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brownie with a bite out of it

Foolproof Fudgy Vegan Peppermint Brownies

These one-bowl baking wonders are so flipping delicious no one will suspect that these peppermint brownies are vegan. We use a combination of pureed prunes, flaxseeds and olive oil to create holiday magic.
5 from 4 reviews
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Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Bar Cookies
Keyword: Vegan, Brownies, Peppermint
Servings: 9 Brownies

Ingredients

For the Brownies

  • 8 oz (227 g) California Prunes
  • 1/2 cup (43 g) unsweetened cocoa powder (I prefer dark) (sifted)
  • 2 tablespoons (20 g) raw flaxseeds
  • 1/2 cup (112 g) hot water
  • 1 ½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar
  • 1 cup (170 g) dark chocolate, ( finely chopped)
  • ½ cup (112 g) extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 (13 g) tablespoon real vanilla extract
  • 1 (6 g) teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon (5 g) baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon (5 g) baking soda
  • 1 1/2 (169 g) cup all-purpose flour (how to measure flour)

For the Frosting

  • 1 cup (170 g) dark chocolate (finely chopped)
  • 2 tablespoons (30 g) coconut oil
  • ½ teaspoon peppermint extract

To Garnish

  • 1/3 cup candy canes (crushed)

Instructions

For the Brownies

  • Preheat oven to 350 F (170 C) and grease and line an 8x8-inch baking dish and set aside.
  • In a high-speed blender add the prunes, cocoa powder, flaxseeds and hot water (in that order). Blend on low for several minutes or until very smooth. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the blender to make sure that everything is well combined. Measure out about ½ cup (170 g) of the prune puree and reserve the remaining for your next batch (it freezes great!). Don’t clean your blender and set aside for the next step.
  • To a large, heat-safe bowl set over simmering water, add the sugar, dark chocolate, olive oil and ½ cup (170 g) of prune puree from above. Make sure the water doesn’t boil or touch the bottom of the bowl. Stir frequently until the chocolate is melted and then pour back into the blender and blend on low until quite smooth, no more than 1 minute.
  • Scrape the chocolate-prune mixture into a large bowl and stir in the vanilla, sea salt, baking powder and baking soda, stirring to completely incorporate. Finally, fold in the flour until just combined. The mixture will be quite thick. Spread into the prepared baking dish, smoothing the top with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon. Bake in the center of the oven for 30-35 minutes. The brownies will puff up while baking and then deflate a bit as they cool, this is fine. Set on a cool rack and let cool completely.

For the Frosting

  • To prepare your frosting, place the chocolate, coconut oil and peppermint extract in a medium bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water; don’t let the water boil or touch the bottom of the bowl. Stir until the chocolate is melted. The chocolate will be quite liquid. Stir periodically as the chocolate comes closer to room temp. Once cool to the touch pour on the brownies, leaving the raised outer edges of the brownies free of glaze. Sprinkle with the crushed peppermint candies and set aside for several hours for the glaze to set.

Notes

**The frosting is more of a glaze/ganache hybrid...it will be quite liquid and then firm up. Some coconut flavor can be detected...you could also use vegan butter in the same ratio. The frosting will become quite firm if chilled, so allow to come to room temperature before serving.
Thanks for baking with me! Please rate + comment this recipe and tag me on social @displacedhousewife #displacedhousewife so I can see your beautiful treats! xo