Candy Cane Brownies | Vegan & Gluten-Free

These Vegan Candy Cane Brownies are the perfect holiday dessert! They’re perfectly fudgy, slightly fluffy, and have a deliciously rich chocolate flavor.
This post is sponsored by One Degree Organics.

Brownies: what’s not to love? These Candy Cane Brownies are the *perfect* balance between fudgy and fluffy, and a crunchy peppermint topping pairs perfectly with their rich chocolate flavor and melt in your mouth texture. Oh yeah, and they’re totally vegan, gluten-free, and nut free, so all eaters can enjoy!

INGREDIENTS FOR CANDY CANE BROWNIES

These vegan brownies come together with only 10 pantry-friendly ingredients. Here’s the breakdown:

• One Degree Organic’s Sprouted Brown Rice Flour: gluten-free brown rice flour gives these brownies their perfect texture! I love to use One Degree Organic’s Sprouted Brown Rice Flour because it’s nutritious, supports small farmers, and is also sprouted, to increase nutrient bioavailability and to make it easier to digest.
• Cacao Powder: for a rich, chocolate flavor. You can use cocoa powder in this recipe as well, but I prefer to use cacao because the flavor is not as bitter
• Chocolate Chips: add an extra pop of fudgy chocolate flavor
• Coconut Sugar: this unrefined sugar has great depth of flavor, and adds just the right amount of sweetness
• Full-Fat Coconut Milk: for creaminess and consistency! Using full-fat coconut milk adds a healthy dose of fat to these brownies without the need for added oils, butter, or nut butters/spreads.
• Flax Eggs: help to bind the brownies together — plus they add some sneaky fiber!
• Crushed Candy Canes & Peppermint Extract: for holiday cheer 😉 If you’re not a fan of peppermint, you can leave both of these ingredients out to make regular ol’ brownies.

HOW TO MAKE PEPPERMINT BROWNIES

Not only is this recipe amazingly delicious, but it’s pretty dang easy to make too! You’ll only need 1 bowl and around 10 minutes for the prep work:

1. Sift the Sprouted Brown Rice Flour, cacao powder, and baking powder together into a bowl, then add in the salt.
2. Mix in the wet ingredients, then fold in the chocolate chips.
3. Transfer to a baking dish, sprinkle with half of the crushed candy canes, then bake until fudgy or fluffy.
4. Top with the remaining candy canes, let cool, and then serve as desired (that’s devour for me)

Wait a second — you’re telling me that these Candy Cane Brownies can be fudgy and/or fluffy?! Heck yes I am! The secret is all in the bake time — for a fudgier consistency, underbake the brownies. The residual heat from the brownies will cook the remaining “loose” batter as the brownies cool, and you’ll be left with the dreamiest consistency. If you prefer your brownies to be more on the fully cooked side, simply keep them in the oven a little longer!

Either way, it’s important to let the brownies cool completely before you slice them. This allows the crumb of the brownies to fully set and develop – if you slice into them warm, I almost guarantee a mushy mess.

These Vegan Candy Cane Brownies are the perfect christmas treat! The peppermint flavor is just right and not too overwhelming – it serves as a nice, refreshing balance to the rich chocolate flavor. Whether you’re baking for an at-home holiday movie night, or sharing with friends and family, these babies are practically guaranteed to satisfy.

If you’re looking for more brownie recipes, you’ll also love this Fudgy Peanut Butter Brownies and these Almond Butter Brownies! For more holiday-themed eats, check out these Double Chocolate Peppermint Cookies and this 3 Ingredient Chocolate Peppermint Fudge.

Finally, if you make this recipe and decide to share it on Facebook or Instagram, don’t forget to tag me @FromMyBowl and @OneDegreeOrganics + #FromMyBowl! We love seeing your delicious recreations 🙂 You can also find One Degree Organics products in a store near you by visiting their store locator here.

Vegan Candy Cane Brownies

Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 2 reviews

These Vegan Candy Cane Brownies are the perfect holiday dessert! They’re perfectly fudgy, slightly fluffy, and have a deliciously rich chocolate flavor.

• Author: Caitlin Shoemaker
• Prep Time: 10 Minutes
• Cook Time: 25 Minutes
• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Yield: Serves 9-12 1x
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Oven
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Vegan

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 2 flax “eggs” (2 tablespoons ground flax + 5 tablespoons water)
• 3/4 cup (107 g) One Degree Organic’s Sprouted Brown Rice Flour
• 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons (35 g) cacao or cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 3/4 cup (100 g) coconut sugar
• 1 13.5 ounce (400 ml) can full-fat coconut milk
• 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 2/3 cup (125 g) dairy-free chocolate chips
• 2–3 candy canes, crushed and divided

Instructions

1. Prep: Preheat the oven to 350F and line an 8×8″ baking pan with parchment paper; set aside. Prepare the flax eggs and let sit for at least 5 minutes, to thicken.
2. Dry Ingredients: Sift the One Degree Organics Sprouted Brown Rice Flour, cacao powder, and baking powder together into a large bowl. Add the salt, then mix until well combined.
3. Wet Ingredients: Create a well in the center of the mixing bowl, then add in the thickened flax, coconut sugar, coconut milk, and peppermint extract. Mix the ingredients together well, making sure all of the dry ingredients dissolve into the wet; The batter may look a little lumpy, but this is ok. Finally, fold in the chocolate chips.
4. Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan, then top with 1/3-1/2 of the crushed candy canes. Bake in the middle rack of the oven for 25 minutes for fudgy brownies, or up to 30 minutes for brownies with a more cake-like texture. Note that the brownie batter may not look completely cooked after 25 minutes, but it will set once removed from the oven (this is the key to fudgy brownies!). Sprinkle the brownies with the remaining crushed candy canes, then place the baking dish on a cooling rack.
5. Serve & Store: let the brownies cool completely before slicing and serving. Serve as desired; leftovers will keep at room temperature, in a container with a loose fitting lid, for up to 5 days, or can be frozen for up to two months.

Notes

• Substitutions: I have not tested this recipe with any flour substitutions. Coconut sugar can be swapped for brown sugar or white sugar. Ground flax can be replaced with ground chia seed. You can use chopped chocolate in place of chocolate chips, if desired. There is no substitution for the coconut milk, and the recipe will not work well unless it is full-fat (ie, no “lite” or carton varieties).

Keywords: peppermint brownies, gluten free brownies, vegan brownies, vegan mint brownies, gluten free candy cane brownies, vegan holiday desserts, candy cane recipes vegan