Vegan Mint Brownies
These vegan mint brownies are gooey, fudgy and slightly chewy. They’re super easy to make, using only basic ingredients, and they are perfect for enjoying during the festive season! Add dairy-free ‘After Eights’ instead of chocolate chips for an extra special treat.
Since I made my cocoa powder brownies the other week, I can’t stop thinking about them! I knew I had to make another batch but I thought since we’re coming into the festive season, adding mint flavouring would be a nice addition.
These dairy-free mint brownies are made without chocolate bars because I know sometimes different types and brands of chocolate can affect the end result. As long as you use margarine and not blocky butter, this recipe is pretty much foolproof and anyone can make it!
Because I wanted them to look more minty (?) than just regular old mint chocolate brownies, I added vegan ‘After Eights’ and some green peppermint icing on top. Of course, this is totally optional if you’re not too bothered about how they look. They’ll still taste fabulous!
More vegan brownie recipes:
- Double chocolate chip brownies
- Biscoff brownies
- Chocolate orange brownies
- Cocoa powder only brownies
- Mug brownie
- Peanut butter brownies
Here’s what you’ll need to make this recipe:
- Plain flour. This is what gives the brownies structure. There’s just the right amount to hold them together without making them too cake like. Use all-purpose flour and not self-raising for this recipe.
- Cocoa powder. Because there’s no chocolate in this recipe, the cocoa powder is what provides the chocolatey flavour. I recommend using a regular, unsweetened cocoa powder for best results.
- Baking powder. This helps to give the brownies a slight lift which will make the edges chewier and slightly crispy. This is not an essential ingredient but it does give a really nice texture!
- Caster sugar. I used caster sugar in this recipe over brown sugar because I preferred the texture. It’s more fudgy than gooey, is less ‘wet’ inside and more sturdy.
- Margarine. Provides fat in the recipe and is what gives the brownies their chewy, fudge-like texture. I recommend using a soft, spreadable margarine type of vegan “butter” rather than the blocky types. I used Vitalite.
- Soy milk. I used unsweetened soy milk for this recipe. I haven’t tested it with any other plant milks but if you don’t want to use soy, I think oat milk would be the best replacement. If you do try it, please let me know in the comments so I can update this post with your tips.
- Mint extract. This is what adds most of the minty flavour to the brownies. I used Dr. Oetker peppermint extract.
- Chopped up vegan After Eights/thin mints. For some added flavour and texture!
Where to buy vegan ‘After Eights’
The reason I’ve put After Eights in air quotes is because that particular brand of thin mints isn’t actually vegan, but it’s the most well-known one.
In my experience, the off-brand After Eights tend to be dairy-free. Some of them do have a milk cross-contamination warning so are not suitable for those with allergies. Here are the brands that I know of:
Some other vegan-friendly mint-filled chocolates that would work in this recipe:
As with everything else, make sure you check the ingredients if you’re purchasing another brand that is not listed above. Sometimes companies can sneak in less obvious non-vegan ingredients into products, like gelatin, which won’t be highlighted because it’s not a common allergen.
If you can’t find vegan thin mints where you live, you can use chocolate chips instead. I recommend using around 150g or 5.2oz (or just eyeball it and use as many as you like!). I think a chopped up dark mint chocolate bar would taste wonderful too in these brownies too!
How to make vegan mint brownies
Step 1:
Preheat your oven to 180°C/350°F (or 160°C/325°F if you’re using a fan or convection oven). Line an 8-x10-inch tin with baking paper, leaving some hanging over the edge to allow for easy removal later on.
Step 2:
In a large bowl, mix together your dry ingredients. You’ll need 160g of all-purpose flour, 80g cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon of baking powder and 250g of caster sugar.
Step 3:
Next, add 120g of melted vegan margarine to the bowl, along with 160ml of unsweetened soy milk and 1 teaspoon of mint extract. Give it a good mix until smooth. It’ll be quite a thick brownie batter.
Step 4:
Chop up 130g of Vegan After Eights/thin mints. Save a few for the topping and stir the rest into the batter. Alternatively, mix-in some vegan chocolate chips.
