Coconut Oil Brownies - Handle the Heat
Filed Under: Brownie | Chocolate | Dessert

Coconut Oil Brownies

  |  
February 9th, 2015
4.87 from 23 votes
4.87 from 23 votes

Coconut Oil Brownies are ridiculously moist, fudgy, tall, and rich, with just a hint of coconut throughout. Every bite is pure chocolate heaven!

Yield: 16 brownies

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook: 35 minutes

Tessa's Recipe Rundown...

Taste: Ultra chocolaty with just a hint of coconut.
Texture: Just wow. I don’t think I’ve ever had a brownie as moist, fudgy, and rich as these are!
Ease: Super easy! My biggest tip for this recipe is to wait until they are COMPLETELY cooled and chilled before cutting because they are that moist.
Appearance: Who on earth could resist these?!
Pros: Easy, delicious, and fun brownie recipe.
Cons: None, except that these are very rich.
Would I make this again? I have made this recipe many times!

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This recipe for Coconut Oil Brownies was shared on my Facebook and Instagram and it was an instant hit!

SO GOOD. Ultra rich, fudgy, and moist. Coconut Oil Brownies for the win!

These brownies have such a fantastic texture and taste absolutely delicious!

A quick note about this recipe. These brownies are VERY moist, and I’m not just saying that to get your mouth watering – or to upset you with the word “moist”! At the end of the baking time, you should be able to insert a toothpick or cake tester and pull it out with moist crumbs still attached.

Remember, brownies will continue to cook from the residual heat of the pan after removing from the oven. I prefer to err on the side of underbaking than overbaking, but this means that the brownies must be completely cooled and even chilled to be able to get clean slices. The brownies may even sink slightly in the middle, that’s how moist they are – but that is completely fine! I secretly love that. If you prefer your brownies to be more done, feel free to add 5 to 10 minutes to the cooking time.

SO fudgy and rich!! These are AMAZING.

How to Make The BEST Coconut Oil Brownies

Which Coconut Oil is Best For These Brownies?

I formulated this recipe using virgin coconut oil. Virgin coconut oil is extracted from coconut milk, so it has a delicious aroma and a more pronounced coconut flavor, compared to regular coconut oil. It gives these brownies such an incredible texture, as well as a beautiful, light coconut flavor throughout.

What Type of Cocoa Powder For Coconut Oil Brownies?

These coconut oil brownies get their incredible chocolate flavor from cocoa powder. Here are my best cocoa powder tips for brownies:

The Best Baking Pan For Brownies

For the best brownies ever, I highly recommend using a metal baking pan. I like this baking pan. Avoid using a dark-colored metal baking pan. The darker the color, the more likely you are to burn the edges or have dry edges.

Glass, ceramic or silicone baking pans will take LONGER to bake these brownies, and the texture may become too dense. Learn more in my Glass vs. Metal Baking Pans article. Take a look at the difference in height we found when we experimented with Metal vs Glass Pans with my Chewy Brownie recipe recently:

stack of my chewy brownies baked in metal pan vs glass pan

How Do You Cut Perfect-Looking Brownie Slices?

  1. Allow the brownies to cool completely. Fully chilled is even better.
  2. Run a very sharp knife under hot water for 5-10 seconds. Carefully dry the knife with a towel.
  3. Carefully press the knife through the brownies in one firm slice.
  4. Repeat with the remaining brownies, continuing to run the knife under water and drying in between each slice.
  5. Check out my How to Cut Brownies Cleanly in 5 Steps article for even more tips plus pictures.

How to Store Coconut Oil Brownies

The coconut oil brownies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature or up to 5 days in the fridge. They are even fudgier when they’re chilled. You can microwave them for a bit to serve them warm, if you prefer.

More Brownies Recipes You’ll Love

4.87 from 23 votes

How to make
Coconut Oil Brownies

Yield: 16 brownies
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Coconut Oil Brownies are ridiculously moist, fudgy, tall, and rich, with just a hint of coconut throughout. Every bite is pure chocolate heaven!

