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 subbed the maple syrup for an equal amount of chia gel that i whipped up with ground chia, so that its viscosity was like that of honey. it worked great.. just a heads up for anti-sugar people 😉
quick question– has anyone tried kidney beans with this recipe (or something other than black beans)?
I’ve wanted to try black bean brownie recipes for a long time, but I’ve always been afraid that they will turn out gross. Your post gives me the courage to finally make a batch!
Just to let you know, I was super impressed with how fudgey and delicious these turned out! I made them for a work party and everyone could not stop going on about how good they are and I was excited to reveal to them that they were actually vegan and healthy for them!
It’s always exciting to reveal good news like that to people. 🙂
Oh and I must say that the brownie batter for this was also incredible by itself!
I tried these last night (maple syrup/sugar option) and the batter was so delicious I was licking it off the spoon. Once I added the chocolate chips, however, I did not like the final product. My boyfriend agreed. Are the chocolate chips necessary for texture? I’m not sure whether I can just omit them or if I should just make batter and pour it over ice cream. Seriously, delicious batter.
Trying these finally. They are in the oven. The batter alone is fantastic and my boyfriend can’t believe they’re made from beans! Thanks Katie!
I just took these out of the oven and they smell like heaven. And of course I had to try the dough and it was really good!
Wish they would hurry up & cool ; )
Will have to try the blondies over the weekend- they look yummy too.
Katie, will you marry my son so we can bake together? Lol ; )
Seriously, thank you for all the healthier alternative recipes.
I truly enjoy your blog and really look forward to your emails!
I made these brownies for dessert tonight for my parents and I and they were unbelievably delishious! I could not have fathomed that brownies with beans in them could be this good but they were! In fact, they were probably some of the best brownies I have ever eaten, I’m not even kidding! They tasted like gooey, yummy, melted chocolate, or maybe even better than that! I simply cannot describe their deliciousness!
So I made these with red kidney beans (lack of black beans) and forgot the oil (whoops!)
In spite of this the brownies were so yummy!! I used honey instead of the maple syrup (all I had in the house) and you could definitely taste it which wasn’t bad, but i’ll be buying the agave syrup for next time. Overall, super impressed with a vegan, gluten free brownie without a hundred different ingredients in the recipe list!
These were the first black bean brownies I ever had, and they were incredible! Thanks Katie!
I make black bean brownies all the time, using only the powder mix and beans. But when you add the extra ingredients, they are fantastic! Great recipe Katie! 🙂
Katie, I’m addicted to these, in such a good way. Thank you, thank you, thank you! I’ve made a number of variations that I thought I’d share… adding 1/8 of a teaspoon of cayenne (spice + chocolate = yum!) or shredded coconut while using coconut oil (divine!) or pressing dried cherries in to the top before baking. They’re all good. Everyone is blown away by them.
I’ve just tried this recipe and it is delicious! These were my first “bean brownies” and I added a bit more chocolat chips (about 170g) to be sure it would taste like chocolate… They’re just perfect 🙂 I made them with my blender and used red beans (could not find any black beans). I will definitely do it again, thanks for this great recipe!
I have been making these delicious brownies for about 6 months and my husband absolutely adores them! I was out of oats recently and decided to substitute 1/2 cup almond flour instead. I also increased the baking powder to 1 tsp. OMG! They were amazing. Additionally, I doubled the recipe and completely covered the top of the brownies with 1 cup of chopped walnuts before baking. It made a wonderful crunchy topping! Love these brownies. Thanks so much for this recipe!!!
Hi, Katie. I always love trying your recipes (can’t wait for the cookbook!). I’m not vegan, but your recipes are solo creative!
I haven’t tried these black bean brownies (yet) but my diet du jour severely limits grains. I tried an alternate recipe that was just beans, cocoa, sweetener, protein powder, eggs, butter, vanilla. Edible, but a poor relation to bean-free brownies. Dry, too dense, with a strange chemical taste I think might be down to the protein powder. Improved by the addition of your vegan whipped cream, though.
Anyway, what purpose does the cauliflower serve in your chocolate cake? Could you sub cauliflower or another non-grain for the oats and get reasonable results? I’ve heard of zucchini chocolates brownies as well. What do you suggest I try?
Thanks!
Zoe
I am SO excited to make these! I have been wanting to try them and this recipe looks so easy. Thanks! p.s. what is the frosting in the picture of the single brownies? I am sorry if this was answered in a previous post.