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 delish! I put 1/2 c out of the 2/3 c of chocolate chips in the food processor since mine were fairly big chocolate chips, the rest were stirred in whole. I also baked mine in mini muffin pans for a two-bit brownie version (press into pan, bake for 10 mins at 350 – wait until cooled to remove from pan). Happy Baking!
Thank you for this recipe! The brownies are so moist and delicious. My fiancé has asked for me to make them for the 3rd time this week!
These brownies are amazing!! I am a powerlifter and need to keep my weight down in the season, so I made these to satisfy my hugeeee sweet tooth. THEY ARE SOOOOO GOOD! You can’t tell the difference between these and regular brownies. My softball team, who was super skeptical to try “black bean brownies”, all changed their mind after trying these yummy treats and now beg me to make this recipe all the time!
These are amazing! If you haven’t tried them, do – they’re the best!
These were absolutely DELISH. Boyfriend, who *hates* beans, said they were damn delicious and then I told him what they were made out of– his face was priceless. Although, you must be cutting them small to get them to be 115 cal… I followed the recipe and with my ingredients it calculated to about 175 per brownie in a pan of 12!
These were nice straight out of the oven, when the chocolate was gooey and the brownie soft. Not so great the next day.
Quote from my best friend when he tried these:
“My mouth is telling me brownie but my brain is telling me bean?!”
he was so confused but loved them. Me and my housemates demolished two double batches of these in less than a week!!
simply WOW. My boyfriend and I really love your Black Bean Brownie recipe and I am looking forward to try other recipes of you !
Greetings from Vienna, Austria 🙂
These are my favorite vegan brownies of all time! I make them way more often than I should 😉 I made a batch today and before I baked them I swirled some peanut butter in on the top and when they were done baking I let them cool then I stuck them in the freezer for about an hour and a half until they were solid. They taste like a frozen reese’s bar! It is amazing!
Wow! I made these with normal porridge oats and dried Black Beans(as my supermarket didn’t have tinned) and all maple syrup. I used 125g of dried beans following instructions on the bag . Fan oven at 180c for 18mins. These are so nice that I’m glad I’ve got more beans because I’m going to have to make more.
Simply brilliant! Thank you so much for the updated and oh so much better version!
I used peanut butter instead of veggie oil and it’s really good.
Tried this and my father in law loved it!
By the way, which brand of chocolate chips did you use? I’m just wondering if using enjoy life (or any regular/non sugarfree) would more or less be consistent with the calories for your recipe.
Many thanks
Made this with adzuki beans. The small red beans are commonly used in desserts in Asia, so I thought it would work. Turned out great. Thanks!
do they taste very chocolatey with only 2 tbs of cocoa? some recipes use around 1/2 cup
made these tonight and they are delicious!!! I used coconut oil, regular sugar in place of stevia, and old fashioned oats. They are super tender and perfectly sweet.