Vegan Toasted Coconut Brownies

Soft, chewy, and fudgy, these Vegan Toasted Coconut Brownies are so good, you'll wan to eat them even if you are not vegan! This brownie recipe was a best seller at my bakery, so I know you'll love it!

If you love making dessert bars as much as I do, then check out some of my other favorite recipes like Olive Oil Raspberry Brownies, Chocolate Caramel S’More Bars, Chocolate Strawberry Crumb Bars, Chocolate Strawberry Crumb Bars, or Sourdough Chocolate Chip Brownies.

vegan toasted coconut brownies on a white marble counter, one brownie with a bite taken out.

A Quick Look At The Recipe

Recipe Name: Vegan Toasted Coconut Brownies
Ready In: 30 minutes
Makes: 12 brownies
Main Ingredients: coconut oil, cane sugar, Dutch cocoa, all purpose flour
Flavor Profile: almond joy in brownie form
Dietary Info: vegan, eggless, no seed oils, gluten free swap available
Difficulty: Easy!
Why You’ll Love It: best selling brownie recipe from my bakery

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Why You'll Love This Recipe

Soft & Chewy: This recipe for Vegan Toasted Coconut Brownies is soft and chewy! The best kind of brownies in my opinion.
Almond Joy Brownie: The combination of dark chocolate, coconut, and almonds makes this simple vegan brownie recipe taste just like an Almond Joy brownie! If you love Healthy Almond Joy Bars, you will love this homemade brownie version.
Naturally Vegan: This recipe for Vegan Toasted Coconut Brownies is dairy-free and naturally vegan. That means, I didn't do anything special to make it vegan, it just is. Which makes for the best kind of recipes as your non-vegan friends will absolutely love this too!

Jump to:

A Quick Look At The Recipe
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Ingredients
Baker’s Tips
How to Make Vegan Toasted Coconut Brownies
Vegan Toasted Coconut Brownies FAQ’s
More Vegan Dessert Recipes
Vegan Toasted Coconut Brownies
The Bake Shop

This vegan brownie recipe was a best seller at my bake shop and one that we made daily! Loved by everyone (vegan or not) these brownies are still a recipe I make often!

If you want to try more best selling recipes from my bake shop, check out some other customer favorites! Homemade Marshmallows Without Eggs were also a daily fixture in the pastry case. If you love cake, check out Cookie Dough Layer Cake, Traditional Butter Pound Cake Loaf, or Simple Vanilla Cupcakes. And, don't forget to try our number one selling cookie Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookies with Homemade Caramel.

Ingredients

Coconut Oil: I use coconut oil in these organic brownies. This is a great oil for brownies, and it also provides coconut flavor in these which is perfect for the flavor profile I'm going for. You can also use extra virgin olive oil or canola oil.
Dutch Cocoa Powder: Use an organic Dutch cocoa powder for the best chocolatey flavor.
Dark Chocolate: If you are using a dark chocolate bar, be sure to chop it into chocolate chunks so it melts easily. You can also use mini dark chocolate chips (which I love doing for ease).
Coconut Milk: I use organic coconut milk in place of eggs. Coconut milk is incredibly creamy and full of fat, making it a great egg replacer in these organic brownies. My favorite coconut milk is Jiva Organics as there are no added flavors or stabilizers.
Vanilla Bean: I use organic ground vanilla bean for more depth of flavor. But, you can substitute vanilla extract in its place if you don't have vanilla bean.
Baking Powder: I use baking powder because these are brownies with Dutch cocoa powder. Be sure to check out my post the Difference Between Baking Soda and Baking Powder for more info on leavening agents.
Coconut: I use organic unsweetened wide flake coconut. This provides amazing texture to these organic brownies as well as coconut flavor.
Almonds: I use organic blanched slivered almonds, because that's how I made these in my bake shop. You can also use sliced almonds or even whole almonds if you roughly chop them.

*For a full list of ingredients and measurements, visit the recipe card below.

Baker's Tips

Always use a digital food scale for the best results.
Make sure your coconut oil is melted. You can do that before in the microwave or even over the stovetop in a small pot, whichever you prefer. If you don't have coconut oil, you can also use canola oil instead, it will not affect the recipe. I prefer to coconut oil though as the coconut flavor compliments these brownies so well!
You want the dark chocolate to be chopped pretty small, as this will help when the boiling water is added over the top to melt it completely. So, if it's chopped small, it will melt more evenly and quicker.
Once the boiling water gets added in, you should work fast. The moment it's added it will start to cool, which can make the batter stiffer, the longer it sits. So, to make it as easy as possible work quickly after this step so it's easy to spread the brownies into the pan.
I use coconut milk in these brownies, but if you are not vegan and you want to use regular milk you can also do that as well.
I prefer to use organic wide flake unsweetened coconut in these brownies. You can use organic fine shredded unsweetened coconut for these if you do not want to use wide flake coconut. I usually top these with fine shredded and put the wide flake inside, but I also like adding the wide flake on top as I really like the texture. You can use whatever you prefer, or a combination of both, as they are easily be interchangeable!
Be sure to store in an airtight container so they stay soft.
These freeze very well. Just wrap in plastic wrap and store in an airtight container or zip bag. Thaw and enjoy!
Gluten Free – Just substitute the all purpose flour for 255 grams (1 ⅔ cups) gluten free flour blend. I use the Namaste Organic Perfect Flour Blend, which was what we used at my bakery too.
High Altitude – Bake at 350°F for 17 to 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

