With crispy edges and a moist, fudgy center, these vegan matcha brownies are the perfect dessert! They're rich, chewy, and have that shiny, crackly top that can be hard to come by in vegan brownies.
Matcha lovers, unite! If you're a matcha latte fan, then you're seriously going to love these brownies. Similar to my matcha chia pudding and matcha cookies, the matcha flavor is not overpowering in the slightest. Instead, these brownies are packed with decadent dark chocolate and a subtle, green tea earthy flavor, giving them just the right amount of sweetness!
All you need for this recipe is 1 bowl and 10 minutes of prep time before you can leave them to bake! They're super quick & easy to make and perfectly moist (I'm sorry but it's the best word to use to describe these).
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Why you'll love this recipe
- Quick & easy to make: these brownies only use 9 ingredients, are made in one bowl and take 10 minutes to prep!
- Balanced & fudgy: because we use both cocoa powder and green tea powder, neither flavor is overwhelming (if you're not careful, matcha can be super bitter!) and the texture is still super fudgy.
- Perfect for any occasion: aside from being the perfect sweet treat, these brownies are the perfect dessert gatherings or celebrations.
- Allergen-friendly: these brownies are vegan, dairy-free, eggless, oil-free and can easily be made gluten-free with a simple swap!
Equipment
- Hand mixer or stand mixer (a whisk & a strong arm will work just as well)
- Large mixing bowl
- Fine Mesh Sifter: to avoid clumps of matcha powder and cocoa powder.
- 8x8 Baking Pan
- Parchment paper: to ensure the brownies don't get stuck to the cake pan.
- Kitchen scale: for the most accurate results! A scale is the best when it comes to measuring ingredients for baking.
- Measuring cups & spoons: if you don't want to use or don't have a scale.
Ingredients
- Aquafaba (Chickpea Brine): we'll be using this as our egg replacement! Whipped aquafaba is similar to whipped egg whites. It will not only bind the ingredients together but it'll also lift the brownies so they're nice and fluffy. Aquafaba is also the key to getting shiny, crackly tops on vegan brownies.
- Sugar: for sweetness of course! AND, sugar + aquafaba = magic. We'll just be using regular white sugar. You could use brown sugar but it'll change the texture and make them even sweeter.
- Vegan Butter: for flavor and to melt our dark chocolate into! Make sure you're using vegan butter sticks and not the tubs. You can use salted or unsalted butter, whatever you have will work.
- Dark Chocolate: any kind you like - I recommend using dark chocolate chips or a dark chocolate bar that you actually love and enjoy eating on it's own.
- Matcha Powder: there's 3 different kinds of matcha powder: culinary grade, ceremonial grade, and premium grade. Culinary grade matcha is designed for baking and cooking but it's more bitter than the others and the most dull in color. Ceremonial grade matcha is high quality, has a vibrant green color, and traditionally used for Japanese tea ceremonies. Premium grade matcha is higher quality, vibrant, and used for daily consumption. I recommend using ceremonial grade or premium grade in order to achieve the best flavor. Vibrancy doesn't really matter since these are still brown like regular brownies. BUT if you choose to use white chocolate, definitely use a good quality matcha like ceremonial or premium grade to get the best flavor and color. All of that being said, really any of them that you can get your hands on will do the trick.
- Cocoa Powder: either Dutch process cocoa powder or good old unsweetened Hershey's natural cocoa powder (I love using Hershey's Special Dark for mine) will work perfectly here.
- All Purpose Flour: This recipe uses regular all-purpose flour but you can use 1:1 gluten-free all purpose flour if you're gluten-free.
- Vanilla Extract
- Salt
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Variations & Substitutions
- If you want your matcha brownies to be green, simply swap the dark chocolate for white chocolate and ditch the cocoa powder! Because you'll have less dry ingredients overall, only use just 1 cup of all-purpose flour.
- Make these matcha brownies gluten-free by using 1:1 gluten-free flour.
- Elevate your brownies with add-ins! Feel free to add nuts like walnuts or chocolate chips (semi-sweet, dark chocolate or vegan white chocolate). Any of these will add nice flavor and texture.
- Use coconut oil instead of vegan butter. This swap will be a bit healthier while still giving you the right texture,
- For enhanced flavor, 'brown' the vegan butter then melt your dark chocolate in it.
This recipe has not been tested with any other substitutions or variations than the ones listed above. If you replace or add any ingredients, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below!
Instructions
Step 1: Start by adding the aquafaba and sugar to a large bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat together for 2-3 minutes until glossy and thick. You should see ribbons/folds forming as you move the mixer through the bowl.
Step 2: In a small bowl, add the vegan butter and dark chocolate. Microwave for 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until fully melted.
Pour the melted butter and chocolate into the aquafaba along with vanilla extract. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold until combined.
