Easy Dairy-Free Brownie Bars is a simple recipe that combines two bakery favorites into one delicious individual dessert. Made without butter or milk.
Chocolate brownie bars are a delicious, melt-in-your-mouth single-serve dessert.
It’s a terrific dessert for parties or get-togethers. And since it’s made without butter or milk (and uses dairy-free pastry dough), it’s even great for people who are avoiding dairy.
Have it as is, serve it with a scoop of your favorite ice cream or have it alongside your morning coffee. It also makes a wonderful, comforting treat at the end of a long, busy day.
The prep is simple with little effort, made from basic pantry ingredients, and it’s budget-friendly. Just flaky pastry dough wrapped around a rich, fudgy chocolate brownie batter and prepared for individual servings.
And if you want to make it dairy, just use pastry dough that isn’t dairy-free.
Frequently Asked Questions for dairy-free brownie bars
Can I make these brownie bars dairy?
Yes! If you aren’t avoiding dairy, you can easily adapt this recipe by using standard pastry dough or butter-based ingredients.
How do I store leftover brownie bars?
Store your leftover dairy-free chocolate brownie bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or keep them in the refrigerator for up to 5 days to maintain freshness.
Can I freeze dairy-free chocolate brownie bars?
Yes, these bars freeze wonderfully. Wrap individual bars tightly in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 2 to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or warm gently before serving.
What kind of store-bought pastry dough is dairy-free?
Many standard puff pastry brands (such as Pepperidge Farm) happen to be naturally dairy-free because they use vegetable oil or shortening instead of butter. Always check the package ingredient label to confirm.
Can I prep these brownie bars ahead of time?
Yes, you can assemble the unbaked brownie bars ahead of time, cover them tightly, and keep them in the refrigerator for a few hours before baking.
How do I reheat leftover brownie bars?
To restore the flaky texture of the pastry, warm your leftover brownie bars in a toaster oven or conventional oven at 350°F for 5 to 7 minutes. Avoid the microwave if you want to keep the pastry crisp.
What ingredients are good to keep in my kitchen to bake last-minute?
- flour
- white granulated sugar
- brown sugar (light/dark—I usually keep dark)
- confectioners’ sugar (powdered sugar)
- salt
- baking powder
- baking soda
- cocoa powder
- ground cinnamon
- ground nutmeg
- ground ginger
- ground cloves
- baking chocolate
- chocolate chips
- instant dry yeast
- vanilla and/or vanilla sugar
- cooking oil/cooking spray
- margarine or butter
- eggs
- honey
- instant coffee
- various extracts (real or imitation)
- a variety of fillings, frostings, and toppings:
- whipping cream
- packaged pie dough or ready-made pie crusts
- puff pastry dough
What equipment is good to have for baking?
- a stand mixer, which I use mostly for dough and sometimes for whipping
- a hand mixer (for things that aren’t dough, and I don’t want to mix manually)
- a kitchen scale
- different sizes and shapes of baking pans, including loaf pans
- mixing bowls (or just large bowls—I have plastic, glass, and metal)
- cookie sheets
- pie dishes
- dry measuring cups
- liquid measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- whisks
- rubber spatulas (really good for when you don’t want to leave anything in the bowl)
- rolling pins
- a baking mat for rolling out dough
- baking strips
- a good supply of baking (or parchment) paper (also round for layer cakes)
Frequently Asked Questions about general baking
What do eggs do in baking?
Eggs are made up of two parts: the whites and the yolks (the yellow).
Egg whites are made up of protein that sets when heated and helps baked goods hold their structure. The yolks are made up of fats and vitamins and help ingredients bond.
Eggs also help baked goods rise as well as keep them moist.
It is important to have the right amount of eggs when baking, because if there are too many eggs in a recipe, this can cause a rubbery, dense texture, and if there are too few eggs, this can cause a crumbly, dry texture.
The different parts of the egg will provide different textures to baked goods; using the entire egg in baking will provide moisture and help the baked good rise evenly, using extra yolks will create richer, denser textures, and extra whites will add fluffiness but may create a drier texture.
Why do recipes have salt in the ingredients of baked goods?
Even though salt tends to make foods, well, salty, it actually plays other roles in baking as well.
For example, the right amount of salt balances flavors in baked goods; it can bring out the sweetness of sugar and, at the same time, prevent them from tasting overly sweet. It also can help dull the bitterness of cocoa.
