These thick, rich, dark chocolate dairy free brownies are decadent and fudgy! Dotted with dark chocolate chips throughout. These brownies are also vegan!
I like to think of myself as a brownie connoisseur. I have not only made several brownie recipes that I’ve shared here, but I’ve also taste tested more brownies than I can count! They are arguably my favorite dessert, and my favorite way to get my chocolate fix!
My healthy vegan brownies are great when you’re looking for something lower in sugar, and whole grain. While my chickpea brownies are an excellent gluten-free variation. Then there are my vegan pumpkin brownies which are perfect for the autumn season.
Today I’m bringing to you another brownie recipe because in my opinion you just can’t have enough brownies!
These dairy free brownies are thick and decadent with a deep dark chocolate flavor. They are super simple to make, and require only a few pantry staples.
Whip these up for your next potluck, game night, or get together. Or just make them to enjoy with your family! The best part about this recipe is that nobody will know that they’re dairy-free and vegan! They’ll be scraping the plate to get all the moist crumbs!
Jump to:
Why This Recipe Works
- Dairy Free
- Vegan Friendly
- Thick and Fudgy
- Easy Recipe
- Crackly Top
- Melted Chocolate Chunks
Ingredients and Notes
Flax Egg: Combine ground flax with water and allow to sit for at least 5 minutes until it thickens.
Cacao Powder: A healthier alternative to unsweetened cocoa powder, cacao is less processed and retains the health benefits of chocolate. Cacao is rich in flavonoids which have been shown to help lower blood pressure.
White Whole Wheat Flour: Less processed than all purpose flour, white whole wheat flour is high in fiber. In addition it has selenium, manganese, phosphorus, copper, and folate.
Baking Powder and Salt: Needed to help the brownies rise. Be sure to use fresh baking powder, as old or expired baking powder can result in baked goods that don’t rise.
Organic Cane Sugar: This recipe calls for white sugar, however, to keep it vegan, I recommend using organic cane sugar, as other types are often processed with bone char.
Unsweetened Almond Milk: Gives the brownies needed moisture. Use unsweetened and unflavored. You can also use a different type of dairy free milk if you prefer. Soy milk, oat milk, or cashew milk would all work well.
Coconut Oil: Added oil gives these brownies moisture and contributes to their fudgy texture. Make sure that the oil is melted before adding it to the dry ingredients.
Vanilla Extract: Brings out the flavor of the chocolate.
Dairy Free Dark Chocolate Chips: My favorite brand of dairy free chocolate chips to use is Enjoy Life! Avoid milk chocolate chips as they are made with dairy.
Tools and Equipment
Instructions
Prepare Flax Egg: Pre-heat oven to 350 F. In a small bowl, whisk together the ground flax, and water. Set aside to thicken for 5-10 minutes.
Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cacao powder, white whole wheat flour, baking powder, and salt.
Add Wet Ingredients: Add the wet ingredients to the bowl including the flax eggs, almond milk, coconut oil, sugar, and vanilla extract. Stir to combine, but don’t over mix.
Add Chocolate Chips: Fold in ¼ cup of the chocolate chips.
Add to Prepared Baking Dish: Pour the batter into an 8×8 prepared pan lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle the top with the remaining ¼ cup of chocolate chips. For thinner brownies use a 9×9 or 9x 10 inch pan.
Bake: Bake for 35-40 minutes. For fudge brownies bake for 35 minutes, for cake brownies bake closer to 40 minutes. Use a toothpick inserted into the center to make sure the batter is cooked through.
Allow to Cool: Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely in the pan.
Cut into Squares: When cooled, run a knife along the edge of the pan, and gently lift the brownies out of the pan by pulling the ends of the parchment paper. Cut into 9-12 equal squares. Enjoy!
Expert Tips
- For a deep dark rich chocolate flavor be sure to use quality dark chocolate, both for the cacao powder and the chocolate chips.
- Use an 8×8 pan for thick brownies.
- Measure your dry ingredients using the spoon and knife method. Scoop the flour out of the bag with a spoon, then level it off with a knife. This will ensure you don’t use more flour than you need in your recipe.
- Make sure to line the pan with parchment paper. Cut the parchment paper to fit, and leave a few inches on either side so that you can lift the baked brownies easily out of the pan. This makes it much easier to cut the brownies into equal squares.
- Don’t over mix the batter. You’ll end up with dry and tough brownies.
- Spread the batter evenly.
