The BEST Vegan Fudgy Brownies that are gluten-free, oil-free, nut-free and so rich, chocolatey, fudgy, (not cakey) and are incredibly moist. Dairy-free, egg-free and made with only 8 ingredients and all made in a food processor.
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BEST VEGAN FUDGY BROWNIES GLUTEN-FREE
Warning: the following post will produce extreme salivation. You have been warned. To me, a brownie that decides to call itself a brownie should require these characteristics: dense, fudgy, chewy and very chocolatey. Cakey brownies, step aside. You are not brownies, you are cake. Accept it and move on. These are the vegan brownies you want in your life.
These Best Vegan Fudge Brownies are gluten-free, nut-free, oil-free, coconut-free and kid-friendly. Bonus that these only have 8 ingredients (+ salt & water)!
GLUTEN-FREE VEGAN BROWNIES
These are some of the best brownies I’ve ever had and I’m soooo not exaggerating. In fact, I was totally shocked at how amazing they were. It doesn’t matter if they are vegan brownies or gluten-free brownies. What is shocking about that statement is that these are filled with ingredients that you would NEVER expect in a brownie recipe. Ya know, like the expected all-purpose flour, butter, sugar and eggs.
So, what’s the main secret ingredient?
Yes, sunflower kernels make it possible for all of you nut-free folks out there. You can now have your brownies and eat them too.
The main ingredient in these vegan brownies is sunflower kernels. Make sure yours are fresh, as rancid seeds can leave a bitter aftertaste to brownies. Also, since it is the main ingredient, while I do not really taste the sunflower, if you are not a fan of them or are sensitive to the taste, obviously don’t make them.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED
- raw, unsalted sunflower kernels
- unsweetened cocoa powder
- pure maple syrup
- baking powder
- brown rice flour
- oat flour
- vanilla
- dairy-free semi-sweet chocolate chips
HOW TO MAKE VEGAN FUDGY BROWNIES
STEP 1: Make the brownie batter. Add just the sunflower kernels to a food processor and process into a flour. Add the remaining ingredients and blend for several minutes until completely smooth and no bits of seeds remain.
STEP 2: Transfer the batter to a bowl. Add the chocolate chips and stir.
STEP 3: Bake the brownies. Add the batter to a loaf pan and bake at 350°F for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with sticky crumbs, not wet batter and not dry.Add the batter to a loaf pan and bake at 350°F for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with sticky crumbs, not wet batter and not dry.
STEP 4: Cool 45 minutes to an hour before cutting. This is important so they hold together and not fall apart, which cutting them while warm will yield crumbly brownies.
MORE VEGAN BROWNIE RECIPES TO TRY
- Vegan Fudgy Coconut Butter Brownies
- Vegan Fudgy Zucchini Brownies
- Chocolate Pumpkin Cake Brownies
- Raw Brownies with Raspberry Coulis
- Fudgy Vegan Low-Fat Brownies
UPDATE: I originally wrote this recipe using the Oriya protein powder. However, I NO longer use the protein powder, I only use the flours listed below now. The specific protein powder that I used in the recipe is no longer available and therefore do NOT recommend protein powders in the recipe anymore because so many will yield an unpleasant aftertaste, so please use the flours listed.
If you make this recipe, be sure to leave feedback below and share your pic on Instagram or Facebook and tag me @thevegan8 #thevegan8!
Best Vegan Fudgy Brownies (Gluten Free and Oil Free)
The BEST Vegan Fudgy Brownies that are gluten-free, oil-free, nut-free and so rich, chocolatey, fudgy, (not cakey) and are incredibly moist.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (140g) raw, unsalted sunflower kernels (Do NOT use roasted or you will get an aftertaste!)
