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These Vegan Caramel Brownies bring together everything you love about a rich chocolate dessert: deep cocoa flavor, a soft fudgy center, and ribbons of homemade caramel in every bite.
Made with vegan dark chocolate, these brownies deliver an indulgent chocolate experience without using dairy or eggs.
The addition of coconut cream creates a smooth, buttery caramel that complements the intense chocolate beautifully.
The brownie batter combines melted vegan chocolate and vegan butter or odourless coconut oil with aquafaba, a versatile plant-based ingredient that helps create a tender, rich texture.
Whipping the aquafaba into a light foam gives the batter structure, while caster sugar adds sweetness and helps develop the brownies’ characteristic fudgy consistency.
Cocoa powder deepens the chocolate flavor, and a touch of salt balances the sweetness.
The homemade caramel is the highlight of this recipe. Cooked until it reaches a beautiful dark amber color, it has a rich, slightly toasted sweetness that pairs perfectly with the chocolate.
Some caramel is swirled directly into the brownie batter, while extra caramel can be drizzled over the finished squares for an even more decadent treat.
Chopped pecans or walnuts add an optional crunchy contrast to the soft, moist brownie texture.
These vegan caramel brownies are ideal for dessert tables, afternoon treats, special occasions, or whenever a chocolate craving strikes.
They are satisfying on their own, but the combination of chocolate, caramel, and optional nuts makes them feel particularly special.
Once cooled and sliced, each brownie reveals a beautiful mixture of dark chocolate and golden caramel.
Fudgy Vegan Caramel Brownies
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Prepare the Caramel Pan: Pour 60 ml (¼ cup) water into a small, tall, heavy-bottomed stainless steel saucepan. Choose a tall pot rather than a shallow one, as the caramel will rise and bubble up during cooking.
- Combine Sugar and Salt: Add the caster sugar and fine sea salt to the water. Place the saucepan over medium-low heat and gently stir with a wooden spoon or heat-resistant spatula until the mixture begins to simmer.
- Prepare the Coconut Cream: Once the sugar mixture starts simmering, stop stirring and allow it to cook undisturbed. Measure the coconut cream and warm it separately if it is cold, helping to reduce splattering when added to the hot caramel.
- Cook the Sugar Syrup: Allow the sugar to melt without stirring. If it melts unevenly, gently and slowly swivel the saucepan. Watch as the syrup changes from pale yellow to golden yellow. Once it becomes yellow, monitor it closely and have the warmed coconut cream, stirring spoon, and thermometer ready.
- Add the Coconut Cream: When the caramel reaches a red-amber color, allow it to deepen to dark amber without letting it become too dark or bitter. Carefully pour in the coconut cream while stirring gently. The mixture will bubble up considerably, so reduce the heat to low or briefly remove the saucepan from the heat if necessary. Continue stirring slowly and carefully.
- Finish the Caramel: Keep the caramel simmering while stirring continuously until it reaches 107°C (224°F). This usually takes about 3–4 minutes after adding the coconut cream, but the timing can vary, so use a thermometer for accuracy. Turn off the heat and allow the caramel to cool. To speed up cooling, place the saucepan in a larger pot of cold water. The finished caramel makes approximately 180 ml (¾ cup).
- Melt the Chocolate and Butter: Place the broken dark chocolate and chopped vegan butter or coconut oil in a metal or glass bowl set over a pot of gently simmering water. Make sure the bowl does not touch the water. Once the water begins to simmer, turn off the heat and allow the chocolate and butter to melt together in the residual heat. Stir gently until smooth.
- Prepare the Baking Tin: Preheat the oven to 180°C (355°F). Line a 20 cm × 20 cm (8-inch × 8-inch) baking tin with baking parchment, allowing some parchment to extend beyond the edges for easy removal. If using a tin with a removable bottom, line the base and grease the sides instead.
- Whip the Aquafaba: Place the aquafaba in a large mixing bowl. Using an electric whisk, beat until it forms a dense foam filled with small bubbles. Stiff peaks are not necessary for this recipe.
- Add the Sugar: Gradually add the caster sugar to the whipped aquafaba, whisking thoroughly after each addition until incorporated.
