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 have never tried black bean brownies–but I am definitely NOT scared of making them:D Putting “weird” ingredients in desserts has never really intimidated me; after all, there isn’t a “right” way to make desserts–just because they aren’t filled with butter, sugar, and eggs doesn’t mean they aren’t made “the right way.” This recipe looks fantastic, and I will have to try it sometime soon!!
Im excited to make these tomorrow night. Im hoping they are as good as they look because Im wanting to make these for my daughters birthday treat to take into school. Im very new with trying healthy desserts but Im keeping an open mind and Im quite optimistic overall. Thank you, Katie, for what you do. 🙂
I keep seeing black bean brownies all over the internet. I have GOT to try these!
I am totally intrigued. I wonder if my boys would eat these.
My boys {6,3} love them. I didn’t tell them that there are beans in them and don’t know the difference. They did see me mix the chocolate chips in. 🙂
My husband has recently had to go wheat-free, so I’ve been making a version of black bean brownies similar to yours here. They aren’t the same, but good enough that he’s very happy every time I make them! I make sure to warn others before they try them so they aren’t expecting normal brownies. 😉 I’m excited by the blondies recipe, too! I’ll have to try that one next!
I am also wheat free…what did you substitute for the oats???? Excited to try. I also have a recipe for black bean cake with rough chopped apples, cinnimon, clove and other spices…but I’m wheat free and don’t know how to substitute the flour. HELP!!!
Oats are gluten free, except for sometimes they are crossed contaminated with wheat. You can certified gf oats. Or you can use a smaller amount (like 1/4 c. ) of flax meal or you could use 1 or 2 eggs. (I’m dairy free not vegan) I recommend 1 egg because I have made these twice and the first time they were good, the second time they they were really good but undercooked despite cooking them for longer than the recommended time, I think it’s because I used 2 eggs.
I put in a scoop of vanilla garden of life protein powder (about 3 Tbsp) instead of the oats (and left out the vanilla essence) it was delicious! the mixture tasted so good i almost didn’t want to bother cooking it hehe 😉 I also left all the oil out and put in 2 Tbsp applesauce and 2 Tbsp peanut butter instead.
About half of us gluten intolerant folks cannot eat gluten free oats without a reaction. Any suggestions on a good substitute?
I think I’m about 2 years late on this reply, but I just tried the brownie recipe yesterday with 1/4 cup almond meal and 1/4 cup coconut flour. They were great!
Hi Daniel, I know was a while back. Do remember if you changed anything else like baking time. I tried you substation but the batter was too dry for the food processor. I added thing to water it down but then it would not cook. I am going to try again
I have some black beans in the cupboard (dry) and I’ve been wanting to create a healthy dessert for a while now. This is exactly what I was looking for, and I didn’t even know it! Thanks 😉
Happy Birthday! Thanks for making all of our lives a little sweeter and healthier! I can’t wait to try these. I might have to fit them in my busy schedule tonight. =)
I can not wait to try these!
At work , people always tell me that my diet must be so boring because im way to healthy.
I’ll be taking these babies to work to prove a point.
Thanks Katie x
I made these with white chocolate and broken up hershey bars and they were great! planning on giving them to some of my non-suspecting ballerina friends. Ballerinas have quite the sweet tooth.
I attempted to make black bean brownies once. I think they turned out as they were meant to, but I didn’t enjoy the texture. BUT i am willing to give these a try 🙂
happy birthday katie!!
I have made several different batches of BBB, but the texture was never traditional–always more gummy, like you could totally tell something was up with them, and you couldn’t call them ‘fudgey’. Thanks for your efforts to make em awesome!
We love BB Brownies for breakfast! Sometimes I add sunbutter…YUM! I’ll be giving your recipe a try over the weekend!
QUESTION TIME.
1) Could this be made with use of a food processor that only stores 1 cup of ingredients at a time??
And 2) (this is not directly related and I’m sorry if this wastes your time at all): Are you a strict enough vegan that you don’t eat honey?
I have a small food processor too. I just blend up the beans in it until its the texture of hummus. Then put it in a bowl and mix the rest with a hand mixer. Works greats.
GOOD TIP… probably a lot of us only has the small processor 🙂
Hi Carolyn,
I’m unsure where I stand on the “veganism and honey” issue. More bugs probably die in the making of my organic kale or broccoli! So I don’t go out of my way to eat foods with honey, but I also won’t flip out if I happen to consume it accidentally.
So I made these brownies and love them! I did a ton of experimenting with them to see what I could do to change the flavors and this is what I found:
Any bean works. I’ve used cannellini, kidney, pinto, great northern, rosada, and of course black, and I’ve mixed them all together in different variations. They all tasted the same. The only difference was texture. White beans, when used alone (I like to call them blondies), created a more cake-like texture (fluffier). When mixing different kinds, they become a great texture of not too dense, not too cakey, if you’re not into the super fudgy brownies.
It’s very adaptable to flavor profiles. I’ve tried cherry amarreto, coconut almond, peppermint, peanut butter, Earl gray, and raspberry white chocolate. I’m going to experiment more with lavender, orange, ginger, pumpkin spice, ect.
I prefer to sweeten with dates on most variations, as they give a caramelly flavor!
If you want the alterations, I made notes! I don’t think I can post pics on here, but I can type it out. Thanks for the recipe!
I have never had black bean brownies but I am so intrigued!!!
I’m the chocolate and brownie queen in the family, so I’m for sure going to make these! Thank you so much Katie, you’ve made my day absolutely faaaaaabulous!!!!!!!
These are amazing. I can have flour and most oils. I used avocado oil. Turned out great thank you for sharing1
My food processor just recently broke and it’s probably going to be a while before I can it replaced. Would it be possible to make this recipe in a regular blender? It looks really delicious!