Vegan Brownies

1 . Stage

Preheat the oven and prepare the pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, and grease the parchment paper and pan with a little coconut oil.

2 . Stage

Prepare the flax "egg": Combine the flax with 8 tablespoons of water in a small bowl. Let stand for 7 to 10 minutes to thicken. (This will be used as an egg replacer in this recipe.)

3 . Stage

Whisk the dry ingredients: In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and kosher salt.

4 . Stage

Melt the coconut oil and chocolate: In a small saucepan over low heat, warm the coconut oil and chopped chocolate, stirring until the chocolate is completely melted, about 2 minutes.

5 . Stage

Add the sugar and vanilla: Whisk the sugar and the vanilla into the chocolate mixture, stirring vigorously until combined. The mixture will be a little grainy at this point, which is perfectly OK.

6 . Stage

Make the batter: Pour the chocolate mixture into a large mixing bowl, scraping everything from the pan using a silicone spatula. Fold in the flax eggs. Add the dry ingredients and stir well with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula until well combined. The batter will be quite thick and will gather into a ball—it won’t be loose and thin like many traditional brownie batters.

7 . Stage

Scoop the batter into the prepared pan: Use a rubber spatula or the palm of your hand to press it into the pan in an even layer.

8 . Stage

Bake the brownies: Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the edges are set and no longer jiggly. The tops of the brownies will still feel very soft and may even be bubbling a little. Don't worry! They’ll firm up as they cool.

9 . Stage

Let cool: Let the brownies cool completely before slicing, at least 2 to 3 hours. Because these are so fudgy, they really will slice best if you allow them to fully cool.

10 . Stage

Slice, serve, and store: Using the parchment paper as a handle, lift the cooled brownies up out of the pan and onto a cutting board. Slice into a 4x4 grid (making 16 small squares). Leftover brownies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to five days (or frozen for up to three months).