News flash - You can make vegan brownies from a mix, and it's not that hard...if you know a few secrets. I get asked how to make fudgy, gooey brownies from a mix a lot! And with good reason. Who doesn't want a short cut to brownie deliciousness? Follow along and I'll show you a great vegan hack so that you can make awesome brownies with a store bought brownie mix, but without using eggs or dairy.
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When it comes to desserts, nothing beats chocolate. From chocolate ice cream to cakes, I've veganized them all. But, I've never tried to address the question that I get asked so often - How do you make vegan brownies from a mix?
I began my research on social media where puzzled vegans were posting their serious brownie disaster photos. They substituted flax eggs for eggs, used apple sauce or bananas, and followed the directions on the box to the letter, but their brownies still resembled petrified rocks. What went wrong?
Let's do a deep dive into how to use a typical, commercial brownie box mix, and turn out gooey, fudgy brownies that are to die for.
Reasons You'll Love This Recipe
✅No need to gather together a bunch of ingredients. All you need is a regular brownie box mix like Duncan Hines. I've listed a few other popular brands that are "accidentally" vegan below. If you want to make your brownies from scratch I highly recommend these fudgy nut free brownies.
✅Obviously, this recipe is kid friendly!
✅It literally takes about 10 minutes hands on time to make perfect vegan brownies from a box mix.
✅These brownies are the gooey, fudgy kind. They're not cakey.
Ingredients
- Brownie Mix: You'll need to choose a brownie mix that doesn't have any animal derived ingredients listed on the packet. I've given you a few suggestions of mainstream brands that will do the trick. Please note that brands like Duncan Heinz and Betty Crocker do not contain animal derived ingredients, but they do have sugar and palm oil. If those are ingredients that you seek to avoid, then you'll need to choose another brand. King Arthur makes a brownie mix that contains no animal derived ingredients, and no refined sugar or palm oil.
- Chia Seed Or Flax Egg: To make a flax egg, mix 1 tablespoon of flax seeds with three tablespoons of water. To make a chia egg, mix 1 tablespoon of chia seeds with 2 ½ tablespoons of water. You'll need to let the mixture thicken a bit before using it.
- Coffee: Did you know that coffee enriches the flavor of chocolate? It does! If you don't want to use coffee, it's ok to substitute water or a plant based milk.
- Vegan Butter: I have done numerous tests with box mix brownies. While they call for oil, I have found that melted vegan butter yields the moistest, most gooey brownies.
- Baking Powder: Eggs actually aid in leavening. That means they give your baked goods a bit of lift. That's why we will be adding a small amount of baking powder.
Which Brownie Mixes Are Vegan?
There's a variety of brownie mixes in the shops that don't contain any animal products or dairy. Here's a few you can try:
- Duncan Hines: If you're fine with a brownie mix being "accidentally" vegan, then a Duncan Heinz brownie mix might be the one for you. If you are amongst the subset of vegans who avoids sugar and palm oil, this is not the right mix for you. While Duncan Heinz brownie mix contains no animal ingredients or dairy, they do contain palm oil and sugar.
- Betty Crocker: Betty Crocker stocks a range of brownie mixes, and the good news is that many of them contain no animal ingredients or dairy. However, their mixes do contain palm oil and sugar, so if that's something you'd like to avoid, this isn't the mix for you.
- King Arthur Baking Company: King Arthur brownie mixes contain no animal derived ingredients. In addition they are not made with refined sugar or palm oil. You will need to modify the instructions (which includes eggs) as noted below.
How To Make Vegan Brownies From A Box Mix
- Preheat your oven to 350° F (175° C). Line an 8x8 inch baking tin with parchment paper. Please note that if you use a bigger pan than 8x8 inches, you will need to reduce the cooking time.
- Make your chia eggs by combining 2 tablespoons of chia seeds with 5 tablespoons of water. Set aside.
- Sift the baking powder and box mix into a large mixing bowl.
- Add the melted butter, coffee and chia eggs. Mix until smooth. Be careful not to over mix. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the brownies to cool in the pan before slicing.
Did You Make This Recipe?
If so, I'd love to see it! Tag me on Instagram @thisdailydish. Or, leave me a comment below. It makes my day, and your feedback helps other readers!
Frequently Asked Questions
Store them in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
Absolutely! Spread them out on a parchment lined baking tray and freeze for two hours. Transfer them to a freezer safe container and freeze for up to 3 months.
Craving More Easy Vegan Recipes?
Oat Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies
Eggless Almond Cake With Orange Glaze
Chocolate Orange Crinkle Cookies
The Best Biscoff Butter Cookies
📖 Recipe
Easy Vegan Brownies From A Box Mix
Ingredients
- 1 18.2 ounce package of brownie mix
- 2 chia or flax seed eggs 2 tablespoons chia seeds, plus 5 tablespoons water = 2 chia eggs
- ½ cup vegan butter melted
- ½ cup instant coffee
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F (175° C). Line an 8x8 inch baking tin with parchment paper.
- Make chia eggs by combining 2 tablespoons of chia seeds with 5 tablespoons of water. Set aside.
- Sift the baking powder and box mix into a large mixing bowl.
- Add the melted butter, coffee and chia eggs. Mix until smooth. Be careful not to over mix. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. * see note 1 Allow the brownies to cool in the pan before slicing.
Notes
- The times indicated in the recipe are for an 8x8 inch pan. If you use a larger pan, you will need to reduce the cooking time.
Cathy
You have baking powder in the list of ingredients and baking soda in the instructions. I think it would be baking powder?
Keri Bevan
Yes, baking powder! So sorry, and thank you for telling me. I will fix that now.