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!)
We love your no flour black bean brownie recipe. My kids prefer it to the box brand. Today I realized that I didn’t have any oil, so I substituted the peanut butter. It is great!! Well worth the substitution.
I made these brownies and liked the flavor. However, if I were to make them again I think I would add an egg or two to the batter to make them be a bit more fluffier.
I officially LOVE you. This is amazing
I’ve surprised multiple groups with this recipe now (playing my favorite game of guess-what-you-just-ate), consisting of mostly non-vegans, and they LOVE this recipe. Other recipes can have an off-taste that really does call to mind black beans, or just doesn’t taste good. Yours here turned out consistently well, and it’s the best black bean brownie recipe I’ve tasted. Thank you Katie!
I finally made these brownies this weekend. They were EXCELLENT!! Everyone loved them. I used coconut oil and agave syrup. Next time I’m going to cut the sugar by 1 TBL b/c they were sweet and I wonder if it would make a difference. Great recipe…thanks!!
Made this last night, SOOO good !
Katie, I just made these brownies for my mother’s birthday (along with a vegan pizza) and she loved them! She couldn’t believe they were made of beans. They were really great – rich and fudgie and a little crumbly. Thanks for sharing.
Made these tonight and omitted the maple syrup, stevia packets, and oil and replaced them with three incredibly ripe bananas. I figured that the banana would be able to replace the oil and then the amount of sweetness would be fine with me since they are just for me. I also added a half scoop of protein powder. I am not sure what the actual texture of these brownies is supposed to be, but mine were kind of funky. They have the texture of a soft fudge. The brownie portion of these is kind of different but not bad (bitter from the cocoa powder with a hint of banana), so I am very glad that I added the chocolate chips. I have put them in the fridge in hopes that they will firm up a little more. These definitely are not very similar to brownies, but they are perfect for a quick chocolate fix and will be even better as a pre-workout meal.
Katie, I love love love your blog. Thank you so much for all the wonderful recipes! I have made several of them over the last year and they have all been great including this one. I tell all my friends too. Thank you for helping me find some healthy ways to feed my sweet tooth!
Earlier this week, I tried the recipe to a T, with one exception that proved to be the downfall of the recipe: I used mint chocolate chips instead of regular. They were…not inedible, but not very good. I’ll admit I ate about half the pan despite the yuck factor. I’m not too picky when it comes to chocolate lol. I just made them again, adding 3 TBS of cocoa, a smidge more sugar, and I also added some hot chocolate powder (the kind where you have to heat up the milk and “cook” the chocolate), and the choco chips I should have done the first time. I haven’t even had the finished product but I can already tell they are PHENOMENAL. I couldn’t stop licking the batter off the spoon, the spatula, the food processor bowl…yeah. I can’t wait to try these babies out when they come out of the oven. It’s gonna be a looong 10 minutes I can tell you that much. Thank you Katie! I’ve already tried about a half dozen of your recipes and I haven’t yet been disappointed.
I just made these with all-purpose flour instead of oats because I didn’t have any on hand. So good! I also added a little extra cocoa and sugar, then made a thin frosting to put on top. I was not patient enough and spread the frosting when it was still hot, and the top layer of chocolate goodness mixed in with the frosting, so now I have two-layer chocolate crumble goo cake, and it is excellent. Thanks for posting!
Can we substitute the black beans for kidney beans?
So, I live just a bit higher than mile-high-Denver about 6200 sq feet (so I’m told). I’ve made these once, and as most things high altitude, they fell in the middle. Any suggestions?? Typically we add a bit more flour and a schooch more water. (there are other things to try also, like cutting back a bit on leavening agents …) but there’s no flour here, and adding it seems a bit oxymoronic. What are your thoughts on a bit more quick oats?? Please, my Oh-so-much-younger-yet-more-experienced-Chocolate-Covered-(other)-Katie, might you be able to assist this Chocolate-loving Katie?
Thank you OOODLES! ♥
So, I did try my own modifications, guessing as I went.
I used 2/3 c. quick oats (I went out and bought these after my first attempt when they fell in the middle- that time I used ‘old fashioned’ or Oatmeal -non specified bought in bulk) and I added about 2 teaspoons water, and increased the vanilla from 2 teaspoons to just barely or just under 1 Tablespoon vanilla.
I also added pecans. They didn’t fall in the middle this time. They’re lovely. A bit more cakey than I prefer, but when kept in the fridge if not eaten soon after they’re cool enough to cut, they they’re quite fudge-like in texture. I want to add frosting. : )
I made these without the chocolate chips, because I didn’t have any. They were delicious, even without the chips. I had good intentions to share with some friends, but I ate the whole pan by myself. The best part was I didn’t have the dreaded sugar crash you get from eating regular brownies. Thank you Katie for this website. I can’t wait to try more of these recipes.
I just made these, and they are great. This is the second black bean brownie recipe I’ve tried and your recipe is far superior to my first effort. I made a sauce with part skim ricotta, 2% Greek yogurt, a little maple syrup and a mashed ripe banana. The combination was like a mix between a brownie sundae and a banana split. Not a bad breakfast! I’ve also made the Ultimate Chocolate Fudge Pie (I didn’t bother with crust, I ate it like chocolate mousse), and your Sugar Free Deep Dish Cookie Pie. Your recipes are three for three. They weren’t just good, they were great! I can’t tell you how wonderful it is to be able to make things that are truly decadent without the empty calories and the roller coaster blood sugar ride associated with the things I crave CONSTANTLY. If I had to choose between chocolate and a healthy diet, the healthy diet wouldn’t stand a chance. Thanks to you, I don’t have to make that choice. Keep up the good work!
I combined this recipe with your healthy chocolate chip cookie recipe to make brownie cookie bars, and it was FANTASTIC!! They disappeared in minutes with my friends, and none of them could tell they were healthier (I, um, “forgot” to mention that fact… 😉 )