Ingredients

  • 4 ounces (113 grams) bittersweet chocolate
  • 1 cup (209 grams) virgin coconut oil, measured solid
  • 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
  • 1 cup (125 grams) packed light brown sugar
  • 3 large eggs plus 1 egg yolk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup (96 grams) all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup (80 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with foil or parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides.

  2. In a large heat-safe bowl, combine the chocolate and coconut oil and microwave in 30-second bursts until melted and smooth. Let cool slightly before adding in the granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs and yolk, and vanilla. Add the flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda and stir until just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and bake for about 35 minutes or until the brownies are set but moist crumbs are still attached when inserting a toothpick.

  3. Let cool completely before cutting into squares and serving. These are very moist brownies and are easier to neatly slice when chilled. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Course : Dessert
Cuisine : American
Keyword : brownie recipe, brownies, coconut oil brownies
Tessa Arias
Author: Tessa Arias

I share trusted baking recipes your friends will LOVE alongside insights into the science of sweets. I'm a professionally trained chef, cookbook author, and cookie queen. I love to write about all things sweet, carb-y, and homemade. I live in Phoenix, Arizona (hence the blog name!)

Tessa Arias

About Tessa...

I share trusted baking recipes your friends will LOVE alongside insights into the science of sweets. I'm a professionally trained chef, cookbook author, and cookie queen. I love to write about all things sweet, carb-y, and homemade. I live in Phoenix, Arizona (hence the blog name!)

Find Tessa on  

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Recipe Rating




  1. #
    Andy — December 10, 2021 at 11:43 pm

    Is there a substitute without the egg?

    • #
      Emily — December 13, 2021 at 3:05 pm

      Hi Andy, we don’t publish egg-free recipes, sorry!

  2. #
    Edyta — December 5, 2021 at 5:36 am

    I’ve recently gone on a no-dairy diet so I searched for a coconut oil brownie recipe as my usual one uses butter.
    Unfortunately I got disappointed with the result. I used Dutch-processed cocoa powder and 70% chocolate because that’s what I had on hand. I also cut down the amount of sugar.
    My Brownie came out rubbery, overly cocoa-y in flavour, which makes the use of chocolate a waste of money, and too rich, to the point of requiring ice cream or cream to go with even a small piece. It was also too sweet for me, even after lowering the amount of sugar and using bitter chocolate.
    I don’t think it’s a bad recipe but I believe that brownie is about chocolate and rendering that delicious, silky richness of chocolate into something pillowy and soft.
    Perhaps I would achieve better results with American style cocoa and lower cocoa content chocolate, hence 3 stars.

    • #
      Emily — December 7, 2021 at 10:19 am

      I’m so sorry you experienced issues with this recipe, Edyta! Unsweetened cocoa powder is also known as natural cocoa powder and has a much lighter chocolaty flavor than what is produced with Dutch-process. While they can be used interchangeably when there is no baking soda or baking powder in a recipe, we don’t recommend substituting either or reducing ingredients (especially sugar as that can alter not only the taste but the chemistry of the brownies) when trying a recipe for the first time as you have nothing to compare it to. 1 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder will taste drastically different than 1 cup of Dutch-process cocoa powder. Do you use a digital scale to measure your ingredients? Rubbery brownies can happen when too much flour is added. I really hope you give this recipe another try with the correct ingredients so you can enjoy them the way they’re meant to taste. You might also be interested in our article about Natural Cocoa vs Dutch-Process Cocoa Powder where we go into greater detail. I hope that helps!

  3. #
    Jennifer Levy — August 24, 2021 at 2:57 pm

    So rich delicious, moist, & fudgey tasting, with perfect hint of coconut, LOVE THESE!!

    • #
      Emily — August 25, 2021 at 7:45 am

      So happy you enjoyed this recipe, Jennifer!

