Brownies are a beloved chocolate dessert that have been popular for over 100 years. With their rich, fudgy texture and deep chocolate flavor, brownies are the perfect treat for chocolate lovers. But with many variations of brownie recipes out there, a common question is: are brownies actually dairy?
The Short Answer
The short answer is: traditional brownies are not dairy-free. Most standard brownie recipes call for butter, which is a dairy product. However, there are many dairy-free brownie recipes available as well using oil or other fat substitutes in place of butter.
Examining Traditional Brownie Ingredients
To understand if traditional brownies are dairy products, let’s examine the typical ingredients that go into brownies:
- Butter – Butter is the main dairy ingredient in most traditional brownie recipes. Butter contains milk solids and milk fat, making it a dairy product. When butter is creamed with sugar and eggs in a brownie recipe, it gives the brownies a rich, moist texture.
- Eggs – Eggs are another primary ingredient in brownies. While eggs themselves are not dairy, they are an animal product and therefore not vegan.
- Chocolate – Pure chocolate contains no dairy. Look for unsweetened chocolate, cocoa powder, or dark chocolate without milk ingredients.
- Flour – Plain all-purpose flour does not contain dairy and is commonly used in brownies.
- Sugar – Granulated white sugar or brown sugar typically used in brownies is dairy-free.
- Salt – Table salt or sea salt called for in recipes is dairy-free.
- Extracts – Vanilla, almond or other extracts are used for flavoring and do not contain milk products.
- Nuts – Nuts like walnuts or pecans added to brownies are dairy-free.
As you can see from inspecting the ingredients, the main dairy component in traditional brownies comes from the butter. Some brownie variations may also include milk chocolate or milk as additional dairy ingredients. But in its simplest traditional form using butter, brownies are not vegan or dairy-free.
The Role of Butter in Traditional Brownies
Butter is more than just a fat component in brownies – it also provides moisture, texture and flavor. When creamed with sugar, the tiny air bubbles in butter help give the brownies a light and fluffy interior texture. As the brownies bake, the milk solids and milk fat in butter provide rich flavor. Butter also gives traditional brownies a soft, fudgy texture.
Replacing butter with oil in a brownie recipe would remove the dairy ingredient. However, it would also change the mouthfeel and flavor of the brownies, making them denser and greasier. While oil-based brownies can still taste delicious, they will have a different texture and flavor profile compared to butter-based brownies.
Common Dairy Ingredients in Brownie Recipes
In addition to butter, some brownie recipes also incorporate other dairy ingredients for added moisture, flavor and texture:
- Milk – Some recipes call for adding a small amount of milk, which adds moisture and a creamy flavor. Condensed milk is also used in fudgey brownie variations.
- Cream cheese – Cream cheese brownies have a cheesecake-like flavor and dense texture from the cream cheese swirled into the batter.
- Yogurt – Greek yogurt or other yogurt provides moisture and tanginess to brownies.
- Sour cream – Sour cream gives brownies a subtle tart flavor that complements the chocolate.
- Cocoa powder – Look for natural unsweetened cocoa without dairy ingredients. Many packaged cocoa mixes contain milk solids.
- Chocolate chips – Milk chocolate chips provide pockets of dairy. Use dark chocolate or dairy-free chips instead.
When added alongside butter, these extra dairy ingredients make traditional brownies even richer. To avoid all dairy products, these additional milk-based ingredients would need to be omitted or substituted in a recipe.
Are Box Brownie Mixes Dairy-Free?
Boxed brownie mixes provide an easy shortcut for homemade brownies. However, most standard brownie mixes contain powdered milk or other dairy ingredients like whey. This helps provide convenient moisture and texture to the finished brownies.
| Brand | Contains Dairy? |
|---|---|
| Betty Crocker | Yes – whey, modified milk ingredients |
| Duncan Hines | Yes – lactose, whey |
| Ghirardelli | Yes – whey, milkfat |
| Pillsbury | Yes – whey |
| Baker’s Corner | Yes – whey, milkfat |
| King Arthur Baking | No* – uses oil and water |
*King Arthur Baking mix is one exception and uses oil and water instead of dairy ingredients. Look carefully at ingredient lists, as dairy-free and vegan specialty brownie mixes are also available from some brands.