- 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons (36g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 cup (160g) pure maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons (10g) vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons (90g) water
- 3 tablespoons (30g) brown rice flour (Or sub with 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons (16g) oat flour (or sub with 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour if you can't tolerate oats)
- 1/4 heaping cup (60g) + extra on top dairy-free chocolate chips
NOTE
- This makes a small amount in a loaf pan, so if you want a larger batch, double the recipe and use an 8x8 pan. If you want to use all regular all-purpose flour, then leave out the oat flour and brown rice flour and just use 1/4 cup (32g) all-purpose flour in place of both. The texture was slightly more cakey/puffy with the all-purpose flour. I preferred the more dense/fudgy texture using the gluten-free flours, but both are delicious .
NOTE
- As always, I recommend highly to use a scale to prevent room for error. You don't need cups or to compare the weights to cups, just simply follow the weights listed, as this is exactly how the recipes are tested and made. Make sure to zero out before adding each ingredient.
- I use this scale.
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and spray WELL a 9X5 loaf pan with nonstick spray. I tried some with parchment paper and didn't like how they stuck to the paper and were more fragile.
Add the sunflower kernels to a food processor and process for 30 seconds until a flour is formed. Add the cocoa powder, baking powder and salt and process again until just mixed.
Add the syrup, vanilla and water and process for 3 minutes or so until completely smooth. Scrape the sides down and process for a few more seconds. It should be COMPLETELY SMOOTH and no chunks of sunflower kernels left before adding the flours next. If it's not all mixed and smooth, you will end up with dry crumbly brownies since the fat from the sunflower kernels is what makes these so fudgy!
- Add the brown rice flour and oat flour (or all-purpose flour) and process again until it is all blended and thick like a smooth nut-butter consistency. Add the batter to a bowl and make sure to scrape out all of that chocolatey goodness. Stir in the chocolate chips.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread out evenly to the corners. Place extra chocolate chips on top.
Bake for 35-40 minutes depending on your oven. I would suggest checking yours at 35 minutes. I took mine out closer to 40 minutes. Here is the thing, these will not look done based on the top of the brownies, but will form that shiny firm top AFTER they are out of the oven cooling. Do not check for a clean toothpick either, it will not come out clean. It shouldn't be wet batter, but more of a sticky batter. The edges should be firm and have slightly pulled away from the pan. If you are doing a version with all of all-purpose flour in place of the oat and brown rice flours, then they were done at 35 minutes and just slightly more cakey/puffy.
Cool for 45 minutes to an hour, with no exception. They will fall apart if you try to remove them earlier. Carefully cut them with a smooth sharp knife. Gently remove the first brownie and then the others by sliding a spatula underneath. Then they will firm up considerably even more as they sit on a plate. They will be firm, moist and super fudgy. Store at room temperature wrapped tightly in foil.
OMG. What can I say… Thank you a million times!!! Your recipe was right on spot, my birthday present: my birthday brownies 🙂 I’m eating them all by myself haha
My notes: I baked in an 8inch square pan and therefore I think I needed less time — 30 min. They were crispy outside and amaaaaaazingly gooey inside! Since I also didn’t have choc chips, I just choipped some bitter chocolate and used them. Worked just fine, too!
So, that was it, I’ve got a mouth full of delicious brownie now 😛
Haha, loved this feedback Barbara, thank you so much! I’m so happy you loved these so much and Happy birthday!!!
WOW! These are great. Just made them today after drooling over the pictures the other day. So quick and easy to make. I was able to mix the batter in my vitamix and pour right into the pan, stir in chocolate chips and bake! So extra points for using “one bowl” so to speak. They came perfect! I used the subs for the protein powder and used 3 T of brown rice flour instead. My kids approve too!
SO happy to hear that Jenn! Thank you so much for the wonderful feedback, I really appreciate it! Glad it’s kid approved too! They are my daughter’s favorite 🙂
Brandi,
What a fabulous recipe! I am shocked at how delicious these turned out. You are absolutely right; these brownies are fudgy, dense, and there’s not the slightest taste of sunflower seeds! My husband is anti-vegan and even he was surprised and pleased with the results. I used the rice flour substitution but I tried 1T of ground chia seeds and 2T of rice flour. No other changes but mine were perfectly done in 32min. This will be my new go-to for when I need a chocolate fix. Thanks so much.
Yay Shirlie!! I’m so happy you and your hubby both loved these! Thank you so much for making them and leaving feedback!