  4. #
    Nancy — December 9, 2020 at 7:12 am

    Pls give the nutritional breakdown for this recipe. Looking for Total fat, Sat fat content and the serving size.

    Thanks

  5. #
    Na — September 26, 2020 at 10:43 am

    The receipt says to add the flour.
    There is no flour in the ingredients.

  6. #
    Bob B — May 2, 2020 at 7:25 pm

    Will definitely make this recipe again – one change will be to use a 13×9 baking dish rather than 8×8. Want to see how they come out when slightly less thick. Keep these brownies in the fridge, great coming straight out cold.

  7. #
    Rebecca Cook — April 26, 2020 at 3:12 pm

    Easy to make, they come out perfect every time! Love them!

  8. #
    Cheyenne — April 17, 2020 at 9:42 am

    Made these last night and they were AMAZING. I think they might have been the best brownies I’ve ever made? Used 4 eggs cause I was lazy, baked them for about 4 minutes more and it was perfect for me. Fudgy, chewy, delicious. Thank you!!

  9. #
    Jassy Chahal — April 6, 2020 at 7:34 pm

    Hi, can I ask is there is a reason bittersweet chocolate is used instead of semi sweet? I noticed this in the ultimate brownie recipe also.

  10. #
    Paola Polanco — April 5, 2020 at 7:33 pm

    Sooooooo good! The best brownies I’ve ever had!

  11. #
    Andrea — March 25, 2020 at 6:32 pm

    Accidentally left out an egg but it still turned out great!! Followed everything else, and at 35” minutes they came out perfectly gooey/fudge.

  12. #
    Meg Lowe — March 18, 2020 at 8:54 am

    I am hoping you can share your favorite Gluten Free flour alternative for baking! I love to bake but finding good tasting plus texture gluten free recipes has been tricky!!

  13. #
    Farah — November 26, 2019 at 10:18 am

    why does this recipe call for 2 cups of sugar? Is one cup supposed to be white and the other brown? Can I use just 1 cup of brown sugar for the whole recipe?

  14. #
    Jack — November 7, 2019 at 6:31 pm

    Best recipe I’ve found yet for medicated brownies. Only suggestion is maybe make them in ,perhaps, a 10×10 pan. They are very tall, fudgey and moist. Cooked mine for 45 mins and they were perfect.

  15. #
    Jillian — October 11, 2019 at 1:50 pm

    Can you freeze these brownies just made the look and smell amazing

  16. #
    Lauren — August 22, 2019 at 4:11 am

    If I was to add shredded coconut through the mix to up the coconut flavour, would I need to adjust other quantities so they didn’t go dry?

  17. #
    Wallace — August 21, 2019 at 2:46 am

    This is the Best Brownie Recipe Ever. I have used many different recipes but this one is hands down the very best.
    I don’t like the flavor of Coconut in Brownies it over powers the flavor of Chocolate. They are Brownies after all.
    I just substitute canola oil which has a neutral flavor.

  18. #
    Nora — July 31, 2019 at 11:51 am

    Made this today for my Vegan friend, so so good! Fudgy, chewy and not too sweet. Needless to say but it’s a keeper! Thank you, Tessa!

  19. #
    Alison Ellis — March 10, 2019 at 12:21 pm

    I made these today to take into work tomorrow and apart from the fact mine sunk a little in the middle, they are sooo good! Had to try them to make sure, but I will be making them again very soon

  20. #
    tara — January 4, 2019 at 11:33 am

    hi Tessa,

    can i use 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 light brown sugar?

    thanks

  21. #
    Deborah Syme — December 27, 2018 at 5:08 pm

    made brownies. buried walnuts in the batter. SO good. great recipe. THANKYOU. I might add a subtle flavour next time. maybe orange peel, and an orange bitter chocolate. let you know.

  22. #
    Christina — September 9, 2018 at 2:29 pm

    I made these and after 35 minutes they still seemed liquidy in the middle so I cooked them 5 minutes longer but as they cooled the middle sank to almost half the height as the edges. In your header you say cook time is 50 minutes so is it 35 or 50 minutes that these should be cooked at?

