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!)
Simply amazing, we all love it and came out perfect just at 1st try!
Thanks a lot
Love,
La Chuli
I wish Beans were Low FODMAP, I’d Love to try these. Unfortunately, extremely high Fodmap ☹️
Third time in about a month I’ve made them. Only one person that I’ve shared them with said it wasn’t sweet enough.
I love it!!
I made these last month and froze some of them. My husband, not knowing they were “black bean” and “vegan” and “with stevia”, pulled some out and warmed the up and told me how yummy they were lol! These really do hit the spot for a treat that’s quite guilt free!
They tasted to much like black beans I give it a c-..would not try this recipe again
I recently made baked cake donuts and they were a huge hit with my family… and then a huge sugar crash. I’ve tried black bean brownies before (your recipe? I can’t remember) and liked them, so I thought I’d see if anyone had tried making these in a donut pan? I think I’ll give it a try anyways and will come back and let you know how it went. Unless you happen to have a specific recipe for black bean chocolate donuts? Thanks!
Very chocolatey and fudge-y – nice!
Just making this now in the oven! Smells so good =)
I read it’s possible to freeze these? I’ve made them ahead of time for my dad’s bday and wasn’t sure if freezing it right in the pan is ok?
You can!
These were absolutely delicious. However, my guests and I all agreed that we wouldn’t call these “brownies” – the consistency was more like fudge than it was a brownie. Mine were a lot flatter than the ones you have pictured – how do you get a more cake like consistency?
So good and easy to make!!! Definitely going to make this a regular sweet treat. I didn’t have any chocolate chips on hand, so I sprinkled some shredded coconut flakes on top to add texture.
I have to admit, I was pretty skeptical about this recipe before trying it out, but after making them last night – I’m obsessed. I’ve already gotten the ingredients for another batch. I did however cook them for slightly longer at a lower temperature. These are so good, even my husband loves them and I didn’t even expect him to be willing to try a bean brownie! You wouldn’t know they were made from beans, they taste so bad for you – in a good way! Love it.
My husband and I (and all our friends!) love this recipe. I tweaked it a little bit…I use oat flour instead of rolled oats because it gives a finer texture (maybe my food processor isn’t strong enough to fully break down the rolled oats, even quick oats). I also use coconut oil mixed with sunflower oil because I find the coconut flavour to be a bit too present for my taste (not strong in general, I just don’t want to taste it), I used the same total amount with 1/3 being coconut oil and 2/3 sunflower oil. I’ve also tried all the sweetening combinations you suggest and I find that 100% agave syrup works great and is cheaper than maple syrup, we found no flavour difference. Thanks so much for posting this recipe. My husband has a dairy sensitivity and it is a challenge to satisfy his sweet tooth. I make this several times a month.
I am vegan and brought these to my meat-and-potatoes office today for our monthly birthday celebration. Too platters full of brownies annihilated! Everyone had rave reviews! I had two people come by my office asking if there were any leftovers. I used my Vitamix to make sure everything was smooth but otherwise followed the recipe to a “T”. Thanks for this awesome recipe!
I guess “good for you” is in the eye of the beholder. Yes, there’s more fiber & protein in these brownies, but if you do the math there is a whopping 150 grams of sugar from all the honey and chocolate chips in this recipe. And if you add the extra chocolate chips on top “for presentation” it’s going to be even more. That comes out to at the last 16 grams of sugar per brownie, exactly the same as regular brownies. Ain’t nothing healthy about that! Sugar is sugar whether it comes from honey or granulated sugar. Also I noticed there are many people commenting here that are on low-carb diets that think these brownies are okay. There’s a lot of carbs in black beans!
I’m not sure where you’re getting the 150g of sugar, unless that’s for the whole pan?
While it is true that sugar is sugar is sugar, these come with a lot more fiber, way less saturated fat (depending on the oil/fat used, of course), and no cholesterol, compared with regular brownies.
I cut mine into 16 brownies (which was plenty as a serving size for me), and even with a total of 1 c. of chocolate chips, and 1/2 c. of maple syrup (I don’t like the way agave or stevia taste), after putting it through SparkRecipes, I came up with:
Per brownie (1/16 of pan)
140 calories
6.9g total fat
2g saturated fat (I used olive oil, so that must be from the cocoa butter in the chocolate)
19.2g total carbs
2.5g fiber
11.9g sugar
1.3g protein
Regular brownie, made with butter, eggs, and white flour (1/16th of pan, also topped with the 1/2c. chips I used in my version)
160 calories
9.5g total fat
5.8g saturated fat
27mg cholesterol
19.9g total carbohydrate
1g fiber
15.4g sugar
1.5g protein
Overall, not terrible. Not something I’d want to have on its own, but as a dessert or treat, it’s tasty, has far less saturated fat, and what is there is from a non-animal source (important for those of us with genetically high cholesterol). Although the total carbs are comparable, the black bean brownies carbs come with more than twice the fiber, and the nutrients present in black beans that are lacking in plain white flour. The way I made them, there wasn’t a lot less sugar, but the recipe definitely has room to easily reduce the sugar (eliminate the chips on the brownie, reduce the maple syrup or replace with a non-nutritive sweetener, etc.).
I personally will swap this recipe for my “regular” brownie recipe, especially at family events where there are people who are gluten- and dairy-free. I like the extra fiber, and lack of dairy-based saturated fat.
These brownies were delicious! I enjoyed them immensely. Since I don’t bake many sweet treats because of health considerations, my husband approached them suspiciously and knew they must have something healthy in them. Lol.
I used Old Fashioned Oats and 1/2 maple syrup + 1/2 agave (total 1/2 cup) and they were perfectly fine. I probably processed the batter a little longer than I normally would. I will be including these in our diets. I don’t eat many sweet treats but these were pretty guilt free.
As an aside, some of you “ladies” leave some fairly rude comments on this site. Being in a “mature” age group (over 60), I bet dollars to donuts that it all boils down to jealousy. My advice is: if you don’t like it, don’t visit this site. I mean, REALLY? This isn’t Junior High.
Actually commenting more on the rude comments from other posts (like What I Eat In A Day) than this particular one.
the hubby made these last night and they were delish! thank you! would you happen to recall if the nutritional information is based on 16 servings or 9 per pan?
12 🙂