Vegan Peppermint Brownies (Gluten-Free)

These Vegan Peppermint Brownies are rich and fudgy, and topped with a melt-in-your-mouth peppermint cream and silky chocolate ganache. The perfect sweet treat for Christmas!

Why you'll love these Vegan Peppermint Brownies:

• they're undetectably vegan and gluten-free
• they're rich and fudgy
• they're filled with a melt-in-your-mouth peppermint cream
• they're covered in a silky chocolate ganache
• they taste like peppermint creams
• they're gluten-free
• they're refined sugar free 
• they're grain-free 
• they're easy to make
• they look impressive
• they keep well for a few days
• they're perfect for sharing and make excellent edible gifts
• they're perfect for Christmas!

How to make these Vegan Peppermint Brownies

Scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full recipe (including measurements and full instructions).

• Place the soaked and drained dates, coconut oil and plant-based milk in a food processor or blender.

• Whizz until completely smooth.

• Transfer into a glass mixing bowl along with all the other ingredients.
• Mix well.

• Transfer the batter into a square baking tin.

Tip: Line the tin with greased baking paper to make it easier to remove the brownies after.

• Bake in the oven for 20 minutes.

• Leave to cool completely before applying the peppermint cream.

How to make the peppermint cream

• Drain the soaked cashews and place in a food processor or blender with the maple syrup, plant-based milk and peppermint extract.

• Whizz until completely smooth.

• Taste and adjust amount of peppermint extract/maple syrup if necessary.
• If you wish to add colour, add the spirulina powder a tiny amount at a time until you achieve your desired colour.

• Use a knife to spread the peppermint cream over the top of the brownies.

Tips for baking with peppermint extract:

• Peppermint extract can vary in strength and flavour depending on the brand you use - so it's best to add it a bit at a time and taste as you go to ensure you don't add too much.
• Some brands can be very potent, and you don't want your Peppermint Brownies to taste like toothpaste!
• Most brands are naturally vegan and gluten-free, but it's always best to check the ingredients first to make sure.

Where can you buy spirulina powder?

You can buy spirulina powder in most supermarkets, but if you can't find it there, it can be found in local health stores or online.

Tips for using spirulina powder as a food colouring

• Spirulina powder gives the peppermint cream a lovely light green colour, but it needs to be used with caution!
• It's best to add it a tiny bit at a time until you achieve your desired colour.
• Be careful not to add too much, otherwise the flavour and colour will be very strong.

How to make vegan chocolate ganache

• Break up the chocolate into small pieces and place in a bowl with the plant-based milk.

• Place the bowl over a pan of boiling water and stir regularly until melted.

• Carefully pour the chocolate ganache on top of the peppermint cream layer.
• Use a spatula, knife or spoon to evenly spread the chocolate across the surface.

• Place in the fridge for at least a few hours or overnight for all the layers to firm up before cutting into squares.

Tips for making vegan chocolate ganache

• Make sure not to overheat it as the chocolate will ‘split’ if you heat it too much.
• If the chocolate does split, you can easily fix this by adding boiling hot water to it 1 teaspoon at a time and stirring well until the mixture goes back to normal.

Substitutions you can make to this recipe:

• you can use any type of plant-based milk - almond milk, cashew milk, soy milk, rice milk, oat milk etc
• you can replace the ground almonds with ground hazelnuts, ground walnuts or ground sunflower seeds
• you can use any type of oil: coconut oil, olive oil, vegetable oil etc
• you can use any type of liquid sweetener: maple syrup, agave syrup, brown rice syrup etc
• you can omit the spirulina
• you can use beetroot powder instead or spirulina powder to create a light pink colour reminiscent of peppermint candy canes
• for a refined sugar free version, use a refined sugar free chocolate.

How long do these Vegan Peppermint Brownies keep for?

These Vegan Peppermint Brownies keep covered in the fridge for up to a few days - the taste or texture remains unchanged which means they're great for meal prep and making ahead for entertaining.

More vegan brownies:

• Sweet Potato Brownies
• Black Bean Brownies
• No-Bake Brownies
• Zucchini Brownies
• Pumpkin Brownies
• Avocado Brownies
• Beetroot Brownies

If you try out this recipe or anything else from my blog, I’d really love to hear any feedback! Please give it a rating, leave a comment, or tag a photo @rhiansrecipes #rhiansrecipes on Instagram! Thank you.

Vegan Peppermint Brownies (Gluten-Free)

These Vegan Peppermint Brownies are rich and fudgy, and topped with a melt-in-your-mouth peppermint cream and silky chocolate ganache. The perfect sweet treat for Christmas!

