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
Currently Trending Posts:
(15 Different Flavors)
Lentil Soup – Reader Favorite Recipe
More Healthy Brownie Recipes
(No crazy ingredients!)
wow…I’ve seen recipes for these floating around the internet for years but never felt like trying until now (just found out I’m allergic to well, EVERYTHING.) they came out fantastic–i ground up barley with a spice mixer to replace oats (allergic to those. rats.) and used half oil half peanut butter, which was great. they came out delicious! thank you!
Just made these! They are so delicious and very moist. Just wanted to comment I used dark chocolate cocoa powder (the only kind I had) and I also used a ninja blender to process it all and they came out very good! 🙂 Thanks Katie!
If you don’t have a food processor read this!
I made these brownies exactly as the recipe said but my mixture was WAY thinner than in the picture. Then I realized that I used artificial maple syrup and not real maple syrup which is why my came out runnier. Any who this little mishap actually worked in my favor. First I blended the oats in the bullet. I mashed my beans with a potato masher as smooth as I could get them then added the rest of my ingredients (minus the chips). Because my mixture was runny I was able to blend the mixture in my blender and get the beans extremely smooth. To counteract the runny texture I added (heaping) 1/4 cup of flour and just mixed by hand in the bowl which got it to a good consistency. They came out amazing! Even I couldn’t tell their were beans in them. I made the Blondies first and I could still taste the beans because I wasn’t able to get them smooth enough with the masher and my blender but they were still good. So if you don’t have a food processor mash beans first then add a little more liquid than you need and then put them in the blender then add your dry ingredients.
I served these to my boyfriend and he had no idea they had beans in them and still doesn’t. 🙂
I just tried making these, and I baked them for 17 minutes, and patience is NOT one of my virtues… I tried cutting them after about 5 minutes and it was very sticky! Is that the reason to wait at least 10 minutes before cutting?
I love your blog; every recipe I have tried has been delicious. Is there anyway to convert this recipe into a cake recipe? I just found out that I am gluten intolerant and the gluten free flour is so expensive that I would rather use beans; much like you I have to eat chocolate, peanut butter, or some kind of fatty dessert just about every day. I was also wondering if you would share how you learned to make such amazing recipes, did you go to school for it or pick it up from reading? I’m sure it is quite lucrative and am not asking you to give away any trade secrets, but I am really interested in learning how to adapt some of my favorite recipes. I always share your website with people who I have prepared one of your recipes for because they always say how delicious it is; I love that you have turned something indulgent into something more nutritious too. Great job! Thank you!
WOW! Just made these and they’re great. I used 1/2 honey and 1/2 agave because I ran out of agave – I did not use stevia or extra sugar and they were still WAY sweeter than needed for our family (kids 5 & 8). Also I used oat flour instead of quick oats and did recipe x5 b/c I’m cooking for big group event. I think next time I make these I will sub sugars for equal amount re-hydrated, blended dates (so sugar free except chips) and they’ll still be great. Thanks again Katie – you’re great!
These brownies were so dense and fudgy, they were a hit! I used organic black beans made from scratch (at least, not from a can), dark chocolate chips (oh yes!), and peanut butter instead of oil. I have not made this recipe with oil so I do not have much to compare it to, but the peanut buttery goodness was. so. good. Thanks for the recipe!
OMG! These are incredible. I ate half the recipe… by accident… Then froze the rest. Thank you!!!
they look delicious although they should not be called gluten-free. oats have gluten…
so is the nutrition info based on maple syrup and stevia, or honey or agave? and how many chips did you put on top? and how many servings 9 or 12?. Makes a difference when I am calculating my info for the day. thanks for a great recipe. ( I went with 1/2 c mini chips which allows for more “real” choc in each bite and then needed less; and did not put any on top. My family never knew the difference and loved them!!!!!
It would be based on 12 servings.
I just made these but without the chocolate chips. It worked perfectly for me! 🙂
These are seriously good!!! I don’t think I’ll ever be able to make a regular brownie again now knowing how good these are! I used rolled oats and they worked just fine, also I did taste a slight and I mean very slight hint of black beans but no kidding they are still so good and filling!
I made these today and they are strangely addicting! I increased the cocoa powder by 1tbsp. I think I will increase the oats to 2/3 of a cup next time I make them. I can taste the black beans and I think I like it! They are a little too moist for me so I think I need to decrease the oven temp and increase the cook time to try to dry them out. I think they will be great straight out of the refrigerator or freezer rather than warm from the pan. I will be making these again and again. Thank you!!
These are a must try! I made them last night after contemplating the idea for a few days. Let me just say – you will NOT be disappointed! They taste great and are pretty moist! I didn’t have a food processor but was able to get it pretty smooth with a blender! I’ll be making these again. My friends at the gym thought they were very tasty too! 🙂
Tried these last night and they are sooooo good!!!! Left over 3/4 of a tray and they’re all gone this morning! My roommate’s freaked when I told them what was in them, but I don’t think I’ll ever go back!! I like them better than original brownies! Thank you so much for this recipe!!!!
is there a way to make these without honey or agave or syrup? my boyfriend currently can’t have honey (vegan) or syrups, but he can have stevia. i’m not at all familiar w the stuff, so is there a substitution i can do to use just stevia? thanks!
*correction – he can’t eat white sugar, agave, maple syrup, honey, raw sugar, any syrup/sugar. basically the only sweetener he can have is stevia =_= i’ve never used it before & i don’t know how substitutions for it work. i was thinking i could just sub the 1/3c syrup or agave for stevia, but would that affect the consistency? should i use stevia + something else to get the right consistency?
thanks for help w this!
Stevia actually comes in a syrup as well, but it’s expensive and not widely distributed. You can make your own. http://www.slightlysteady.com/homemade-stevia-syrup/ (this link was just the first google result; there is lots of info out there) That might help with the liquid/solid/wet/dry balance you’re worrying about.
The issue with stevia syrup in this recipe is that stevia is usually much sweeter than agave/honey/sugar/maple syrup. Like 200x sweeter. So I think 1/3c of stevia syrup- besides costing $6- would make your man sick.
I defer to CCKatie on this, but I’m sure some internet detective work and your own trial-and-error studies will serve you well. [Read: make lots of brownies, eat all of them (; ]
Good luck