Vegan peanut butter swirl brownies - these indulgent vegan brownies are fudgy, chewy and intensely chocolatey! Topped with a generous peanut butter swirl they are an irresistible treat!
These vegan peanut butter swirl brownies are the ultimate indulgent treat! A rich, fudgy, chocolatey eggless and dairy free brownie is topped with a generous swirl of peanut butter, because what is a better combination than peanut butter and chocolate?!
They are really quick and easy to make and there is seriously no way you would be able to tell they are vegan; they are just as good as the best non-vegan brownies.
Make sure that you've got plenty of people to share them with as they are so moreish; it would be dangerously easy to eat the lot!
I adapted them from my ultimate chewy vegan brownies recipe, so if you are looking for a plain vegan brownie recipe then give that one a try, they are amazing!
What Do I Need To Make Vegan Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies?:
Cocoa Butter: The secret to achieving the best dense and chewy texture is cocoa butter (also labelled cacao butter). As it is so solid at room temperature it helps to keep the brownies firm without the eggs and also contributes towards the chocolatey flavour.
It is easy to find online (Holland and Barrett sell it too), but if you can’t get hold of it then they will also work using either coconut oil or vegan block butter instead.
Non-Dairy Yogurt: A bit of non-dairy yogurt helps to replace the protein from the eggs. I used the Coconut Collaborative unsweetened vanilla flavour one which is very thick but as it is only a small quantity then a thinner one should work as well. Either coconut or soy based yogurt is fine.
Non-Dairy Milk: Non-dairy milk replaces the moisture from the eggs. Soy milk is best for baking and is pretty much all I use as it has the highest protein content but any variety will work.
Sugar: Sugar doesn’t just provide sweetness in these brownies, it is also essential for the texture so don’t reduce it! The crisp brownie crust is achieved by making sure that the sugar is fully dissolved before baking; we do this by heating it up with the milk and yogurt.
Chocolate: Using part cocoa powder and part melted chocolate in these brownies ensures a deep chocolate flavour, and the chocolate also helps to create that fudgy, dense texture. Use a good quality 70% cocoa solids one for the best flavour. (I like to use Lindt 70%).
Espresso Powder: A bit of instant espresso powder really helps to deepen the chocolate flavour. You can’t taste it at all but the brownies taste much better if you do add it. You can omit it if you don't have any though.
Plain Flour: Vegan brownies need to use a bit more flour than non-vegan ones to maintain structure. Don’t worry though, these aren’t cakey in the slightest!
Baking Powder: A small amount of baking powder replaces the lift usually provided by the eggs. Not too much though, we don’t want to veer into cake territory!
Cocoa Powder: Using both melted chocolate and cocoa powder gives the best, deepest chocolate flavour. I use a dark Dutch process one.
Vanilla Extract: Optional but recommended for the best flavour.
Salt: Pretty much all sweet things, but especially chocolate ones, benefit from the addition of a little salt to balance the sweetness and bring out the flavour more.
Peanut Butter: You'll get the best results if you use a creamy peanut butter (such as Skippy) rather than a natural one. Either smooth or crunchy is fine. I mix it with a little melted vegan butter, icing sugar, vanilla extract and salt to make the swirl.
How To Make Vegan Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies:
(For ingredients and full instructions see the recipe card below)
To make the peanut butter swirl, stir together creamy peanut butter, melted vegan butter, sifted icing sugar, vanilla extract and a pinch of salt.
To make the brownies, start by sifting together the dry ingredients – plain flour, cocoa powder, instant espresso powder, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
Place the sugar, non-dairy yogurt and milk in a pan over a low heat and stir regularly until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is hot and glossy looking but not yet simmering.
Remove from the heat and add the chopped chocolate, cocoa butter (or coconut oil/vegan butter) and vanilla extract.
Stir until everything is completely melted and the mixture is smooth. Add the dry ingredients and stir until no dry lumps remain (add any mix-ins now) then pour the batter (it will be quite thick) into a 20cm/8inch square metal tin that you have greased and lined with baking parchment.
Spread the batter as level as you can and smooth the top with a spatula or spoon.
If the peanut butter mixture is too thick, heat it up for a few seconds in the microwave, don't let it get too warm or it will become runny. You want the peanut butter mixture and the brownie batter to be roughly the same texture.
Spoon dollops of the peanut butter mixture on top of the brownie. Use a knife to gently swirl the two mixtures together but don't over-mix them.
Bake for about 30 minutes until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out gunky with moist crumbs but no wet batter.
If it comes out clean that means that they are over-baked so make sure that you keep an eye on them.
