Dairy-Free Brownies

Few things are as satisfying as a warm, gooey brownie, especially when it’s topped with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream. But when you have to follow a diet that is dairy-free, it can feel as if brownies are out of reach. You wonder, Are brownies dairy-free?

Luckily, we dug into our recipe vault and found a dairy-free brownie recipe that’s just as gooey and delicious as regular brownies. Plus, it comes together in a snap, so it’s as quick and easy as the boxed stuff. Keep reading to get the step-by-step instructions for amazing dairy-free chocolate brownies.

Ingredients for Dairy-Free Brownies

• Sugar: You’ll need 2 cups granulated sugar to sweeten the brownies.
• All-purpose flour: The best type of flour for brownies is all-purpose flour. It provides just enough structure for the brownies but maintains a soft crumb.
• Baking cocoa: Whenever I make chocolate desserts, I always try to get one of the best cocoa powder brands from the store. Investing in high-quality cocoa will transform your chocolate bakes into velvety, deeply chocolaty dreams.
• Eggs: Quickly bring eggs to room temperature by placing them in a bowl and covering them with warm (not hot!) water for 10 minutes.
• Canola oil: Instead of melted butter, we use canola oil to make this a dairy-free brownie recipe.
• Vanilla extract: A splash of vanilla extract rounds out the sweet, delicate flavor and amplifies the chocolate taste of these dairy-free chocolate brownies.
• Semisweet chocolate chips: Buy your favorite bag of dairy-free chocolate chips or chocolate chunks for these brownies.

Directions

Step 1: Prep your tools

Preheat your oven to 350°F and grease a 13×9-inch baking pan with a dairy-free nonstick spray (PAM Baking is a good option).

Editor’s Tip: Avoid using a glass baking pan, if you can, as glass holds in a lot of heat. While this trait is great for dishes like lasagna, it can cause brownies to burn.

Step 2: Mix the batter

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In a large bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer to beat together the sugar, all-purpose flour, baking cocoa, salt, eggs, canola oil and vanilla extract.

Editor’s Tip: If you want your brownie batter to mix even easier, sift the dry ingredients once or twice. This will aerate the ingredients, combining them better and getting rid of any clumps.

Step 3: Bake the dairy-free brownies

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Pour the batter into a greased 13×9-inch baking pan.

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Sprinkle dairy-free chocolate chips on top.

Bake the brownies until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes.

Editor’s Tip: If you prefer a fudgier brownie, take them out a few minutes early. Just check that they’ve reached 160° for food safety.

Step 4: Cool, cut and serve

Remove the finished brownies from the oven and place the pan on a wire rack to cool. When they’ve cooled completely, slice them up and serve.

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Recipe Variations

• Include mix-ins: Go crazy with your favorite dairy-free mix-ins. Chopped nuts, dried fruit and Oreo pieces (yes, they’re dairy-free!) enliven these brownies. For a salty mix-in, opt for crushed pretzels.
• Add the ultimate chocolate dessert secret ingredient: A small pinch of espresso powder makes the chocolate flavor more pronounced in chocolate desserts. Don’t worry, you can hardly taste the caffeine!
• Top with a dairy-free frosting: Take this dairy-free brownie recipe over the top by decorating the brownies with a dairy-free chocolate frosting. Grab the frosting recipe from our vegan chocolate cupcakes!

How to Store Dairy-Free Brownies

Once the dairy-free chocolate brownies have cooled to room temperature, either cover the pan tightly with storage wrap or transfer the cut brownies to an airtight container. These brownies can be kept for up to four days at room temperature, where they’ll stay nice and soft.

Can you freeze dairy-free brownies?

You absolutely can freeze dairy-free chocolate brownies. Bake the brownies and let them cool to room temperature. You can either cover the pan in one layer of storage wrap followed by a layer of aluminum foil, or cut the brownies into slices and stash them in a freezer-safe container. Either way, the brownies can be frozen for up to two months. Thaw them in the fridge overnight or on the counter for an hour.

Dairy-Free Brownie Tips

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Can I bake the dairy-free brownie recipe in a different-sized pan?

Absolutely! You can bake these dairy-free chocolate brownies in a 12-inch skillet, or you can halve the recipe and bake them in an 8-inch or 9-inch square baking pan.

How do I serve dairy-free brownies?

A brownie is a masterpiece of a dessert all on its own, but it’s hard to say no to a scoop of ice cream on top. Try our dairy-free brownie recipe with one of these vegan ice cream brands, or make a dairy-free whipped topping like homemade coconut cream.

Are brownies dairy-free?

Brownie recipes are not usually dairy-free since some of them use butter in the batter and for greasing the pan. However, some brownies, like this dairy-free brownie recipe, use canola oil instead of butter.