Salt prevents baked goods from tasting bland, while it balances the richness of the fats. It also helps develop flavor in yeast breads and works with proteins to strengthen gluten and make it more elastic.
Salt also slows down yeast fermentation because it prevents the yeast from eating up the sugars too quickly, which otherwise would cause the dough to rise too fast and then ultimately collapse, causing bread to come out flat instead of fluffy.
Salt helps baked goods stay a little fresher for a little longer and helps delay mold from growing on them.
What is the difference between white granulated sugar and brown sugar?
The short answer is that while white granulated sugar is just pure sweetness, brown sugar is white sugar with molasses mixed into it.
Here is how that change affects your baking:
- White sugar is neutrally sweet. Brown sugar tastes like rich caramel or toffee.
- White sugar makes things crisp and light. Brown sugar traps moisture, making baked goods (like brownies) dense, soft, and extra chewy.
- Brown sugar is dark and wet; white sugar is dry and clear.
Tip: If a recipe calls for brown sugar and you’re completely out, you can make your own by thoroughly mixing a tablespoon of molasses into a cup of regular white granulated sugar, and that will give you light-brown sugar. If you want dark brown sugar, you need to mix in more molasses.
What is the difference between baking soda and baking powder?
Baking soda and baking powder are both synthetic leavens that help baked goods rise, but there is a difference between them.
Baking soda is pure sodium bicarbonate, which needs another ingredient that is acidic in order to be activated. When the baking soda touches the acid, it creates a carbon dioxide gas, which helps the baked good rise. Baking soda is between 3 and 4 times stronger than baking powder, and if too much baking soda is used, your baked good will end up with a metallic flavor.
Baking powder is baking soda that is already mixed with an acid and a stabilizer and will be activated by moisture and heat. Nowadays, baking powder is called double-acting because it activates twice—once when it gets wet (when you mix the ingredients together) and again when it heats in the oven.
Replacing one with the other can be tricky, and it’s not recommended. However, if you have no choice, then do solid research for substituting one for the other for the baked good you are preparing so you don’t ruin it.
What is the difference between real vanilla extract and imitation vanilla?
Real vanilla is made from soaking vanilla beans in alcohol, imitation vanilla is synthetic, and real vanilla costs quite a bit more than imitation. Whether or not there will be a taste difference in your baking depends on the baked good, so do some research before you decide.
I personally always use the imitation as long as I have a really good brand because it’s not worth it to me to spend the extra money.
Want to make a chocolate brownie strudel instead of individual bars?
Try
Easy Dairy-Free Chocolate Brownie Strudel Recipe
Easy Dairy-Free Brownie Bars Recipe
Delicious and simple, brownie-filled pastry bars. Made without milk or butter.
Ingredients
- Dairy-Free puff past sheets that measure a total area of 10" x 24" (or 8" x 30", etc.)—for 12 rectangles that measure 4" x 5" apiece*
- 1/4 cup powdered (confectioner's) sugar, if desired
Filling
- 3/4 cup flour
- 3/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup oil
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (imitation is fine)
Chocolate topping (if desired)
- 1 cup powdered (confectioner's) sugar
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 2-3 tablespoons water or non-dairy milk substitute, such as oat milk
Instructions
The brownie bars
- In a bowl, mix the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, and salt.
- Add oil, eggs, and vanilla extract and mix well.
- Spread or roll out pastry dough.
- Cut pastry dough into rectangles of 4" x 5" rectangles.
- Spoon filling into the middle of each rectangle (there should be a frame of dough around the sides).
- Fold the longer 5" sides of the dough over the filling and overlap.
- Gently flip the bars over on to a lined or greased baking sheet. Place in a oven that has been preheated to 350°F and bake for 20 - 30 minutes until the dough has become a light golden brown.
- Remove from oven.
- Sprinkle powdered sugar over the top, if desired.
The chocolate topping
- Mix powdered sugar and cocoa in a bowl.
- Add 2 tablespoons of liquid and mix well. Add up to one more tablespoon of liquid only if needed to be able to drizzle (if you add too much liquid, add a little more powdered sugar to compensate).
- Drizzle on top of brownie bars as desired.
Notes
* You can divide the dough and the filling as you like, just make sure you can fold the pastry over it.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 372Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 31mgSodium: 104mgCarbohydrates: 70gFiber: 4gSugar: 47gProtein: 6g