Do you know if anyone has made these without a food processor? I decided to go through my saved vegan8 recipes to see how necessary my food processor is (I do love it, but as I mentioned earlier I live in a hotel, and move my whole life in the back of my jeep every few months. I have accumulated was too much stuff, and desperately need to down size). What percent of the time do you use the food processor do you think I’m your recipes? I’m still kind of new to making them! Thanks!
Hi Vanessa! The sunflower seeds definitely need a food processor in order to process them and the whole mixture into a smooth batter…otherwise it will be gritty. You could try using sunbutter instead I guess and just really whisk the ingredients well until smooth, I’m guessing you would need 6-8 tablespoons sunbutter. As far as my recipes go, I use my food processor more than any other appliance. I use it for desserts and veggie burgers and hummus and dips, etc. I couldn’t live without it so I’d say it’s pretty important. Obviously not all recipes require it, but many use it. I rely on it more than my Vitamix, but use both.
Thanks. I think I will try to hang on to it (I do love my food processor, I can’t deny). As I went through more recipes last night I realized how many used it.
Ok, I’ve made these twice now, and they’ve been absolutely delicious both times, but they look nothing like the picture, lol. They will not stay together, when you try to cut them, they just fall apart and crumble even though they are moist? It’s crazy! I didn’t have the protein powder, so I substituted the brown rice flour like you suggested, but otherwise followed the recipe. But like I said, they were still really good! ?
Kathy @notjustsmoothies
Hi Kathy! I’m so glad you love these!! Hmmm, that’s really strange, you’re the first person ever to mention that. I’ve had dozens and dozens make these and their pics look like mine above and each time I make them, they always turn out the same. The sunbutter is what holds them together. The only reason they would be crumbly is if you are removing them too soon after coming out of the oven, but they are so firm after completely cooked after they cook, even the next day. I make them all the time. Do you use parchment paper or spray your pan? I made them one time with parchment paper and they stick bad to the paper, making them crumble when you try to remove them. Maybe you need to cook them longer? The edges should be really firm and crisp up.
Thanks Brandi for your reply. I didn’t use parchment paper, I sprayed an 8×8 square glass dish, since I doubled the recipe. I cooked them the max time and let them cool completely in the pan. I did mix the the sunflower seeds in a vitamix since I don’t have a food processor & blended all the ingredients in a bowl by hand, so don’t know if that would make a difference? They were so good though and everyone loved them! I also tried to rate this recipe but when I clicked on the star it didn’t do anything? ?
Hi Kathy! Ok, I knew there was something that had to be slightly different, yes, all the ingredients should be blended up all together because the sunflower seeds should be completely pureed with the dry ingredients and liquids, when it is then blended up for a couple of minutes with everything, it becomes very sticky/pudding-like and cohesive. It causes it to bake up very firmly. 🙂 You should still be able to do all of that in your vitamix and the bars should turn out much firmer next time. Thank you so much Kathy! 🙂
Oh and yes, I got the stars, thank you! It went through 🙂
Ok, thanks so much Brandi, I will try that! I was thinking the sunflower seeds were just supposed to be made into a flour and not a butter. I hope it won’t be too thick for the vitamix. Is there a good food processor you could recommend? I’ve been wanting to get one but there’s so many different kinds, sizes, and prices, I don’t know where to start! ? Thanks again and I’m glad the stars went through? ?
Yes, I got the star rating, thank you so much! Yes, the first step is grinding it up into a flour, but then you need to blend it all together with ALL the ingredients so it becomes really smooth and a pudding consistency, it becomes sticky and gooey like a nut butter almost. They bake up and become really firm that way 🙂 My vitamix is the thin container and I have trouble doing thick textures in it, only my food processor works. I use this one and absolutely LOVE it! It’s an 11 cup, so perfect size to get a lot done. It is a bit pricey, but works: http://amzn.to/1SxM5yC
If you want something better prices, this is another one I had for years and loved it too! http://amzn.to/1SxMjWx
Would another protein powder work? Looking at Garden of Life Organic plant protein.