How to Make Vegan Toasted Coconut Brownies

wet ingredients for vegan toasted coconut brownies in a glass mixing bowl on a white marble counter.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with parchment paper. To make the batter: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or using a hand mixer), add the coconut oil, cane sugar, cocoa powder, and dark chocolate. Pour the boiling water over the top, ensure to get it directly on the chocolate as this is what will melt the chocolate and coconut oil.

wet ingredients mixed together for vegan toasted coconut brownies in a glass mixing bowl on a white marble counter.

Mix on low until combined and the chocolate has melted completely.

dry ingredients added to wet ingredients for vegan toasted coconut brownies in a glass mixing bowl on a marble counter.

Add in the coconut milk, flour, baking powder, salt and ground vanilla bean.

smooth vegan brownie batter being mixed with a spatula in a glass mixing bowl on a marble counter.

Mix on low until combined into a smooth brownie batter.

coconut and almonds being added into brownie batter in a glass mixing bowl on a marble counter.

Add in the almonds and wide flake coconut.

coconut and almonds mixed into brownie batter in a glass mixing bowl on a marble counter.

Stir to combine completely.

vegan brownie batter with wide flake coconut on top in a baking pan on a white marble counter.

Transfer to the prepared baking pan and spread it out evenly. Top with the additional wide flake coconut for the topping.

baked vegan toasted coconut brownies on a white marble counter.

Bake for 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely in the pan. (If you're baking at high altitude, be sure to check the Notes at the bottom of the recipe for high altitude baking instructions). Cut into 12 bars and enjoy!

vegan toasted coconut brownies on a white serving platter on a white marble counter.

Vegan Toasted Coconut Brownies FAQ's

What do toasted coconut brownies taste like?

These brownies are moist and fudgy with rich chocolate flavor. There are pieces of almonds and flakes of coconut. The coconut on top gets toasted while baking, giving it a nutty and sweet flavor.

Should I toast coconut before adding it to brownies?

No, you don't need to toast it beforehand because the additional coconut added on top of the brownie batter will toast as it bakes, providing that extra flavor.

Can I use sweetened coconut instead of unsweetened?

I would not do this as sweetened coconut has added sugar, which we do not need here.

Why do these brownies taste like Almond Joy?

These brownies have coconut and almonds, just like Almond Joys! So, if you are a fan of the nostalgic candy bar, you'll love these brownies.

Can I use another kind of oil?

Yes, feel free to use canola oil, sunflower oil, or even olive oil if you want! Any of these will work, though coconut oil really adds the coconut flavor to this recipe which is why chose this oil.

What replaces eggs in vegan brownies?

I use coconut milk to replace eggs in these vegan brownies. Coconut milk is a great egg replacer as it has fat and moisture which helps keeps these brownies moist and fudgy.

Are vegan brownies still fudgy?

Yes! These are so fudgy and customers at my bakery would always comment on how surprised they were that these are so fudgy.

Can I make this brownie recipe gluten free?

Yes! Just substitute the all purpose flour for 255 grams (1 ⅔ cups) gluten free flour blend. I recommend using the Namaste Organic Perfect Flour Blend, which is what we used at my bakery to make these daily.

Why are my vegan brownies cakey instead of fudgy?

Too much flour or cocoa powder can cause this, so always be sure to use a digital food scale and measure properly. Also, if you over bake them, this can also happen.

Can I make this brownie recipe at high altitude?

Yes! All my recipes are tested for high altitude and there is a simple adjustment in the Notes at the bottom of the recipe for high altitude instructions. Brownies are notoriously difficult to make at high altitude, so using a high altitude specific brownie recipe is key for success. This recipe is high altitude brownie recipe approved!

Can I make these ahead of time?

Yes, this is a great recipe to make ahead of time! You can make and bake ahead of time and leave in the pan overnight. But, if you do remove them from the pan and cut them, then they should be stored in an airtight container or in a cake dome.

Do brownies get fudgier after chilling?

Yes, brownies can get fudiger after chilling. I like to pop the tray in the fridge before slicing as this helps get nice, clean cuts. And, then the fats have time to solidify and the moisture can redistribute, making them a bit fudgier.

How do I keep vegan brownies fudgy?

Be sure to store in an airtight container so they stay fudgy.

Can I freeze vegan brownies?

Yes, just store in an airtight container. Make sure to place a piece of parchment paper between each brownie so they don't all stick together. Alternatively, you could wrap each one in plastic wrap if needed. You can freeze for up to 3 months.

vegan toasted coconut brownie with a bite taken out sitting on a white marble counter.

More Vegan Dessert Recipes

Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes

Vegan Lemon Chamomile Tea Cake

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