Almost Box-Mix Vegan Walnut Brownies

Makes 9 Brownies

These easy vegan walnut brownies are rich, chocolatey, and everything you want a brownie to be: crackly on top, dense in the middle, and studded with toasty walnuts.

I love a box-mix brownie, for real. And these come close in deep chocolate flavor. Plus, they are pantry friendly. You probably have everything you need already: chocolate chips, coconut oil, flour, sugar, applesauce, cocoa powder, and a bag of walnuts. That’s basically it.

If you like a brownie that needs a glass of milk when you eat it, is as chocolatey as can be, and gives walnuts in every bite, these are those brownies. The melted chocolate and coconut oil give them that ultra-rich, almost truffle-like quality, while the applesauce keeps them moist without making them oily. Cornstarch helps with the chew. It’s a whole system and it works. The chocolate hits every taste bud, travels to the back of your throat, up into your nose, and explodes in your brain. That kind of vegan brownie.

One batch makes 9 brownies in an 8-inch pan, and they bake in under 20 minutes. That’s it. That’s the recipe. Just what the doctor ordered. Okay, probably not. But everyone else ordered them.

Tip: For extra flavorful walnuts, toast them on a dry skillet over medium heat for about 5 minutes, tossing occasionally, before chopping. It brings out a deeper, nuttier flavor that makes a real difference in the finished brownie.

EASY VEGAN BROWNIE FAQ

Can I make these brownies without walnuts? Of course. Leave them out entirely, or swap in pecans, hazelnuts, or chocolate chunks. The batter doesn’t need the walnuts structurally, they’re just there for crunch and flavor.

Why do you add the flour in two batches? It helps you mix more evenly without overworking the batter. If you dump all the flour in at once, you’ll either undermix (dry pockets) or overmix (tough brownies). Two additions, gentle folding, done. Trust the process.

Can I use a different oil instead of coconut oil? Refined coconut oil is ideal because it melts smoothly with the chocolate and solidifies when cool, which helps with that fudgy texture. In a pinch you could use vegan butter. You can use olive oil but use a little less and note that they won’t be as fudgy, and might be a bit cakier. Try 1/4 cup.

Gluten-free brownie, can I do it? Yes! Swap in a 1-to-1 gluten-free baking flour (like Bob’s Red Mill or King Arthur Measure for Measure). But add an extra 2 tablespoons of the gf flour. The texture might be very slightly different but honestly, with this much chocolate and coconut oil going on, you’d be hard-pressed to tell. 

Can I make these oil-free? You can replace the coconut oil with an equal amount of prune puree or date paste. The brownies will be denser and more cake-like — you’ll lose some of that fudgy, truffle-y quality — but they’ll still be deeply chocolatey and moist. Prune puree especially works well here because it disappears into the chocolate flavor completely.

How do I know when the brownies are done? Look for the edges pulling slightly away from the pan. The center might still look a tiny bit underdone…that’s fine. They’ll firm up as they cool. If you overbake them, you’ll lose the fudgy middle and end up with cake. 

Can I use Dutch-process cocoa instead of regular? Yes. Dutch-process will give you a slightly darker, mellower brownie. Regular unsweetened cocoa is a little more sharp and bitter, which I like here. It’s a little truer to those box mix vibes. Either works, just make sure you sift it if it’s clumpy.

Can I use bar chocolate instead of chips? Yes! Chop it into rough chunks, they don’t need to be uniform. Aim for semisweet in the 50-60% cacao range. Same weight: 3 oz (85g).

How should I store these? Cover the pan tightly or keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. They actually get fudgier on day two. You can also freeze them, wrap individually in plastic and freeze for up to a month.

These taste amazing warm with a scoop of ice cream! That’s how I would serve them in the restaurant.

Almost Box-Mix Vegan Walnut Brownies

Easy vegan walnut brownies made with simple pantry ingredients: chocolate chips, coconut oil, applesauce, and cocoa powder. Crackly on top, rich and chewy in the middle, loaded with walnuts. Ready in under 30 minutes.

5 from 21 votes

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Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 9

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/3 cup refined coconut oil
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder sifted if clumpy
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup walnut halves coarsely chopped

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease an 8-inch-square brownie pan.
• Melt the chocolate chips and coconut oil together. You can do this two ways: Microwave method: combine them in a microwave-safe bowl and heat in 30-second intervals, stirring between each one, until smooth. It usually takes about 90 seconds total. Stovetop method: set a heatproof bowl over a pot of gently simmering water (don’t let the bowl touch the water) and stir until everything is melted and combined. Either way, don’t rush it, keep it low and slow, mixing with a rubber spatula and removing from the heat even before all the chocolate melts. It will continue to melt off the heat.
• Pour the melted chocolate mixture into a large mixing bowl and let cool to room temperature; this should take about 10 minutes. In the meantime, measure everything else out.
• Beat the sugar, applesauce, and cornstarch into the melted chocolate. Mix until very smooth. Stir in the vanilla.
• Mix in half the flour, the baking powder, cocoa powder, and salt. Fold in the walnuts, then add the remaining flour and mix until no dry clumps are left.
• Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and use a spatula to spread it out evenly. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until the edges are lightly pulling away from the pan. Place the pan on a cooling rack and slice the brownies when cool.
• They are especially wonderful warmed up with a scoop of ice cream!

Keyword Chocolate

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