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    Home » Recipes » Desserts

    Vegan Peanut Butter Brownies

    Posted: May 25, 2021 by Lori Modified: May 25, 2021 · This post contains affiliate links.

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    Loaded with rich chocolate flavor, these 10-ingredient vegan peanut butter brownies are simple to make and a welcome sweet treat anytime!

    Five dark chocolate brownies with walnuts stacked and resting on a cutting board.

    This recipe was originally published in September 2018, and has been updated with new content and photos.

    Why you'll love them

    Even though these brownies are on the healthier side as far as brownies go, you still get the contrasting textures EVERYONE loves. You know, the crunchier pieces around the edges of the pan, the shiny, crackled top, and a rich and dense middle. So good!

    They're super easy and contain no fussy ingredients. No vegan butter or added oils either! Just straightforward rich, dense, chocolatey, peanut butter brownies.

    side view of a stack of 3 vegan brownies.

    A long-time favorite recipe

    Sometime in my early 20s I started saving recipes in an old binder. Over the years some of these recipes became tried-and-true favorites (covered with scribbled notes), while others ended up in the never-got-around-to-it category.

    While sifting through the binder recently I came across my old favorite vegan brownie recipe. It dates back to our time in Wisconsin, which is where we lived when we went vegan.

    I remember being on a brownie kick for a while, making these anytime a party or potluck invitation popped up. And though I don't recall the exact recipe that inspired this one, I suspect the original inspiration came from one of Angela Liddon's brownie recipes on Oh She Glows.

    I was a regular visitor to Angela's amazing blog back in my early vegan days! In fact, I know the desire to start my own vegan food blog came in large part from being helped so much by blogs like hers.

    Anyway, each time I made these brownies, I kept tweaking the recipe until it was the perfect combination of simple yet delicious. During one of our moves the binder got packed away, and I forgot about this recipe for a while.

    Well, I'm happy to report that my favorite gluten-free vegan peanut butter brownies and I have been reunited! I've made them several times recently and love them as much as ever. I think you will, too!

    Ingredient notes

    labeled photo of ingredients laid out on a large baking sheet.
    • Peanut butter - any type of peanut butter you like will work fine here; I use a crunchy and salted one. If using unsalted you'll want to add a generous pinch of salt to the batter.
    • Cocoa - either regular or Dutch process cocoa powder is fine, or raw cacao powder. Note, if using Dutch process cocoa you'll use baking powder instead of soda because it's too alkaline to react with the baking soda.
    • Oats - these brownies begin with old fashioned rolled oats; you'll use a food processor to turn them into a coarse flour. Or if you have oat flour on hand, feel free to use that instead.
    • Brown sugar - I prefer light brown sugar in these brownies, but regular cane sugar or dark brown sugar will work, too. See tips below for refined sugar-free options.
    • Maple syrup - this adds moisture and sweetness, so I don't recommend omitting it.
    • Dairy-free chocolate chips - these are important for the overall sweetness of the brownies, so look for a semi-sweet variety (55-60% cacao). See notes below for refined sugar-free suggestions.

    How to make this recipe

    Two-photo collage showing blended oats plus other dry ingredients in food processor.
    1. Add oats to a food processor, and blend into coarse crumbs.
    2. Add other dry ingredients, and pulse to combine. Transfer dry ingredients to a bowl.
    Two-photo collage showing blending wet ingredients and batter in food processor.
    1. Process wet ingredients until smooth.
    2. Return dry ingredients to food processor, and pulse until a thick batter forms.
    2-photo collage of adding chocolate chips and walnuts and spreading in pan.
    1. Fold in chopped walnuts and chocolate chips.
    2. Spread batter into a parchment-lined 8x8 pan. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes.

    Now comes the most difficult part of making these peanut butter brownies... waiting until they're cool before slicing!

    This is really important, though, because they're pretty fragile while still warm.

    Overhead shot of brownies with shiny, crinkly tops cut into 16 squares.

