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 always have cans on cans on cans of black beans handy, but ran out of ideas to use them. I tried these brownies for the first time the other day, and my boyfriend and I are OBSESSED! I made them again today to bring with me this weekend to a workshop where I will be busy all day! They are the perfect addition to my prepped and packed lunch! Thanks for a wonderful blog and another amazing recipe! 🙂
I am using your blog to further my clean eating skills and help me learn to clean bake. I am creative and advanced with all things savory, but my clean baking knowledge needs a little boost. Your recipes never disappoint, and they give me encouragement to learn and create! Thanks again.
**I used Old Fashioned Rolled Oats and they came out super duper soft and gooey. Just perfect, in my opinion! I even doubled the recipe this time. 😉
Hi Katie! I’m a 25 girl writing from Italy. I found your blog while searching the web for healthy recipes. I tried your black bean brownies and blondies, and they were terrific! I served them as a Sunday dessert, and everyone loved them (also my 84 years old grandma!), and no one guessed what they did contain!. I think that they are quite unusual for my Country, but my family is always trying something new, and these were amazing!!! Now i feel I have to try all of your recipes! If you don’t mind I’ll send you some photos of the results! Btw, here in Italy black beans are a very hard to find stuff, so I used borlotti beans instead, and they worked very well! Thank you very much! Greetings.
Elena
Wow these are amazing! If I didn’t know they had beans in them I would assume they were really unhealthy because of how rich they are. The chickpea blondies are another of my favorites, but those have a bit more of a healthy taste to them 🙂
Oh hot damn! These were good.
I think I didn’t cook them quite long enough because the middle was still a little gooey but I put them in the fridge to cool and I think that will help them firm a little. I followed the recipe exactly except I didn’t add the stevia or extra sweetener; I found they were plenty sweet with 1/3 cup agave and the chocolate chips. Also, I used rolled oats but next time I will grind them first to make them into quick oats. So easy to make with the food processor too!
I just had a great idea! Brownie cheesecake??!! Swirl/crumble these brownies into your cashew cheesecake recipe (the Oreo one).
I test-made these for my school project: “Healthy Substitutions and a Black Bean Brownie solution” this evening… my family is very impressed! My dad said that they were very decadent and chocolatey.
However, I used unsweetened organic applesauce instead of the oil and a mixture of mostly honey and a bit of maple syrup within the 1/3 cup of specified sweetener. It was quite sweet. I would suggest using less than the 1/3 of liquid sweetener–maybe not quite as little as 1/4 of a cup, but definitely less than 1/3 of a cup if using applesauce.
I just discovered that we had a food processor with a VHS tape of instructions hiding away… this was the first recipe I ever used in it, and I will definitely be making it again!
Just made these and they came out great!! Super fudgey and moist. I must admit that I did put 1 cup of chocolate chips in though 🙂
These were so delicious! I added dark chocolate chips to mine, and the fudge icing from the zucchini ones (cause extra chocolate is just yum!)
I found I had to bake mine for 25 min though, they were still too gooey after 18.
I took them to school and served them with Voluminous Vanilla Ice Cream. Not a crumb left!
I have shared this recipe with everyone!!
So awesome.tried it loved it.thanx for the recipe
Someone take my laptop from me!
I spent about two hours on you blog today and I am HUNGRY!
All the awesome photos… that’s too much O.O
What brand/type of chocolate chips do you use in your recipes? What have you found to be one of the healthier (lowest sugar/fat) vegan chocolate chips? I don’t like the taste of carob.
I know I’m not Katie, but she’s said before that she uses Enjoy Life or Whole Foods vegan brand. I also like the gold bag of Ghirardelli.
I doubled the recipe for a 9×11 (or whatever it is) pan which was BIG mistake regarding how chocolatey they were & for the fact they were undercooked. But without egg, it’s okay!
My students thought they were too chocolatey and could taste the darker chocolate. My colleagues LOVED them. I did the extra maple syrup and used applesauce instead of oil. They were more like soft fudge than brownies – oh and I put chocolate chips on top too. When I told them they were black bean brownies, jaws dropped.
Thank you for brownies I’ll actually eat (except I nearly died with a small bite so next time I’ll stick with a singe-serve 8×8 pan) than wowed my school.
Instead of chocolate chips do you think I could just make 1/2 cup of a rich chocolate syrup I always make- which is just cocoa powder, sugar, and water
Unfortunately it made it more like a fudge than a brownie. Even when I put it in the oven for extra, at 22 minutes. It still tasted great but next time I would be sure to use the solid chocolate chips!
Thank you Katie! I made these tonight and will be making them again!! These are the best brownies ever!!
Just made these and they are yummy! Just the right chocolate fix I was needing- and don’t feel guilty about eating! Thanks Katie! You’ve done it once again!
These were absolutely fabulous. I have made black bean brownies once before and though my family liked them I did not. After this batter was all blended up and I tasted it I knew this recipe would be the keeper. My family devoured them and not with their manners either.