These dairy free brownies are as indulgent as the classic brownies you grew up with. They're rich, gooey, and stuffed with real chocolate. All you need is 12 ingredients and your favorite casserole dish. Enjoy warm with a scoop of your favorite dairy free ice cream!
One of the most popular recipes on the blog is my Famous Vegan Slutty Brownies. They're the ULTIMATE vegan dessert and so unbelievably delicious, no one would ever guess they're vegan. Since creating that recipe, I've created my Vegan Biscoff Brownies, Decadent Vegan Pumpkin Brownies and Gooey Vegan Protein Brownies and they all pass the taste test.
When you come to my blog, you know you can find an unreal dessert and these classic dairy-free brownies are no different!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Gooey and fudge-y - The only thing better than a dairy free brownie is a brownie that doesn't taste dairy free. These brownies are undetectably vegan and are just as gooey and fudge-y as your favorite dairy version. They're the absolute best brownies for skeptics!
- Easy to make - Have this delicious treat baking in 10 minutes or less. It's got a longer bake than some of my other desserts such as Chewy Biscoff Butter Cookies (Vegan) or Easy Vegan S'mores Cookies but the oven does all the work!
- Perfect for sharing - These dairy free brownies are the perfect dessert to bring with you to potlucks, school functions, work parties, birthdays, holidays and more. Brownies are always welcome at any celebration!
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Butter - In order to make these brownies both dairy-free and vegan, I used dairy free butter sticks. If you are vegetarian and can consume dairy, feel free to substitute regular butter. I always recommend vegan butter sticks, such as Miyoko's Creamery.
- Eggs - These dairy free brownies are also made vegan and use egg substitutes. In order to make them light and gooey, I found a combination of flax egg and aquafaba (chickpea water) to be the perfect winning combo. I have not personally tested this recipe using regular eggs and cannot advise.
- Sugar - You'll need both granulated white sugar and brown sugar for this recipe. If you only have white sugar, make your own brown sugar at home using this simple tutorial: How to Make Brown Sugar.
- Flour - Both all-purpose flour and Bob's Red Mill gluten-free cup for cup blend will work.
- Milk - Any unsweetened plant-based milk will work. If you are not dairy-free, you can also use regular milk. I personally used unsweetened almond milk.
Step by Step Instructions
- Prepare the flax eggs. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the ground flax and 6 tablespoons of water until well combined. Set aside to thicken.
- Cream the butter. In the bowl of a stand mixer or large mixing bowl with an electric mixer, cream the room temperature butter until soft and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Add sugar and flax egg. Add in the granulated white sugar, brown sugar, and thickened flax egg. Beat again until creamy.
- Mix in vanilla extract, melted chocolate, aquafaba, and milk. Once the wet ingredients are well combined, the wet batter should be gritty and drippy.
- Add in dry ingredients. Slowly add in the all purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt until a soft dough forms, similar to a cake batter or very soft cookie dough.
- Spread in baking dish. Scoop the dairy free brownie batter into a prepared 9x13 casserole dish and spread smooth.
- Bake. Bake this brownie recipe for 50 minutes, or until the edges are crispy and a toothpick inserted into the center removes cleanly.
- Serve. Allow the dairy free brownies to cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then slice and serve while warm with a scoop of dairy free ice cream!
Storing and Reheating Instructions
These dairy free brownies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Refrigeration is not recommended - the butter hardens and the brownies are no longer soft and chewy.
I have also never frozen this recipe, but it may work. If you'd like to try it, I'd recommend allowing the brownies to cool completely at room temperature before slicing into individual brownie squares. Then, wrap each individual brownie in a sheet of plastic wrap and place them together in a large storage bag. Freeze for up to 1 month and defrost by allowing the brownies to thaw completely at room temperature.
To reheat, microwave the brownies at room temperature in 15 second bursts until warm.
Recipe FAQs
Flax eggs are my personal favorite vegan egg substitute in baking. They're quick to make with just ground flaxseed and water and make an excellent binder - very similar to chicken eggs. I also have some desserts that bake up beautifully without any egg substitutes at all. Try my Vegan Gingerbread Cupcakes or Easy Peanut Butter Doughnuts.
Many brands of chocolate contain dairy, but there are several to choose from that are made without milk. When looking at the ingredients list on a chocolate bar or chocolate chips, look out for ingredients such as whey, milk fat solids, whole milk, or milk fat. If the chocolate contains dairy, it should always have an allergen statement that says "Contains milk." The brand Enjoy Life makes vegan chocolate that is also allergen friendly. Or, look for dark chocolate varieties. Many are made without milk.
I have not tested these dairy free brownies using any neutral oils in place of butter. I would not recommend using liquid oils such as vegetable oil, canola oil, or olive oil because they will not be creamy and fluffy when whipped. For most similar results, I'd recommend softened coconut oil. It won't be as soft and fluffy as vegan butter, but it is the next closest thing.
Tips for Success
- Use the correct baking pan. This brownie recipe fills a 9x13 casserole dish. If you were to substitute a square 8x8 metal pan, the batter would be twice as thick and take significantly longer to bake through. Similarly, avoid using a glass pan. Glass is an insulator, meaning it takes a long time to heat up and cool down. This can cause the brownies to bake unevenly.
- Don't over mix the batter. Once you add the dry ingredients in, be careful not to overmix or whip too much air into the brownie batter. This can make the brownie batter dense and stringy and result in tough baked brownies. For the best brownies, use a light hand and keep the batter soft and fluffy.
More Indulgent Desserts You'll Love
If you make this recipe, I would absolutely love for you to leave a rating and review. I absolutely love connecting with you!
Indulgent Dairy Free Brownies
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, softened dairy free
- 2 flax eggs (2 tbsp flax + 6 tbsp water)
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar packed
- ½ cup chocolate chips, melted dairy free
- 1 tsp vanilla
- ¾ cup flour use bobs red mill 1-1 for GF
- ¾ cup cocoa powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tbsp aquafaba
- ¾ cup plant based milk I used almond
Instructions
- Generously grease a 9×13-inch casserole dish and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Prepare the flax eggs by adding 2 tbsp of ground flax to 6 tbsp of water.
- Using a stand or hand mixer, cream the room temperature butter until soft and fluffy.
- Add in granulated and brown sugar and flax egg then beat together until creamy.
- Mix in the vanilla extract, melted chocolate, aquafaba and milk. The batter will be gritty and drippy.
- Slowly add in all of the dry ingredients (flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt) until a soft dough forms. It will be somewhat like a cake dough or a very soft cookie. It will not be drippy.
- Scoop into the casserole dish and smooth of the top of the dish to ensure it is even.
- Bake for 50 minutes or until you can insert a toothpick and remove it cleanly.
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