The Fudgiest Vegan Fudge Brownies

These vegan fudge brownies are rich and delicious and oh so fudgy! Because they are vegan, they are naturally egg-free and dairy-free as well! These easy vegan brownies are so yummy, they will soon become a family favorite in your home too!

These brownies are having a serious identity crisis. Are they really brownies? Or are they just a thick and chocolatey piece of fudge?

Hint: When you pull them apart, they absolutely ooze chocolate!

Oh – and here is another hint: Never would you ever want to frost these fudgy little suckers! Just eat them the way they come out of the pan.

When my kids were young, brownies were the go-to after school fun treats in our home.

Whether we made them from a box mix – like this brownie vegan hack or from scratch, I always thought the classic cake-brownies were easy and quick enough to make. Just mix a little of this and that, throw it in the oven, and we could have a sweet treat ready in no time at all!

But I never could figure out how to make fudge brownies. They were either too oily, too floury, too sweet,  or too goopy. And heaven forbid I over-mixed the batter and they turned out too cake-like!

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These fudge brownies are a result of trial and error…and trial and delicious error…till they have been perfected!

To make these vegan fudge vegan brownies you will need:

(If you scroll down, there is a handy printable recipe card with the exact measurements and instructions. In the meantime, I hope you find the following information helpful.)

• flour
• brown and white sugars – use organic or vegan
• vegan butter
• cocoa powder
• vegan chocolate chips (affiliate link)
• ground flax seed
• coffee
• vanilla, salt, baking powder.

Can fudge brownies be made vegan?

Yes, they can! You simply have to replace the dairy and eggs with vegan substitutes and you’ve got a vegan brownie.

Replacing the dairy in vegan brownies:

In this recipe, the dairy we are replacing is butter. It’s so easy to find a plant-based sub for butter! Back in the day, the only thing available was a nasty oily flavorless buttery stick. My current favorite plant-based butter is Country Crock Plant Butter. It has a rich buttery taste. This is the butter I used in this recipe. I also really like Miyoko’s Vegan Butter. They both cook, bake, and taste like the real deal.

Replacing the eggs in vegan brownies:

Oh my, there are many options for replacing eggs in vegan brownies. Here are a few I’ve somewhat successfully used in various recipes:

• vinegar, baking powder, and cornstarch
• aquafaba
• applesauce
• bananas
• sweet potatoes
• avocados
• agar agar powder
• flax egg – this is what was used in this recipe (see below)

Make no mistake – you aren’t using eggs so things are not going to hold together quite as well. But make no mistake – you aren’t using eggs. Awesome you!

How do you make a flax egg?

To make a flax egg, you use ground flaxseed and liquid. You’ll want to replace the same volume of liquid in your recipe that an egg typically provides. The ratio is 1 Tablespoon ground flaxseed to 3 Tablespoons liquid.

This recipe calls for three flax eggs – so 3 Tablespoons ground flaxseed to 9 Tablespoons liquid. (Here is a little hint: “nine Tablespoons” is the same as 1/2 cup PLUS 1 Tablespoon – easy peasy!)

I have found that it helps if the liquid used is warm to hot. It just helps the flax egg to soften up and gel a little better. I’m using coffee as my liquid in this recipe and so that’s perfect!

Do I need to use coffee as an ingredient for fudge brownies?

You don’t need to. Coffee adds to the richness of flavor in these brownies. If you would rather not use coffee then just use warm water. You could also use decaffeinated coffee if that is your concern.

Tips and Tricks for Making the Fudgiest, Most Gooey Vegan Fudge Brownies Ever:

• The first thing you should do is get your flax egg started. It will need about 10 minutes to soften and develop a slick gel-like texture.
• While the flax egg is soaking and gelling, you can preheat the oven, prepare a 9×9 pan with parchment, melt the vegan butter and chocolate chips, and get the dry ingredients together and mxed.

