the aquafaba mixture, and add in vanilla extract. Fold until well combined.
- Fold in the dry ingredients, then finally the vegan chocolate chips.
- Pour into a pre-prepared baking pan. Using an angled palette knife or the back of a spoon, even out the batter.
- Bake for 32-35 minutes. You’re going to want to keep an eye on these brownies, as everyone’s oven is different. I’d advise checking them after they hit the 30-minute mark. Then, after every 3-5 minutes check if they’re done by inserting a toothpick – it should come out with a little batter and a couple of crumbs *watch the video tutorial*
- Once they’re done baking, transfer the baking tray onto a cooling rack and allow to cool completely. Once the baking tray is completely cooled, cover the brownies with more foil and refrigerate overnight (or for at least 4 hours).
- Slice the brownies, and enjoy! (you can have them straight from the fridge, bring them back to room temp or even pop them in the microwave for a truly gooey brownie!)
