Gluten-free vegan brownies with crinkled tops and a fudgy middle! Hands down the best recipe out there! Easy to make with only 10 ingredients.
It's amazing how you can get a rich moist brownie with gluten free and vegan ingredients. These are absolute perfection and can't be missed! Bonus, they are also nut free.
This post was originally published on May 8, 2021.
When you're eating plant based it's hard enough to get a great tasting dessert recipe, let alone when you're gluten-free. But I nailed it with this vegan gluten-free brownie recipe! The flavor and texture are absolutely perfect, you'll wonder why you didn't make them sooner!
Ingredients
In order to make this incredibly moist gluten-free vegan brownie recipe, you'll need to gather the following items:
- Cane sugar - this gives these vegan brownies the best taste, they are a dessert after all! If you're looking for a naturally sweetened brownie try these date sweetened brownies since they are sweetened with dates.
- Cocoa powder - all the sweet chocolaty goodness without the dairy! You can also use cacao powder but the flavor will be richer and slightly more bitter.
- Gluten-free flour - oat flour was tested in this recipe to avoid using all purpose flour. Almond flour is another popular gluten-free option, however it is more dense and would create a different texture. If you want to experiment with other gluten-free flour blends, understand that the density can change.
- Finely ground flaxseed - you've likely heard of flax eggs, this is the same idea but using it almost like a flour as a binder.
- If your flax powder is flakey instead of ground fine, you may want to put it in a blender. I blended all of the dry ingredients to get them into a fine powder and that yielded amazing results and got me that crinkle top that regular brownies have.
- Dairy free chocolate chips - choose your favorite kind, dark chocolate will give you a deeper chocolate flavor.
- Baking essentials - vanilla extract, salt, and baking powder are all needed in this vegan brownie recipe.
- Olive oil - Extra virgin olive oil gives these brownies the perfect texture and flavor.
- Almond butter works good as well, but you’ll need more water. However if your almond butter is very runny, you may not. Start with none then add a tablespoon at a time until the mixture is not dry anymore and looks like a batter. I tried this many times (used an average thickness of almond butter) and each time I needed ¼ cup water to get a batter.
- You can also try tahini for a nut free version.
How To Make Vegan Gluten-Free Brownies
Just a handful of steps stand between you and the most fabulous gluten-free brownies! Here's what to do:
- Mix the dry ingredients.
- You can optionally blend them all in the blender to make a super fine powder that creates the most amazing crinkle top!
- Melt the chocolate chips with the water and vanilla in a bowl in the microwave or in a double boiler, make sure to stir often.
- Combine the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients.
- Pour the brownie batter into a prepared baking dish.
- Make sure the pan is prepped with butter or oil or you can use parchment to make it easy to get them out.
- Bake.
- Allow to cool completely, slice, then enjoy!
NOTE: You can print the FULL recipe with all ingredients & detailed instructions below!
Flavor Suggestions
For the best tasting vegan gluten free brownies, and for flavor variations, follow these tips:
- Add mix ins after the batter is mixed, try peanut butter, nuts, or whole chocolate chips.
- Instead of vanilla, try using mint, maple, coffee, or almond extract for a flavor change-up.
- Serve with a dollop of Vegan Whipped Cream or a scoop of Ice Cream for an extra special treat!
Preparation Tips
I worked hard to get the perfect technique down for these gluten free vegan brownies. Keep these suggestions in mind when making them:
- For the best texture you need accuracy with the flours. Which is why I include precise weights. If you don’t have a scale, then you can purchase this fairly inexpensive one.
- If you prefer to measure by hand, then measure the flours by scooping your measuring cup into the flour versus spooning it into it. This is how I measured when getting my weights.
- All kinds of pans work, but the best results came from using an 8 inch glass pan lined with parchment paper.
- The parchment helps the brownies bake more evenly and makes it much easier to get them out.
- You want the top to be just baked, but not raw. They do cook more as they cool.
- Do not over bake or they will be dry and fall apart. You want them moist and fudgy.
- Make sure to cool completely. This allows it to set more and helps with the texture.
How to Store Gluten-Free Brownies
- Store these brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-5 days.
- The first day they can be stored open on the counter as they are still great the next day!
- If you prefer you can keep them in the fridge, but refrigerators tend to dry out bread-like food.
- You can also freeze them! Seal individual brownies or the whole batch in a freezer-safe airtight container and store for up to 3 months.
Common Questions
Do vegan brownies contain gluten?
They can and often do! If you need to avoid gluten make sure to read the label on the packaging, or ask the person who made them. The perfect mix of ingredients makes this brownie recipe gluten free already!
What can I replace eggs with in brownie mix?
When making vegan brownie recipes you will definitely need to find a substitute for eggs, such as ground flaxseed and water, banana, applesauce, tofu, or yogurt. This particular homemade vegan brownie recipe uses ground flaxseed.
More Vegan and Gluten-Free Desserts
Gluten-Free Vegan Brownies
Gluten-free vegan brownies with crinkled tops and a fudgy middle! Hands down the best recipe out there! Easy to make with only 10 ingredients.
Equipment
- blender or food processor (optional)
Ingredients
- 1 cup cane sugar , see note
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- ½ cup oat flour
- 6 tablespoons finely ground flaxseed , see note
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup dairy free chocolate chips , dark chocolate for a deeper flavor
- ½ cup water , (if you use almond butter see note)
- 2-4 tablespoons olive oil , use 4 for extra fudginess, or almond butter for oil free (see note)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F/ 175 C.
