Breakfast Brownies (Oil-Free, Gluten-free)

Grab a vegan breakfast brownie for a nourishing breakfast on the go! Straightforward to make with oats and carrots, these fudgy brownies are oil-free, gluten-free, and have 5 grams each of protein and fiber.

Begin Your Nourishing Day with a Brownie

Your mornings are about to be memorable.

From this day forth, you can begin the day feeling virtuous, satisfied, and amped up on superfoods.

You’ll do it by eating one of thee great big breakfast brownies.

Recipe Benefits

• Vegan (dairy-free, egg-free)
• Gluten-free
• Oil-free
• 5 grams protein per brownie
• 5 grams fiber per brownie
• Flourless
• Very fast & straightforward (make the batter in a blender in seconds)
• No bananas
• Rich in nourishing fats (from the nuts and/or seeds)
• Rich in antioxidants (from the cocoa powder)
• Inexpensive to make

Ingredients

The exact amounts of each ingredient are indicated in the recipe card at the end of the post.Toggle betweenUS Customary(volume) andMetric(weights) for preferred measurement option.

Moist, fudge-y, and freckled with chocolate chips, these breakfast treats are made with frugal, nutritious, familiar ingredients you probably have already. Here are the key players:

• rolled oats(any variety of rolled oats, such old-fashioned rolled oats or quick oats)
• carrots
• nuts, seeds or a combination(see notes; you can use nut butter, too!))
• nondairy milk(such as oat milk, soy milk, almond milk, or cashew milk)
• unsweetened cocoa powder
• coconut sugar(or the sweetener you prefer)
• vanilla extract
• salt & baking soda(the salt is always optional and/or adjustable)
  • optional (but recommended):miniature chocolate chips(a small amount)

Carrots are the sneaky ingredient in these nourishing breakfast brownies. They add moisture (think fudge-y texture), but also natural sweetness, so that the added sugar is limited to 1/3 cup (divided between 9 servings). There is something about getting vegetables first thing in the morning, too, that leads to standing taller and shining brighter!

The seeds (or nuts) provide structure to the brownies (akin to eggs in traditional recipes), as well as protein, nourishing oils, and flavor (moreover, it’s only 2 ounces, about 1/3 cup).

Step by Step Instructions

Note that the complete instructions are also in the recipe card below.

1. Preheat the Oven & Prepare Pan:Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Line an 8-inch baking pan with nonstick foil or parchment paper. If you are ok with eating oil, you can, alternatively, spray with cooking spray.
2. Blend the Wet Ingredients:In a blender, process the non-dairy milk and carrots until completely blended. Add the seeds or nuts to the blender. Blend until very smooth/creamy (no chunky bits).
3. Add Dry Ingredients:Add the oatmeal, and blend until smooth (stop to scrape down sides of container, as needed). Blend, blend, blend until especially smooth (use on/off pulses as needed, it will be thick).
4. Spread Batter in Pan:Spread the brownie batter (it will be very thick) into the prepared pan, smoothing the top. Sprinkle with chocolate chips, if using.
5. Bake the Brownies:Bake the breakfast brownies in the preheated oven for 18 to 21 minutes or until the surface appears dry and a toothpick inserted near the center of the pan of brownies comes out with only a few moist crumbs attached.
6. Cool the Brownies:Place the pan on a cooling rack and cool the brownies completely (in the pan). Use the foil or parchment liner to remove the brownies from the pan and cut into 9 squares.

Add these to your collection of portable breakfast options, but if you have the time, sit down and savor every morsel. Because every morsel is noteworthy.

Don’t forget to share. Spread the love with brownies.

Happy baking!

Storage

Store the brownies in an airtight container at cool room temperature for 2 days, the refrigerator for 1 week or the freezer for 6 months.

Ingredient Substitutions

• Sweetener Options:An equal amount of brown sugar, natural cane sugar, maple syrup, date sugar, agave nectar, brown rice syrup, date syrup, or honey (if you do not need these to be vegan) can be used in place of the coconut sugar.
• Nut and Seed Options:Use nuts, seeds or a combination of both. For example, walnuts, pecans, almonds, hazelnuts, pepitas (green pumpkin seeds), sunflower seed kernels, or hemp hearts.
• Nut Butter / Seed Butter Option:You can swap the nuts / seeds with your go-to nut butter or seed butter. For example, peanut butter, almond butter, sunflower seed butter, tahini or pumpkin seed butter. Use the same weight of nut/seed butter (4 ounces/ 114 grams), which is1/2 cup.
• Oat Flour Option:You can swap the rolled oats for an equal weight (133 grams) of oat flour.If using cups, 133 grams of oat flour equals about 1 cup oat flour plus 1 tablespoon.

FAQ

• How Should I Measure the Seeds / Nuts Without a Scale:If you do not have a kitchen scale, 4 ounces of finely chopped nuts, or whole pepitas (green pumpkin seeds) or sunflower seed kernels measures almost exactly 2/3 cup.
• Can I Use Roasted Seeds or Nuts in the Recipe?Yes! Roasted (or toasted) seeds or nuts boosts the flavor of the brownies to another level of deliciousness.

More Vegan & Gluten-Free Brownies

• Tiger Nut Flour Brownies {grain-free}
• Oil-Free Vegan Almond Flour Brownies
• 3-Ingredient Banana Fudge Brownies {grain-free, oil-free}
• Grain-Free Zucchini Brownies
• 5 Ingredient Banana Brownies {grain-free, oil-free}
• Black Bean Brownies
• Clean & Lean 70 Calorie Brownies