    You might also like:
    Cashew-Maple Condensed Milk
    4-Ingredient Rice Krispie Treats
    Chocolate Zucchini Bread
    Salted Chocolate Pecan Pie

    Recipe Tips and Options

    • If you happen to have some brewed coffee on hand, replace 2 tablespoons of the milk with coffee. It takes the chocolate flavor to the next level!
    • For refined sugar-free vegan brownies, try one of the different flavors by Hu Chocolates, and use coconut or date sugar instead of brown sugar.
    • And for a peanut-free brownie, try these with sunflower seed butter!

    I hope you enjoy these vegan peanut butter brownies. If you try the recipe I would love for you to leave a comment below to let everyone know how they turned out.

    You can also tag me with @myquietkitchen on instagram if you're feeling social!

    More vegan chocolate recipes made with oats:  

    • Vegan Double Chocolate Oat Flour Cookies
    • Healthy Oat Flour Banana Brownies (Vegan)
    • Vegan Cookie Dough Bites
    • Oil-Free Vegan Chocolate Cake With Strawberries
    stack of 5 brownies.

    Vegan Peanut Butter Brownies

    Author: Lori Rasmussen, My Quiet Kitchen
    Loaded with gooey, rich, chocolatey flavor, these 10-ingredient vegan peanut butter brownies are simple to make and a welcome sweet treat anytime. No vegan butter or added oils.
    Servings: 16 brownies
    4.9 from 28 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe SaveSaved!
    Prep Time: 15 mins
    Cook Time: 30 mins
    Resting time: 30 mins
    Total Time: 45 mins

    Equipment

    • food processor

    Ingredients 

    Dry ingredients:

    • 1 cup plus 2 Tbsp old fashioned rolled oats - Certified gluten-free if needed
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda - *If using Dutch process cocoa, use baking powder. Dutch process isn't acidic enough to react with baking soda.
    • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon, optional
    • ½ cup regular cocoa powder or raw cacao powder

    Wet ingredients:

    • ¾ cup peanut butter, salted - Smooth or crunchy.
    • ½ cup light brown sugar
    • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
    • ½ cup non-dairy milk
    • ⅓ cup maple syrup

    Additions:

    • ½ cup dairy-free chocolate chips, semi-sweet
    • ½ cup raw walnuts, roughly chopped
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    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and line an 8 inch x 8 inch baking pan with parchment paper.
    • Pulse oats in food processor until they're the consistency of coarse flour (a few larger pieces are okay). Add remaining dry ingredients and pulse to combine. Transfer to a bowl. 
    • Combine wet ingredients in food processor, and blend until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
    • Add the dry ingredients to food processor and pulse until everything is combined. The batter will be thick and sticky. Fold in walnuts and chocolate chips.
    • Spread the batter into the lined pan. Bake for 28-32 minutes, inserting a toothpick (or knife or chopstick) into the center to test for doneness. 
    • Remove from oven and let the brownies cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack, and cool completely (if possible) before cutting into 16 squares.

    Notes

    Tips and Substitutions
    If you have brewed coffee on hand, replace 2 tablespoons of the milk with coffee for enhanced chocolate flavor.
    For peanut-free brownies try these with sunflower seed butter instead of peanut butter.
    If you're interested in reducing the sugar or choosing unrefined options, check out Hu brand chocolates, and use coconut or date sugar instead of brown sugar.
    Storage
    Store leftover brownies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. They can also be frozen for longer storage.
    *This recipe was originally published in September 2018 and has been updated with new photos and instructions.

    Estimated Nutrition (per serving)

    Calories: 198kcalCarbohydrates: 23gProtein: 5gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 47mgFiber: 3gSugar: 14gCalcium: 40mgIron: 1.3mg

    Nutrition information is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact amounts and specific products and ingredients used. We calculate this information using the online calculator cronometer.com.