- If using a glass pan it may take longer for the brownies to bake. This is because glass is slower to heat than metal pans. Check them at the 40 minute mark by inserting a toothpick into the center. If the batter is still wet it will need an extra 5 minutes to bake.
- Be careful not to over bake.
Check out Bake or Break for more tips for baking brownies!
FAQS
You can substitute any non-dairy milk for regular milk when making brownies. I recommend unsweetened almond milk, coconut milk, oat milk, cashew milk, or soy milk. These all make excellent substitutes.
Most brands of cocoa powder and cacao powder do not have any dairy. They are made with pure cocoa. However, some brands add other ingredients. Be sure to look at the ingredient label before purchasing to ensure that any additional ingredients haven’t been added. Only one ingredient, cocoa or cacao powder should be listed on the ingredient label.
Yes, you can make dairy free brownies from a boxed mix. Duncan Hines Double Fudge Decadent Brownie Mix, and Duncan Hines California Walnut Brownie Mix are both dairy free. However, making your own brownies without a mix is arguably just as easy, and way more delicious!
How to Store and Keep
Allow the dairy-free brownies to cool completely. Store in an airtight container. Keep at room temperature for up to 4 days. Or keep in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
Variations and Substitutions
Add Nuts: Add ½ a cup of chopped pecans, chopped walnuts, or any other chopped nut you prefer. Add the chopped nuts when you add the chocolate chips.
Oil-Free: Make these a bit healthier, and lower the fat by substituting the coconut oil with ½ a cup of applesauce, pumpkin puree, or banana puree.
Olive Oil Brownies: If you’re allergic to coconut oil, or don’t have it on hand you can use extra virgin olive oil or vegetable oil.
Gluten-Free Brownies: Use ¾ cup of oat flour and ¾ cup of almond flour or a 1:1 gluten free flour blend instead of white whole wheat flour to make these gluten-free.
More dairy free desserts!
Recipe
Dairy Free Brownies
Ingredients
Flax Egg
- 2 tablespoon ground flax
- 5 tablespoon water
Dry Ingredients
- ¾ cup cacao powder
- 1 ½ cups white whole wheat flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup organic cane sugar
Wet Ingredients
- ¾ cup unsweetened almond milk
- ½ cup melted coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup dairy free dark chocolate chips
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350 F. In a small bowl, whisk together the ground flax, and water. Set aside to thicken for 5-10 minutes.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together cacao powder, white whole wheat flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Add the wet ingredients to the bowl including the flax eggs, almond milk, coconut oil, sugar, and vanilla extract. Stir to combine, but don’t over mix.
- Fold in ¼ cup of the chocolate chips.
- Pour the batter into an 8×8 baking pan lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle the top with the remaining ¼ cup of chocolate chips.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes. For fudge brownies bake for 35 minutes, for cake brownies bake closer to 40 minutes. Use a toothpick inserted into the center to make sure the batter is cooked through.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely in the pan.
- When cooled, run a knife along the edge of the pan, and gently lift the brownies out of the pan using the parchment paper.
- Cut into 9-12 equal squares. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- For a deep dark rich chocolate flavor be sure to use quality dark chocolate. Both for the cacao powder and the chocolate chips.
- Use an 8×8 pan. Using a larger pan will result in thin brownies.
- Measure your dry ingredients using the spoon and knife method. Scoop the flour out of the bag with a spoon, then level it off with a knife.
- Make sure to line the pan with parchment paper. Cut the parchment paper to fit, and leave excess on either side, so that you can lift the baked brownies easily out of the pan. This makes it much easier to cut the brownies into equal squares.
- Don’t over mix the batter. You’ll end up with dry tough brownies.
- Spread the batter evenly.
- Don’t over bake. They’ll be too dry.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
Beth
My daughter is going to love this dairy free brownie recipe! I’m so excited to make these for our dessert after dinner tonight! Definitely going to be loved here and go so fast!
Cathleen
I love brownies, so I know I would be all over these!! I am always trying to think of recipes to make for my students who have dairy allergies, so this is perfect!!
maryanne
I am always looking for vegan brownie recipes, and this one sounds so rich and fudgy! I can’t wait to make a batch this weekend!
Teodora Grujic
I absolutely adore traditional recipes with a healthy twist. Thank you for this recipe!
Jessica Formicola
These brownies look so fudgy and delicious! I can’t wait to share them with my dairy free friends!