Black Bean Brownies – the ultra fudgy and decadent chocolate treat.
Edit: Thank you to everyone who has been asking…
After more than a year in the works, my NEW cookbook is finally available!
Based on your feedback, every single recipe in the book comes with complete nutrition facts including calories, total fat, carbohydrates, protein, and Weight Watchers points.
Above – Watch how to make black bean brownies.
I know what you’re thinking.
“Why would I want to eat a healthy brownie when I could be eating a deep, dark, rich, fudgy, and chocolatey brownie instead?”
But what if the deep, dark, rich, chocolate brownie is the healthy brownie?
No, not in a dream world. These black bean brownies are healthy brownies that DO NOT taste healthy, and I can say that with assurance, as they’ve been tested on three different groups of people used to “normal” desserts.
For the ultimate test, my roommate brought two pans of the vegan black bean brownies into work and set them down on the table without revealing the secret or saying they were healthy.
She came home with no brownies left… but with five requests for the healthy black bean brownie recipe!
You May Also Like: Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
Easy Black Bean Brownies
I know some of you have been disappointed by mediocre bean-based brownies you’ve tried in the past, which is why it’s taken me so long to come up with my own recipe:
I’ve tried some awful black bean brownie recipes in the past, too.
For example?
Don’t think you’ll get brownies by adding cocoa powder to my Chickpea Cookie Dough Dip and baking it.
Trust me. You’ll get cardboard.
I wanted a recipe that would not let people down; a recipe that could stand up to a regular sugar-and-flour brownie in a competition.
And these really do!
Also, huge thanks to everyone who’s been sharing these on Instagram!
If you try the brownies, be sure to rate the recipe here, or tag @ChocolateCoveredKatie on Instagram so I can see and like your pictures!
Black Bean Brownies
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups black beans (1 15-oz can, drained and rinsed very well) (250g after draining)
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder (10g)
- 1/2 cup quick oats (40g) (See nutrition link below for substitutions)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/3 cup pure maple syrup, honey, or agave (75g)
- pinch uncut stevia OR 2 tbsp sugar (or omit and increase maple syrup to 1/2 cup)
- 1/4 cup coconut or vegetable oil (40g) (See nutrition link for substitution notes)
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 cup to 2/3 cup chocolate chips (Not optional. Omit at your own risk)
- optional: more chips, for presentation
Instructions
- Black Bean Brownies Recipe: Preheat oven to 350 F. Combine all ingredients except chips in a good food processor, and blend until completely smooth. Really blend well. (A blender can work if you absolutely must, but the texture—and even the taste—will be much better in a food processor. I use this food processor.) Stir in the chips, then pour into a greased 8×8 pan. Optional: sprinkle extra chocolate chips over the top. Cook the black bean brownies 15-18 minutes, then let cool at least 10 minutes before trying to cut. If they still look a bit undercooked, you can place them in the fridge overnight and they will magically firm up! Makes 9-12 brownies. If you make this recipe, don't forget to leave a review! The trick with these: serve them first, and then reveal the secret ingredient. In all the times I’ve served bean desserts, not one single person who didn’t know beforehand has ever guessed!View Black Bean Brownies Nutrition Facts
Video
Notes
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I make these all the time. Huge hit with my kids. I ice them with chocolate avocado icing. Amazing combintation
I made these ans used regular oats instead of quick oats, because that’s what had on hand. These brownies are delicious, fudgy and you can’t even tell they are made with black beans. They are just as much calories as a traditional brownie but I love that instead of flour and white sugar, it is using nutrtionally dense black beans, coconut oil and maple syrup. Thank you for the recipe!
I’ve come back to this recipe again and again since I discovered it two years ago, it’s so wonderful! I always struggle to keep myself from eating the whole batch at once… They’re in the oven right now! 🙂
I made these last night, they are amazing! Loved the look on my husband’s face when I told him they had black beans in them 🙂 He plans to take some over to his parents today, so I’m going to have to make another batch tomorrow ;P Thank you for your amazing recipes, I’m loving your cookbook too! I hope you plan to put another one out soon 🙂
I used maple syrup and only did the 1/3 cup without adding any additional sugar (didn’t see that until after I made them) and I thought they turned out great. They were plenty sweet and I would totally make these over regular brownies. My all time favorite brownies are the almond butter flourless brownies but these are a very close 2nd without costing so much.
These are amazing! I have to confess that I’m really skeptical of most vegan baked good recipes. I haven’t had very much success with them because they never have the texture or taste of the non-vegan original. These brownies however, are so good that no one would know that they were made with black beans. They are rich, super chocolatey and fudgey. I made a few slight alterations but it’s still the same recipe. I didn’t have quick oats so I used 40 gr of oat flour. I added a pinch of espresso powder to up the chocolate flavor. I also used 1 tbsp regular cocoa and a tbsp of black cocoa. I will be making these on a regular basis. Thank you so much for a terrific brownie recipe that I can make for all of my family and friends, and that’s healthier too!
I made these today. Because of dietary restrictions I cannot use chocolate chips. These aren’t bad. They taste like beans. I used almond extract instead of vanilla. I think they would be much better with the chips and with dorm coconut whipped cream.
I made your black bean brownies today. Nicely done! I’ve tried several recipes and the oats are a stroke of genius. I did pour the batter into my brownie pan that makes 18 precut pieces and they worked great but what are the calories? You say 115 for 9 to 12 so that means mine are 60 to 76 but I need to know how many I can have. 🙂
Gourmet all the way!! Made with 1/2 cup 100% real maple syrup & coconut oil & Old Fashioned Oats-used food processor as recommended. Cooking time 20min. These taste like chocolate cheesecake!!!
Hey Katie!
I’m not vegan and was very sceptical about this recipe as the last vegan one I tried tasted very much like a gigantic chewing gum!! So to be sure I halved this one but now I wish I would have doubled it!
Katie, these are amazing! You can’t taste the kidney beans (living in Austria I couldn’t find black ones) at all and I can reeeeeeally recommend them to non-vegans as well!
Thank you so much, this won’t be the last one of your recipes I try!:)
I made these and LOVED them! People made comments about how these have as much calories as a regular pan of brownies. But they’re loaded with fiber, protein with a LOT less sugar. I’ve made these a few times and other people have enjoyed them too! I eat (healthy) desserts like this everyday and have lost 40 lbs this year! Thanks for posting this!
Mine came out moist and amazing! Thanks for the great recipe.
These were delicious! Thank you so much for the recipe! Next time I make them I’m going to half the coconut oil (mine were really soft) and add less chocolate chips (we added extra to the top), otherwise they were perfect!
I tried these out of curiosity and oh my word they are really quite good! They do have a different texture then real brownies but my husband and I really like them and if they are a healthy way to eat dessert, even better!
I was so worried that these would taste really odd, but the consistency is that of a brownie. Couldn’t really tell a difference! I even used a larger pan and the texture wasn’t dry at all. This recipe was amazing! However, it was a bit too sweet for me. I used the replacements 1/3 cup of organic raw honey and 2 tbsp raw cane sugar and it came out slightly to sweet. I did throw in chunks of 80% cacao dark chocolate so it evened out. I threw in a teaspoon of instant coffee granules and used semi-sweet chocolate chips, which made the brownie taste really rich. If you find that recipes/sweets are usually too sweet for your liking, definitely cut back the sweeteners!
If you’re having doubts about this recipe, don’t. Just do it, it’s great.
These were amazing! We had to use bar of chocolate cut up rather than choc.chips because in the country we live in choc.chips are super pricey(import stuff just is). But it worked great. Best ones we’ve tried! Plan to make again for movie night with friends. Thank u so much!