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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(No crazy ingredients!)
Are the quick oats rolled or steel cut?
Rolled.Look in the store for “quick oats”
Absolutely love this recipe! I used honey instead of maple syrup, think i might reduce it down to 1/4 cup and see how that goes instead. I made them yesterday and they are gone today, so its safe to say my sugar addicted boyfriend liked them too!
Making these again today after a year hiatus. So delicious! I used liquid stevia this time in place of granulated sugar. Batter tastes great and my 4yo is having the time of his life cleaning out the food processor! ? Love these!!
I experimented with this and you asked for experiment feedback, so here we go! I try to do paleo (not super strict) but I love finding a nice paleo treat that keeps me off the really bad stuff. The really bad, really good stuff! So, I used Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips. These really taste like the real deal. I subbed quick oats with almond flour and instead of the sugar just used a bit more maple syrup. HOLY COW! I usually like a cakey brownie more than a fudgey brownie and although that is still true, the flavor of these brownies is crazy good! I did have to do the refrigerator trick to get them to firm up, but if you are impatient like me, just eat some with a spoon. Seriously, I ate some with a spoon. I could have used less maple syrup and I would prefer that. They were very rich. I will definitely make these again. So, if you are a paleo person wondering if almond flour would work and if you should make these, the answer is yes. Right now.
I have made these brownies 4 times since discovering this recipe about 5 weeks ago. Truly delicious. It IS important to mash the beans well. I mash them with a hand held potato masher before putting in the food processor. Absolutely divine. My better half loves them too! I made a mistake the first time and put most of the chips in the mix and ground them up. That works for me so I’ve been doing that when I make them and just saving a few for the top. Totally addicted!
You are my hero. These brownies are amazing. My five year old inhaled one and my husband ate half the pan while my back was turned. Thanks for the fabulous recipe!
If you have drive-ins and soak them overnight with those were too or have you only ever tried canned beans?
I just made those brownies from dried beans. About 100grams will make the required 250grams. Just soak them overnight and cook them for 1.5 hours. 🙂
Thank you! My son is a problem feeder and eats extremely few types of food. He has never eaten any legumes – until today. He loves your brownies. The rest of the family does too, but I’ll be forever grateful that now my son has found something new and healthy he can eat.
Btw. I had to use dried beans as canned black beans were impossible to find in my hometown. They don’t seem to be very common in Germany.
In another recipe I found the information that about 100grams of dried beans will make about 250grams of soaked / cooked beans. I soaked them well overnight and cooked them for 1.5hours. It worked well.
WOW! These were delicious! I even had to use a blender, and they turned out spectacular. Much better after they’ve cooled and firmed for some time. 10/10 would recommend trying.
These are my go-to dessert when I need to make one! Have made these a few times and they are amazing!
This brownies are amazing! My family loves them!
It’s not really a secret ingredient because you can definitely taste and smell the beans. I’m a little disappointed because I didn’t expect the beans to be so obvious after soaking and rinsing them so well. I will need to make some more of your ‘best vegan brownies’ to recover.
Each bite (if the cake is divided into twelve pieces) contains 135 calories if you only put 100 grams of chocolate in it, 160 calories a piece if you add 150 grams of chocolate!:) I actually add less oil and honey and chocolate to make it healthier because I can’t help but eat this EVERY DAY now ;D its soooo good no matter what you do!
5 start rating on your Black Bean brownies. I’ve had other ‘black bean’ brownies and you can taste the beans; not in yours! When I made them a second time, I added a chia seed egg (1 tbsp ground chia seed/3 tbsps water) and 1/2 teaspoon of espresso coffee powder, because I found the dough a little dry the first time and the coffee perks up the taster of the chocolate. Delicious! Thanks
These are amazing!! I made them with much doubt and hesitation and have honestly never been more surprised by a recipe in my life. They are divine! I dont own a food processor because I have a multi function Vitamix so thats what I used and the texture was perfect…and the taste even better! I am telling my kids what they are made of so they wont eat them. LOL
The nutritional info for these brownies is way off My numbers are much higher than yours especially using real chocolate chips which are not specified in recipe. For 10 brownies I get 199 cal., 10.8 total fat.,25.3 carbs.,2.9 fiber.,2.6 protein per serving