Easy Vegan Chocolate Raspberry Brownies

Here’s a sweet treat for the upcoming holiday weekend!  I pulled this recipe from my posting in May of 2011, apparently right before the Memorial Day weekend.   Seven years later, I still feel the same way about long weekends as I did in my original post; however, I can thankfully add that I am able to finally allow myself to relax and not do anything!  …. Long, lazy holiday weekends, how I adore thee!  This weekend I plan on taking off an extra day stretching out to four days of relaxation!  I wish I could say total relaxation as I know there is always something to do around the house!  It is actually difficult for me not to do something!

My original recipe was titled Dark Chocolate and Cherry Merlot Brownies.  I seemed to add in liquor into all my recipes back then!  This recipe switch was easy enough, replacing the Merlot with non-dairy milk, but if you are so included to indulge, by all means use Merlot!  Eggs, of course, were replaced with flax eggs, and the flour I prefer is Jovial Einkorn Flour.  I wrote in more detail about this flour in my Espresso Vegan Banana Bread post.  Feel free to use whatever flour you prefer, and if gluten-free, King Arthur’s can be used measure for measure.

Most brownie recipes call for an 8×8 square pan and I would normally use that size; however, I left my pan at a friend’s home, so I had to make due with what I had, which was a 8 inch round.  I sprinkled organic rose petals  on top; however, fresh raspberries or chopped pistachios would look very pretty as well.

Easy Vegan Chocolate Raspberry Brownies

1 cup Jovial Einkorn flour or flour of your choice

¾ cup unsweetened dark cocoa powder

2 teaspoons baking powder

¾ teaspoon salt

1/4 cup agave or maple syrup

1/4 cup organic Lakonta Sweetener or organic cane sugar or turbinado sugar

1/3 cup raspberry preserves, no sugar added

1/3 cup non-dairy milk

3 tablespoons coconut oil melted (this small amount doesn’t impart a coconut taste to the brownie)

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 flax eggs*

¼ cup vegan dark chocolate, chopped or vegan chocolate chips

Chocolate Glaze

1 tablespoon vegan butter, melted (can use coconut oil, however, I prefer to not have a coconut taste to the glaze)

1 tablespoon almond butter

1 tablespoon maple syrup

1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

Toppings:  organic rose petals, fresh raspberries, or chopped pistachios

*Prepare the flax eggs by combining 2 tablespoons flaxseed meal with 5 tablespoons water.  Allow to sit in the refrigerator for 10 minutes to thicken.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 8 inch square baking pan with parchment paper, coat with cooking spray.

Combine flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.  Combine agave or maple syrup, Monkfruit sweetener or sugar of your choice, raspberry preserves, non-dairy milk, coconut oil, and flax eggs in another bowl and stir well until smooth.

Add wet ingredients to dry, mix until combined.  Stir in chopped chocolate.  Scrape batter into prepared pan.  Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.  Cool in pan on wire rack for 5 minutes, remove from pan to rack to cool completely.

To prepare the glaze:

Combine all ingredients, stirring well.  Spoon over cooled brownies allowing to drip down the sides.  Sprinkle on chopped nuts, fresh raspberries or organic rose petals as pictured above.  Allow to set.  Store covered in the refrigerator, can also be frozen (do not freeze with fresh raspberries).  Makes 16 brownie squares.