These Greek yogurt brownies might be the gooiest brownies ever, and they don’t use any odd egg subs! You just need a generous 3/4 cup of full-fat Greek yogurt, which adds an amazing taste and creates a perfectly rich, chocolaty texture – with a bit of added protein! They can be made with all-purpose, whole wheat or gluten-free flour.
Most eggless recipes rely on flax eggs or applesauce, which can lead to a gummy or cakey result, but these stay dense, fudgy, and normal.
I only have one other eggless brownie recipe on the blog, my Paleo Vegan Brownies, but I know that unless you’re paleo, you may not have almond flour and ground chia seeds just sitting around. To help those who simply want a great brownie without eggs, and who don’t mind the dairy, this recipe is for you.
Why Greek Yogurt?
I thought these would be terrible before I made them. I’d tried other yogurt brownie recipes in the past, and they always resulted in a gummy, rubbery, or just plain nasty texture. If you Google “eggless brownies” and look at the images, a lot of them look exactly like that, or they’re basically cake.
The Greek yogurt here acts as the binder, but it also adds a really nice, slightly tangy taste. Because it’s so much thicker than regular yogurt, it provides the structure needed to keep these brownies from falling apart while maintaining that fudgy crumb.
I actually prefer this version to the one containing eggs! Today’s recipe is based on my Gluten-free Brownies recipe (which can also be made with regular and whole wheat flour, in case you’re interested).
I feel like they’re the gooiest, most normal eggless brownies out there. 😀 Unfortunately, it’s not very visible in the photos. They were so gooey that the photographer had to chill them to get them in a neat stack.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Please scroll down for the full recipe. These are just some notes on select ingredients.
- Flour – you’ve got a few options here. The ones in the pictures were made with whole wheat, but I’ve also tested them with all-purpose flour and Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-free 1-to-1 Baking Flour for the gluten-free option. Each version is equally delicious. And they all look the same. Almond flour, coconut flour, and anything else that’s not a 1:1 sub for all-purpose flour will not work.
- Cocoa powder – I made these using Dutch-process cocoa powder. If you don’t have that, Hershey’s Special Dark is a good sub. Read more below about using natural cocoa powder, like Hershey’s.
- Coconut oil or butter – I used refined coconut oil because I prefer my brownies without any coconut taste. If you don’t mind that, feel free to use unrefined. Butter also works great. I’m pretty sure neutral-tasting oils like light olive oil, canola, or vegetable oil would work, but I haven’t tested them in this specific egg-free version yet.
- Greek yogurt – please read below for more important info about the yogurt! Please note there’s no sub for it in this recipe. Chia eggs and flax eggs won’t work here.
- Granulated sugar or coconut sugar – both are great. Substituting a liquid sweetener won’t work and would result in a liquidy mess, but other granulated sweeteners like maple sugar would probably work. I’ve never had keto sweeteners work out in my brownie recipes, so I really recommend not even trying.
I know a lot of people might be tempted to swap in regular yogurt or a low-fat version, but for this specific recipe to work, you really need full-fat Greek yogurt. Here’s why:
- Fat as a binder – because there are no eggs, the fat in the yogurt works with the oil to hold everything together. Without that specific fat content, the brownies lose their structure.
- The oil reduction – I actually had to reduce the oil to 2/3 cup (about 3 tablespoons and 1 teaspoon less than my original egg-based recipe) because the yogurt is so fatty. If I hadn’t, the brownies would have been swimming in oil.
- Texture and sweetness – when I tested a 2% fat version, the brownies turned out dry and cakey. Oddly enough, they also tasted much sweeter than the full-fat version, likely because the fat wasn’t there to balance out the sugar.
- The crackle top – the low-fat version just doesn’t get those pretty crackles on top. It looks almost the same coming out of the oven as it did going in, whereas the full-fat version develops that classic brownie look. These brownies don’t have major crackles, so please don’t be expecting those!
I haven’t found a vegan version thick enough to match full-fat Greek yogurt, but if you find one that works, let me know in the comments. I love Trader Joe’s cashew yogurt, but it’s only about 6% fat.
Using Natural Cocoa Powder
We don’t have natural cocoa powder (like regular Hershey’s) here in Germany, but I ordered some (more like 7 pounds 😆) from the US to test this Texas Sheet Cake. I just came across my stash and realized I’d never tested these brownies with natural cocoa.
And WOW! They are terrible with natural cocoa powder. They were hardly sweet and really bitter.
Made them again with an additional 1/4 cup (50 grams) of sugar, and they ended up swimming in grease. Sugar acts as a binder, and by increasing it without adjusting the fat, the structure broke down, leaving the oil with nowhere to go but the bottom of the pan.
They had the right sweetness, though. I then made them another 2 times, trying to fix the grease issue, then realized this was silly. The flavor of the Dutch-process version is much better. So I highly recommend getting a pack of that, plus then you can make other goodies like this Dark Cocoa Cake!
