Best Vegan Applesauce Brownies

Finding a brownie recipe that’s both vegan and genuinely delicious can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack. Traditional brownies rely heavily on eggs and butter for that fudgy texture we all crave, and removing those ingredients often leaves you with something dry and disappointing.

That’s where these vegan applesauce brownies come in to save the day. They’re rich, chocolatey, and perfectly fudgy, plus they use simple pantry staples you probably already have on hand. Best of all, they’re so good that even non-vegans won’t believe they’re made without eggs or dairy.

What Kind of Cocoa Powder Should I Use?

For these vegan brownies, you can use either natural cocoa powder or Dutch-processed cocoa powder, and both will give you great results. Natural cocoa powder has a more intense, slightly acidic chocolate flavor, while Dutch-processed is a bit milder and darker in color. If you’re looking for really rich, fudgy brownies, I’d lean toward Dutch-processed, but honestly, whatever you have in your pantry will work just fine. Just make sure your cocoa powder is fresh and hasn’t been sitting in the back of your cupboard for years, as old cocoa can taste a bit flat and won’t give you that deep chocolate flavor you’re after.

Options for Substitutions

These vegan brownies are pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps:

• Ground flax seed: If you’re out of flax seeds, you can use chia seeds instead – just grind them up and mix with water the same way. You can also try 1/4 cup of applesauce or mashed banana as a binder, though this will add a bit of fruity flavor.
• Oil: Any neutral oil works here – vegetable, canola, or melted coconut oil are all good options. You could even use melted vegan butter if you prefer.
• Sugar: White sugar can be swapped with coconut sugar for a deeper flavor, though your brownies will be a bit darker. You can also use a 1:1 sugar substitute if you’re watching sugar intake.
• Cocoa powder: Dutch-processed or natural cocoa both work fine. Just don’t substitute with hot chocolate mix as it contains sugar and milk powder.
• All-purpose flour: For a gluten-free version, use a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend. Whole wheat flour can work too, but use half whole wheat and half all-purpose to avoid dense brownies.
• Chocolate chips: Make sure to use dairy-free chocolate chips to keep these vegan. You can also chop up a vegan chocolate bar or leave them out entirely for fudgier brownies.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake with vegan brownies is overbaking them, which leads to dry, cake-like results instead of fudgy treats – start checking at 35 minutes and pull them out when a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs, not completely clean.

Another common error is not letting your flax eggs sit long enough to gel properly, so give them at least 5 minutes to thicken before adding them to your batter for the best binding effect.

When mixing your batter, stop as soon as everything is combined because overmixing develops the gluten in the flour and creates tough brownies instead of tender ones.

Finally, resist the urge to cut into them right away – letting the brownies cool completely in the pan helps them set up properly and makes slicing much cleaner and easier.

What to Serve With Vegan Applesauce Brownies?

These brownies are rich and fudgy on their own, but they’re even better with a scoop of your favorite vegan ice cream on top – coconut or vanilla flavors work especially well with the chocolate. A cold glass of almond milk or oat milk is perfect for washing down these sweet treats, especially if you warm the brownies up a bit first. If you want to get fancy, try drizzling some melted peanut butter or almond butter over the top, or dust them with powdered sugar for a simple finishing touch. They also make a great dessert alongside fresh berries like strawberries or raspberries, which add a nice tartness that balances out the sweetness.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep your brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days, or in the fridge for about a week. I actually think they taste even better the next day once the flavors have had time to settle in!

Freeze: These brownies freeze really well for up to 3 months. Cut them into squares first, then wrap each one individually in plastic wrap before putting them all in a freezer bag. That way you can grab just one or two whenever a chocolate craving hits.

Thaw: Just leave a brownie out on the counter for about 30 minutes to thaw, or if you’re impatient like me, pop it in the microwave for 15-20 seconds. They get all warm and gooey again, almost like they’re fresh from the oven.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 2500-2700
• Protein: 25-30 g
• Fat: 110-120 g
• Carbohydrates: 375-400 g

Ingredients

For the flax egg:

• 2 tbsp ground flax seed (I use Bob’s Red Mill for a consistent gel)
• 5 tbsp water

For the brownie batter:

• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup oil (I like Crisco vegetable oil for a neutral taste)
• 1 1/2 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup cocoa powder (sifted to remove lumps for a smoother batter)
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (I always use King Arthur all-purpose flour)
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp espresso powder
• 3/4 cup chocolate chips (use semi-sweet for the best balance of sweetness)

Step 1: Prepare the Flax Egg and Preheat

• 2 tbsp ground flax seed
• 5 tbsp water

Combine ground flax seed and 5 tablespoons of water in a small bowl, stirring well to combine.

Set aside for 5 minutes to allow the mixture to thicken into a gel-like consistency—this will act as your egg binder.

While waiting, preheat your oven to 350°F and prepare a 9×13 inch baking dish by lightly oiling it or lining it with parchment paper.