I’ve only tried it with the one above, but the best option would be to just use brown rice flour if you have that, in place of the protein powder. Is the Garden of Life one flavorless? You don’t want one that is flavored and sweetened or it will affect the taste. The one I used had no sweetener or flavors.
Thank you, thank you, thank you! Or as my husband said, “Oh, snap!” :). Best brownies I’ve had since going vegan 2 years ago. Definitely a keeper!
Haha, yay!! SO happy to hear that Dawn, thank you so much for the feedback! And I laughed at your husband’s response, haha!
Holy crap these are so freaking delicious I can barely stand it! I was loving the batter so much I didn’t want to bake them. I think I liked every last morsel out of the blender and off the spatula… I used Sunwarrior Plain Brown Rice Protein powder and baked them in a 8″ round pan in the toaster oven for about 35 minuets (I’m operating in a half functional kitchen right now) but that seemed to work – though it would be nice to have them a tad thicker. It was soooooo hard not to cut them until they cooled, but I did manage to refrain myself. Talk about an exercise in will power. Now it’s going to be hard not to eat the entire pan today! Anyway, I just wanted to say thanks for such deliciousness. You really made my day 🙂
That is so awesome to hear Sarah, I’m so happy you loved these so much! I love them so much too! Thank you for the feedback!
These look amazing! Is it possible to make them without a food processor? I have a NutriBullet so I could still grind up the sunflower seeds, and maybe use the blend setting for the maple syrup and vanilla part? And my mixer for the rest? I really want to make these for a thanksgiving dessert! Thanks!
Hi Abbie, it’s really important that the entire mixture (all of the ingredients) are really mixed well together so it’s totally smooth. Mixing everything together is what makes it a really thick/smooth chocolate batter. This is what will affect how they bake up and hold together, so as long as you can do that, I think it should work. Let me know how they turn out!
OMG! These look mouth-watering. Not a natural vegan myself I look for good vegan recipes for the calorie loss! I only have to look at a cake to put weight on. It sounds good!
Thank you Anne! These just taste every bit as rich as traditional brownies, they don’t “taste vegan” or anything, haha! A large amount of my readers make them for friends/family and they aren’t vegan. These are a huge hit with people, so you should definitely try them!
Wow these are so good!!!! I used 3T pastry flour instead of protein powder. I also added 1T coconut sugar to make it just a little sweeter and topped it with chopped pecans. I could have eaten the whole pan by myself!!!! Are there any special instructions if I want to double the recipe and use a 8×8 pan? Do I just double everything? Anyone tried this yet
Sorry I missed this comment before Kate! I’m so happy to hear you loved them so much! I know I’m way late on this, but yes, just double the recipe for an 8×8 pan…basically the same cooking time.
evidently that Oriya Organics Superfood Protein Medley is no longer available on their web site.
What as a substitution?
Thank you
Mary Jean
Sorry I missed this before Mary Jean! The subs for protein powder are listed right next to the ingredient. Says “see Notes below for subs” 🙂
oops sorry—see it under a different name and also see your substitution note at the bottom of the
recipe.
“>)
Hi
these look delicious. I have 2 queries :
Can I use oat flour throughout,instead of rice flour?
Can the maple syrup be replaced with honey as the former isnt easily available where I live.
Hi Tia! I would not recommend oat flour instead of rice flour because I think that will make them TOO gooey because they are already very fudgy, which is why I didn’t use all oat flour. You can try it but just know it’s not going to be the intended result. As far as honey goes, again, honey is VERY thick and sticky so it will make these exceptionally gooey. Maple syrup is much thinner and honey is a totally different taste so you can always try but I can’t vouch for the result. Let me know if you try it! I think agave would be a much better sub than maple syrup, but be sure to up the chocolate chips.
These were the best brownies that I have ever had! I didnt use the protein powder and swapped to plain flour, but wow! Even hubby and the kids loved them. Being so rich and decadent its easy not to eat too many 😉
Thank you so much Nicole for taking the time to leave such an amazing review! Love that they whole family loved these so much! Thank you for the awesome feedback!