I found the natural cocoa powder version to basically be inedible, so I covered it with leftover buttercream from that cake. Worked great! They were suddenly way, way more enjoyable.
- Line with parchment paper – because these are ultra-gooey and don’t have eggs to provide a sturdy lift, they can be tricky to get out of the pan. Leave a little parchment overhang (tabs) on the sides so you can lift the entire block out once they have chilled.
- Check your yogurt thickness – if you open your Greek yogurt and there is a lot of liquid (whey) on top, drain it off before measuring. You want the thickest part of the yogurt to ensure the brownies have that dense, fudgy structure.
- Measure flour by weight – since these brownies rely on a very specific fat-to-flour ratio to avoid being greasy, I highly recommend using a kitchen scale. If you use a measuring cup, make sure to use the spoon and level method so you don’t accidentally pack in too much flour.
- Avoid overmixing after adding yogurt – once you add the Greek yogurt and flour, stir until just combined. Overmixing can develop the gluten in the flour or break down the thickness of the yogurt, which might make the brownies “tough” instead of gooey.
- Don’t panic at the batter – it might form a big, greasy-looking lump rather than a smooth liquid, but as long as the oil is incorporated, they’ll be fine.
- Use a metal baking pan – for the best crackle and even heat distribution in eggless baking, a light-colored metal pan usually performs better than glass or ceramic. Glass can hold onto heat too long, making the edges dry before the center is set.
- Skip the toothpick test – these are too gooey for a toothpick to come out clean, so bake until the middle is no longer jiggly.
- Let them chill – these are extremely gooey right out of the oven, so chilling them in the fridge helps them firm up for neat slicing.
You can see the batter below. It might be greasy or it might be quite thick if you use coconut oil and your kitchen is cold.
All of these can be made traditionally or gluten-free!
- These Eggless Chocolate Chip Cookies are my second favorite egg-free recipe after these brownies. They’re really incredible!
- This Eggless Cheesecake is so creamy. It’s quick and easy and can be made with a traditional graham cracker crust or a homemade oat-based crust. Several people have told me this is the creamiest cheesecake they’ve ever had.
- Eggless Carrot Cake Cupcakes – perfect for when all the eggs have been snapped up at Easter time.
- Eggless Chocolate Cupcakes – rich and chocolatey cupcakes that stay moist without eggs.
- Eggless Pancakes – fluffy pancakes perfect for weekend brunch. They aren’t technically dessert, but they might as well be. 😆
- Eggless Banana Muffins – they’re loaded with chocolate, so again, practically dessert.
Greek Yogurt Brownies
Servings 16 brownies
These Greek yogurt brownies might be the gooiest brownies ever, and they don’t use any odd egg subs! Can be made with all-purpose, whole wheat or gluten-free flour.
Prevent your screen from going dark
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Preheat the oven to 350 °F (175 °C) and line an 8″×8″ (20cmx20cm) pan with parchment paper.
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In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Set aside.
1 cup (125 grams) flour, 3/4 cup (86 grams) Dutch-process cocoa powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt
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In a large mixing bowl, stir together the fat, sugar, and vanilla extract. Once combined, add the yogurt, and stir just until combined.
2/3 cup (150 grams) butter or refined coconut oil, 1 1/2 cups (300 grams) granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, 3/4 cup (182 grams) full-fat plain Greek yogurt
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Add the dry mixture to the wet and stir just until almost no streaks of flour remain. Do not overmix!
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Fold in chocolate chips. It’s okay if it kind of forms a big, slightly greasy ball of batter. Just make sure that the oil/butter is incorporated and not floating at the top.
3/4 cup (128 grams) semi-sweet chocolate chips
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Transfer the batter into the prepared pan, use a silicone spatula or spoon to even it out, and sprinkle the mini chocolate chips on top, if using.
1/4 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
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Bake for 20-24 minutes or until the middle is no longer jiggly. The toothpick test won’t work here. Let them cool completely before cutting. They are very gooey. I would recommend chilling them for a bit to help them firm up.
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Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature, refrigerated for 1 week, or frozen for up to 3 months.
- For the flour, you can use 1 cup (125 grams) all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, white whole wheat flour or 1 cup (138 grams) Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-free Baking Flour.
- As I mention in the post, it’s essential to use Dutch-process cocoa powder, not regular natural cocoa powder like Hershey’s, along with full-fat Greek yogurt (not low-fat or fat-free). The recipe relies on the specific acidity and fat content of these ingredients, and it won’t turn out properly if substitutions are made.
- The nutrition information provided is calculated as a courtesy and is only an estimate. I am not a licensed nutritionist or dietitian. For the most accurate nutritional data, consult a professional or use your preferred calculator.
Calories: 235kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 3gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.4gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 21mgSodium: 103mgPotassium: 135mgFiber: 2gSugar: 22gVitamin A: 241IUCalcium: 25mgIron: 1mgNet Carbs: 30
