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!)
Thank you so much for this awesome recipe! I am not vegan so I added an egg to the recipe, as well as a few other slight modifications based on my currently available ingredients 😉 but they turned out so awesome!! Even my husband who is very particular about his brownies said they were really good! We are definitely going to be making these often! ♡
Looking for a high fiber food that my 3 and 5 year olds will eat and I found it. This recipe is great the way it is but then I made it super high fiber! I swapped 40 g of fiber one (3/4 cup) for the oats and 75 g (1/2 cup) prunes for the maple syrup. I make it in my Vitamix and my boys can’t get enough of it. My calculation is 45 g fiber for the whole tray or 5g each if divided into 9 pieces.
These brownies are DELICIOUS! I actually prefer them to traditional brownies any day. Everyone I have served them to is always in shock when I tell they are sneakily healthy! My kids also adore them which is fabulous because it’s a wonderful way to get black beans into them. Thank you sooooo much for making up this recipe!
I had to bake these longer than the time noted in the recipe but they taste wonderful! Would never guess they had black beans in them! Found some toffee bits in the freezer so I threw those in too. Will definitely make these again, they are super delicious!!
Ggiiirrrrlll… these are like a brownie and fudge had a delicious chocolate love child!
I used half oat flour and half gluten free flour mix in place of the quick oats, and I used maple flavored stevia syrup in place of the maple syrup. These are so good! No one would ever guess they had beans in them! Next time I’ll line the pan with parchment to make it easier to get them off the pan. Even coating with Earth Balance, they’re hard to get out.
Thank you so much for making them!
I have never tried black bean for a brownie before but looks delish. Will surely give try it out. Thanks.
These are DELICIOUS! I’ve made these several times since discovering this recipe and everyone who has tried a brownie has loved them!
When you rely on a load of chocolate chips to make your brownies taste good, they aren’t really good brownies, they’re a good compliment to a chocolate chip… I took a bite consciously making sure there were not chocolate chips in that small spot just to see how they taste without them, and they aren’t good. It even says “omit at your own risk” about the chocolate chips in the instructions. If it weren’t for the chocolate chips, these wouldn’t be good at all and chocolate chips are loaded with sugar. When your recipe literally relies on chocolate chips to make it taste good, it’s time to go back to the drawing board. I’ll be looking for a good black bean brownie without the chocolate chips.
These brownies are amazing!I was really skeptical about them but decided to try the recipe anyhow in hopes they would help my son’s constipation. I am so glad I did, my picky eating 3 year old LOVES them! I had to bake them for a while longer than suggested and added some butterscotch chips on top and oh man are they tasty.
Awesome recipe Katie ! WOW ! Our family LOVES these brownies ! How can you come up with a recipe with black bans, oats that tastes so amazing !!
Thanks very much !
PS: The batter refused to move the food processor. I had to add 1/4 cup of water..
Thank you so much for making them!
Can anyone tell me if these are supposed to be made with no salt added black beans or just normal ones it just says canned black beans
Either works, since you’re draining and rinsing really really well 🙂
Thank you so much for the fast reply my birthday is coming up and this is what I’ll make for myself
How long can you freeze them for? I cannot wait to make them today!
At least a few weeks 🙂
Made these black bean brownies and they are so delicious. I gave it to my favorite tester (my husband) and he gave it a high thumbs up. Definitely staying on my treat list.
Katie – have you tried making the black bean brownies recipe using Black Soybeans instead?
Not Katie, but I know others have and say it works! 🙂
Greetings from Norway! These were fantastic. I had people try them without telling them the backstory, and no-one could tell that they were of the ‘healthier’ variety, much less that they had beans in them. Thank you!
I love this recipe. It’s my go-to for a “healthy” dessert. I usually double the recipe for thick brownies. yumyum