Step 5:
Transfer the batter to your lined tin and spread it out evenly. It will be a little tricky to do because the batter is thick, but try to get it as even as you can.
Place the leftover thin mint pieces on top of the brownie mixture.
Step 6:
Bake for 22 minutes. The brownies will be gooey inside but will firm up once cold.
Let them cool in the tin at room temperature for around 30 minutes, then transfer them to the fridge for around 2 hours to set. The longer they stay in the fridge, the fudgier they will become!
For the mint icing
As I said, this part is optional. But I recommend it because it makes the brownies ‘look’ more minty, and adds some extra flavour too!
In a small bowl, mix together 15g of vegan margarine and 70g of icing sugar. Once smooth, mix in 1 tablespoon of soy milk and 1/8 teaspoon of mint extract until smooth and runny.
If you like, you can also add a drop of green food colouring for that classic mint chocolate brownies look. I used PME gel. Add in a little bit at a time, mixing as you go until you get your desired shade of green.
Once the brownies are set, drizzle the icing over the top of them. You won’t need to use it all.
Place them in the fridge for around 30 minutes to allow the icing to set and harden. Remove the iced brownies from the tin and cut into 12 equal-sized square slices before enjoying.
Top tips
- Keep the brownies in the fridge to set for the recommended time. The colder they are, the firmer they will become.
- Spread the batter out as evenly as possible in the tin. This will prevent the edges from becoming too cakey.
- Use vegan spreadable margarine, not the blocky butter replacements.
- Replace vegan After Eights with a chopped up dark mint chocolate bar or vegan chocolate chips.
FAQ:
These brownies should be kept in an airtight container in the fridge. They’ll last for around 1 week this way.
Yes, you can freeze them in airtight containers or in ziplock bags. When you want to eat them, transfer them to a wire rack or plate and leave them at room temperature until fully defrosted. Alternatively, let them sit in the fridge for 24 hours before you plan to serve them. Do not refreeze.
I hope you enjoy these dairy-free After Eight brownies! If you make them, let me know what you think by leaving a rating and/or comment below. Happy baking! xo
Vegan Mint Brownies (After Eight Brownies)
Dairy-free mint brownies made with vegan thin mints.
Ingredients
- 160 g Plain/all-purpose flour (1 cup + 2 tablespoons)
- 80 g Cocoa powder (⅔ cup)
- 250 g Caster sugar (1+¼ cups)
- 1 Teaspoon Baking powder
- 120 g Vegan margarine, melted (½ cup)
- 160 ml Unsweetened soy milk (½ cup + 2 tablespoons)
- 1 Teaspoon Peppermint extract
- 12 Vegan thin mints, roughly chopped (substitute for 150g/5.2oz of dark mint chocolate chunks or vegan chocolate chips)
For the icing (optional):
- 15 g Vegan margarine (1 tablespoon)
- 70 g Icing sugar (½ cup + 1 tablespoon)
- 1 Tablespoon Unsweetened soy milk
- ⅛ Teaspoon Peppermint extract
- Drop Green food colouring (add in a small amount at a time until you get your desired colour)
Instructions
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Preheat your oven to 180°C/350°F (or 160°C/325°F if using a fan or convection oven). Line an 8×10-inch tin with baking paper.
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In a large bowl, mix together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and sugar.
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Add the melted margarine, soy milk and mint extract. Mix well until you have a smooth, thick brownie batter.
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Stir in the thin mint pieces, leaving a few aside for the top.
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Transfer the brownie batter into your lined tin and spread it out. It'll be a little tricky to spread because it's thick but try to get it as even as possible so the brownie cooks evenly throughout.
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Place the remaining thin mint pieces on top of the batter in the tin.
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Bake for 22 minutes. Let the brownies cool in the tin for around 30 minutes at room temperature, then put them in the fridge for 2 hours to set. The colder they are, the firmer they'll get.
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Prepare your icing by mixing the margarine and icing sugar together. Stir in the soy milk and mint extract so you have a smooth, runny icing. Add the green food colouring until you have your desired shade of green.
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Drizzle the icing over the chilled brownies then leave for 30 minutes to let it harden.
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Remove the brownies from the tin and cut into 12 equal-sized slices.
Recipe Notes
- Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
