Classic Vegan Blondies

The texture of these buttery vegan blondies offers the perfect chewy yet tender balance. When combined with the flavors of gooey chocolate chips and sweet vanilla--it just doesn’t get any better! 

Like most folks, a batch of brownies for me used to mean picking up one of those boxed mixes from the store. While they make a tasty batch, not only are the boxed mixes usually not vegan, but it’s actually just as easy to whip up your own homemade mix!

Plus, it allows you to easily swap flavors in and out and with just a few simple swaps, you can have yourself a tray of blondies instead of classic brownies. 

Blondies have all the same fudgy, chewy textural characteristics you love about brownies, but with a buttery, vanilla-forward taste instead. 

I always toss some vegan chocolate chips in my mix for a bit of contrast, but if you’re looking to skip the chocolate altogether, try vegan white chocolate chips or even peanut butter chips.  

When it comes to blondies, the only way you can go wrong is by not making them at all! 

Ingredients for Vegan Blondies

• Organic light brown sugar - Use light brown sugar instead of dark brown sugar. The blondies will have a robust sweet flavor with light brown sugar, while the dark sugar will give an overpowering flavor and make your blondies darker. 
• Organic cane sugar - Even though it’s light, using only brown sugar still produces a strong flavor so I like to balance it with a proportion of cane sugar. When shopping for either sugar variety, make sure to choose organic as some non-organic refined sugars (yes including those big brands we all know!) are often processed with animal products. 
• Vegan butter - You can use whatever brand of vegan butter is your favorite, although I advise you use an unsalted option. Rich, buttery flavor is a key feature of any good blondie, so make sure to choose a butter that you really enjoy the taste of! 
• Vanilla extract - Another key flavoring component in this--and every!--blondie recipe. 
• Flax egg - When rehydrated with water, ground flax seeds can be used to make a flax “egg”, which is an excellent binding agent. Instructions for mixing up flax eggs are below. Chia eggs, or other vegan egg replacers work too, and most grocery stores offer prepared versions in the baking aisle. 
• All-purpose flour - Has a soft texture and mellow taste that is just right for chewy, gooey blondies. 
• Baking soda - Gives your blondies a bit of rise as they bake. We won’t be using a ton of this ingredient--we’re not baking a cake here!--but a little bit of leavening is essential to create the proper texture.
• Vegan chocolate chips - You can use either white or dark chocolate chips. It’s all up to your preference and whatever you happen to have on hand! 

How to Prepare Flax Eggs

1. Combine 1 Tbsp of ground flax seeds with 3 Tbsp water. 
2. Whisk the ingredients until cohesive and set aside for about 5 minutes. The texture will become thick and slightly gelatinous. 

How to Make Vegan Blondies

1. Prep and combine. Preheat your oven to 350℉ and line a 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper. In a large mixing bowl, combine organic brown sugar, organic cane sugar, and softened vegan butter.
2. Cream. Use an electric mixer or vigorously whisk by hand to cream the butter and sugar mixture until pale in color and fluffy in texture. This usually takes a couple of minutes. 
3. Add wet ingredients. Stir in vanilla extract and a prepared flax egg. 
4. Add dry ingredients. Add all-purpose flour and baking soda to the wet ingredient mixture. 
5. Stir. Use a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to incorporate the dry ingredients until just mixed. 
6. Add chocolate chips. Sprinkle vegan chocolate chips into the batter. 
7. Fold the batter. Use a rubber spatula to fold the chips into your batter, mixing until just evenly distributed. 
8. Transfer. Scoop your blondie batter into the parchment paper lined baking pan, then use a spatula to smooth out the top. 
9. Bake and cool. Place the baking pan in your preheated oven and bake for about 15-17 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the edges are golden-brown. Remove the blondies to a wire rack to cool. 
10. Slice and enjoy! Once cooled, slice your blondies into squares and enjoy!
    

Watch Us Make Vegan Blondies

Chef Tips 

To Easily Remove Your Blondies From the Pan:

Line it with a sheet of parchment paper that is a bit larger than the baking dish itself. You want it to cover the bottom and up the sides completely, with a bit of overhang sticking out over the edge. This will give you something to hold and easily lift the blondies out of the pan once they’re baked!  

How to Store 

Refrigerating. Allow your blondies to cool completely, then wrap them in plastic wrap or package them in a resealable zip-top bag. Since they are so moist, I recommend keeping them in the fridge--they’ll stay fresh for about a week. 

Freezing. If you want to freeze the blondies, I recommend slicing them first, then wrapping each individual portion tightly in plastic wrap. Place the wrapped blondies in a large freezer-safe zip-top bag or other airtight container. Freeze up for 3 months. 

Thawing. Transfer your frozen blondies to the fridge and let them defrost there for several hours or overnight.

📋 Recipe