Turn regular brownie cups into something special or the Holidays with my Vegan Santa Hat Brownie Cups. A rich chocolate brownie is topped with whipped cream, coconut and strawberries, they’re fun, simple and effect, perfect for the festive season!
This festive dessert has been made in collaboration with Natures Charm. All opinions expressed in this post are my own. (For more information along with affiliated links, check out my disclosure policy.)
Vegan Santa Hat Brownie Cups
Get ready to spread some holiday cheer with these adorable Vegan Santa Hat Brownie Cups! Rich, fudgy brownie bites are topped with whipped cream, desiccated coconut and juicy strawberries for the cutest Christmas treat around. They’re completely dairy-free, egg-free, and irresistibly delicious, proof that you don’t need butter or milk to make a dessert that wows the crowd. Perfect for parties, cookie swaps, or a cozy night by the tree!
Looking for more christmas recipes? Check out my:
- VIRAL No-Bake Vegan Polar Bear Cheesecakes
- Vegan Gingerbread Tiramisu Brownies
- No-Bake Chocolate Yule Log
- Best EVER Vegan Christmas Pudding
- Gluten-free Vegan Mini Yule Logs
- Easy Vegan No-Bake Santa Hat Truffles
- Vegan Candy Cane Truffles
- Savoury Vegan Puff Pastry Christmas Trees
Why you’ll love my festive brownie cups
- Super festive: These bite-sized treats look just like mini Santa hats, perfect for holiday parties or gifting!
- Rich, decadent and fudgy: The vegan brownies are soft, chewy with the perfect amount of dark chocolatey, no one will guess they’re dairy-free!
- Whipped cream topping: Whipped cream, coconut and juicy strawberries make a dreamy combination that balances the rich chocolate base.
- Simple/ easy to find ingredients: Made with vegan / plant-based staples, no weird additives or hard-to-find stuff!
- Crowd-pleaser: Loved by vegans and non-vegans alike. Trust me, they’ll disappear fast!
- Fun for all to make: Great fun for kids and big kids alike to get involved in making and decorating!
Santa Hat Brownie Cup FAQ
- What makes them vegan? It uses Nature’s Charm Oat Condensed Milk instead of traditional condensed milk for a chewy brownie, and Nature’s Charm Coconut Whipping Cream instead of dairy cream. There are no eggs, butter, or animal products used in any part of the recipe.
- Can I make the brownie cups ahead of time? Absolutely! Bake the brownie cups up to 2 days in advance and store them in an airtight / sealed container at room temperature. Add the whipped cream and strawberries just before serving to keep them fresh and taste incredible!
- How do I make the “Santa hat” topping? After adding a swirl of cream ontop of each brownie cup, place a hulled strawberry (pointed side up) on top to form the hat then top with a small blob of cream. Add desiccated coconut for effect.
- Can this recipe be made gluten-free? I have tried and tested making this brownie gluten-free and unfortunately it just doesn’t work for this specific recipe. If you’re looking for an incredible Gluten-free Vegan Brownie Recipe, click here!
- How to store the brownies? Keep them refrigerated if topped with whipped cream and strawberries- they’ll stay fresh for up to 24 hours. For best presentation, add the toppings right before serving.
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Vegan Santa Hat Brownie Cups
- Total Time: 2 hours
- Yield: 10–12 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Mini festive brownies are made to look like Santa Hats. These vegan chocolate brownies topped with cream and a strawberry are easy to make and taste incredible! Perfect for the Holidays!
Ingredients
Ingredients for the brownie
- 60g of cocoa powder
- 180g of all purpose / plain plain flour
- 170g of dairy-free dark chocolate
- 110g of dairy-free block butter
- 120ml of aquafaba (chickpea brine)
- 280g of caster sugar
- 2 tablespoons of vegan condensed milk
+
- 220ml of dairy-free whipping cream
- Fresh strawberries
- 50g of desiccated coconut
- Icing / powdered sugar (for dusting)
Instructions
Method (brownie)
- Preheat the oven to 180℃ fan, and grease a mini cupcake tin with some dairy-free butter. This will prevent the brownies from sticking.
- Sift the cocoa powder and flour together in a medium bowl.
- Fill a small saucepan 1/4 full with water and place on the hob over medium heat. Add the dairy-free chocolate and butter into a heat proof bowl. Place the bowl over the pan, creating a bain-marie. Allow the chocolate and butter to melt together, stirring with a heat proof spatula. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for a few minutes while you make prepare the aquafaba.
- Add the aquafaba and sugar into a medium sized mixing bowl and whip up on high speed for around 5 minutes until thick and glossy. I use a stand mixer with balloon whisk attachment. A electric hand whisk will work great too. Whip on high speed, the aquafaba mixture should be thick enough that when it drips into the bowl, the mixture should ribbon off the mixer.
- Pour the chocolate and butter mixture and condensed milk over the aquafaba, and carefully fold together with a spatula. Make sure to be very gentle with this step as you want to keep as much air in the mixture as possible.
- Once combined, sift in the flour and cocoa powder. Again, fold this in with a spatula until a rich and thick brownie batter forms.
- Carefully spoon the batter in the greased tin, don’t overfill the cavities (refer to video for example). Tap the tin on the worktop to remove any air bubbles. TIP: Bake 1-2 tins at a time, cover batter left in the bowl with a damp tea towel to keep fresh.
- Place the tin into the middle of the oven and bake for 22-25 minutes. As these are relatively small brownies, keep an eye on them after the 20 minute mark to ensure they’re not burning. If you want a more fudgey brownie, you may want to underbake by 5 minutes!
- Once baked, allow the brownies to cool slightly in the tin before sliding them out. As we greased the tin, they should easily slide out.
- Allow to cool, place on a grease proof paper lined tray or board.
Method (Cream)
- Add the vegan cream into a stand mixer fitted with a balloon whisk attachment and whip on high speed until thick. You can also whip it by hand using an electric hand whisk.
- Transfer the cream into a piping bag fitted with a large round tip nozzle.
- Pipe a swirl of cream on top of each brownie.
- Sprinkle desiccated coconut over the cream so it sticks.
- Place a hulled strawberry (pointed side up) on top to form the hat.
- Pipe or spoon a small dollop of whipped cream on the tip to finish Santa’s hat look, along with a sprinkle of some more coconut.
- Serve with a light dusting of icing / powdered sugar. Enjoy!
Notes
What is aquafaba? Aquafaba is the starchy liquid which can be found from a can of chickpeas. Simply drain the whole chickpeas and use the water! It acts as a great egg replacer in vegan baking.
What dairy-free butter to use? My favourite vegan friendly butters are Naturli Vegan Block and Flora Plant Based Alternative. Both can be found in most large uk supermarkets.
To store: Store the brownies in an airtight / sealed container in the fridge and allow to come to room temperature for 5 minutes before enjoying to allow the butters and chocolate to soften slightly.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Brownies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
These Vegan Santa Hat Brownie Cups are such a creative and festive twist on traditional brownies! The combination of chocolate, whipped cream, coconut, and strawberries sounds absolutely delightful. Perfect for spreading holiday cheer at gatherings or cozy nights in. Space Waves Game