    Did you try the recipe?I LOVE hearing from you! Comment below to let us know.
    a stack of vegan peanut butter brownies against a white background
    « Vegan Rice-A-Roni
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    Comments

    1. Angela

      June 22, 2022 at 5:00 pm

      Could fat be lowered by using part powdered peanut butter in place of full fat peanut butter by chance?

      Reply
      • Lori

        June 23, 2022 at 7:31 am

        Hi Angela, you could probably reduce the peanut butter slightly but it does contribute moisture to the brownies, so in addition to powdered peanut butter for flavor you'd want to add moisture from applesauce or banana. Another way to reduce the fat is to reduce the chocolate and omit the walnuts.
        Let us know if you give them a try!

        Reply
    2. Ricki

      June 04, 2021 at 10:10 am

      I am thrilled I found you. I appreciate the variety of your recipes. I am plant based unimaginative. You may be exactly what I need. Salads and soups are getting tiring.

      Reply
      • Lori

        June 05, 2021 at 7:39 am

        That's so kind, Ricki. Thank you! I hope you find lots of recipes you love. 😀

        Reply
    3. Karen Ricketts

      February 14, 2020 at 7:06 pm

      I could tell from the great photos that this was the brownie I was looking for - moist and dense, but not gooey. This is the perfect brownie - and the great pictures can't capture the amazing taste. I used maple sugar instead of brown sugar as that was recommended for WFPB. Thanks so much for this!

      Reply
      • Lori

        February 14, 2020 at 9:01 pm

        Karen, so glad you love them. I know what you mean about the texture...they’re my favorite, too! Thanks for the feedback. 🙂

        Reply
    4. Anna

      January 04, 2020 at 4:26 pm

      Can you leave out the sugar?

      Reply
      • Lori

        January 06, 2020 at 6:34 pm

        Hi Anna, no the brown sugar is pretty important for both flavor and texture as the recipe is written. Omitting it would require reworking some of the other ingredients so that you would have a successful brownie. If you're looking for a healthier treat, you might like my refined sugar-free Banana Brownies!

        Reply
    5. marta

      December 02, 2019 at 2:25 pm

      Do these brownies come out gooey/ chewy or are do they have a cake like texture??

      Reply
      • Lori

        December 02, 2019 at 2:27 pm

        Hi Marta,
        These are more of a dense type of brownie - sort of between gooey and cake. They can be made *more* gooey by sticking with a shorter bake time. They’re moist and rich tasting.
        If you prefer a lighter, cake brownie, you might like my Oil-Free Banana Brownies.

        Reply
    6. Margie

      November 02, 2019 at 10:09 pm

      I just found this recipe and made it today - they were wonderful! Thanks for sharing the recipe!

      Reply
      • Lori

        November 03, 2019 at 10:01 am

        So glad you enjoyed them, Margie. Thank you for the feedback!

        Reply
    7. Julie

      April 01, 2019 at 5:25 am

      Lori, how can you say your peanut butter brownie is gluten-free, when oats are one of the grains (wheat, barley, oats and rye) a coeliac has to avoid, due to its gluten?

      Reply
      • Lori

        April 01, 2019 at 8:24 am

        Hi Julie, with the use of certified gluten-free oats (manufactured to avoid cross contamination) this recipe is gluten-free. Thankfully labeling has gotten much better and GF oats are fairly easy to find. My understanding is that most people with celiac disease can safely eat GF oats. A small percentage can't but it's due to a different protein called avenin. Of course, it's up to the individual to know whether gluten-free oats are safe for them to eat.

        Reply
    8. Susan spalding

      September 06, 2018 at 7:17 pm

      CAN'T wait to try this and more, Great blog.

      Reply
      • Lori

        September 07, 2018 at 1:31 pm

        Thank you, Susan! 🙂

        Reply

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    Lori Rasmussen, Owner/Creator

    Hi, I'm Lori. Welcome to My Quiet Kitchen where I share easy vegan recipes with a healthier twist. Many are special diet-friendly or easily adapted. I also have a passion for veganizing classic desserts, and sometimes even those get a healthy-ish makeover.

    Learn more about me →

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