  23. #
    Amy Frew — August 23, 2018 at 10:14 am

    These look amazing! I can’t wait to try them. Just a question, am I able to substitute part of the sugar for honey? Would that make things too moist? Thanks in advance

  24. #
    Marlene Shippy — July 22, 2018 at 9:26 pm

    Can you use coconut flour instead of all purpose flour?

  25. #
    Mary Ann Passerine — June 19, 2018 at 8:23 pm

    My husband LOVES coconut. Could you add sweetened coconut to mimic Mounds or also add slivered almonds to mimic Almond Joy.?

  26. #
    heather — May 18, 2018 at 4:31 pm

    Good day. Would you be so kind as to email me to clarify whether I am to use baking soda or baking powder as if I read correctly it calls for baking soda yet instructions mentioned to mix in baking powder and I do not bake often so I do not have the common sense to work this out myself. I apologize for asking what may seem a silly question to a seasoned baker. Regards , heather.

  27. #
    Sarah — February 7, 2018 at 8:25 am

    Hi! I want to make these brownies in cupcake form. Should I bake for less time? Thank you 🙂

  28. #
    Michele S — January 13, 2018 at 1:07 pm

    Quite possibly the best brownie on Earth!! I used 1/2 cup of coconut oil and 1/2 cup butter and I have to have nuts in my brownies so I added about a cup of chopped pecans. I cooked them according to recipe and it was a perfect marriage of crunchy top and gooey fudgy center. I just about licked my plate! Thank you for this awesome recipe! I’m bringing the rest of the brownies to a dinner party tonight and I am sure they will be a big hit!

  29. #
    Rachel Lacow — October 21, 2017 at 10:31 am

    I LOVE LOVE LOVE the brownies!

    i’ve just made a few changes. I used margarine instead of the oil. I used maple syrup for the white sugar and molasses for the brown. I also whole wheat flour. …. JUST JOKING!!! 😉

    But I did add a 1c pecans, 1Tbsp of espresso powder, 1 tsp of cinnamon and 1/2tsp of ancho. (I had made these before and wanted to experiment with add ins). It came out sooo good.

    • #
      Tessa — October 22, 2017 at 10:58 am

      Hahaha!! Best comment ever.

  30. #
    R — September 28, 2017 at 3:29 pm

    Please add a vegan version of this recipe. You could use flax meal “eggs” as a replacement.

    Also, a printable version would be nice, since there are so many ads you can’t really use this in the kitchen.

    • #
      Jack — November 7, 2019 at 6:36 pm

      Shove the whole tray up your ass

  31. #
    silvana — August 21, 2017 at 8:00 am

    Hi Tessa, could I replace the coconut oil for vegetable oil? I can’t find it easily in my country and it is too expensive .

  32. #
    camila — July 22, 2017 at 3:30 pm

    Hi Tessa, could I replace the coconut oil for vegetable oil?

  33. #
    Elizabeth Alex — May 29, 2017 at 4:10 am

    These tasted SO good! Thanks for the recipe Jess. Quick question, is it supposed to be gooey in the middle? Or did I under bake it?

    • #
      Tessa — May 29, 2017 at 9:57 am

      Yes! That’s how I prefer it. If you want a little less goo feel free to bake a few minutes longer 🙂

  34. #
    Jean — May 11, 2017 at 9:36 am

    Just made these. BEST brownie I have ever had! So delicious. Thank you for sharing!!

    • #
      Tessa — May 16, 2017 at 7:15 pm

      Yay!

  35. #
    Candy — March 10, 2017 at 9:37 am

    Hi, if I want to make it eggless, what would you suggest? Thank you 🙂

  36. #
    Drew — January 28, 2017 at 11:15 pm

    I just made these and subbed the coco butter with a cup of strained bacon grease and they are insanely delicious . Levels of flavors. One question… the flour and cocoa powder weights are wrong on the measurements. It shows 3/4 cup (96 grams) and 1 cup (80 grams).. which is which! Lol thank you and the recipè is phenomenal, with or without bacon grease!