Preparing the Pan with Parchment:

I used a 9×9 pan. You could use an 8×8 if you have it….BUT the brownies will be thicker and have more difficulty setting up in the middle. I recommend sticking with a 9×9 like this one. (Affiliate link)

First, measure out enough parchment to line the bottom of your pan, the two sides, and  a couple of inches overhang on each side so that you can grab the sides to lift out the cooked and cooled brownies. I measure out about 14 inches and cut.

Next, roll it up loosely and lay it across the bottom of your pan the best you can. Cut, unroll, and place in the pan.

I spray the pan with a little coconut oil before putting the parchment paper down. It helps the paper stick better to the pan.

Do I need to use parchment paper with this fudgy brownie recipe?

Hmmm…Do you want to easily take your brownies out of the pan without them becoming a goopy mess? Yes, then you need to use parchment.

Do you want to eat your brownies straight out of the pan without care for cutting and for straight even edges? I can’t blame you for that one. Go ahead and leave off the parchment paper. Make sure to spritz your pan with a little cooling spray though. And then promise you won’t send me any photos of your delicious mess!

Melting the Vegan Chocolate Chips and Butter:

Which chocolate chips are vegan?

You might be able to find vegan chocolate chips at your grocery store. Read the label and make sure dairy is not included. Even semi-sweet or dark chips sometimes contain dairy. My favorite brand is Enjoy Life Mini Chocolate Chips (affiliate link). I’ve heard that Lily’s is good as well as the 365 brand. Again though, read the back label every time. Ingredients change over time and you will want to make you are getting current information.

Which vegan butter is the best to use in this recipe?

My current favorite is Country Crock Plant Butter. But I’ve also used Myoko’s Butter and love it too. It is just a little harder for me to find.

How long should I microwave the vegan butter and chocolate chips?

Every microwave oven is different. I put the chips and butter together in a microwave-safe bowl. Then I microwave on high for one minute. Take it out and give it a little stir. If the chips are not melted yet, I put it back in for up to 30 seconds more. When it is finished, the mixture should stir to a glossy finish and will remind you of milk chocolate fudge sauce. Yum – but try not to eat it!

Baking the Brownies:

Mix the dry ingredients together, then add all at once the vanilla, melted chocolate/butter mixture, as well as the flax egg mixture.

Mix just until all dry ingredients have been moistened, either with a hand mixer or a large spoon. Then pour evenly into the prepared 9×9 brownie pan. Smooth out the top and then for a pro-finish, sprinkle some more chocolate chips on the top.

Put the pan in the oven and cook for about 40 minutes at 350°. For ease of handling the pan, I always put my small brownie pan on a larger cookie sheet.

How Will I Know These Fudge Brownies are Done Cooking?

Yeah, so here’s the deal…you won’t.

This was (and still is) my stress with making vegan fudge brownies. You don’t use eggs to set things up. So you cook. You check and notice it’s still super runny. So you cook some more. You check some more. It’s still super jiggly. You think hmmm, it’s time to take it out but it doesn’t look quite right. You leave it in for 2 minutes more. You take it out (still a little jiggly). And when it dries, it is as hard as a rock!

Will the toothpick test work?

With these brownies? No! The toothpick will be messy and goopy, even when they are done.

So how long should I really cook these fudge brownies then?

Here is the deal (again!), for my oven, I cook for 40 minutes. Not a second more and not a second less. I can’t actually tell you how your oven is going to do. 40 minutes is a good starting time for your first try.

• They will be jiggly.
• They will be goopy.
• They will be bubbly.
• They will probably (hopefully) be done.

Take the pan out of the oven and allow to cool for about 20 minutes. Then, using the overhanging sides of the parchment paper, lift the brownies in one piece and set on a cooling rack. Allow continuing cooling for a couple of hours. Even overnight is better.

Once the brownies have completely cooled, you can cut them into 16 squares. I use a very sharp knife and rinse if it gets too gummed up with fudge.

NOTE: These are NOT cake brownies. The texture is not like cake, but more like fudge. So I think I’ve answered my first question. These brownies are indeed more like fudge. So rich, gooey, and chocolaty. Seriously, have a nice glass of oat milk handy. You’re going to want it!

The Recipe For the Fudgiest Vegan Fudge Brownies:

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