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This post is sponsored by Bob’s Red Mill. We were so stoked on the quality and outcome of their certified gluten-free flour blend, and we are happy to share a recipe with you to try it out for yourself! 🙂
These brownies have GOT TO BE the absolute favorite brownies we’ve ever made. These fluffy vegan aquafaba brownies are super moist, fluffy and decadent YET free of gluten, oil, and refined sugars say whaaaat. It took a few tries for me to perfect these, and I figured out that aquafaba was the magic ingredient I was missing to make it all happen.
What the heck is aquafaba anyways?
Aquafaba, also known as chickpea brine, is simply the cooking liquid of beans and other legumes like chickpeas. It can be used to replace egg whites and is used for it’s emulsifying, foaming, binding, gelatinizing and thickening properties! In this recipe, the aquafaba is KEY to getting these brownies to be fluffy AF and honestly the perfect consistency.
These vegan aquafaba brownies pair perfectly with a drizzle of one of our favorite almond butters by Jem, as well as a glass of our Ice Cream” Almond Milk recipe.
You can use any toppings of choice, but be sure to rehydrate your goji berries if you want to use them like we did. On our initial attempt they burned and it was a mess, so we learned that we needed to rehydrate them prior.
Make sure you tag us on Instagram @sweetsimplevegan and @consciouschris and hashtag #sweetsimplevegan if you recreate any of our recipes, we love to see your photos!
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Fluffy Vegan Aquafaba Brownies (Gluten, Oil & Refined Sugar-Free)
- Total Time: 51 minutes
- Yield: 6 (2 brownie) servings
Description
Super fluffy and decadent vegan brownies that are also guilt-free! This recipe is free of gluten- oil- and refined-sugar plus super easy to make!
Ingredients
Liquid
- 1 cup pitted medjool dates, packed
- 1/2 cup applesauce
- 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
- 3 tablespoons coconut butter (or any nut butter of choice)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
Dry
- 1 cup Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-free Flour*
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Aquafaba Mix
- ½ cup aquafaba (chickpea brine aka liquid from canned chickpeas)
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
Toppings, such as:
- Goji berries (be sure to rehydrate before baking)
- Crushed walnuts
- Coconut flakes
- Cacao nibs
- Almond butter (after baking)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F and line an 8” x 8” pan with parchment paper.
- In a medium sized bowl, sift together the flour and cocoa powder, then add in the remaining dry ingredients.
- In the food processor, add in the liquid ingredients and process until smooth. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, being sure not to overmix.
- In a separate large bowl, add the aquafaba and cream of tartar and whip with a hand mixer or a standing mixer on medium speed for 5 minutes. Increase the speed to medium-high and whip for another 5-8 minutes, or until firm peaks form. Gently fold the aquafaba mixture into the batter, being careful not to over mix it so it remains fluffy.
- Spoon batter into the prepared pan and gently smooth out the top with a spatula. Add toppings of choice, and bake for 33-35 mins, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Allow the brownies to cool completely before slicing, then dig in!
Notes
- Keep in a sealed container for up to 3 days.
- If coconut butter is unavailable, you can try and sub in a full fat nut or seed butter instead. I have not yet tested out this substitution but I think it will have similar results!
- If this gluten-free flour is unavailable, you can try using unbleached all purpose flour.
- Prep Time: 18 minutes
- Cook Time: 33 minutes
- Category: Dessert, Baked Goods
- Cuisine: Vegan
After you put together this recipe, you will be left with a can of chickpeas and I have the PERFECT use for those. Check out our Chickpea Sauerkraut Salad Lunch Wraps! This chickpea salad is oil-free with a gluten-free option and is my new favorite meal for when I’m on the go!
Old recipe entry, but I thought I would leave a quick comment.
I am not a vegetarian (of any kind) but I like trying new things and I know people who either are vegetarian or have celiac’s disease, so I am fairly familiar with the dietary differences. I’d recently been trying to come up with a hummus recipe I like, and one of them told me chickpea liquid can be used as an egg sub…which has been in my head ever since. Today was the day, I decided. Let’s try that!