Made these yesterday and wow are they good! The best brownies I’ve ever made (vegan or not). I followed the recipe to a T including the protein powder. I used part of a vega one vanilla protein packet and it worked. I left it sit for an hour like she said and I was shocked when I cut it open. All the fudge-y goodness! It’s also so easy to make and I didn’t dirty tons of bowls. I’m going to make this for everyone I can.
Yay, yay, yay! Makes me so happy to hear this Morgan! Thank you very much for the awesome review both here and on Instagram, it is so appreciated!
I made the Sunflower Brownies for the third time this week. I cannot keep them in my house. Since finding the Vegan 8, my life has changed. My daughter is eating healthy, easy food that I prepare because it tastes great! I had a hard time getting her to eat ANYthing healthy before. Thank you so much for the awesome, easy recipes! I have not made any of your recipes that we have not liked yet! Blessings to you and your family!
This is the best review ever Seanah!! So so happy you loved these brownies so much and thank you very much for your kind words. I can’t tell you how happy your words made me and what it means to hear how much you are loving the recipes. Thank you so much!
This recipe is so easy and so yummie! Even my boyfriend liked these brownies. I made 1.5x the recipe and put it in a muffin tray. Twelve delicious brownie-muffins in 20-25 minutes. Wonderful. Brandi, I am hooked on your recipes. Thank you so much!!
Thank you so much Andrea for taking the time to leave the review! I really appreciate it! SO happy to hear you are enjoying my recipes 🙂
Love love love this recipe! My go to chocolate fix recipe. Thanks girl!
Thank you so much Melanie, I’m so happy to hear that!
These are UNREAL….we tripled the recipe and made a pan-full of these. If you follow your directions to the letter, they come out PERFECTLY. We did make one modification and instead of Oat Flour we tried Coffee Flour (yes, its a thing) and the outcome was great.
My wife’s first comment after trying them….”o.k., I’m vegan now”!
Thank you, wonderful recipe.
Hahaha, this is the best comment ever Christopher! I love that these brownies instantly converted her, I laughed out loud! I’m SO happy you both loved these so much! You described exactly how I feel about them too and why they are my favorite brownie on the blog (I have many!), although I do love them all. Would you believe that I have a brownie recipe in my upcoming cookbook that is even better (in my opinion) because it mimics that true classic brownie like the boxed kind with the thick texture and top! Anyways, thanks so much for the awesome feedback! If you get a chance to leave the star rating, that would be awesome, they help me out so much!
Thank you for making a vegan recipe without oil!!!!! I love coconut but it is high in saturated fat and you just can’t get around that. No mayter what saturated fat clogs your arteries and is just as bad as trans fat. Being dairy free, most of my desserts have to be vegan… so finding one that isn’t ridiculously high in bad fats makes dessert much more enjoyable.
The best vegan brownies, just fallen in love for this recipe and I will repeated over and over, but I need to mentioned that I put agave syrup instead of maple, also I mixed cocoa with karob and I like to add on top when I serve them homemade peanut butter (sugar free, salt free, any oil free- just peanuts roasted by me and then blended very well until they become a thick but smooth paste), also on top of them some home made granola; my secret is to keep them into the fridge before u eat them!
Yay! SO very happy to hear how much you loved these Cristina! Thank you so much for the awesome review! Peanut butter on top sounds so delicious!
I made these this afternoon, followed the recipe exactly and in the oven for 35 mins but they turned out dry and crumbly. There are parts of it that is a little gooey so I can imagine how nice they would be. I guess less time in the oven next time.
Hi Amanda, did you process all of the ingredients as noted in a food processor?? These brownies are nothing but super fudgy and gooey, not dry and crumbly at all. Not even the slightest dry. All I can think is that your oven is way off or somehow the ingredients were not processed fully into the liquid because it is all the fat from the sunflower seeds that give them all their incredible moisture as well as binding. They are very, very fudgy and firm. As noted they firm up a ton as they cool. These all have perfect rave reviews from all other readers as you can see above, so I’m not sure what happened on your end! I’ve made them dozens of times and they are extremely fudgy every time and I even go to the full 40 mins baking time.