Step 3: Sift the flour, matcha powder, salt, and all-purpose flour into the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. If you'd like to add chocolate chips or any add-ins, do so now!
Step 4: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30-33 minutes at 350°F, or until a toothpick comes out semi-clean. There should be a few wet crumbs. Don't forget, just like a traditional brownie, they'll continue cooking as they cool.
Remove from the oven and leave the green tea brownies in the baking dish to cool completely (at least an hour). Once cool, slice and enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Use the best quality chocolate & matcha powder you can find (and comfortably afford). I promise you'll get much tastier results if you use dark chocolate that you enjoy eating and ceremonial or premium grade matcha powder. If you like matcha lattes, you'll be able to use this high-quality powder for more than just these brownies!
- Sift the dry ingredients. Cocoa powder, flour, and matcha powder can be pretty lumpy so sifting will help to give you a smooth brownie batter and distribute everything more evenly. It will also give the brownies a better rise!
- Weigh your ingredients for the most accurate result. If you don't have a kitchen scale, be sure to use the spoon and level method when measuring the flour especially.
- Don't over mix! I always say it with my dessert recipes but it's important to stop mixing the moment there are no more visible streaks of flour running through the batter. If you over mix, the brownies will be cakey and dense.
- Let the brownies cool completely before slicing. I know it's tempting but if you want a chewy, fudgy brownie, you have to let them completely cool. Brownies continue to cook while they rest so if you slice them too soon they'll fall apart and create a gooey mess rather than having that yummy fudgy texture. You'll notice these brownies are chewier on the second day - that's good and normal!!
Storage
Room Temperature: Store them unsliced in the baking pan covered with aluminum foil or sliced in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Freezer: You can freeze these fudgy matcha brownies as one whole slab or cut and freeze as individual pieces for up to 2 months. Once cooled, wrap the entire brownie square or individual squares in plastic wrap and place it in a freezer bag or sealable container. Let them defrost at room temperature when you're ready to eat one.
FAQ
I'm going to say YES only because this is one of the few matcha brownie recipes that doesn't only use matcha powder. Because there's cocoa powder too, the matcha flavor is so subtle.
Start checking on them ~5 minutes early. When a toothpick inserted in the middle of the brownies comes out with a few wet crumbs, they are ready. The toothpick shouldn't be covered in wet batter, but also shouldn’t be completely clean. If it's completely clean, they're overbaked!
You should always cut brownies once they are cool! When the brownies are warm, they haven't set enough so cutting them will be gooey and messy.
Allow the brownies to cool completely first, this is the most important part of cutting brownies neatly! When you're ready to cut your brownies, run a knife under hot water to warm it up then cut them into 9 even squares. Wipe off the blade between each cut for seriously perfect squares.
This could be from not beating together the aquafaba and sugar long enough or overmixing your batter once all of the ingredients are added.
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📖 Recipe
Vegan Matcha Brownies
Equipment
- Hand Mixer
- Mixing Bowl
Ingredients
- ½ cup (120 g) aquafaba chickpea brine
- 1 ½ cups (351 g) granulated sugar
- ¾ cup (171 g) dark chocolate or dark chocolate chips
- ½ cup (115 g) vegan butter
- 1 tablespoon (13 g) vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups (216 g) all purpose flour
- 7 tablespoons (42 g) unsweetened natural cocoa powder or dutch-process cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons (5 g) high quality matcha powder
- ½ teaspoon (5 g) salt
Instructions
- Line an 8x8 baking dish with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Start by adding the aquafaba and sugar to a large bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat together for 2-3 minutes until glossy and thick. You should see ribbons/folds forming as you move the mixer through the bowl.½ cup aquafaba, 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- In a separate bowl, add the vegan butter and dark chocolate. Microwave for 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until fully melted (it should only take a minute and a half at most). Pour the melted butter and chocolate into the aquafaba along with vanilla extract. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold until combined.¾ cup dark chocolate, ½ cup vegan butter, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- Sift the cocoa powder, matcha powder, salt, and all-purpose flour into the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. If you'd like to add chocolate chips or nuts, do so now!2 teaspoons high quality matcha powder, 1 ½ cups all purpose flour, 7 tablespoons unsweetened natural cocoa powder, ½ teaspoon salt
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and bake for 30-33 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out semi-clean.
- Remove from the oven and leave the brownies in the baking dish to cool completely. Once cool, slice and enjoy!
Mariann says
I replaced the matcha powder with espresso powder and they came out perfectly!! Definitely recommend a scale on this one because I used way too much flour the first time 🙂
Pinch of Parsley says
Yes!!! So easy to make these into classic brownies. Glad you liked them 🙂
Bianca says
These are truly the best brownies ever! The matcha flavor is so minimal that even my matcha hating mother LOVED these!
Pinch of Parsley says
Thank you so much Bianca!! So glad you and your mom loved these