5 from 5 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: mint chocolate brownies, raw vegan brownies, vegan christmas dessert

Prep Time: 40 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Servings: 16 brownies

Calories: 374kcal

Author: Rhian Williams

Ingredients

For the brownies:

• ▢ 350 g (2 cups) pitted dates soaked overnight in cold water or for 10 minutes in boiling water
• ▢ 260 ml (1 cup) unsweetened almond milk (or sub any other plant-based milk)
• ▢ 30 g (⅛ cup) coconut oil (or sub olive or vegetable oil)
• ▢ 360 g (3 cups) ground almonds (almond meal)
• ▢ 75 g (¾ cup) cocoa powder
• ▢ Pinch salt to taste
• ▢ 2 teaspoons baking powder (ensure gluten-free if necessary)

For the peppermint cream:

• ▢ 200 g (1 ⅓ cup) cashew nuts soaked in cold water overnight or in hot water for 15 minutes
• ▢ 8 tablespoons maple syrup (or sub any other sweetener)
• ▢ 4 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk (or sub water or any other plant-based milk)
• ▢ 2 teaspoons peppermint extract to taste * (ensure vegan/gluten-free if necessary)
• ▢ Spirulina powder for colour ** (optional)

For the chocolate ganache:

• ▢ 150 g (5.3 oz) dark chocolate *** (ensure vegan/gluten-free if necessary)
• ▢ 12 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk (or sub any other plant-based milk)

Instructions

For the brownies:

• Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit)
• Drain the dates and place in a food processor or blender with the almond milk and coconut oil
• Blend until completely smooth, mixing it around a couple of times if necessary
• Transfer into a large mixing bowl along with the ground almonds, cocoa powder, salt and baking powder
• Mix well, adding a tiny splash more milk if it’s looking too dry
• Transfer the mixture into a square or rectangular baking tin lined with greased baking paper – I used a 23cm/9inch square baking tin
• Bake in the oven for 20 minutes. They should be slightly cracked at the top and slightly firm inside but still quite gooey – be careful not to overcook!
• Leave to cool completely before applying the peppermint cream

For the peppermint cream:

• Drain the soaked cashews and place in a food processor or blender with the maple syrup, almond milk and peppermint extract
• Whizz until completely smooth
• Taste and adjust amount of peppermint extract/maple syrup if necessary
• If you wish to add colour, add the spirulina powder a tiny amount at a time until you achieve your desired colour - be very careful not to add too much, otherwise the flavour and colour will be very strong
• Use a knife to spread the peppermint cream over the top of the brownies

For the chocolate ganache:

• Break up the chocolate into small pieces and place in a bowl with the almond milk
• Place the bowl over a pan of boiling water and stir regularly until melted – make sure not to overheat it as the chocolate will ‘split’ if you heat it too much
• If the chocolate does split, you can easily fix this by adding boiling hot water to it 1 teaspoon at a time and stirring well until the mixture goes back to normal
• Carefully pour the chocolate ganache on top of the peppermint cream layer
• Use a spatula, knife or spoon to evenly spread the chocolate across the surface
• Place in the fridge for at least a few hours or overnight for all the layers to firm up before cutting into squares
• Keeps covered in the fridge for up to a few days

Notes

*Tips for baking with peppermint extract:

• Peppermint extract can vary in strength and flavour depending on the brand you use - so it's best to add it a bit at a time and taste as you go to ensure you don't add too much.
• Some brands can be very potent, and you don't want your Peppermint Brownies to taste like toothpaste!
• Most brands are naturally vegan and gluten-free, but it's always best to check the ingredients first to make sure.

**Tips for using spirulina powder as a food colouring:

• Spirulina powder gives the peppermint cream a lovely light green colour, but it needs to be used with caution!
• It's best to add it a tiny bit at a time until you achieve your desired colour.
• Be careful not to add too much, otherwise the flavour and colour will be very strong.

You can use beetroot powder instead or spirulina powder if you wish, to create a light pink colour reminiscent of peppermint candy canes. 

***For a refined sugar free version, use a refined sugar free chocolate. 

Nutrition Facts

Vegan Peppermint Brownies (Gluten-Free)

Amount Per Serving

Calories 374 Calories from Fat 216

% Daily Value*

Fat 24g37%

Saturated Fat 6g30%

Cholesterol 1mg0%

Sodium 47mg2%

Potassium 437mg12%

Carbohydrates 39g13%

Fiber 7g28%

Sugar 24g27%

Protein 9g18%

Vitamin A 4IU0%

Vitamin C 1mg1%

Calcium 143mg14%

Iron 4mg22%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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