Another favorite in our home through my children’s lives has always been homemade brownies. We’ve made them so often that I no longer need a recipe—sometimes a box mix would even take longer. Recently I gave our classic dairy-free brownies an upgrade: dairy-free caramel chocolate brownies. They turned out gooey, deeply chocolatey, and decadently caramelized.
The base brownies are adapted from Jane Zukin’s “Best Ever Brownies” in her Dairy-Free Cookbook. That cookbook was a lifesaver for me when I first discovered a milk allergy twenty years ago—back when nondairy milks were rare and the web wasn’t the recipe resource it is now. Thankfully, grocery stores and restaurants are much more allergy-aware today, and dairy-free options like coconut, almond, and soy milk are easy to find. Still, a truly rich dairy-free restaurant dessert remains uncommon, which is why this reliable brownie recipe has been such a go-to for our family. These caramel chocolate brownies are the elevated version—rich enough to satisfy anyone, dairy-free or not.
Dairy-Free Caramel Chocolate Brownies
Kelly Kirkendoll
35
35
Dessert
Dairy-Free
12 brownies
Ingredients
Basic Dairy-Free Brownies
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- 1 cup sugar (add 2 Tbsp if you aren’t adding the chocolate chips and caramel)
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 3/4* cup cocoa powder *Reduce to 1/2 cup for the basic brownie version
Chocolate Chips
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips (use your favorite)
Dairy-Free Caramel Sauce
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 4 Tbsp vegan butter (such as Earth Balance) (or use real butter if dairy is not a concern)
- 1/3 cup plain coconut milk creamer (e.g. So Delicious)
- 1/2 Tbsp vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
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In a large bowl, combine all the brownie ingredients and mix until smooth. If making the caramel-chocolate version, spread half the batter into a 9-inch glass baking dish. For plain brownies, spread all the batter in the dish.
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If preparing the layered caramel version, bake the first half of batter for about 15 minutes. For the plain brownies, bake for 30–35 minutes total.
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While the batter bakes, make the caramel: melt the vegan butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the brown sugar and coconut milk creamer and whisk gently for about 5 minutes. Bring the mixture slowly to a boil while stirring, then reduce the heat to medium and continue stirring for 2–3 minutes—watch closely so it doesn’t burn. Reduce to low, stir in the vanilla and a pinch of salt, and cook for another 1–2 minutes until it thickens slightly. It will not become syrup-thick, but should be noticeably thicker.
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Remove the pan from the oven. Sprinkle 1 cup of dark chocolate chips evenly over the partially baked layer, then spoon about 3/4 cup of the caramel sauce on top. (A little caramel will remain—reserve it to drizzle on the finished brownies or cool and save for coffee.)
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Drop the remaining batter by spoonfuls over the chocolate and caramel layer, covering as evenly as possible. Return the pan to the oven and bake another 15–18 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Let the brownies cool until just warm, then slice and enjoy.
Notes
Tried this recipe?
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