The BEST Vegan Brownies Recipe - Crazy for Crust (2024)

FAQs

What makes the crust on top of brownies? ›

Wanting to discover the science behind the shine, I Google "brownies with shiny crust." And come upon several sources in agreement with one another: shiny crust is the result of dissolved sugar and egg migrating to the brownies' surface as they bake, where the sugar melts and becomes shiny; and the egg white joins the ...

While your brownie may taste just as good, a dull-topped brownie is never as inviting as a shiny one. The paper-thin crinkly crust can only form if the sugar in the brownies has fully dissolved and broken down. The best way to achieve this is by making sure you thoroughly beat the sugar and the eggs.

Fudgy brownies have a higher fat-to-flour ratio than cakey ones. So add more fat—in this case, butter and chocolate. A cakey batch has more flour and relies on baking powder for leavening. The amount of sugar and eggs does not change whether you're going fudgy or cakey.

Looks to be either over mixed (too much gluten makes it doughy) or over baked (dries out the texture and makes it crispy on top). Try mixing as little as possible and reducing the oven temp a bit, take the brownies out when there's a slight wobble in the centre and they will finish baking through in the pan.

Add semisweet chocolate chips

That's when I realized that the extra step of adding chocolate chips to the brownie batter helps the brownies get a crackly top.

To ensure a crisp edge on each brownie (and to prevent sticking) coat the muffin tin with oil and sugar before adding your batter. Use a pastry brush to apply a thin layer of vegetable oil to the bottom and sides of each well in the muffin tin.

Cookbook author and food stylist Jerrelle Guy might have given away the secret: In an article for The Kitchn, Guy suggests the secret to a "glossy" and lifted brownie — like the ones you see in bakeries and restaurants — is to beat the eggs and the sugar together for 10 minutes before adding additional ingredients.

Whether you use butter, margarine, or vegetable oil, putting too much in your brownie batter causes it to be greasy. Don't worry, you're not alone. Many people fall into this trap when trying to substitute butter with oil.

The extra egg will make your brownies less fudgy and more cake-like. This is a personal preference, so if you like your brownies to have a cake-y texture, go ahead and add the extra egg, but be sure to follow the package instructions for other substitutions or changes to cook time.

Brownie textures fall into three general camps… Cakey, fudgy and chewy. Cakey brownies, like the name implies, are light, moist and airy, with a slightly fluffy, cake-like interior. Fudgy brownies are moist, dense and gooey, with almost the texture of fudge, but not quite as compact.

Is butter or oil better for brownies? ›

In brownies, both butter and oil will offer a moist, tender texture, but only butter will give the dish the aeration needed for rising brownies well. If you use a cake brownie, butter is a better option because it helps rise the batter. For denser, fudge type brownies, oil is permissable.

If the brownies still look wet or aren't pulling away, they aren't done. Even fudgy brownies will pull from the edges once they've finished baking. You'll see that the edges look dry while the middle still looks soft or slightly wet. Chewy and cakey brownies will have dry edges with firmer-looking centers.

If they are only slightly undercooked, you can try returning them to the oven and baking for a few more minutes. If they are significantly undercooked, you may need to extend the baking time significantly. This can be tricky, as it may cause the outside of the baked goods to become too dry or burnt.

Spread the batter evenly

My favorite tool for spreading it is an offset spatula, but the back of a spoon works as well.

Wait until your brownies have completely cooled to room temperature. As brownies cool, they will solidify and set up, so slicing into them too early can result in brownie squares that fall apart or become a mess very quickly.