- Combine the Chocolate Mixture: Slowly pour the very warm melted chocolate and vegan butter mixture into the aquafaba mixture. Gently fold until the ingredients are evenly combined. Keep the chocolate mixture warm, as it will become too stiff to incorporate the flour if it cools too much.
- Add the Dry Ingredients: Place a fine-mesh sieve over the mixing bowl and sift the plain flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda into the batter in batches. Mix until no dry pockets remain. The batter should be fairly thick. Fold in the roughly chopped pecans or walnuts if using.
- Fill the Baking Tin: Transfer the brownie batter into the prepared baking tin. Use a spatula to spread it evenly into the corners and along the sides.
- Create the Caramel Swirl: Use a spoon to make small holes throughout the brownie batter. Drizzle a little caramel into each hole, then cover the openings with the surrounding batter. Use a chopstick to gently etch swirls across the surface. Drizzle additional caramel over the top, reserving some for serving.
- Bake the Brownies: Place the tin on the middle shelf of the preheated oven. Bake for approximately 22–23 minutes.
- Cool and Slice: Allow the brownies to cool completely in the tin before cutting. Use a sharp knife to slice them into 9–16 pieces, depending on your preferred size. Drizzle the reserved caramel over the brownies before serving, if desired.
Notes
- Caramel quantity: The caramel recipe makes approximately 180 ml (¾ cup). You will use some in the brownie batter and have extra for drizzling over the finished brownies.
- Coconut cream: Solid coconut cream separated from a can of full-fat coconut milk is ideal. Canned coconut cream or full-fat coconut milk also works, although the caramel may be slightly thinner.
- Aquafaba: Both homemade and canned aquafaba work for this recipe. Whip it until it forms a dense foam with small bubbles; stiff peaks are not required.
- Chocolate: Use vegan dark chocolate containing approximately 70% cocoa for a rich, deep chocolate flavor.
- Vegan butter: Choose a vegan block butter or odourless coconut oil to avoid adding an unwanted coconut aroma to the brownies.
- Optional nuts: Pecans or walnuts add a pleasant crunch. They can be omitted without changing the main recipe.
- Gluten-free option: Use 120 g (1 cup) gluten-free all-purpose flour mix and a scant ¼ cup tapioca starch instead of the plain flour.
- Cooling: Let the brownies cool completely before slicing. This helps the fudgy texture set and makes cutting easier.
- Storage: Keep leftover brownies in an airtight container. Refrigerate if preferred for a firmer texture.
Chef’s Secret
The key to beautifully fudgy vegan caramel brownies is managing the temperature of the melted chocolate and the caramel.
Keep the chocolate and vegan butter mixture very warm when folding it into the aquafaba, because it can become too thick to incorporate the flour smoothly as it cools.
For the caramel, watch the sugar syrup carefully as it changes color.
Allow it to reach a deep amber shade before adding the coconut cream, but avoid letting it become excessively dark, which can make the caramel bitter.
A kitchen thermometer is particularly helpful for reaching the correct caramel consistency at 107°C (224°F). Finally, resist cutting the brownies while they are warm.
Complete cooling allows the chocolate center to settle into its rich, fudgy texture.
Serving Suggestions
Serve these vegan caramel brownies as they are for a rich chocolate dessert, or drizzle the reserved coconut caramel over each square just before serving.
A scoop of vegan vanilla ice cream makes a lovely contrast to the deep chocolate flavor, while fresh raspberries or strawberries add a refreshing fruity touch.
For extra texture, sprinkle chopped pecans or walnuts over the caramel topping.
A light dusting of cocoa powder or a few flakes of sea salt can also complement the chocolate and caramel flavors.
These brownies are delicious alongside a cup of black coffee, espresso, or your favorite plant-based milk.
For a dessert platter, cut them into smaller squares and arrange them with fresh fruit and other vegan treats.
Conclusion
These Vegan Caramel Brownies combine rich dark chocolate, homemade coconut caramel, and a wonderfully fudgy texture in one indulgent plant-based dessert.
With their glossy caramel swirls and optional crunchy nuts, they make a delicious treat for everyday cravings or special occasions.
Prepare a batch, allow it to cool completely, and enjoy every chocolatey, caramel-filled bite.
