One Bowl Fudgy Vegan Brownies
on Aug 29, 2021, Updated Jan 27, 2022
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Chocolatey vegan brownies with a salted almond butter swirl! This is one of my favorite brownie recipes ever and I know you’re going to love it!
One Bowl Fudgy Vegan Brownies are quick and easy to whip up – one bowl and no mixer needed! – and they’re sooo rich and chocolatey! If you love brownies, this is a must try!
And there’s a Nut-Free Tahini Version included below, too. Enjoy!
TASTES LIKE:
- Rich dark chocolate
- Gooey in the center with a flakey top
- Not too sweet
Can I sub Peanut Butter for Almond Butter?
In most recipes yes, in this, weirdly no! Nut butters can often be used interchangeably in cooking but baking is a little different. Measurements and ratios matter a lot, even in simple recipes like this one.
I’ve made this exact recipe with peanut butter and the texture was very different. Peanut butter and chocolate tastes delicious together but the consistency of peanut butter is different than thin, drippy almond butter and it made for drier, crumbly brownies. If you don’t have/want to use almond butter, opt for The Nut-Free Tahini Version of this recipe in the Notes below!
CREATING THE PERFECT SWIRL
The swirl on top is totally optional but I think it looks so professional and it adds a lot of flavor so I love to decorate this way!
I start by dolloping the top of the brownies with 9 1-2 teaspoon sized dots of almond butter. Then use a knife or a chopstick to swirl the almond butter into the batter. I typically draw a line straight through the dots in a downward motion and then swirl up to connect to the next row of dots.
Get creative here but Pro Tip: it’s better to under swirl than over swirl, as over swirling sometimes means you won’t be able to see the design as much once it’s baked!
For a thicker, more visable swirl you can mix the almond butter with a spoonful of powdered sugar. This will make it thicker and the swirl will be more pronouced, it will also change the flavor slightly.
Instead of a swirl, a handful of chopped walnuts and/or chocolate chips is also delicious and pretty!
Cacao, Cocoa, or Dutch Processed Cocoa? 🍫
This recipe was created and tested using raw cacao powder so that’s what I recommend using for best results. You can also use cocoa powder but not Dutch Processed Cocoa Powder (which is delicious but it won’t work here) because the brownies won’t rise if you use it in this recipe.
WHAT KIND OF ALMOND BUTTER or TAHINI?
Opt for natural almond butter (or tahini if using) If the only ingredients are almonds and salt, you’re good to go! But if it also has added sugar and palm oil, it will change the taste and texture of the brownies. I use and LOVE this one from Trader Joe’s.
Same for tahini if you’re make The Nut-Free Tahini Version below. Check that the only ingredients are sesame seeds and salt. I used this one.
Which One To Make? 🤔
The almond butter brownie is great for dark chocolate lovers, because it’s rich and sweet but not too sweet. The tahini version has a combo of maple and brown sugar so it has a touch more sweetness and some lovely depth of flavor. I truly love both so let me know which one ends up being your favorite!
STORING LEFTOVERS
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for about 3 days. I love sticking the container in the fridge – one because it stays fresh for up to 5 days and two, because cold brownies are even more thick and fudgy. So good!
Leftovers can also be crumbled into bit sized chunks and frozen so they’re ready to mix into vegan ice cream whenever you’re in the mood to make your own Coldstone-style brownie ice cream!
One Bowl Fudgy Vegan Brownies
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup natural almond butter, check to make ure the only ingredients are almonds and salt
- 1/2 cup applesauce, unsweetened
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 3/4 cup raw cacao powder
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt , I use Morton's
- 1/4 cup vegan chocoate chips, I use and recommend Enjoy Life Semi-Sweet Mini Chips
Instructions
Prep
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and prepare and 8×8 square pan by lightly greasing and/or lining with parchment paper.Tip: I typically grease my pans with a little refined coconut oil.
Mix
- In a large mixing bowl, add the almond butter, apple sauce, and maple syrup to a bowl. For sweeter brownies, see the notes below 👩🏻🍳Then sift in the cacoa powder and whisk vigorously for a full 30 seconds until the mixture looks like a river of glossy, smooth chocolate. *pause to contain your excitement and then…Add the flour, baking soda and salt. Mix just until combined and fold in the chocolate chips. Be careful not to over mix at this stage (see the video above for a helpful tip).
Swirl (optional)
- Dollop the top of the bronwies with 9 1-2 teaspoon sized dots of almond butter. Then use a knife or a chopstick to swirl the almond butter into the batter. Get creative here but Pro Tip: it's better to under swirl than over swirl, as over swirling sometimes means you won't be able to see the design as much once it's baked. For a thicker, more visable swirl you can mix the almond butter with a spoonful of powdered sugar. This will make it thicker and the swirl will be more pronouced, it will also change the flavor slightly. Instead of a swirl, a handful of chopped walnuts and/or chocolate chips is also delicious and pretty!
Bake
- Transfer the batter to your prepared baking dish and smooth out the top. Bake for 18-20 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool completely in the pan before slicing. Tip: It's tempting to cut into hot brownies but they're actually not done cooking when they're out of the oven. Once you remove the pan from the oven, the center is still basically hot fudge so it needs to cool down slowly in order to be sliceable.
Serve
- Once cooled, cut into 9 squares and enjoy!
Notes
- 1/2 cup runny, light tahini
- 1/2 cup apple sauce, unsweetened
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 3/4 cup raw cacao powder
- 1/3 cup flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 cup vegan chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup vegan chocolate chips
- 2 tsp refined coconut oil
If you like this recipe please leave a comment and rate this post below! And if you’re on Instagram, tag me in a pic so I can see your recreation! @nikkivegan
For more free vegan recipes, don’t forget to check out my YouTube channel here.
Can you use crunchy almond butter? I was in a rush at the store and got that by accident but want to make these!
Good question! I think that will effect the final result but because it will change the fat to liquid ratio but it might be ok! Let me know how it goes 😊😊
Can whole wheat flour be used?
Yep but it will change the texture and the flavor of the brownies 😊
It’s really a nice and useful piece of information. I am glad that you shared this helpful info with us. Please keep us informed like this. Thank you for sharing.
These look amazing and I can’t wait to try! I’d like
To double it to serve 10-12. Can I use a 9×13” pan and bake longer?
That should work! They might be a little thicker in a 9×13 pan so you may need to adjust the bake time 😊
I had one of those “I can’t believe I made this” moments. I can’t bake to save my life but these came out so gooey and delicious!! Thank you for making it so easy and practical to eat vegan.
AW THIS COMMENT MADE ME SO HAPPY!! 😊😊 You have no idea. That’s great to hear. I’m so glad you liked them!
Delicious brownies!!!! I made them for my grandma’s 90th birthday dinner and served them warm with vegan ice cream. We all devoured them. I’ll definitely make these brownies again.
FYI… The original non-tahini recipe calls for baking powder instead of baking soda which I think is a typo (I made sure to watch your video to double check).
Delicious brownies!!!! I made them for my grandma’s 90th birthday dinner and served them warm with vegan ice cream. We all devoured them. I’ll definitely make these brownies again.
FYI… The original non-tahini recipe calls for baking powder which I think is a typo (I made sure to watch your video to double check).
WOW!! This comment made me happy, thank you!! Wowowowowow 😊😊 I”m glad you and your Grandma enjoyed this brownies! And thanks for letting me know about that, I’ll double check it!