- Put sugar, cocoa, flour, flax, salt and baking powder in a large bowl and whisk to break up clumps. I put them into a blender first to make sure they were all finely ground and that got me amazing results with a crinkle top. They still turn out great without doing this, but they really are amazing if everything is finely ground.
- Add the chocolate chips, water, oil and vanilla into a bowl and melt in the microwave for 60-75 seconds, or use a double boiler if you don’t use a microwave. Mix to combine.
- Add the melted mix into the bowl with the flour and mix until combined.
- Prepare a square baking pan. I tried all types of baking pans (ceramic, metal and glass) and got the best result with a glass pan lined with parchment. You can also grease the pan if you don’t want to use the parchment, but the parchment helps the brownies bake more evenly and makes it much easier to get them out.
- Pour batter into the prepared baking pan. I used an 8 inch. A 9 inch can work but you will need to watch the baking time, start checking at 20 minutes, because they will be thinner.
- Bake for 25-28 minutes. The glass pan took around 28 minutes. The metal pan only took around 25. You want the top to be just baked, but not raw. If you use finely ground dry ingredients, you may also see that crinkle top forming. Do not overbake or they will be dry and fall apart. You want them moist and fudgy, they cook more as they cool.
- Allow to cool completely, at least 30-60 minutes, before cutting, this allows it to set more and helps with the texture.
Notes
- If your sugar is larger crystals or your flax powder is flakey instead of ground fine, you may want to put it them in a blender. I blended all of the dry ingredients to get them into a fine powder and that yielded amazing results and got me that crinkle top that regular brownies have.
- Olive oil gives this the perfect texture and flavor. Almond butter works good as well, but you’ll need more water. However if your almond butter is very runny, you may not. Start with none then add a tablespoon at a time until the mixture is not dry anymore and looks like a batter. I tried this many times (used an average thickness of almond butter) and each time I needed ¼ cup water to get a batter. You can also try tahini for a nut free version.
- Make sure to prep your pan well so they don’t stick. I recommend using parchment paper as that makes it easiest.
- I tried using all kinds of pans, but got the best results using a glass pan.
Recipe by Veggies Don’t Bite, visit our site for more great plant-based recipes.
Nutrition
Calories: 195kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 3gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 68mgPotassium: 90mgFiber: 3gSugar: 20gVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 18mgIron: 1mg
Nutrition and metric information should be considered an estimate.
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Rachel Haus
Would it be possible to use a gluten-free flour blend, like Measure for Measure, instead of just oat flour?
Sophia DeSantis
Hi Rachel! Unfortunately I have not rested it with a gluten free flour blend. With gluten free and vegan baking it is like a science, once you change one thing the end result is affected. You can look at what is in the flour blend and see if it is similar to what is in the recipe!
Lucy
Hi! I tried this recipe and it was way too fudgy… almost like a thick pudding! Delicious, but not the texture I thought. When does the olive oil go in??
veggiesdontbite
Hi Lucy! Olive oil goes in with the chocolate chips when you melt them. Or you can put at the end when you mix as well, it doesn't matter. In the tips and tricks section I talk about the best texture is when you use precise weights of the flours. This is because when you scoop flours out the amount actually changes depending on how you do so. So my guess is you needed more flour. Also, you may need to bake longer as ovens can vary with this. Type of pan used can also change baking time and end result. I talk about this in the post itself as well. Ultimately you will know they are done baking when you get that crisping up look at the top of them (see the photo in the post). I am glad they tasted good! So perhaps try again and bake longer since it seems that is the issue. Let me know how it goes and feel free to email me with any questions as you go!
Julie
would removing the chocolate chips be okay? Should I increase coco powder?
veggiesdontbite
Hi Julie, I wouldn't advise removing the chocolate chips. They help with flavor and also with texture. I haven't tried without them so I can't advise how it would turn out!
Giulianna
would coconut sugar work?
veggiesdontbite
Hi! Yes, it would work, although the flavor will alter a bit!
Laurie
I loved these! Blending the dry ingredients was a great tip, tastes better than any traditional brownie, thank you for another awesome gf recipe!!!
veggiesdontbite
I am so thrilled you like them!! I really think the blending is the key to that crinkle top!
Marie
This brownie recipe looks really good! Is there anyway I can omit the cocoa powder and reduce the sugar to 1/2 cup?
Sophia DeSantis
Hi Marie, the cocoa powder contributes to the texture of the recipe so I am not sure how it would turn out since you'd be reducing one of the main ingredients for texture. I am guessing it would come out very mushy and wet. With the sugar, you can try reducing but it could again effect the texture some. Unfortunately with baking it is a science so once you change one ingredient it affects all the others. This is even more true with gluten free baking. Wish I could help more! If you'd like to try another brownie recipe that doesn't have cocoa powder or dry sugar try this one: https://www.veggiesdontbite.com/perfect-vegan-caramel-date-sweetened-brownies-nut-free-gluten-free/
Sarah
OMG hands down the best vegan brownies EVER! Absolute perfect texture and taste, too good!
veggiesdontbite
Yay! So excited about these!
JD
These are the best brownies I have ever had! The texture is spot on, fudge like but crisp on the edges. I don't know how you got that crinkle top without the traditional ingredients but they are perfect.
veggiesdontbite
Happy to hear!