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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OMG Just made your blackbean brownies for thanksgiving. Better than any box brownies i have ever tried.. Needless to say … I will be making them time and time again.. Thanks for the recipe 🙂
I made these the other day and they were SO good! I made a few alterations though, I only used 1/3 cup of chocolate chips, 1/3 cup of agave (found that this could have been even less!), I used white beans instead of black, whole oats (whizzed them up a bit first) and added a lot more cocoa! Just thought I’d share in case people were wondering about alterations 🙂 I gave one to my german housemate and she loved them! Thanks so much for the recipe 🙂
Hello! I’m getting ready to make these and discovered I’m out of baking powder. Is it important? I’m not a baker so I have no idea. Also the only fats I have are olive, safflower & grapeseed oil. What do you think is best?
This is rather late, but I’ve also recently run out of baking powder. Just replace with baking soda, but use about 1/3 as much as the recipe requires for powder. They are very similar, and in many cases, can replace each other. In certain recipes, this might not provide a great result, but baking soda is much better than nothing. If you have cream of tartar at home, simply use 2 part tartar to 1part baking soda for homemade baking powder.
I’ve not used safflower oil before, but grapeseed oil has a delicious flavor, and combines very well with oat flour (nutty flavor), so I recommend that! Olive oil is strong, and I prefer not to bake sweets with it, but you might have different experiences with it.
I really hope this is useful to someone, or will be. I hope you had a lovely time making your black bean brownies!
I love this recipe!! I do a lot of healthy baking and this was the first BEAN recipe I convinced myself to try.. that was the hardest part- deciding to actually give it a go at the risk of them tasting terrible- but once you commit they are actually the easiest most delicious thing to make! I love that there are hardly any dishes afterwards and that most of the ingredients are things I already have around -fairly inexpensive, to make too.
My boyfriend actually requests these, and he generally avoids the weird, healthy baking I do. :p
I find using a blender is fine, especially if you melt the coconut oil and honey (if you’re using it), and use an equivalent amount of oat flour instead of quick oats to help it blend better. Quick oats work too, but they just don’t seem to blend quite as well.
Thanks for an awesome recipe. =)
Just finished making these! They are so beautiful and smooth! When I pulled them out of the oven, they were glorious, with a crack running along the perimeter of the cake pan I’d used. I’ve yet to taste them yet, as they are still cooling on the rack. Although the top was dry and done, I thought the whole thing had a little bit jiggly feeling when I was transporting the pan. After poking in a fork that came out clean, however, I deemed them fine. After all, these ARE brownies.
I didn’t have any syrup or honey in store, so I slightly lowered the amount baking powder, and substituted one egg (I try not to eat eggs, but eating vegan full-time takes its toll in my health), stirring the egg into my puréed bean mixture. I also didn’t add any oil, because, bad me, I also had no cocoa powder, so I melted some chocolate truffles in place of the chocolate and oil. I don’t expect the brownies to be über chocolatey, but I’ll live. :))
Here’s a tip: purée the beans first, then stir in sugar and honey over low heat, and add in rest of wet ingredients. The sugar will caramelize into the beans, blending together for a more harmonious flavor and texture. Then whisk in oat flour, salt, and rest of dry ingredients.
I love beans and bean desserts, but for those who don’t adore them, still try this recipe! They turned out really beautifully and smell quite fragrant. Super smooth consistency, with no butter, and only 1/4 cup oil!! Wow. Plus there is very little refined sugar in here. Thanks Katie!
I LOVE to bake..just found out I’m allergic to gluten, oh, and did I mention I’m a fitness NUT..so the above reasons brought me to your page. These were GREAT… I literally just finished eating 3. I will say, I omitted the 1/2 C oats (I didn’t have any certified gf) and added an extra Tb of oil. Your site is awesome, these recipes are awesome. Next: Chocolate chip cookie dough dip! Thanks
These were so delicious! A very sweet surprise!:) next time I’m adding nuts!
I’m new to the vegan thing, but I’ve had so much fun trying new recipes. I’ve been doing really well with exercising and eating healthy so I decided to look up a recipe for black bean brownies to treat myself a little (I’ve seen them all over the internet but never tried them). I just made yours except I didn’t have any vanilla (I literally just ran out the other day), and I used coconut palm sugar because I don’t consume white sugar. It was a GREAT substitution in my opinion! It’s a lot like brown sugar but low on the glycemic index, so the carmel-y flavor went amazingly with all of the other flavors!! Thanks for a great recipe!!
These are delicious! I tested them on my ‘deep-south-home-cookin’ men in my family, and they loved them. I’m going to make them for my coworkers and also for my fiancé’s family for Christmas. Thank you for a guilt-free way to indulge in holiday goodies!
Hello ladies…
I am wondering if anyone has tried these with a Blendtec blender v food processor? I am IN LOVE with this blender and am hoping to utilize it’s magical powers.
SINCERE thanks!
Yours in health,
Andrea
Thank you for the recipe, just made them and the cappaccino cloud cheesecake to take to my brother’s Christmas party. Its my first time using tofu as a dessert and dame for beans but they sure smell delicious while baking. I cant wait to taste them, several times I have been tempted to cut me out some yummies but that would just be bad form. Smacking myself for not making a small portion of each to try before serving.
I just tried these brownies and looved them! I added a tbsp of instant coffee to give it a kick!
I don’t have a food processor. I have a blender but honestly it is a cheap thing and I’m not sure it would work. Would a regular hand mixer work in your opinion? Thanks!
Just made these for the second time! LOVE THEM. I used peanut butter instead of oil, added 1/4 cup of unsweetened almond milk, and omitted the chocolate chips. Still delicious!
If you think agave is “healthy,” you need to do some research.
I just made these, they were awesome….& the kids asked for seconds.