Fudgy Dairy-Free Brownies

Calling all chocoholics! My super simple recipe for extra fudgy Dairy-Free Brownies is about to make your life a little sweeter. Made with just 11 ingredients and about 15 minutes of active time, these ooey, gooey nuggets of deliciousness have all the rich chocolate flavor you crave without any of the irritating side effects of lactose or gluten.

Why I Love This Dairy-Free Brownies Recipe

When it comes to brownies, I feel like people fall into one of two camps: Team Cakey vs. Team Fudgy. As a lifelong lover of melty chocolate, I’m Team Fudgy all the way! If you are similarly inclined but can’t tolerate dairy or gluten in your diet, I’m happy to report that this dairy-free brownies recipe delivers in a BIG way.

Aside from being yummy, these non-dairy brownies are:

• Quick & Easy - There’s no mixer needed, and you only need about 15 minutes of active time to get them ready for the oven.
• Made With Only 11 Ingredients - They’re all easy to find at just about any grocery store, and many of them are what I’d consider pantry staples. 
• Allergen-Friendly - I’ve made these gluten and dairy-free brownies with my personal food sensitivities in mind. They’re free of nuts and are also super simple to make egg-free, soy-free, and vegan to boot! Read on below for all the tasty details.
• Deeply Chocolatey - They’re made with no fewer than 3 (!!!) kinds of chocolate, so I can basically guarantee they’ll cure any sweet-tooth craving.

Ingredients & Substitutions

As promised, you only need 11 simple ingredients to make this dairy-free brownie recipe, many of which you probably already have on hand. Here’s what to grab:

• Vegan Butter - I tend to like Miyoko's cultured vegan butter or Earth Balance, but feel free to use whichever floats your boat! If dairy isn't an issue for you, by all means, use regular butter instead.
• Dark Chocolate - I suggest reaching for 70% cacao or higher to get all that deep, dark, fudgy goodness. Feel free to use a chopped chocolate bar or chocolate chips.
• Granulated Sugar & Brown Sugar - Different sugars have different roles in baking, so make sure you use both. Feel free to use either light or dark brown sugar here, but note that dark brown sugar will impart more of a caramelly, molasses-y, toffee flavor than light.
• Cocoa Powder - I typically reach for Dutch-processed cocoa powder because it is slightly less bitter, but natural cocoa powder or black cocoa powder will work just fine. You can also opt to use cacao powder, but note that it will have slightly more bitter undertones. 
• Large Eggs - Let your eggs come to room temperature so they’re easier to mix into the batter. 
• Vanilla Extract - You can also use an equal amount of vanilla paste or vanilla powder, or half as much ground vanilla.
• Instant Coffee Granules - While technically optional, I highly recommend adding a bit of coffee to pretty much any kind of chocolate dessert you’re making. Why? Because coffee magically makes chocolate taste more chocolatey. Feel free to use regular or decaf instant coffee or instant espresso; they’ll all achieve the same effect.
• Gluten-Free 1:1 Flour Blend - I prefer using Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Baking Flour, but any cup-for-cup all-purpose GF flour blend should work. If gluten isn’t an issue for you, you can easily swap in regular all-purpose flour instead.
• Fine Salt - If you’re using a different type of salt, refer to this conversion chart for proper measurement.
• Chocolate Chips - I promised you decadent, extra chocolatey brownies, so it only makes sense to have some melty chocolate chips running throughout! Feel free to use white, dark, or non-dairy “milk” chocolate depending on your preferences.

How To Make Fudgy Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Brownies

Making my gluten-free no-butter brownies is a snap. Here’s how it’s done:

Step 1: Melt Chocolate & Butter. In a small pot, melt together vegan butter and dark chocolate. Stir consistently to avoid burning. Once they’re completely melted, take the pot off the heat.

Step 2: Add Sugars, Cocoa, & Eggs. Add the granulated sugar, brown sugar, cocoa powder, and whisk together until it’s combined. Add the egg one at a time, mixing after each addition.

Step 3: Add Rich Flavor. Add the vanilla extract and instant coffee granules and mix until combined.

Step 4: Add Dry Ingredients. In a small bowl, mix together gluten-free flour blend and fine salt. Add the mixture to the pot and mix the batter until smooth.

