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!
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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 made a half recipe of these so it would fit in my air fryer. They baked up nicely at 320 F for 20 minutes. I love them so much that I made another half recipe two days later! Since I didn’t have any maple syrup, I substituted corn syrup the first time and brown sugar + a little water the second time. I also used old-fashioned oats instead of quick oats. Both batches came out great.
So cool to know they work in an air fryer!
These were soooo good! Gooey in the centre and the perfect texture and so chocolatey- I’m the worst baker as well!
Delicious and great after a hike!
I used sunflower oil to avoid the saturated fats in coconut oil.
Made them twice now. I use 1/2 cup of soft medjool dates with 1/3-1/2 cup hot water as the sweetener. Still do a pinch of stevia. I tend to add more cocoa powder also. Delicious and extra nutritious with the mineral content of the beans and dates. Yum!
I LOVE these brownies. They’re so good and taste just like a normal brownie. I’ve liked these for the past 6 years! I challenge anyone who is on the fence to try them! I also want to note that I hate black beans in general but you can not taste them in here
I absolutely love these, can’t even count the number of times I’ve made these over the years! I really wish this site had a Jump to Recipe button at the top of the screen so I didn’t have to scroll down through everything each time I come back. It takes forever on my phone to scroll down through everything, and locks my phone up, making it a challenge to get down to the recipe. Otherwise, Great!
Thank you so much for making them. We hadn’t thought to ask for it in the redesign Katie did last year, but it’s now on our list as something to add for the next one!
Welp… 5 stars for taste and simplicity! However multiple times I’ve made this recipe they did not cook hardly AT ALL in the 18 minutes stated in the recipe. :c I made some today for Christmas and had to cook them for 50 (fifty) minutes before they solidified and even now I’m quite concerned that they’ll still be runny in the middle. I did stick a knife in to test it and after 50 minutes it came out clean but still. lol. I’m sure it’s due to user error though since there don’t seem to be many other comments that mention it taking so long to cook! I put foil over the top for the last ~20 minutes so that the top didn’t burn. Hopefully this helps if anyone else has an issue!! However this is a GREAT recipe and it is my go-to for an easy treat.
Hi Jack! Have you tried refrigerating them overnight? It will keep the bars fudgy and not overcooked, and they firm up in the fridge 🙂
I printed this recipe with the “let’s just try it” attitude. There are sooo many of these black bean brownie recipes. I followed the recipe EXACTLY how the author intended. That way I know if in the future we have the same idea of what is good or not. Some people, I swear don’t have taste buds. I blended this up and one of the kiddos gave it a taste and their eyes POPPED out of their heads. “MOM, this tastes like Almond Joy!” Well, that is candy and my kid is siked. So, I tried it. HOLY SMOKE! “Oh My Gosh, THIS is SOOO good” followed by a happy dance. This is going to be gone in a day! I know my family. This will also be our GO-TO recipe for the black bean brownies. Thanks to the author for this new FAMILY TRADITION. Going to check out more of your recipes because we clearly have the same taste buds!
Thank you (and your family!) for trying them 🙂
I have been making this recipe for years with various tweaks here and there depending on what ingredients I have on hand. I had a serious hankering for them last night but I had no black beans! I did, however, have LOTS of black eyed peas leftover from NYE.
I weighed out the BEP, threw an extra tbs of cocoa powder in there, didn’t have coconut oil so I used vegan butter, used Maple syrup instead of honey and cut the stevia. I also recently tossed my food processor because it was super old and worn down and didn’t really work anymore. My husband graciously got me a vitamix for Christmas, so I was nervous because I know you say no blenders for this recipe. Well. Vitamix for the win! I think this was the absolute best this recipe has ever turned out. Even better the next day!
Thank you so much for the lovely recipe that is so easily adaptable. It’s been a favorite for years and will continue to be for many more.
Made black bean brownies from my own recipe and it was wild to see how similar my brownies came out. (I wanted to see how long I should bake em)
I even omitted chocolate chips in the batter but used them as a garnish and it turned out just fine because I didn’t want the brownies to be too sugary
My beau tried them and he said they were like brownies and they tasted delicious
His favourite thing is brownies so I’m glad he didn’t think it was sacrilege