Step 2: Create the Applesauce Base

• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup water

In a small saucepan, combine 1 3/4 cups sugar with 1/2 cup water over medium heat.

Stir occasionally and let it simmer for 5-10 minutes until the sugar is completely dissolved and the mixture becomes syrupy.

This concentrated sugar syrup will replace the moisture that applesauce would normally provide, creating moisture and sweetness throughout the brownies.

Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly.

Step 3: Combine Dry Ingredients

• 1 cup cocoa powder
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp espresso powder

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder, all-purpose flour, salt, and espresso powder.

I like to sift the cocoa powder first to remove any lumps—it ensures a smoother, lump-free batter with better chocolate distribution.

Make sure to break up any clumps as you combine these dry ingredients; a well-mixed dry mixture prevents streaking in the final batter.

Step 4: Build the Wet Mixture and Combine with Dry Ingredients

• sugar syrup from Step 2
• dry ingredient mixture from Step 3
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1 1/2 tbsp vanilla extract
• flax egg from Step 1

Pour the cooled sugar syrup from Step 2 into the dry ingredient mixture from Step 3, stirring gently to begin combining.

Add the oil, vanilla extract, and the thickened flax mixture from Step 1.

Stir everything together until you have a smooth, cohesive batter with no visible streaks of dry ingredients.

The batter should be thick but pourable—don’t overmix, as this can make the brownies tough.

Step 5: Fold in Chocolate Chips and Transfer to Pan

• 3/4 cup chocolate chips
• batter from Step 4

Gently fold the chocolate chips into the batter using a spatula or wooden spoon, being careful not to overmix.

Pour the batter into your prepared 9×13 inch baking dish, spreading it evenly with the back of a spatula.

For extra fudgy brownies, I actually slightly underfill and spread the batter a bit thinner—it creates those perfect chewy edges and a more cake-like crumb structure.

Step 6: Bake and Cool

Bake in the preheated 350°F oven for 35-42 minutes, checking at the 35-minute mark.

The brownies are done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs—they should not look wet or raw, but slight moistness is perfect for fudginess.

Remove from the oven and allow the brownies to cool in the pan for at least 15-20 minutes before slicing; this helps them set up and makes for cleaner cuts.

Best Vegan Applesauce Brownies

Delicious Best Vegan Applesauce Brownies recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Servings 20 pieces

Calories 2600 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the flax egg::

• 2 tbsp ground flax seed (I use Bob's Red Mill for a consistent gel)
• 5 tbsp water

For the brownie batter::

• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup oil (I like Crisco vegetable oil for a neutral taste)
• 1 1/2 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup cocoa powder (sifted to remove lumps for a smoother batter)
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (I always use King Arthur all-purpose flour)
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp espresso powder
• 3/4 cup chocolate chips (use semi-sweet for the best balance of sweetness)

Instructions

 

• Combine ground flax seed and 5 tablespoons of water in a small bowl, stirring well to combine. Set aside for 5 minutes to allow the mixture to thicken into a gel-like consistency—this will act as your egg binder. While waiting, preheat your oven to 350°F and prepare a 9x13 inch baking dish by lightly oiling it or lining it with parchment paper.
• In a small saucepan, combine 1 3/4 cups sugar with 1/2 cup water over medium heat. Stir occasionally and let it simmer for 5-10 minutes until the sugar is completely dissolved and the mixture becomes syrupy. This concentrated sugar syrup will replace the moisture that applesauce would normally provide, creating moisture and sweetness throughout the brownies. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly.
• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder, all-purpose flour, salt, and espresso powder. I like to sift the cocoa powder first to remove any lumps—it ensures a smoother, lump-free batter with better chocolate distribution. Make sure to break up any clumps as you combine these dry ingredients; a well-mixed dry mixture prevents streaking in the final batter.
• Pour the cooled sugar syrup from Step 2 into the dry ingredient mixture from Step 3, stirring gently to begin combining. Add the oil, vanilla extract, and the thickened flax mixture from Step 1. Stir everything together until you have a smooth, cohesive batter with no visible streaks of dry ingredients. The batter should be thick but pourable—don't overmix, as this can make the brownies tough.
• Gently fold the chocolate chips into the batter using a spatula or wooden spoon, being careful not to overmix. Pour the batter into your prepared 9x13 inch baking dish, spreading it evenly with the back of a spatula. For extra fudgy brownies, I actually slightly underfill and spread the batter a bit thinner—it creates those perfect chewy edges and a more cake-like crumb structure.
• Bake in the preheated 350°F oven for 35-42 minutes, checking at the 35-minute mark. The brownies are done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs—they should not look wet or raw, but slight moistness is perfect for fudginess. Remove from the oven and allow the brownies to cool in the pan for at least 15-20 minutes before slicing; this helps them set up and makes for cleaner cuts.