Leave the brownies to cool completely in the tin before slicing. They will be difficult to slice neatly when warm but if you are able to wait until they are cold you will be able to get neat squares.
Top Tips:
For the best results make sure that you follow the recipe closely. As always, I highly recommend using the gram measurements (with a digital scale), rather than the cup conversions. Cup measurements are simply not accurate enough for baking and I cannot guarantee the best results if you use them.
You absolutely do not want to overbake brownies. Make sure that you take them out of the oven when a skewer inserted into the centre comes out a bit gunky with moist crumbs (but not wet batter). If the skewer comes out clean they they are overdone and might be dry, so keep a close eye on them.
Use a metal rather than a glass pan. Glass dishes retain more heat and it is easier to overbake the brownies as they will continue to cook after you take them out of the oven.
Let the brownies cool completely before slicing them, that way you will be able to get neat squares.
If you want a softer, just-baked texture (or want to refresh them after they have been sitting around for a few days) then pop a brownie square in the microwave for 10 seconds. Warmed up like this they are also perfect for topping with ice cream!
How Long Will These Brownies Keep?:
These vegan peanut butter swirl brownies will keep for around four days in an airtight container and can be kept either at room temperature or in the fridge.
Can I Freeze Them?:
Yes, these brownies freeze well for up to three months. Allow to defrost overnight in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge before serving.
More Vegan Brownies And Bars:
Vegan peanut butter chocolate chip pecan bars
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Vegan Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies
Ingredients
Peanut Butter Swirl:
- 180 g (¾ cup) creamy peanut butter (not natural) (either smooth or crunchy is fine)
- 15 g (1 Tbsp) vegan butter/margarine melted
- 1 Tbsp icing (powdered) sugar sifted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ⅛ tsp salt
Brownies:
- 150 g (1 ¼ cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
- 70 g (¾ cup + 1 Tbsp) cocoa powder (Dutch processed)
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp instant espresso powder (optional)
- ½ tsp salt
- 120 ml (½ cup) unsweetened non-dairy milk (soy is best)
- 80 g (⅓ cup) unsweetened non-dairy yogurt (I use coconut)
- 300 g (1 ½ cups) caster (superfine) sugar or granulated sugar
- 100 g (3 ½ oz) dark chocolate (about 70% cocoa solids) chopped
- 60 g (2 oz) cocoa/cacao butter (or coconut oil/vegan block butter) chopped
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/350°F/gas mark 4. Grease a 20cm/8inch square metal cake tin and line with baking parchment.
- To make the peanut butter swirl, mix together all of the ingredients in a bowl until smooth. Set aside.
- To make the brownies, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, espresso powder and salt and set aside.
- Place the milk, yogurt and sugar in a medium sized pan over a low heat. Stir often until the sugar has fully dissolved and the mixture is hot and glossy looking and almost but not quite coming up to the boil.
- Remove from the heat and add the chopped chocolate and cocoa butter (or coconut oil/butter) and the vanilla extract. Stir until melted and smooth.
- Tip in the dry ingredients and stir until no dry lumps remain. The batter will be quite thick.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared tin and spread it level. Smooth the top with a spatula or the back of a spoon.
- If the peanut butter mixture is too thick, heat it up for a few seconds in the microwave; don’t let it get too warm or it will become runny. You want the peanut butter mixture and the brownie batter to be roughly the same texture.
- Spoon dollops of the peanut butter mixture on top of the brownie. Use a knife to gently swirl the two mixtures together but don’t over-mix them.
- Bake for about 30 minutes until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out gunky with moist crumbs but no wet batter. If it comes out clean that means that they are over-baked so make sure that you keep an eye on them and start checking them from 25 minutes.
- Leave the brownies to cool completely in the tin before slicing. They will be difficult to slice neatly when warm but if you are able to wait until they are cold you will be able to get neat squares.
Notes
- For the best results make sure that you follow the recipe closely. As always, I highly recommend using the gram measurements (with a digital scale), rather than the cup conversions. Cup measurements are simply not accurate enough for baking and I cannot guarantee the best results if you use them.
- You absolutely do not want to overbake brownies. Make sure that you take them out of the oven when a skewer inserted into the centre comes out a bit gunky with moist crumbs (but not wet batter). If the skewer comes out clean they they are overdone and might be dry, so keep a close eye on them.
- Use a metal rather than a glass pan. Glass dishes retain more heat and it is easier to overbake the brownies as they will continue to cook after you take them out of the oven.
- Let the brownies cool completely before slicing them, that way you will be able to get neat squares.
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