Hi Brandi, yes I put them in for 3 mins like you said. I had the timer going and it looked super smooth. Not sure why then, maybe ill try them again and pull them out of the oven earlier, or process them longer. I’ve had a lot of your other recipes which are amazing so it must be something on my end. Just disappointed I didn’t get to eat these yummy looking ones in your pics!
Just wondering if I can use white rice flour instead of brown? And to make it all gluten free, can I make it with gluten free flour instead of oat flour?
Thank you for all the good recipes.
Hi Stina! I honestly don’t know since I haven’t tested it with a gluten-free blend, only the 3 flours I listed above. I’m sure it would work but my guess is since there is starches in GF blends it would make them cakier, but I would assume they’d still be good. Give it a try and let me know!
These are so freaking good! My picky son loves them too! Thanks Brandi 🙂
Woohoo, wonderful to hear Silvana, thank you!! If you could click the star rating next time, that would be awesome, they help me out, thank you so much!
I made these tonight subbing all the flour with bob’s red mill gluten free flour and they came out perfect! I also just used a Nutributllet and made the entire batter in the belnder(blended the seeds first as recommended). So easy and delicious! Thank you for the wonderful recipe!
Yay! So glad to hear that! Thank you for the lovely review! Would you mind adding the star rating too, thank you so much!!
I made these today for my gluten free but non-vegan sister’s birthday, and the first words out of her mouth were “it’s like the abyss is a friend”. 😂😂😂 She loves them!
Haha! So funny! So glad they were a hit!!
Hi!I wanted to ask…can they be refrigerated? I’m looking to make around 6 big badges for the next day but wanted to make sure I can store them inside the refrigerator! Help
Thanks
Hi! They will get really firm like fudge, they are best at room temperature. No need to refrigerate!
I’ve made these brownies several times and they are ahhh-mazing. I usually sub rice malt syrup for maple (because it’s a bit cheaper). Other than that I follow this recipe and it always turns out great. I can hardly believe they have no oil!?
That is so wonderful to hear Josie, thank you so much for sharing!
So good! I tripled the recipe and used just oat flour. I subbed the maple syrup for coconut sugar. So instead of 1.5 cups of syrup, it was 2 cups of sugar and i just added more water to adjust for different moisture amounts. About a cup more. But just as needed. I used muffin tins and added a big scoop into each spot. It made 24 pieces. Cooked for about 22 minutes. They were about 1 cm thick. Very fudgy in the centre!
Wonderful, so happy to hear your changes still worked Tannis!
Thanks for another amazing recipe, as always! For sweetness, I added one banana (I only had one!) and two spoons of brown sugar, and it turned out great, not too sweet. Next time I will definitely try to completely replace the sweetener with bananas, trying to avoid sugar as much as possible (including syrups).
Hi Neringa! Glad you enjoyed them. Banana would make these much more dense and much less sweet, but I’m glad it worked out for you! Thanks for making them!
What a fabulous idea to use sunflower seed flour! These were fantastic. There was a unique and lovely taste to these brownies. Thank you for a fabulous recipe!
I’m so happy you loved these!! Thank you so much for making them!
I LOVE these brownies, and have made them several times. In fact, I have a pan cooling right now. I leave out the salt and the chocolate chips, and the brownies are nice and fudgy without them.
The first time I made them, I didn’t process the sunflower seeds long enough, and had little gritty bits in the brownies. They’re just for me, so it wasn’t a big deal. Since the food processor didn’t get them fine enough, I now process the seeds for a minute in my Vitamix before dumping everything into the food processor.
Thank you so much for this recipe!
So happy to hear you love these Barbara!! My Cuisinart processor is really powerful and gets the batter perfectly smooth, but that’s a great tip to use the vitamix first if one’s food processor isn’t that powerful!
I just made these and they are AMAZING! Thank you! <3
Yay, so awesome to hear that Sherri! Thanks for the feedback!
Delicious! Thank you!!!
Thank you so much Erin!!