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!)
I made these brownies this morning and they are great! I substituted the oatmeal for almond meal and cut down a little on the oil because the almond are oily.
I actually have tried black bean brownies before, and those were flour-free, too!
http://mylittlecelebration.com/food/vegan-black-bean-brownie-bites/
I really, really liked these—your recipe seems different enough that I’m definitely going to experiment and see which one “pans” out better…ha…
I just made these tonight – they were amazing!! Tx 🙂
Wow, wow, and wow. Not to mention YUM. I made a double batch of these, with 1/2 agave and 1/2 honey. I was a sceptic, but every recipe I’ve made from your blog has been AHHH-MAAA-ZING, so I was hoping for the best. I was not disappointed! I was also able to bring these to my nephew’s birthday party, and my sister-in-law who needs gf and sugar free ate these up! She was so excited to have some yummy brownies! Even my 19 month old enjoyed them- BONUS! Thanks so much!!!!
I just made this and tried it a couple of minutes ago. It is twin-approved, hubby won’t even believe it is made of black beans. I love it. Time to stock up on black beans. Tomorrow, I am trying the blondies.
Oh. My. Goodness. Katie, you are a genius! I have found and tried to make black bean “brownie” recipes in the past and they were epic failures. I put the word “brownie” in quotes because for the recipes that I have tried, they resembled brownies only in color and shape. Don’t get me wrong, these other recipes didn’t taste bad… but if I was expecting a brownie and got this other treat, then I would be furious! (I am a bit of a chocoholic and have a horrible sweet tooth and I take my treats VERY seriously!) But let me say that you have hit it out of the park with this recipe! I made a batch yesterday and they turned out fantastic. They were so rich and chocolaty, I could not taste any bit of the beans. I made a second batch today to take to a barbeque. I look forward to trying another batch with the peanut butter substitution to see how it turns out. Thank you for this awesome recipe, I absolutely love it! This one is getting printed out for sure because I don’t want to risk not having access to my internet bookmarks and being without it. It also makes me wonder why I ever made brownies with flour in the first place. I will never use flour in brownies again!
I just made these and they were soo good! My husband and I almost ate the whole pan in one sitting! Have you ever considered making a zucchini version of these?
I have a chocolate zucchini cupcake recipe going in the cookbook… but you’re right- Maybe I should try brownies!
Just made these. How can I put into words how amazing these brownies were? They’re probably the best brownies I’ve ever eaten (healthy or not healthy). So gooey, fudgy…
Thank you, THANK YOU so much for this recipe. I will probably be making this weekly!
Josh
Made these tonight, minus chocolate chips (sorry!). I did, however add a scoop of chocolate protein powder, chia seeds, and walnuts. They are EXCELLENT!! Thank you so much for the great recipe!
YES!!!!!! I love black bean brownies!!!! I have typically used Robyn Openshaw (GreenSmoothieGirl)’s recipe with a couple of modifications. My dad is a died in the wool unhealthy brownie fan and even he loved them. It’s been months since I had them though. We live with my in-laws and their oven is broken and they haven’t fixed it.
Perfect timing for this recipe, I was just thinking of making some the other day! I was so excited I went straight to the supermarket, bought, soaked and cooked some beans and made these brownies. Safe to say these are the best healthy fudgy vegan brownies I have ever made.
Some modifications I made were to use kidney beans instead of black beans, carob instead of cocoa, coconut sugar instead of maple syrup, and your Better than Nutella (which is, by the way, amazing) instead of oil. Plus, I … omitted chocolate chips as the shop that sells the dairy free variety is a bit of a drive. Nonetheless it tastes delicious and even my 6 year old sister, who eats mostly processed sugary junk food and refuses to eat anything unfamiliar, gave it two thumbs up. I bet the rest of my family wouldn’t even dare think it had no flour and was instead made of beans!
Thanks for the recipe, next up: Snickerdoodle Blondies!
Cannot get black beans here in Western Australia at all – the closest thing we can get is black bean sauce (for asian stir fries) – and I am certain the salty sauce is not interchangeable with canned black beans. I also know we cannot import foodstuff like that from overseas – we tried to bring some canned pumpkin puree back last time we visited the US, and had it confiscated at the quarntine station hen we arrived back in Australia 🙁
Have you had the Dr. Oz black bean brownies? I didn’t really like those that much. I am willing to give yours a chance though!
Nope! Haven’t tried them!
I made a batch few days ago with some substitutions. I don’t have a good food processor so I put the beans in the blender with the coconut oil melted, along with a 1/4 cup of maple syrup and blended really well. For the rest of the sweetener I used 1/4 cup honey. I subbed in quinoa flour for the oats and I definitely added 2/3 cup chocolate chips! At first they seemed undercooked, I’d say wait until totally cool before cutting. My daughters will eat anything brown that remotely resembles chocolate, so they liked these. My husband is pickier, he claimed he tasted the beans (I told him after he finished the brownie!) as an aftertaste. I’m doubtful, but I’ll take his word for it! All in all, I like the recipe and I’ll make these again and use them as a snack for school.Thanks Katie!
Okay – I substituted peanut butter (organic, crunchy, because that’s all I had although if I had had a choice I would have used smooth) instead of oil. EVEN BETTER THAN THE ORIGINAL. Makes it fudgy and delicious. Also negates any beany taste that might have been there (the first time I made these I did really like them – but the occasional bite would give away that black bean flavour) .. .definitely suggest this substitution!
okay, well, if I am going to be strictly honest, here is exactly what I did:
First, I doubled the recipe. Second, I ran out of vanilla so only 1/2 tsp in there instead of the 4 a doubled recipe would require. Third, I used organic rolled oats rather than quick oats (I never have quick oats on hand!). Fourth, I substituted the peanut butter for oil as I said above. Fifth, I used equal parts honey and agave rather than one or the other. Sixth, I made these at, oh, about nine in the morning and we’ve really enjoyed them now for breakfast! 🙂 Love this recipe – thank you for it!
I have to say I’m not so in love with these. Definitely not close to real brownies in the box, and although you cannot taste the beans at all my family all thought they were weird when I served them! 🙁
Can you tell me more specifics about what you did, what ingredients you used, and any substitutions you may have made, so I can help figure out where yours went wrong?
I followed the recipe exactly with maple syrup and sugar, no substitutions. I used unrefined coconut oil because I like the flavor. I used a food processor and blended until I didn’t think I could blend anymore. The texture was just strange and they were very thin. I think maybe double the recipe would have made them more like the size of regular brownies, but I don’t know what can be done about the texture since it is most like due to the beans.
I know this comment is really late, but I would suggest that for a better texure you try freezing them. I have made these multiple times and whenever we have leftovers we freeze them and they develop this really great fudgy texure that is even better than fresh out of the oven though unlike you, I love them that way too!