The Best Vegan Fudgy Nutella Brownies
The richest, fudgiest dark chocolate Nutella brownies you’ll ever bake - and they’re vegan! The ultimate decadent treat that’s insanely fudgy, intensely chocolate-y, and full of delightful roasted hazelnut notes (from a homemade Nutella that also keeps the brownies oil-free). Simply irresistible!
I don’t know about you, but every winter, I hit a two-month long period where I constantly crave chocolate. Don’t get me wrong - I always love chocolate, but there’s something about cold weather and total darkness setting in at 5 pm that makes me crave chocolate daily from mid-January through February. If there’s one thing in the world that’s more intensely chocolate-y than chocolate itself, it’s brownies - think: fudgy, rich, dark chocolate brownies.
Born out of a household “innovation” of spreading Nutella onto a batch of brownies, I thought, “why not just put the Nutella inside the brownie itself?” So I combined these two independently highly craveable foods together, and the result? The fudgiest and best ever (and I really mean best ever) vegan “Nutella” brownies.
Why You’ll Love these Nutella Brownies
Insanely rich and ultra chocolatey. These are the most indulgent-tasting brownies I’ve ever had. Intensely chocolatey (like, really really chocolate-y) thanks to the cacao powder and chopped chocolate. They’re so rich that a single piece will satisfy your deepest chocolate and/or brownie cravings, although you’ll probably want to eat more because they’re just that irresistible. 🤤
Very fudgy. Team Cocoa Brownies over melted chocolate brownies all the way, but they have to be fudgy - don’t even @ me with cakey brownies (just eat some chocolate cake at that point??). Even though these are made with cacao powder (not melted chocolate), these brownies have a craveable melt-in-your-mouth fudgy texture that will keep you coming back for more! Bite after bite. I promise.
Nutella vibes! The only thing that could possibly make a brownie even better is (vegan) Nutella - that’s just a fact. And you can really taste the notes of roasted hazelnuts in there! If you want to make these even more decadent (which they absolutely don’t need - but you do you), you can top these with a drizzle of more Nutella before serving!
Oil-free. You read that right! Even though these brownies are insanely fudgy, there isn’t the slightest trace of oil or vegan butter in them! My homemade vegan Nutella, which is an ultra drizzly 4-ingredient chocolate hazelnut butter, provides all the liquid fat needed to create that fudgy texture (along with some chopped chocolate pieces that melt during baking to give that extra fudgy edge).
Can be free of refined sugars. These brownies are sweetened with some dates (inside the homemade Nutella) plus coconut sugar and maple syrup, both of which are unrefined. If you’d like to completely avoid refined sugars, opt for a chocolate that’s sweetened without any refined sugars (check the ingredients listed on the label).
Ingredient Overview
Ground flaxseed. Flax, mixed with water, thickens up to create a binder that keeps the brownies together. And not that these brownies are a health food (far from it 😂), but flax does inject a small dose of ultra important omega-3 fatty acids into these!
Cacao (or cocoa) powder. Not only does cacao/cocoa give the brownies their bold chocolatey richness, it essentially also acts like a fine “flour” to give them some structure! I’m partial to bonus antioxidants and the extra dark, bold flavor that raw cacao powder imparts onto baked goods over its more processed counterpart, cocoa powder. But don’t sweat it if you can’t find cacao powder - cocoa powder will still work!
All-purpose flour. ¼ cup is all you need to give these brownies structure while keeping them super fuuuuudgy.
Baking powder. For rise.
Drizzly homemade chocolate hazelnut butter - the vegan “Nutella!” I developed these brownies using my 4-ingredient chocolate hazelnut butter (just hazelnuts, cacao powder, dates, and a hint of salt), which has a super drizzly texture that’s essential in making these brownies ultra fudgy! I haven’t tested these with any store bought chocolate hazelnut butters, so I can’t guarantee the results, but I imagine a store bought variety could give you similar results as long as it’s very drizzly.
Maple syrup and coconut sugar. A combination of both liquid maple syrup and solid coconut sugar sweetens the brownies while contributing to their perfectly fudgy texture.
Dairy-free milk. To thin out the batter slightly. I used oat, but any type (cashew, almond, etc.) will work!
Vanilla extract and salt. To enhance the chocolate flavor!
Chopped dark chocolate. As the brownies bake, the chopped dark chocolate will melt into the batter to make them extra chocolatey, rich, and fudgy. Don’t skip this step!
The Best Fudgy Nutella Brownies
Vegan, oil-free, refined sugar-free option
Makes 16
Ingredients
For the brownies:
2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
5 tablespoons water
30 grams all-purpose flour (¼ cup, spooned and leveled)
½ cup cacao powder (or sub cocoa powder)
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
1 cup well-stirred, very drizzly homemade chocolate hazelnut butter (vegan Nutella)*
⅔ cup coconut palm sugar
¼ cup maple syrup
¼ cup dairy-free milk (I used oat)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup chopped dark chocolate or dark chocolate chunks** (I used 70% baking chocolate)
Optional toppings for serving:
Drizzle of homemade Nutella
Flaky sea salt (I love Maldon!)
Vegan vanilla ice cream (à la mode!)
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F and line an 8×8″ baking pan with parchment paper.
In a small bowl, mix together the ground flaxseed and water. Set aside to thicken for 10-15 minutes as you prep the rest of the ingredients.
In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cacao or cocoa powder, and baking powder, then whisk in the fine sea salt to combine. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the homemade Nutella, coconut sugar, maple syrup, dairy-free milk, vanilla extract, and thickened flax mix. Use a rubber spatula to stir everything together until very well incorporated.
Add in the dry ingredients and use the same spatula to mix them in until just combined - the batter will be quite thick! Then fold in the chopped chocolate into the batter.
Transfer the brownie batter to your prepared baking pan and use the spatula to spread the mixture evenly into the pan and to smooth out the top.
Transfer to the oven and bake for about 26-31 minutes, until a toothpick inserted near the middle comes out with a few moist crumbs (but not loose batter). The brownies will continue to cook inside the pan.
The sweet spot for my oven is around 28-29 minutes of baking, but I start checking them after 25 minutes because brownies can quickly overbake and lose their fudgy texture!
Let cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes, then transfer to a baking rack to cool fully before slicing.
Notes:
*I recommend making 1.5x batches of the homemade Nutella recipe as the brownies use up nearly the entire single batch! That way, you can have extra to drizzle onto crepes, pancakes, toast, fruit, etc. or even on top of these brownies! I haven’t tested this recipe with any store bought vegan Nutellas, but if you’d like to substitute that in, be sure to use a very drizzly variety.
**If you want to make these brownies refined sugar-free, use a chocolate that’s sweetened without any refined sugars.
Can’t stop yourself from reaching for another brownie? Me neither - they’re irresistible! I’d love to hear how you’re enjoying these brownies - leave a comment/review below and tag me on Instagram (@teostinykitchen) so I can see how you’re eating them up!