Step 5: Fold & Rest. Switch to a spatula or wooden spoon and mix in the chocolate chips. Set the pot aside to let the batter rest for 20 minutes.

Step 6: Baking Prep. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease and line an 8x8 inch square pan with parchment paper.

Step 7: Bake. Pour the rested brownie batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes. Once the brownies come out of the oven, run a knife along the sides (between the brownies and parchment paper) to prevent them from sinking in the center.

Step 8: Cool. Let the brownies cool completely before taking them out of the pan to cut and serve.

Recipe Pro Tips

Once you see how simple it is to make these non-dairy, gluten-free brownies, you’ll want to make them again and again. That said, I’ve discovered a few tricks along the way that’ll make yours turn out perfectly every single time:

• Add the sugar to melted butter and chocolate for a shiny surface. Getting the sugar to dissolve fully (which is easier in warm ingredients) will help to create a lovely, satiny texture on the top of your brownies. If you skip this step, the top may end up a bit more matte, but the flavor will still be on point. 😉
• Let the batter rest to hydrate the gluten-free flour and avoid a gritty texture. Gluten-free flour is “thirstier” than regular flour, so you need to give it time to soak up all the moisture from the liquid elements of the batter. This will help soften each individual grain of flour, keeping your goodies from having a gritty texture!
• Run the knife along the sides to avoid the center from sinking. Brownies have a lower ratio of flour to fat than many other baked goods, which means they are prone to sinking after removing from the oven. By running a knife along the sides of your parchment as soon as they come out of the oven, you’re allowing them to settle at the same pace all the way around. If you don’t the edges that are stuck to the paper will stay elevated, leaving you with a sunken middle.
• Cool completely in the pan before attempting to cut. While I know it’s super tempting to dig right into your warm pan of fudgy goodness, resist the urge. Giving your brownies time to cool will give them greater structural integrity, which means they’ll be less likely to break.
• Use a clean, wet knife for clean-cut squares. These brownies are FUDGY, people. Using a wet knife helps keep the fudgy goodness from sticking *too much*, but you’ll still want to wipe it off and re-dampen it between each cut for nice, clean edges.

Optional Variations & Add-Ins

I love making these delicious lactose-free brownies just the way the recipe is written, but there’s always plenty of room to customize them to your exact specifications. Here are a few brownie variations to consider:

How To Make Gluten-Free Vegan Brownies: Replace the eggs with your favorite egg replacer. You can use either store-bought like JUST Eggs or Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer, or by using flax eggs (1 Flax Egg = 1 Tablespoon Flaxseed + 3 Tablespoons Water + Stir + 5 Minutes Rest).

How to Make Gluten-Free Soy-Free Dairy-Free Brownies: Simply opt for a vegan butter brand that is made without soy. Miyoko’s is typically my top choice, but the reddish-pink labeled Earth Balance is also soy-free.

Excellent Brownie Add-In Ideas: Amp up your fudgy tastiness with some extra texture. Consider adding any of the following:

• Toasted nuts or seeds
• Toffee bits
• Peanut butter, butterscotch, or mint chips
• M&Ms
• A swirl of salted caramel sauce or homemade dairy-free Nutella
• Pretzels
• Oreos
• Marshmallows
• Dried fruit

Storage

Baked brownies will keep in an airtight container or zip-top bag at room temperature for up to 3 days, in the refrigerator for up to a week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

FAQs

Tools

You don’t need much by way of special equipment to make these dairy-free gluten-free brownies a reality. Here’s what to gather:

• Measuring cups & spoons
• Mixing bowls
• Whisk
• Silicone spatula
• 8x8 baking tin
• Parchment paper

More Dairy-Free Bar Cookie Recipes

• Vegan 7-Layer Magic Bars
• Cranberry Oat Bars
• Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Bars
• Pumpkin Spice Blondies (easy dairy-free adaptation!)
• Matcha Oreo Brownies (easy dairy-free adaptation!)

If you made my easy recipe for Fudgy Dairy-Free Brownies, let me know how it turned out by giving it a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and commenting below! You can also always feel free to tag me on your social posts (@aimadeitforyou) so I can cheer you on from afar.

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