    • #
      Tessa — January 30, 2017 at 8:47 pm

      Oooh yum!! Cocoa powder is lighter by density than flour 🙂

  37. #
    Wesley — December 25, 2016 at 8:31 pm

    Can I add marshmallows? Or will that effect it?

  38. #
    Anastasia — December 23, 2016 at 11:15 pm

    These brownies turned out beautifully. After reading the comments, I used four whole eggs instead of three and one yolk–perhaps that’s why mine didn’t sink too much in the middle. I’ll definitely be saving this recipe. Thank you so much!

  39. #
    Rosa — August 27, 2016 at 4:38 am

    I have made a number of brownie recipes and for some reason they have not turned out the best. Made this one today and YUM! .. I cooked it a bit longer than stated as didn’t want it too wet. It is delicious. I love the slight taste of coconut to it. It did sink in the middle a little after out of over but made no difference to the beautiful taste. Many thanks Tessa, Love your site.

    • #
      Tessa — August 30, 2016 at 4:33 pm

      So happy to hear that, Rosa!

  40. #
    Connie — July 18, 2016 at 11:25 am

    I have been experimenting with sugar substitutes and found that for every cup of sugar …you can substitute
    2/3 cups of maple syrup and tablespoon of unsulfured molasses.
    They turn out very tasty.

    • #
      Tessa — July 19, 2016 at 6:08 pm

      Great! Thanks for the tip 🙂

  41. #
    Christie — June 8, 2016 at 12:15 pm

    Does solid coconut oil measure out the same way as liquid coconut oil? It’s hot where I live, and if I leave my coconut oil in the fridge, it gets way too hard. But if I leave it on the counter or in my pantry, it stays in the liquid form.

  42. #
    Claudia — May 6, 2016 at 5:16 am

    Just made these and they came out amazing. The texture is spot on and that hint of coconut complements the chocolate perfectly. Definitely will be making again

    • #
      Tessa — May 6, 2016 at 8:50 am

      So glad to hear that, Claudia! Thanks for taking the time to comment 🙂

  43. #
    Larry — April 15, 2016 at 11:23 pm

    We’ve made these twice and they are, bar none, my favorite brownie. AMAZING stuff!!

    • #
      Tessa — April 18, 2016 at 6:26 pm

      YAY!! 🙂

  44. #
    Hailee — January 3, 2016 at 11:47 am

    Can I use liquid coconut oil !!?
    They look so good

  45. #
    Ryan — December 23, 2015 at 11:09 am

    If theres eggs in it it isnt Vegan!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  46. #
    Brittney — December 2, 2015 at 8:22 pm

    I am looking to make some brownies ahead of time and freezing them (baked), would this recipe be a good one for that or would the Ultimate brownie recipe be better?

    • #
      Tessa — December 2, 2015 at 9:45 pm

      Hmm… either should work!

  47. #
    Laura — November 24, 2015 at 7:47 am

    Hi Tessa! I made these for my family last friday and they were a great success, everyone loved them! They sank in distinctly more than expected but literally nobody cared, the flavour and texture were still amazing after all. Also it might’ve had something to do with our ridiculously old oven or perhaps I did something wrong without noticing it, who knows? Anyway, I’m pretty sure I’ll make those again, thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe with us!

  48. #
    Emily — November 20, 2015 at 9:07 pm

    I have made these twice and both times it seemed the top portion separated from the bottom portion. Any suggestions of why this is happening? I think I have followed the directions and used the correct ingredients. I had to bake them longer than the suggested 35 minutes as when I inserted a toothpick it looked like the batter was quite liquid rather than moist crumbs, could that have contributed to them no staying together? I love the brownies flavor, just want them to stay together a little more when they are cut.

