These vegan blondies are a plant-based twist on the classic dense and chewy dessert bars. Tahini makes a great substitute for butter and adds a wonderful complex flavor. They’re 100% whole grain with less sugar than the traditional version.
Hello beautiful vegan blondies!
I have to say, I’m usually partial to brownies, but these may have converted me thanks to tahini aka the MVP of my kitchen. Not only does it make a great plant-based substitute for butter, it adds the most amazing nutty flavor.
It’s unique, it’s nuanced, it’s perfect. And the thick chewy texture! I could go on and on about these.
Ingredients for Vegan Blondies
- flax egg (flax + alt milk of choice). great for vegan baking or when you run out of eggs.
- white whole wheat flour. my go-to for baking (light texture, with fiber too)
- almond flour. I have tested it without the almond flour but the texture just wasn’t the same.
- brown sugar, the non-negotiable blondie ingredient.
- tahini – if you haven’t baked with tahini before, this is a great chance to try it!
- vanilla extract, salt & baking powder
- optional mix-in: chocolate chips (see recipe card for more on vegan chocolate chips)
How to Make Blondies Vegan
Blondies are a dessert typically made with butter and eggs so you’ll need to make a few substitutions to keep them vegan. My recommendations:
- use a milk alternative (I use plain, unsweetened soy milk)
- sub a flax egg for real eggs
- swap tahini for the butter
The end result is perfectly thick and chewy and you can serve them to anyone who avoids dairy and eggs too.
These are probably the easiest thing you can bake right now. Like if you want to bake something right this minute these come together fast, don’t require a mixer and bake in just 30 minutes.
I also love that this recipe is a smaller batch. I prefer to make them in a loaf pan instead of a square pan so they’re nice and thick! You’ll end up with 10, 1-inch squares which are perfect for a little mid-afternoon snack.
I’m a big fan of treats than can double as an early morning coffee pairing (#momlife) and these fit the bill. I scaled back the sugar by about half from traditional blondie recipes and the whole grains and heart-healthy fats from the tahini are a bonus! Don’t worry though, no quality was sacrificed in this process.
Regardless if you like to experiment with vegan baking, I think this is one recipe you’ll love to have in your rotation. Let me know what you think of them!
More Easy Vegan Snack Recipes:
PrintVegan Blondies
These vegan blondies are a plant-based twist on the classic dense and chewy dessert bar. Bittersweet chocolate is an optional add-in that makes them extra special!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 15 bars 1x
- Category: sweet treats
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon ground flax (8 grams)
- 1/2 cup unsweetened soy milk (116 grams), divided
- 1 cup white whole wheat flour (134 grams)
- 1/4 cup almond flour (28 grams)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder (2 grams)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (3 grams)
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed (105 grams)
- 1/2 cup tahini (115 grams)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (5 grams)
- 2 tablespoons (30 grams) vegan chocolate chips (see notes)
- optional: flaky sea salt for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a metal loaf pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- Make a flax egg: In a small dish or liquid measuring cup, mix flax and 1/4 cup of the soy milk. Let sit while you prep the rest of the ingredients.
- In a medium bowl, whisk flours, baking powder and salt.
- In a separate (large) bowl, mix brown sugar, tahini, and vanilla extract. Add the flax “egg” and mix well.
- Add dry ingredients to wet and stir until completely combined. It will seem dry and crumbly here, but stay with me and keep mixing! Stir in the remaining 1/4 cup of soy milk until no flour streaks remain and batter is thick and slightly sticky.
- Transfer batter to the loaf pan and press it down, flattening/smoothing out the top with a spoon or spatula (I also use my hands). Sprinkle chocolate chips over the top and lightly press in.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until slightly brown around the edges and a paring knife comes out clean when inserted in the middle. Sprinkle with flaky salt. Let cool in pan for about 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Cool completely before cutting into ten squares.
Notes
- The equipment section above includes affiliate links to things I use often in my kitchen and recommend.
- For vegan chocolate chips I like Enjoy Life Dark Chocolate Morsels and Equal Exchange.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1″ square
- Calories: 195 calories
- Fat: 10 grams
- Carbohydrates: 22 grams
- Fiber: 3 grams
- Protein: 6 grams
Keywords: vegan baking, vegan desserts, flax egg, tahini
This post was originally published in March 2021. Photos, recipe and content were updated in January 2022.
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Mary M says
These are SO GOOD! Omg. I’ve never made blondies before until I made these. So delicious and the texture is so decadent.
★★★★★
Leanne says
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a star rating Mary! Glad you loved them!
Mary M says
Here to report back I made these again and adjusted for altitude…but I forgot you must have since you’re in Colorado, too! Yeah, definitely a better recipe the first time around! Literally gonna make another batch today even though I just did last night haha!
★★★★★
Leanne says
Thanks for coming back to leave a star rating and review Mary! I’m so glad you like these.
Chenée says
I can’t wait to try these blondies! They look so chewy and fudgy!
Leanne says
I hope you love them! The texture really is a dream!