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!)
These are so delicious
I’ve been using this recipe for months now and it is truly a ‘never fail’ recipe! They come out great every time. Differences I’ve tired:
-I’ve doubled the regular recipe
-I’ve switched the chocolate chips to vegan chocolate chips in order to make the whole thing vegan.
– I’ve added a date or 2 for sweetness
– most recently I tried subbing the black beans for white cannelini beans, omitted the cocoa powder (but doubled the vanilla), and used white chocolate chips instead of regular. They came out to be the best “White bean blondies”.
This recipe is a great foundation for however creative you wanna get. But the original recipe is still tried and true as well. Amazing!
I made em once, now going for a second time adding some pecans. I use keto maple syrup and NOW stevia with chocolate flavoring for the sweeteners.
Great recipe!
Would it be ok to add an egg or two??
This is my second time to make. My eggless friends love them! It’s fun to surprise them with black beans as being the main ingredient .
Awesome! Vegan kid loved them!
This is absolutely phenomenal! I make them for my coworkers all the time, and nobody even realizes that it has brownies! (I check for allergies first, I don’t just randomly give it.) When they first come out of the oven, they have gooey goodness that is better than Ghirardelli anything! After they firm up in the fridge a bit, they are more of the texture of a normal brownie and easier to eat with your hands. I love that this satisfies my sweet tooth while the protein and fiber from beans can help to fill me up so that I don’t binge. Everyone should eat these.
These are absolutely delicious and we would never have known they were made with black beans!! We also added some chopped walnuts on the top for some extra crunch and that was delicious. I’m thinking next time I might swirl some peanut butter into them too. Thanks for this amazing recipe!!
These are awesome!!! Even my husband liked them (and he doesn’t like anything lol).
I know it says to firm them up in the refrigerator, but is refrigeration required? Like, are they safe on the counter?
We recommend refrigerating for perishable ingredient food safety reasons. They are fine to leave out on the counter for a few hours at a party or when transferring to an event!