How to Make Dairy-Free Brownies
Don’t worry – giving up dairy doesn’t mean giving up brownies! Here are some tips for making delicious dairy-free homemade brownies:
Substitute butter with oil
The easiest way to make dairy-free brownies is swapping out the butter for an equal amount of neutral oil like canola, vegetable, coconut or avocado oil. The oil ensures the brownies still have a moist, rich crumb.
Swap in dairy-free milk
For box brownie mixes or recipes that call for milk, replace cow’s milk with unsweetened almond milk, oat milk or soy milk. Avoid sweetened milk options as that can throw off the sugars in the recipe.
Use dairy-free chocolate
Read chocolate packaging carefully and look for dairy-free dark chocolate, semi-sweet chocolate chips and cocoa powder without milk ingredients. Enjoy Life, Pascha and Taza Chocolate are good dairy-free chocolate brands.
Replace butter in frosting
Top your brownies with dairy-free frosting using shortening or vegan butter options like Earth Balance. You can also frost brownies with ganache made with coconut milk and chocolate.
Add dairy-free mix-ins
Mix in your favorite dairy-free add-ins like nuts, coconut flakes or chocolate chips for extra texture and flavor. Mini vegan marshmallows make cute frosting mix-ins too!
Delicious Dairy-Free Brownie Recipes to Try
Here are some highly rated dairy-free brownie recipes to bake for your next chocolate craving:
The Best Fudgy Vegan Brownies
This easy recipe from Nora Cooks uses apple sauce and oil instead of butter or eggs. Walnuts add crunch and earthy flavor.
Get the recipe: https://www.noracooks.com/vegan-brownies-recipe/
Ultimate Healthy Fudge Brownies
Made with chunky applesauce and coconut oil, these gluten-free brownies from Ambitious Kitchen are super fudgy and satisfying.
Get the recipe: https://www.ambitiouskitchen.com/my-favorite-healthy-fudge-brownies-gluten-free-vegan/
The Best One Bowl Vegan Brownies
This simple recipe from Loving It Vegan calls for almond milk and maple syrup for a delicious eggless and dairy-free brownie.
Get the recipe: https://lovingitvegan.com/vegan-brownies/
Vegan Brownies with Avocado Chocolate Frosting
The avocado in the frosting gives it a rich, creamy texture without dairy in this recipe from The Hidden Veggies.
Get the recipe: https://www.thehiddenveggies.com/vegan-brownies-avocado-frosting/
Easy Vegan Fudge Brownies
This recipe from Loving It Vegan uses melted chocolate and coconut oil for decadent fudge-like brownies.
Get the recipe: https://lovingitvegan.com/vegan-fudge-brownies/
Vegan Brownie Mix Brands
For the absolute easiest dairy-free brownies, look for premade vegan brownie mixes from these brands:
- Bob’s Red Mill Vegan Brownie Mix
- Enjoy Life Foods Allergen Friendly Brownie Mix
- King Arthur Baking Gluten Free Brownie Mix
- Namaste Foods Perfect Gluten Free Brownie Mix
- Pamela’s Products Chocolate Brownie Mix
- Swerve Sweets Brownie Mix
Check the packaging to confirm dairy-free status as formulations can change. Many brands also offer allergy-friendly options free of gluten, wheat, peanuts and other allergens.
Common Questions
Can you use oil instead of butter in brownies?
Yes, you can substitute butter with an equal amount of oil in brownie recipes. The texture may be a bit more cake-like and dense. For best results, use neutral oils like canola, vegetable or coconut.
What milk is best for brownies?
For dairy-free brownies, unsweetened almond milk or oat milk provide richness without changing the flavor. Avoid coconut milk as it can provide too much coconut taste unless specifically desired.
Do brownies have milk?
Traditional brownies made with butter contain milk ingredients from the butter. Some recipes also add milk or other dairy products. Check recipes and ingredients to confirm if milk is included.
Can you make brownies without cocoa powder?
Brownies require cocoa powder or melted chocolate to provide the chocolate flavor. You can vary the amount used to make them more or less chocolatey. But removing cocoa powder altogether would not result in a typical brownie.
The Bottom Line
Traditional brownies made with butter contain dairy and are not vegan. However, with some easy ingredient swaps such as using oil instead of butter and dairy-free chocolate, you can easily make fudgy, delicious dairy-free brownies. Thanks to the rise of vegan baking, brownie lovers don’t have to miss out on enjoying a chocolatey baked treat.