I laughed when I read your recipe -I have no dates, no applesauce, no coconut fat, no gluten free flour, no baking soda, in my kitchen right now and the next grocery run isn;t for a couple days. Then I remembered I had the last 3-4 oz of a fig-chocolate spread and some sunflower seed butter in the fridge and wondered what else I might be able to use up…
The dry ingredients were King Arthur’s all purpose flour, dark cocoa, and all baking powder. I left out the salt because I don’t salt sweet baked goods.
Then the wet ingredients. I eliminated the vinegar, of course, with no baking soda for it to activate, and proceeded to fill the 2 cup size measuring cup with all of the remaining 1/2 cup of fig-chocolate, slightly more than 1/2 cup of sunflower butter, the 1/2 cup maple syrup, and…TOMATOES! I had two roma tomatoes that were going to be added to whatever I cook for dinner out of leftovers tonight, so I cut them up and tossed them into the measuring cup,and added a little water to bring it up to the almost quarter cup over 2 cups in your combined liquids, and let the blender turn it all into “smoothie for brownie batter”.
The batter smelled great when wet and dry met.
The chickpea liquid whipped up nicely in less than 10 minutes -like egg whites beaten to stiff peaks. Hey, this actually WORKS! *fold, fold, fold*
I used my brownie slice pan instead of an 8×8, put it in the oven, and crossed my fingers.
OH MAN IS IT GOOD!!!
This modified version is now my Adventure in a Brownie! recipe.
I have no idea what will go into it next time, other than chickpea liquid, baking powder or baking soda, some kind of flour, and cocoa. What will make up the “produce puree”? What sort of nut or seed butter? Will it be maple syrup or honey or something else? Maybe next time it’ll be the last of one of my homemade fruit syrups! Rhubarb brownie, anyone?
This is SO MUCH FUN!
TY 🙂
Beautifully cakey for a gf/v brownie. I used Trader Joe’s GF all purpose, tahini and topped with chopped walnuts and dark chocolate shavings. Thank you for putting the time into such a creative and delicious recipe!
These brownies are amazing!! So fluffy and perfectly sweet! I used whole wheat flour / all purpose flour instead of gluten-free flour and almond butter / tahini instead of the coconut butter. Also I added some almonds and chocolate chips. Thanks for the recipe Jasmine! 🙂
Can this be frozen when made?
Yes, they can be frozen after they are cooked and cooled! 🙂
I used one tablespoon peanut butter and two tablespoons almond butter instead of the coconut butter and they turned out great! They have a texture closer to cake than brownies but are still very tasty 🙂
Yay thanks for sharing!
We don’t have bob red mills gluten free flour in Denmark. What else would you recommend?:)
Hi Christina 🙂 You can sub in unbleached all purpose flour 1:1 with this flour and it should yield similar results!
They really do look fluffy! And nice and chocolaty!
Thanks Amy 🙂
Oh yes! I love the toppings to add even more texture! I am a brownie-o-holic!
Brownie-o-holic is a great and very fitting term 😛
Aquafaba is the best! So many amazing things we can make 🙂
It is so amazing how versatile it is, and it’s just bean brine!
Aquafaba is magical! Those brownies look amazing!
Thanks Linda! 🙂
These brownies are amazing!! So fluffy and perfectly sweet! I used whole wheat flour / all purpose flour instead of gluten-free flour and almond butter / tahini instead of the coconut butter. Also I added some almonds and chocolate chips. Thanks for the recipe Jasmine! 🙂
Oh wow, these look truly amazing. I wish I could bake like this!
http://www.jennyrosee.com
I hope you can try this out! 🙂
Could I use regular flour instead of gluten free? Also, if I subbed coconut butter with a nut butter would that work?
You can sub in a full fat nut or seed butter and unbleached all purpose flour. I have not yet tested out this substitution but I think it will have similar results!
These look absolutely LUSCIOUS and I have some aquafaba that needs to get used…perfect timing!
YES!! I hope you love them 🙂
I really want to experiment with aquafaba! It would be so cool if aquafaba was sold as a separate product as well, so not everyone has to buy chickpeas! I think it has to be used more widely for that to happen, though! Also, these brownies look fabulously delicious! I can’t believe they don’t have refined sugar!
Yes I definitely think it is coming soon! Thanks Cassie 🙂
Is there a ratio difference if I don’t want to use gluten free flour? Would it be just 1 cup of regular flour?
You can sub in unbleached all purpose flour 1:1 with this flour! 🙂