  49. #
    Christi — June 17, 2015 at 7:44 am

    THE ADS
    Bloody hell, thanks for the recipe, but I’m just copying and pasting the text into a word file and not returning. Haven’t been to a blog with so many ads, sounds and videos playing at once.

  50. #
    Ashley — May 20, 2015 at 1:40 pm

    Would these be okay to add Peanut Butter Chips to without changing the texture of the brownie?

    • #
      Tessa — May 20, 2015 at 1:53 pm

      I think that would work fine!

  51. #
    Judy Goldberg — March 1, 2015 at 9:08 am

    I’m looking to find delicious vegan recipes, and these brownies are almost there except for the eggs. Is there any good substitution? Also, should I always use coconut oil instead of butter? My daughter, who’s in college, has become a vegan, which is making it hard for me to send her care packages with homemade baked goods. I’m so frustrated!

    • #
      Tessa — March 1, 2015 at 1:49 pm

      Hi Judy! Vegan baking is tough. The eggs in this recipe lend moisture and richness, something most other ingredients won’t be able to supply if substituted for unfortunately. Coconut oil is usually a very good sub for butter in many baking recipes, but you may need to adjust the ratios as it can be quite greasy. I found this resource that you might find useful for vegan brownies: http://guiltykitchen.com/2010/03/19/the-ultimate-vegan-brownies/

  52. #
    Emily — February 26, 2015 at 8:48 pm

    I’ve made these coconut oil brownies many times, the beautiful photos initially drew me in.Today I used 4 whole eggs and the brownies turned out more uniform throughout than using 3 eggs and a yolk. I used Ghirardelli 60% bittersweet chocolate chips and Hershey’s Special Dark cocoa; the combination is amazing with organic extra-virgin coconut oil. Melting the chocolate chips with the coconut oil on the stovetop at medium-low heat worked well. This recipe is now a favorite, thank you! I love how moist and delicious they are.

  53. #
    Kristen @ The Endless Meal — February 15, 2015 at 2:17 pm

    I can’t believe how perfectly fudgy and delicious these brownies look! I’m about 100% sure I’ll be making a batch of these tonight. 🙂

  54. #
    Beverly Hayes — February 10, 2015 at 2:17 pm

    Tessa, your brownies look amazing! But, i hava a request for you. Would you ever consider coming up with a brownies recipes that only uses coconut oil and a different sweetener other than sugar (honey, maple, stevia, agave, etc.) Thank you!

  55. #
    Nicole – Coking for Keeps — February 10, 2015 at 9:56 am

    Those look SO fudgy and delicious. I just love the way coconut oil turns out in baking, plus I love having that tiny little taste of coconut laced throughout desserts.

  56. #
    Mel — February 10, 2015 at 7:49 am

    These look amazing!! Should the bittersweet chocolate be melted before mixing it with the other ingredients?

    • #
      Tessa — February 10, 2015 at 8:33 am

      Yes! That’s so weird, I edited this recipe to include that before posting but it seems to have posted the older version!! Just fixed it 🙂

    • #
      Lee — January 7, 2016 at 10:14 pm

      Hi! Looks amazing. Did you use baking powder/self raising flour or there is no need?

  57. #
    Lynn | The Road to Honey — February 9, 2015 at 6:46 pm

    Wow! These just might be the ultimate brownie. They look so moist and chocolatey, not dry like most other brownies. As far as who could resist these. . .not me.
    http://www.theroadtohoney.com

  58. #
    Christina @ The Beautiful Balance — February 9, 2015 at 3:17 pm

    Coconut oil is my favorite substitution in baked goods! My favorite cake and brownie creation uses coconut oil so I can only imagine how insanely moist and rich these brownies are.

  59. #
    Gaby — February 9, 2015 at 9:02 am

    These do look ridiculously moist and fudgy, YUM!

  60. #
    Melanie @ Carmel Moments — February 9, 2015 at 8:46 am

    This is my absolute favorite way to make brownies! I too will have them on the blog soon. They’re absolutely irresistible!
    Great photos Tessa, as always!

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