Vegan Boxed Brownies (With a Coffee Twist)
My Go-To Vegan Brownie Hack (Even Though I’m Not Vegan)
Okay, confession time: I’m not vegan. I love butter and cheese as much as the next person. But so many of my friends and family are either vegan or dairy-free, and I always want everyone to feel included when they come over. Dessert shouldn’t be something people have to skip, especially when it’s something as easy (and delicious) as brownies.
So here’s the little hack I use all the time: boxed brownie mix. Yep, most of them are already vegan and have no eggs or dairy in the dry mix. You just need to swap out the usual wet ingredients for a few easy alternatives. I’ve tested this one a bunch of times, and it always turns out rich, fudgy, and honestly just as good as the “regular” kind. The coffee gives it a deeper flavor, the flax eggs hold everything together, and the texture is chef’s kiss.
Vegan Boxed Brownies (With a Coffee Twist)
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons flaxseed meal
6 tablespoons water
1 box Duncan Hines brownie mix
¼ teaspoon baking powder
¼ cup vegan butter, melted (there are so many great brands out there now!)
¼ cup oil
½ cup coffee (any kind—whatever you have brewed!)
Directions:
Preheat your oven to 350°F and spray an 8x12” baking pan with nonstick spray.
Mix the flaxseed meal with the water and let it sit for 5 minutes—that’s your egg replacer.
In a large bowl, combine the brownie mix and baking powder.
Add the flax eggs, melted butter, oil, and coffee. Stir it all up until it’s fully combined.
Pour the batter into your pan and smooth it out.
Bake for 25 minutes. If you’re using an 8x8 pan instead, go for 30-35 minutes.
Let the brownies cool (this part is hard), then slice them with a plastic knife for cleaner cuts.
That’s it. So simple. I’ve brought these to parties, served them after dinner, and packed them in lunchboxes—and no one has ever guessed they’re vegan. They just ask for the recipe.
Even if you’re not dairy-free yourself, having a go-to vegan dessert in your back pocket is such a thoughtful touch. And let’s be real, brownies are never a bad idea.
Let me know if you try it!
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Vegan Zucchini Bread
A deliciously moist vegan zucchini bread perfect for a holiday get together or just a cozy night at home.
The temperature is dropping, the holidays are here, and it’s time to get cozy with a warm piece of deliciously moist zucchini bread. As you guys know by now, I’m always on a mission to make foods that are vegan for my husband, but I definitely don’t want them to taste any different than the original. I tired a few versions to get this recipe right and believe it or not - the best one ended up being oil free, plus it’s packed with the PB2 Performance - Peanut Protein (Dutch Cocoa) Powder.
Todays blog post is amazingly sponsored by PB2 who I’ve had to absolute honor of working with since 2017! See other recipes I’ve made with them here, here, here, and here.
VEGAN ZUCCHINI BREAD
[ INGREDIENTS: ]
1 Zucchini (yields 1 cup), grated on smallest setting & ever so lightly squeeze the excess liquid out
1/2 cup Unsweetened Apple Sauce (if you don’t have apple sauce, 1/2c canola/vegetable oil also works)
2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
1 tablespoon Flaxseed Meal mixed with 3 tablespoons of water. Mix together and let sit for 5 minutes before adding. (This is your egg replacer and it’s my go-to in baking)
1/2 cup Vegan Sour Cream
3/4 cup PB2 Performance - Peanut Protein (Dutch Cocoa) Powder
1 cup Coconut Sugar (if you don’t have coconut sugar, 1/2c brown sugar and 1/2c regular granulated sugar is delicious as well)
1 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg
1 cup Vegan Chocolate Chips
[ INSTRUCTIONS: ]
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease loaf pan and add parchment paper for easy removable at the end.
Make flax egg by combining 1 tablespoon of Flaxseed Meal with 3 tablespoons on water. Stir together and set aside for about 5 minutes.
Wash zucchini and grate. I used a box grater on the smallest setting. Ever so lightly squeeze the excess water out with your hands - you still want it nice and wet though so barely do it.
Combine and mix all of the wet ingredients in one large bowl (shredded zucchini, unsweetened apple sauce, vanilla extract, flax egg, and sour cream.
Combine and mix all of the dry ingredients in a separate large bowl (PB2 Protein Powder, sugar, flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
Combine both mixed bowls together.
Fold in vegan chocolate chips.
Pour batter into greased loaf pan.
Bake in the middle oven rack for 45-55 minutes. I like my zucchini bread to be as soft as possible so I’m on team 45 minutes, but Zach likes the outside to be a little more done so he likes it at 55 minutes (of course this depends on how hot your oven cooks).
Note: The toothpick method doesn’t work with this zucchini bread. I tried baking it until the toothpick came out clean and ended up at an hour with a wet toothpick before I gave up. That loaf ended up having too tough of an outside for my liking. 45 minutes is my ideal time. The entire loaf is soft and moist which is the goal!
Remove from oven and let loaf cool for about 30 minutes. As delicious as it is warm, it’s also AMAZING the next day. Enjoy!
If you guys make this, please tag me on IG because that makes my day! Also, if you have any questions or just want to say hey, please use the comments section or DM me on IG and I will always get back to you. Lastly, make sure you follow me on Instagram @MaeElizabethG as I post on there almost daily!
Have a great rest of your day!