This is by far the best low-fat vegan brownie recipe I have found. I’ve been through a lot of cookbooks. To put it best…I judge a cookbook by the strength of its dessert section. I believe a diet must always allow for sweets and never be too restrictive.
When I come across a cookbook with all fruit desserts, I snap it shut and move on. That’s just me. I will always eat healthy, but I will never be overly virtuous.
Rip Esselstyn gets it! The recipes in his cookbook, The Engine 2 Diet provide a great balance between good sense and enlightened indulgence.
His recipes are extremely low fat and no-fat, but in the case of this recipe, thankfully, he allows for an abundance of naturally occurring cocoa butter in the form of a most generous allotment of chocolate chips. Thank you, Rip!
These beauties are everything a brownie should be: moist and fudgy with a dark cocoa edge that refuses to take a back seat to sugar.
When it comes to chocolate, vegans must be ever so cautious in label reading, because even some of the brands we trust have slipped milk fat into their formulas. A final note: Never pinch pennies when it comes to chocolate. You won’t regret it.
Dark Chocolate Brownies
Ingredients
Makes about 20 brownies
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup raw sugar
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 tbsp egg substitute mixed with 1/4 cup water or 2 flax meal eggs.
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp soy milk
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 1/2 cups (dairy-free) 60% chocolate chips or chunks (Ghirardelli offers a dairy free 60% product)
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 deg F. Combine the sugars and applesauce with an electric or handheld mixer. Beat in the Ener-G mixture, soy milk, vanilla, and vinegar. Combine the dry ingredients (except chocolate chips) in a separate bowl. Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients, then stir in the chocolate chips. Pour the batter into a sprayed 9×13 inch baking dish. Bake for 16-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
How fabulous do these look? Quick question: Have you ever used flax seed as an egg substitute? I add it to batters or my breakfast all the time, but I’ve never tried it as an egg substitute. Could that work here? Thank you!
I don’t see why flax would not work. Try 3 tablespoons hot water: 1 tablespoon finely ground flax seed. Beat til frothy. Good luck! Thanks for your comment!–Melanie
Thanks! Will do. 🙂 I’ll let you know how they turn out!
thank you for sharing this, definitely a step up from the black bean fare:)
Thanks for the comment, Jennifer! I hope you will give it a try!–Melanie
Oh La La! I’ve been a bit chocolate crazy lately! I should just give in instead of drooling at everyone’s desserts.
This looks delicious! I’m not an experienced baker, I was wondering could use almond flour for this instead of the whole wheat flour? Or do you know of any recipes that I can use almond flour? Any advice would be much appreciated! 🙂
I am not sure if almond flour can be substituted in this recipe. Here’s a link to an article on using almond meal I hope this helps. Thanks for your nice comment!–Melanie
Man, those are gorgeous! I haven’t done much baking since going vegan, but these may be one of the first things I try when I do.
Yes, I missed traditional baking when I first went vegan, but there are really so many options. Thanks for the lovely comment. Blessings–Melanie
Waw! Your vegan brownies look to die for! I want to lick my screen: really appetizing!
Tried these tonight to satisfy my chocolate cravings and they were wonderful! My 3 y/o had a chocolate beard by the time he finished his 🙂
Thank you for sharing!
You are welcome. I am so happy you enjoyed the recipe. I like to keep a batch of these on hand in the fridge or freezer. They keep really well. Thanks for the great comment!–Melanie
Thanks! I am glad you enjoyed the recipe. I like to keep these on hand all the time. A healthier alternative to some of the vegan junk treats out there. Take care.–Melanie
This sounds really great. I was looking for a brownie recipe with applesauce. I just made a giant vat of homemade applesauce, and I am definitely going to use it for these brownies!!
Thanks!
That’s sounds decadent. You certainly kicked it up a notch!! Thanks for the great comment and the great idea 🙂
This recipe is pretty awesome! I made a few adjustments and turned them into Dark Chocolate S’more’s Brownies! http://onesmallvegan.com/2013/06/08/dark-chocolate-smores-brownies/
I made thee tasty beauties & love the fact that there is no vegan butter or oil in them! I know that applesauce replaces that. Yummm!
xxx
These are super-rich, too 🙂
With that glowing recommendation I’ll have to try these. Must check out that cookbook too.
Yes, definitely do! Let me know how you like them 🙂 I would update the recipe with adding you could use a flax egg instead of the powdered egg replacer.
What can I say? It’s Chocolate. 😍
Agreed!