Fudgy Gluten-Free Vegan Brownies

What Makes These the Perfect Vegan Brownies

• One bowl. These brownies are super easy to make with one mixing bowl and a few simple ingredients.
• Soft and fudgy. These brownies are dense, fudgy, and chocolatey without gluten or dairy.
• No funny ingredients. There's no weird flour substitutes or funny business. This recipe uses ingredients like 1:1 gluten-free flour, coconut sugar, and almond milk to give these vegan gluten-free brownies sweetness and structure.

Gather Your Brownie Ingredients

Here's what you need to make these fudgy gluten-free vegan brownies, with notes. Scroll to the recipe card for the printable recipe with the full ingredient amounts and details.

• Flaxseed – You'll use this as a vegan egg replacement by making a flax egg.
• Vegan butter – I like Earth Balance buttery sticks for baking.
• Coconut sugar – You could also use granulated sugar if you prefer.
• Almond milk – Good substitutes include oat milk or coconut milk. You can use any plant-based milk you'd like. I prefer unsweetened, but you could use sweetened and reduce the amount of sugar a bit.
• Vanilla extract – Use pure vanilla, not imitation, for the best flavor.
• Flour – I use gluten-free all-purpose baking flour from Bob's Red Mill.
• Cocoa powder – Cacao will work in place of cocoa powder.
• Baking powder – To help your brownies rise a bit in the oven. If your baking powder has expired, be sure to buy a fresh package.
• Chocolate chips – Make sure they're vegan! You could also use cacao nibs or skip the chocolate chips if needed.
• Walnuts – These are optional, but I love the nutty crunch. Pecans and almonds are also good. You can also use a different mix-in, such as butterscotch chips, hazelnuts, or coconut.

How to Make Gluten-Free Vegan Brownies

This is an easy one-bowl baking recipe. To make your brownies, I recommend a large mixing bowl, plus a spatula for stirring. These are the measuring spoons and cups that I love! These are the steps:

• Make the flax egg. To start, make the flax egg. Combine the flaxseed meal and water in a small bowl and let it gel for about 5 minutes.
• Melt the butter. Either melt the vegan butter in a large mixing bowl in the microwave or over a pot of simmering water on the stove.
• Stir in the sugar. When the butter is melted, add the coconut sugar and stir until the sugar is fully dissolved.

• Fold in the wet ingredients. Next, add the milk, flax egg, and vanilla. Stir until uniform. Now you're ready to add the dry ingredients.
• Mix in the dry ingredients. Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Stir until the vegan brownie batter is combined.

• Add your mix-ins. Then add the chocolate chips and walnuts and gently fold them in. Pour the batter into your parchment-lined baking pan.

• Bake! Bake the brownies until they're set in the center, about 25 to 30 minutes. The top will be golden brown, but the inside will still be a bit gooey.

Tried-and-True Baking Tips

• Use a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend. Avoid single flours like almond or coconut flour on their own, as these won't mimic the same structure.
• Don't overmix. Just like with regular brownies and baked goods, take care not to overmix the gluten-free vegan brownie batter. Overmixing can make the brownies dry and cakey.
• Test the brownies for doneness. Your brownies should be set at the edges but still a little underbaked in the center. If you insert a toothpick about 2 inches from the edge of the pan, it should come out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs. That's a sign your vegan brownies are done!
• Cool the brownies before slicing. As tempting as it is to dig into a pan of freshly baked, ooey-gooey brownies, it's best to wait until they've fully cooled before you slice into them. They'll firm up as they cool.

How to Store and Freeze Brownies

• Refrigerate. To store your leftover vegan brownies, keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
• Freeze. These brownies freeze beautifully! Wrap them individually, and freeze them for up to 6 months. When you're ready to serve, let the brownies come to room temperature for about 30 minutes.

More Vegan Baking Recipes

• Espresso Brownies
• Vegan Nutella Brownies
• Vegan Almond Butter Brownies
• Red Velvet Quinoa Brownies