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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Hi, I purchased a Stevia plant, now growing in my yard. How do you actually use this in cooking? I need ideas? Can you share???? Ginny
So where is the recipe to the Healthy demos cookies????
I didn’t have quick oats so I subbed in flour instead, same amount. To help with dryness I added 2 tablespoons of almond milk and they turned out great.
have you ever made chocolate beet cake/brownies?
These red velvet brownies have beets in them! 🙂
https://lett-trim.today/2014/05/09/red-velvet-brownies/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
Oh man, Katie. You have done it again. This recipe was a huge hit at my house….and I never mentioned to my kids what exactly they were eating. Mwahahahaha!
Thanks for another “go to” recipe for my recipe box!
Hi Katie I finally made these and they were amazing! here’s a link: https://theveganloaf.wordpress.com/2015/04/29/katies-black-bean-brownies/
Also I notice 2 Tbsp = 30g since 1Tbsp = 15g. 🙂 I still did 2 Tbsp anyway 😉
Thank you so much for making them… I love your pictures!
I think you mean the cocoa powder… it’s a dry weight, not liquid, so 10g is the true weight of 2 tbsp. But I’m happy to know it works with more. When is more chocolate ever a bad thing, right? 😉
Yes it works very well! The more chocolate, the better isn’t it? Thank you for all your lovely recipes! ❤️
Well, I’m Malaysian Chinese, so I am used to desserts made from beans, but we tend to use red (adzuki) beans and green (mung) beans in our dessert so when I first saw the title of this, I still had my doubts. Black beans are used in super salty savoury dish in our cuisine, so the idea of it in a brownie (and I love a good fudgy brownie!) was preposterous. But I tried the recipe at the comment that people tried it and loved it and asked for the recipe and was surprised to be told what the secret ingredient is. This is yummo! I have done it twice now, first to the recipe except I didn’t have enough maple syrup so just over half of the amount was honey. It was good. The second time I made it I made sure I have enough maple syrup (because the honey flavour was too strong for me), and because I wanted to make it gluten free, I substituted LSA (linseed, sunflower and almond) instead of oats. I was in a rush to take it to a committee meeting so it hadn’t set enough when we cut into it, but that was fixed after an hour in the fridge. I am so pleased to find a quick recipe that is gluten free and healthy and taste yummy – so this is going into our baking repertoire. Thanks for sharing and introducing me to black bean brownies!
Made these without chocolate chips (because I didn’t have any in) and just added a few more oats. Came out perfectly, cannot taste the beans at all! Partnered them with fro’yo and make the mistake of telling my house-mates they could try it. Clean plates all round, will be making again!
Hey Katie,
Just want to say that I have been following your blog/website for a while now, and it’s been so lovely to watch your success grow to the point where even the likes of Cosmo are picking up your recipes! You are awesome, beautiful, and clever, and your 1-minute chocolate cake recipe totally changed my life in terms of quick and healthy desserts. Even though I live in the UK, it would be totally cool to chat and share recipes with you sometime.
Keep baking and eating chocolate! You’re an inspiration 🙂
Adele
I’ve made this recipe many times. I’ve blogged about it, and everybody loves these brownies. Agave works the best in terms of flavor, in my opinion. Also kidney beans work just as great, if not better. They’re extra fudge-like. Enjoy!
I’m not even kidding you – these are the BEST brownies I’ve EVER had in my life. And I’m a brownie nutzo. I LOVE them. They are my dessert of choice. I followed the instructions exactly (using agave) and my kids ate two brownies each declaring they are the best brownies in the world. THANK YOU.
Same here! They are so delicious. We used a combination of coconut nectar and maple syrup for sweetener and they were wonderful
Would red kidney beans work with this as well? I have a can lying around and I don’t know what to do with them! And I don’t have black beans at home atm, so it would come in handy 😀
I loved this recipe! I added some cinnamon and some instant espresso and it was delicious. I couldn’t even taste the beans!
These look amazing! I have my own blog similar to yours and I was wondering how you work out the nutrition facts? I would love if anyone could check my blog out too.
These are seriously amazing!! I’ve made black bean brownies before and they had to be cooked to taste half way decent–these I licked the spatula. Not as rich and delicious as the brownies but good enough to lick the spatula. Just a tip–a friend of these brought them to a party b/c they are gluten free, in order for them to be truly gluten free you have to use gluten free oats. This is a great free of just about any allergen recipe!! I’m taking them to school for an end of year party for my son (wheat allergy) and his friend (dairy–I used dairy free chocolate chips, soy & nuts).
Hello!
Made the blondies last night & they were super good! Left them out last night & this morning realized maybe I should have refrigerated them since they are garbanzo beans? They are cooked so does that change anything? I hope I don’t have to throw away the entire remaining delicious brownies. I did stick them in the fridge this morning at 7am. I have looked at all comment searching for an answer or anything pertaining to refridgeration and haven’t seen anything. I hope you can help me! ?