Chocolate orange brownies - these indulgent vegan brownies are rich, fudgy and chewy with a delicious chocolate orange flavour.
They are easy to make and are an irresistible treat!
What better combination is there than chocolate and orange?! These vegan brownies are rich, fudgy and chewy, with the bright, zesty flavour of orange offsetting the sweetness and intense, dark chocolate.
They are simple to make with basic, easy to find ingredients, and are an indulgent treat for everyone and any time of year!
Ingredient Details:
Vegan block butter: For the best results you need to use a block butter/margarine, NOT the spreadable kind in a tub which has too high a water content for baking. I use Naturli Vegan Block or Flora Plant Butter.
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.
Non dairy yogurt: This also acts as an egg replacer. I use a soya based Greek style yogurt but a regular plain soya or coconut yogurt is also fine.
Sugar: Sugar doesn't just provide sweetness in these brownies, it is also essential for the texture so don't reduce it! The crisp, shiny 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. I use caster sugar as it dissolves easily; granulated will also work.
Chocolate: Using part cocoa powder and part melted chocolate ensures a deep chocolate flavour, and the chocolate also helps to create that fudgy, dense texture.
I use a 70% dark chocolate. I don't recommend using milk chocolate rather than dark as it may make the brownies too sweet. I also fold in some chopped orange flavoured chocolate to intensify the orange flavour, this can be omitted or swapped for plain dark chocolate.
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!
I make mine with plain (all-purpose) flour, but they should work ok with a plain gluten-free flour blend.
Cocoa Powder: Using both melted chocolate and cocoa powder gives the best, deepest chocolate flavour. I use a Dutch process one.
Baking powder: Just a touch to replace the lift from the eggs.
Vanilla Extract: Optional but recommended for the best flavour.
Oranges: I use a combination of grated orange zest and orange extract to really get the orange flavour across.
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.
How To Make Chocolate Orange Brownies:
(Full measurements and instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of the page)
Step 1: Place the sugar, 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 quite at boiling point.
Step 2: Remove from the heat and add the chopped chocolate and butter. Stir until everything is completely melted and the mixture is smooth.
Step 3: Whisk in the orange zest and extract and the vanilla extract followed by the cocoa powder, baking powder, salt and plain flour.
Step 4: Gently fold in most of the orange chocolate, reserving some to scatter over the top. Scrape the batter into a lined 20cm square tin, spread it level and scatter over the reserved chocolate.
Step 5: Bake for 20-25 minutes until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out gunky with moist crumbs but no wet batter.
Top Tips:
USE SCALES. As with all of my baking recipes I really do recommend using the metric measurements with a digital scales rather than the cup conversions. Cups are a wildly inaccurate measuring system and you will get far better, more consistent results using a scale, not to mention that it is also easier and less messy than cups!
For the teaspoon and Tablespoon measurements, please use proper measuring spoons, not just regular spoons. A teaspoon is 5ml and a Tablespoon is 15ml.
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.
It is the sugar that creates the shiny, crisp crust so don't reduce it!
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!
Alternatively, if you prefer a denser, chewier texture, store the brownies in a covered container in the fridge.
FAQ's:
They will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for around 5 days. I like these chocolate orange brownies best the day after they are baked, when the brownie has had time to firm up a bit. For denser, chewier brownies, store them in the fridge.
Yes, these chocolate orange brownies freeze really well. Allow to cool completely first then freeze them well wrapped or in a freezerproof container. Allow to defrost at room temperature to serve.
Yes, simply omit the orange zest and extract to make regular vegan chocolate brownies.
Many people mistakenly believe that it is the eggs in brownies that create the crisp, crackly crust when in fact it is the sugar. The key is to make sure that the sugar is fully dissolved before you bake the brownies.
To do this I heat it up with the milk and yogurt, stirring to dissolve it. It is also important to get the brownies in the oven quickly once the batter is ready, so line the tin and preheat the oven before you start.
More Vegan Brownie Recipes:
- Nutty rum brownies
- Fudgy vegan brownies
- Small batch vegan brownies
- Vegan peanut butter brownies
- Mulled wine brownies
- Mince pie brownies
- Chewy vegan brownies
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Chocolate Orange Brownies (vegan)
Ingredients
- 250 g (1 ¼ cups) caster or granulated sugar
- 80 g (⅓ cup) plain non-dairy yogurt (I use Greek style soy)
- 100 g (⅓ cup + 4 teaspoons) unsweetened non-dairy milk (I use soy)
- 150 g dark chocolate finely chopped
- 75 g (⅓ cup) vegan block butter
- finely grated zest of 2 large oranges
- 1 teaspoon orange extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 60 g (½ cup) cocoa powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 160 g (1 ⅓ cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
- 100 g orange flavoured chocolate roughly chopped
Instructions
- Line a 20 cm/8 inch square cake pan with baking parchment, making sure that it overhangs either side so that it is easy to lift the baked brownies out of the pan. Preheat the oven to 180°C/160℃ fan/350°F/gas mark 4.
- 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 quite at boiling point.250 g (1 ¼ cups) caster or granulated sugar, 80 g (⅓ cup) plain non-dairy yogurt (I use Greek style soy), 100 g (⅓ cup + 4 teaspoons) unsweetened non-dairy milk (I use soy)
- Remove from the heat and add the chopped chocolate and butter. Stir until everything is completely melted and the mixture is smooth.150 g dark chocolate, 75 g (⅓ cup) vegan block butter
- Whisk in the orange zest and extract and the vanilla extract followed by the cocoa powder, baking powder, salt and plain flour.finely grated zest of 2 large oranges, 1 teaspoon orange extract, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 60 g (½ cup) cocoa powder, ¼ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt, 160 g (1 ⅓ cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
- Gently fold in most of the orange chocolate, reserving some to scatter over the top. Scrape the batter into the prepared tin, spread it level and scatter over the reserved chocolate.100 g orange flavoured chocolate
- Bake for 20-25 minutes until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out gunky with moist crumbs but no wet batter. If it comes out clean the brownies are overbaked so keep an eye on them.
- Leave the brownie slab to cool completely in the pan (I like to put it in the fridge overnight once it has cooled so that the brownies are easy to slice neatly), then carefully lift it out using the overhanging parchment and use a sharp knife to cut it into squares.
Notes
- See post above for tips, details and step-by-step photos.
- USE SCALES. As with all of my baking recipes I really do recommend using the metric measurements with a digital scales rather than the cup conversions. Cups are a wildly inaccurate measuring system and you will get far better, more consistent results using a scale, not to mention that it is also easier and less messy than cups!
- Use a metal rather than a glass or ceramic 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.
Louisa Berry
What orange chocolate do you use? I’m also in the UK and struggle to find a dark chocolate with orange that’s not too dark.
Hannah
Hi Louisa, I don't have a particular one that I use, the one in the photos is Willie's Cacao as that was the only one I was able to get hold of that day, it is good but very pricey! I often just use supermarket own brand, a lot of them have vegan friendly ones.