The oven died at 4:47 PM on Christmas Eve, 2019. I remember the exact time because my mother-in-law kept checking her watch while I stood there with a bowl of brownie batter and no place to bake it. The kitchen smelled like desperation—melted coconut oil cooling too fast, sugar starting to seize—and I ended up borrowing my neighbor’s toaster oven, which only fit one eight-inch pan at a time. We ate in shifts. Some people had warm brownies; others had… room temperature ones. But here’s what I learned: these vegan double chocolate brownies don’t need perfection. They’re forgiving in a way that butter-based recipes never are. The coconut oil stays liquid longer, the applesauce buys you time, and the result is something so dense and fudgy that temperature barely matters. If you want to turn them into something truly ridiculous, try making a Brownie Ice Cream Sandwich with Salted Caramel once you’ve got the base recipe down. That neighbor? We’re still friends. Mostly because I bring her brownies every December.
Vegan Double Chocolate Brownies
These intensely fudgy vegan double chocolate brownies made with coconut oil and dark chocolate chips are the most decadent plant-based National Chocolate Day celebration. Completely dairy-free and absolutely irresistible.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
- 1 cup organic granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (dairy-free)
- 1/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Instructions
- 1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
- 2. In a large bowl, whisk together melted coconut oil, sugar, applesauce, and vanilla until smooth.
- 3. Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt into the wet mixture. Stir until just combined.
- 4. Fold in dark chocolate chips and walnuts (if using). Do not overmix.
- 5. Pour batter into prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- 6. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before cutting into 9 squares.
Details
An indulgent vegan dessert perfect for National Chocolate Day, featuring rich dark chocolate and coconut oil.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
| Calories | 320 kcal |
| Protein | 4 g |
| Carbs | 42 g |
| Fat | 17 g |
Notes
For an extra fudgy texture, slightly underbake by 2-3 minutes. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Why This Dish Belongs on Your Holiday Table
Let me be direct about what you need during the holidays: something that feeds eight people without you hovering over a stove, something that survives three hours on a buffet table without turning into a science experiment, and something that the dairy-free person at your party can actually eat without a lecture about their dietary choices. These brownies check every box. The coconut oil gives them a longer shelf life than butter-based versions—I’ve left a pan covered on the counter for four days and they were still good, though slightly chewier on the edges (which some people prefer). The applesauce isn’t a health hack; it’s structural. It keeps the crumb tight and prevents that sad, crumbly dryness that plagues so many vegan desserts. For a crowd-pleasing twist that travels well, check out these Viral Lunchbox Brownies Kids Are Obsessed With—they’re built on similar principles. And if you want to know where brownies came from in the first place—because someone always asks—here’s The History of the Brownie from History.com. Spoiler: it involves a forgotten baking powder incident in 1893.
The Perfect Occasion for This Recipe
Make these at 10 PM on a Wednesday when you realize you promised to bring something to the office potluck tomorrow and the grocery store closes in twenty minutes. Make them for the “fancy-but-lazy” dinner where you want dessert to feel intentional without actually trying very hard. Make them when your college-student niece announces she’s gone vegan and your mother looks personally offended. The ideal moment, though? That liminal hour between the gift-opening chaos and the actual meal—when people are sprawled on couches, wrapping paper still on the floor, and someone inevitably says, “Is there anything sweet?” That’s when you pull these out, still slightly warm, chocolate chips barely set. For technique and ingredient sourcing, I keep Serious Eats’ Vegan Brownies Recipe bookmarked as a reference point, though I’ve adjusted the ratios over years of trial and some memorable error.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make these ahead?
Yes, and frankly, they taste better after 24 hours in the fridge. The flavors settle, the texture firms up, and you can cut cleaner squares. Bring them to room temperature before serving, or don’t—I’ve eaten them straight from the cold container at 11 PM and suffered no regrets.
Why did my brownies turn out cakey instead of fudgy?
You overmixed. Once the wet and dry ingredients meet, stir until you don’t see flour anymore and then stop. The batter should look like thick, glossy mud—not pourable, not dough. Also check your oven temperature with a standalone thermometer; most run hot and dry out the edges.
Can I swap the coconut oil?
You can use refined vegetable oil in a pinch, but you’ll lose that subtle aromatic quality that makes people ask, “What IS in these?” Unrefined coconut oil is detectable; refined is neutral. I’ve never had success with olive oil here—it fights with the chocolate instead of supporting it.
What’s the deal with the walnuts?
They’re optional, but they serve a purpose beyond texture. They create weak points in the structure, which sounds bad but actually helps you break clean squares without cracking the top. If you skip them, use a plastic knife to cut—seriously, it works against the dense crumb better than metal.
Conclusion
You don’t need another recipe that promises to change your life. You need something reliable that you can make while half-watching a holiday movie and drinking the wine you meant to serve with dinner. These brownies are that. They’re not health food, they’re not virtue-signaling, and they’re not trying to taste “just like the real thing”—they ARE the real thing, full stop. If you’re looking to branch out from chocolate, try the Viral Raspberry Cloud Cake Floating Instagram for your next event. It photographs better than these brownies ever will. But for actual eating, in actual rooms with actual people who just want something good? Start here. Make them once, mess them up slightly, make them again. That’s the whole point.
