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!)
Hi Katie, may I know 1. How do you preheat your oven
2. What’s the heat selection you use? Mine has no heating, top and bottom heating + cconvection, top heating + cconvection, top and bottom heating
Thanks, I tried this a few times and it turned out the top part burnt and the middle and bottom of brownie is not cooked / moist. Any ideas where it went wrong?
Thank you!
Preheating the oven just means turning the oven on and not putting the recipe into the oven until it reaches the designated temperature.
These didn’t turn out for me. Followed to a T and they came out severely gooey and unable to be sliced. They’re in the fridge so hopefully the coconut oil will set and I’ll be able to eat.
Definitely let them refrigerate overnight, as they firm up considerably!
I made these brownies today in my baby food processor from Aldi’s (Less than $10) and was not at all disappointed with the outcome. These brownies are chocolately, gooey, and everything a brownie should be. I love that the clean up for this is extremely simple because everything just goes in the food processor. The only thing I did differently in the recipe was to split the chocolate chips as half in the food processor with the batter and the rest on top. I think this helped trick my brain and add to the melty goodness of the brownie. Very excited to make more recipes from this site!
Have you tried making these with black bean flour? I’m curious how to convert the canned bean measurement to flour.
Love your recipes!
We haven’t tried, but it sounds like a fun experiment!
Jason (media relations)
FWIW, I’m not even vegan. I just searched Pinterest for a healthy brownie, saw this recipe, had all the ingredients on hand, and whipped them up. They were AMAZING!!! Chocolatey, fudgy, gooey, perfect brownies to fix that sweet tooth without undoing my diet. I only had old fashioned oats, and am happy with the results. I also added about FIVE pinches of uncut Stevia, but I tend to like things super duper sweet. Great recipe, and will definitely make again!
Same. I’m not vegan but this is one of my favorites 🙂
These brownies are amazing!! They turned out perfectly moist (sorry :)) and you could taste any black beans at all! I gave some to my family and they had no idea! I didn’t add the extra sugar but put in one packet of Splenda instead and they were still so good. I also did half maple syrup and half honey and there wasn’t and overwhelming honey or maple taste which I really liked. I definitely will be using this recipe again! Thank you!!
I don’t write reviews, ever. I was highly skeptical and a newby to healthy baking. These brownies were amazing! They were gooey and chocolatey and heaven. My kids live them too! Now I have to keep from eating the entire pan. Thank you!!!
Drooling share !!! will try to make soon
Just made these brownies yesterday. The only difference in the brownies I made is that I cut up a dark chocolate bar (couldn’t find vegan chocolate chips) and used the chunks instead of chips. The brownies were absolutely delciious and the beans offered a soft, moist consistency I’ve never matched with any classic brownie recipe. 10/10. Thank you for the recipe!
Winner!
These definitely taste delicious. HOWEVER, do not trust her calorie information. I have no idea where she got 115 calories per brownie. As written it’s 160 calories per brownie IF you cut it into 12 brownies and only 2.5 grams of fiber. If you do 9 brownies per recipe it’s 212 calories per brownie and 3.3 grams of fiber. I used sugar instead of stevia but even taking out the sugar only brings it down to 154 calories (12 brownies per batch) or 204 calories (9 per batch). Just an FYI!
Thanks for this recipe! My daughter was challenged to bring a healthy food to a nutrition and exercise class she’s taking, and she wanted to bring a dessert. No one knew they were made with beans! After a test batch, we did find that purreeing the beans alone in the food processor for a REALLY long time, and then the oats with the beans (before adding any other ingredients) gave a texture more like a real brownie.
AMAZING! Like legit AMAZING! Even my fiancé who doesn’t even like veggies (except pickles but those don’t count) liked them. He even brought them to work and people asked for the recipe! Magic
I made these and they are VERY GOOD. I was a little on the skeptical side, but I was also intrigued by the recipe. The black beans really are a great substitute. I used honey, not maple syrup, 2 tablespoons of sugar, as my option, and vegetable oil verses coconut oil. I would make these again, for sure!
Hi Katie,
I made the black bean brownies into mini muffins instead….I used oat flour made from rolled oats in my coffee grinder. They are excellent! Even my wife likes them! Keep up the good work, I will be visiting your site often.
Best brownies I’ve ever tried.