Brownies or Blondies? Have Both With These 10 Vegan Recipes

Brownies, and their chocolate-free counterpart blondies, are one of the most popular sweet treats in the US. In fact, per the National Brownie Committee of America, Americans eat around 1.5 billion brownies every year. They even have their own day; every year, National Brownie Day falls on December 8.

Jump to the BROWNIEs

Some prefer their brownies laden with chocolate, while others prefer the more vanilla flavor of blondies. But which is best? Only you can decide. Find our favorite brownie and blondie recipes below—all vegan, of course.

Jump to the blondies

Blondies vs brownies: What’s the difference?

While brownies are incredibly popular, it was actually blondies (full-name blondie brownies) that came first. In the book The Oxford Companion to American Food and Drink, food historian Andrew F. Smith notes that blondie-like treats (chewy, soft baked bars sweetened with thick molasses) were popular in the UK in the 19th century. This was notably before the mainstream chocolate boom of the 20th century. 

Brownies, which are simply blondies with cocoa added, came a little later—but not much. The first recipes for modern-style chocolate brownies started to appear in cookbooks in the early 20th century. Now, they’re everywhere and are arguably even more popular than their blondie predecessor. This is likely because of the British and American love for all things chocolate. In 2022, research by Shopkick found that 90 percent of Americans’ preferred candy is chocolate. 

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But blondies deserve more credit. They are equally as chewy, soft, sweet, and indulgent as brownies, only they’re less heavy on the cocoa content, which is preferable for some. Their vanilla flavor also means they lend themselves well to ingredients like white nuts (think macadamia), berries, and chocolate chips (because no rule says blondies must be an entirely chocolate-free zone).

Ultimately, there’s no winner in the battle between blondies and brownies. It all comes down to personal taste. But to help you decide which is loved most by your tastebuds, we’ve compiled some of our favorite brownie and blondie recipes below. Our money is on a tie. 

5 of the best vegan brownie recipes

These plant-based brownie recipes are chock full of sweet, chocolatey flavor. 

Vegan Heritage Press

1 Vegan Double Chocolate Chip Brownies

For those who simply can’t get enough chocolate in their lives, we present: double chocolate chip brownies. Made with three different types of chocolate (cocoa powder, dark chocolate chips, and semi-sweet chocolate chips), these sweet treats from Vegan Richa’s Everyday Kitchen are decadent, indulgent, and hard-to-resist.
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Sara Stevens

2 Vegan Chocolate Fudge Brownies With Almond Butter Frosting

If you are looking for a way to make your brownies even more indulgent, then we’ve got the solution. After they’ve baked, slather them with a creamy, velvety, nutty topping of almond butter frosting. They’ll disappear in a flash.
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Doron Petersan

3 Gooey Vegan S’mores Coffee Brownies

Another way to add a little more flavor to your chocolatey sweet treats is to mix them with coffee. After all, coffee and chocolate are a match made in heaven. Another delicious addition to the mix? S’mores. Yep, the sweet, gooey campfire classic is actually the perfect topping for a chewy, chocolatey, coffee-packed brownie.
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BOSH!

4 Vegan Gooey Chocolate Frying Pan Biscoff Brownies

Brownies are usually baked in a rectangular or square-shaped baking tray, but this recipe from the BOSH! On a Budget cookbook demonstrates that a frying pan works just as well. In fact, it might work even better, as it helps the brownies form a crisp, chewy crust and a soft, gooey middle.
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5Vegan Sweet Potato and Tahini Chocolate Chip Brownies

Chocolate brownies are the perfect vessel for hidden veg. This recipe from The Plant-Forward Solution cookbook will show you how to sneak nutrient-dense sweet potatoes into the mix. Ideal for fussy eaters,  they’re just as sweet, decadent, and indulgent as any other brownies—nobody will be any the wiser.
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5 of the best vegan blondie recipes

If you’re team blondie, these vegan recipes will satisfy all of your sweet cravings. 

BOSH!

1 Vegan Peanut Butter Banana Bread Blondies

Roasted almonds, caramelized bananas, peanut butter, and chunks of chocolate take these buttery blondies to the next level. Taken from the Bish Bash BOSH! cookbook, they are sure to go down a treat with your loved ones, so maybe make double.
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2 Vegan Chocolate Chip White Bean Blondies

White beans are not just for savory mains. In fact, this recipe from the Mostly Plant-Based cookbook proves that they can bring a delicious moist texture to blondies. The best part? They’re loaded with protein and fiber, too.
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Kayla Cappiello

3 Salted Chocolate and Banana Bread Vegan Blondies

If you love the buttery, chewy texture and mouthfeel of blondies, but still want a good dose of chocolate in the mix, then this recipe from the Easy Allergy-Free Cooking cookbook is a must-try. The blondies are made with a mix of ingredients like peanut butter, banana, vegan milk, and maple syrup, while the topping consists of melted chocolate chips and flaky salt.
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A Vegan Visit

4 White Chocolate and Raspberry Blondies

Raspberries and white chocolate are a dreamy combination, especially when they’re combined in a chewy blondie. This easy-to-make recipe from A Vegan Visit will show you how to combine ingredients like raspberry jam, white chocolate chunks, and fresh raspberries for a tangy, sweet, indulgent treat you’ll want to make again and again.
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Sugar and Stirred

5 Vegan Blondies With Salted Caramel

Salted caramel provides the perfect contrast to sweet blondies in this recipe from Sugar and Stirred. They’re buttery, creamy, thick, and the perfect combination of flavors and textures—especially when topped with an extra sprinkle of flaky salt.
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