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+ servings
A stack of 3 gluten free vegan brownies.
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5 from 8 votes

Fudgy Vegan Brownies

The best brownies hands down! These flourless and gluten free brownies have a base of almond butter, and bake into chewy and rich brownies.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time17 minutes
Total Time27 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 9 brownies
Calories: 310kcal

Ingredients

  • 6 tablespoons natural cocoa powder (sub dutch cocoa powder for a lighter chocolate flavor)
  • 1/3 cup dark chocolate chips
  • 3 tablespoons arrowroot sub tapioca flour
  • 3 tablespoons monk fruit sweetener or coconut sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3/4 cup almond butter unsweetened (sub sunflower seed butter for a nut-free option)
  • 6 tablespoons maple syrup can sub honey, date syrup, or a sugar free syrup
  • 1/4 cup flax meal
  • 3 tablespoons strong coffee (I use 3 tablespoons hot water + 1/2 teaspoon instant coffee)
  • 3 tablespoons avocado oil or melted coconut oil
  • 1/3 cup walnuts chopped, optional

Instructions

  • Into a small bowl, combine flax meal and hot coffee. It's not enough coffee to create a gel like a "flax egg", but it's enough to soften the flax meal so it's not a noticeable texture in the brownies. Set aside.
  • Preheat oven to 350ºf F. Line an 8x8 inch baking pan with parchment and set aside.
  • Add cocoa powder, dark chocolate chips, arrowroot powder, monk fruit sweetener, salt, and baking soda to a food processor, and pulse to break up the chocolate chips until you have a "pebble-like" consistency. Leave some texture to the chocolate.
  • Into the dry ingredients, add the almond butter, maple syrup, flax mixture, avocado oil, and vanilla. Process until just mixed. If the batter starts to become a ball, it's okay. This is a natural process when nut butter is combined with water.
  • Stir in walnuts if using.
  • Bake brownies for 14-16 minutes, until the edges start to pull away from the pan and the tops are glossy.
  • Allow brownies to fully cool before slicing. Store leftovers in the refrigerator in an air tight container up to a week, or in the freezer up to 5 months.

Video

Notes

Can I make vegan brownies nut free?
Yes! I have tested these with SunButter and they have a nuttier flavor, but they come out just as fudgy and delicious! Use sunflower butter as a 1-1 substitute for the almond butter.
How do I make the brownies sweeter or less dark in flavor?
A dutch processed cocoa yields a sweeter, more “milk chocolate” flavored brownie. You use it as a 1-1 substitution for the natural cocoa powder. You can also increase the monk fruit sweetener or coconut sugar to 4-6 tablespoons.
How do you make flax meal? Can I sub an egg?
I have tested these with an egg instead of flax, and the brownies come out more cakey and less chewy. You can purchase flax meal, but I prefer to make my own. I simply add whole flax seeds to my blender, and process until the seeds are broken down into a rough flour.
Are the chocolate chips vegan?
I use Enjoy Life Dark Chocolate Chips or Pascha 85% Dark Chocolate Chips because they have the highest cocoa content and the best ingredient list. They are both vegan, as is most dark chocolate.

Nutrition

Calories: 310kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 107mg | Potassium: 337mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 2IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 128mg | Iron: 2mg