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 AMAZING.
I would try this black bean chocolate brownie this weekend for a hiking trip.
I am so excited to show them off the ‘not so real’ thing. Can you possibly send me her recipe book or download on line? My address is 2053 Bobtail Drive, Maitland, FL 32751. Thank you!
Made these over the weekend and wasn’t sure how my super picky husband and younger daughter would take to them. Even knowing that they were Black Bean brownies, I convinced my daughter to try them and she tore it up. My husband came home and told me shouldn’t wouldn’t eat them, so she announced that she already did and wanted more. A few hours later, hubby sits down with a brownie, looks at me in a defeated tone and say, “Ok… They’re good. You can make them again.”
SCORE!!! THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!
Katie,
I have mentioned you in my blog and have copied one of your recipes. Than I mention you again on my fb page. I hope this is OK with you that I copied your recipe and posted on my blog. I am trying to get people to know more about vegan desserts. Can you please give me confirmation? I have added links to your blog and given you full credit. Thank you so much for all the fabulous desserts.
Katie,
I have mentioned you in my blog and have copied one of your recipes. Than I mention you again on my fb page. I hope this is OK with you that I copied your recipe and posted on my blog. I am trying to get people to know more about vegan desserts. Can you please give me confirmation? I have added links to your blog and given you full credit. Thank you so much for all the fabulous desserts.
Here are the posts: http://www.zizania.biz/recipe/ and for FB https://www.facebook.com/Zizania.Nutrition/?ref=hl
Would a Vitamix work instead of a Food Processor?? Thanks.
Amazing!!! So good that literally every week I am being asked to make them especially by non-vegans so Katie my question is, can I make a mega batch and freeze uncooked?
Thanks from an Irish vegan living in south Italy ☺
Great recipe. Thanks for all your hard work on these. We subbed out oil and replaced it with Pumpkin and it turned out amazing! You rock!
These are delicious and I usually hate healthy treats!! Instead of oil I used peanut butter. Instead of oats I used almond meal. I put the chocolate chips in the food processor with the mix and preferred it like that! It had more of a regular brownie taste to me 🙂
Thanks for the recipe!
Lovely recipe. Could not find black beans anywhere so I used a can of chickpeas instead. Turned out very well. Very hearty, rich, fudgy treat. Thank you!
These sound wonderful. Just wondered if it be a problem to use less of the maple syrup/agave and more stevia?
Thanks, Lil
I made a substitution and couple of additions to this recipe. I didn’t have quick oats, so I used rolled oats cooked ahead. I also added about 3-4 tbsp of shredded coconut, as well as about 2 tbsp of dark chocolate ganache for extra rich fudgy flavor. I did add chocolate chips into the batter and sprinkled on top, as suggested. The recipe was divine!!! Thanks for all your stellar efforts in bringing us the healthiest dessert recipes I’ve ever come across!!!
My 5-star rating didn’t post the first time. ?
Thank YOU! (Also to answer your other question, ratings have to be manually approved before they show up, because I couldn’t figure out how to get spam comment ratings to not show up without manually deleting them. Ugh computers…) 🙂
Ah, thanks for the explanation on the star ratings. Btw, another ingredient I added to these delectable brownies that I totally forgot to mention (duh!) is chipotle powder!! Slightly less than 1/4 tsp. Gave it a nice little kick, just the right amount of heat. I have to say, I am completely OBSESSED with your awesome-looking recipes and just bookmarked a bunch more I want to try making, including whipped cream!! (Wish I checked your site before making it the traditional way. ?) You’re recipes are simply genius!! Thank you so much for all your brilliant efforts!! I’ll never look elsewhere for my recipes again…and if there’s something I want to make but can’t find after searching your site, I’ll just ask if you can come up with a recipe for it. ?
So much better than the boxed. I like that I can eat more than 1 (or even 2 or 3) and not feel guilty for eating junk.
Thanks for the recipe, Katie! I love it! I followed this recipe with just a few adjustments & they turned out great.
1) I blended the oats in my food processor first before adding any other ingredients.
2) I used raw, local honey but didn’t have quite enough to fill 1/2 cup completely & some of it was stuck in the measuring cup so it probably ended up being closer to 1/3 cup.
3) I did not add any extra honey or sugar as the recipe calls for. It doesn’t need it.
4) I usually use coconut oil but didn’t have enough so I used EVEO. I’ll use CO next time.
5) I blended everything really well in my food processor. This is a really important step.
6) I baked for 40 minutes at 350 F. After 15 minutes they were just too gooey. They’re still a little fudgy but have more of a cake-like consistency which I prefer.
6) MOST IMPORTANTLY: I accidentally poured the batter into my greased pan before adding the chocolate chips so when I did add 1/2 cup they just sat on the top. I’m happy this happened because I feel like this recipe is way too sweet & I even have a major sweet tooth. Since my chips weren’t baked into the brownie I was able to scrape most of them off. The brownie by itself without the chips was perfectly tasty. The next time I make this I’m not going to add any chocolate chips to the batter at all. If I feel like it needs to be more sweet then I’ll just toss some on top & pop it in the microwave. Or I could melt some chips (maybe even with peanut butter) & spread a thin layer on the top like frosting.
Caveat: The only difference I see between my brownies & what Katie has pictured is that hers appear to be taller/thicker than mine. Mine are relatively thin, measuring only 1.5 mm high. I don’t know if that’s because I didn’t have the chips incorporated into my batter or if the baking time affected it or if it didn’t rise enough or what. It’s not a big deal to me. I still have 9 big brownies that are delicious, so no complaints here!
I had to write a review. I stumbled upon your website and saw the recipe. Didn’t tell my family these were made of black beans. I CANNOT believe how good these were. I was truly skeptical, but you really cannot tell that these aren’t regular flour and egg brownies. Incredible! My daughter, who would never have tried these had I told her beforehand that they had black beans, just asked if she could take them out of the fridge and have more. Truly awesome. Thanks so much for the recipe!!
Katie, you are so amazing and such an inspiration! I LOVE these brownies. I’ve made them over 5 times and every single time people rave over how delicious they are, and they’re always shocked that they’re made with black beans! Granted, I do add some additional chocolate chips 🙂 but who doesn’t love extra chocolate?
I’m so excited to try your coconut crack bars and your chocolate chip blueberry bars….those are being made for my healthy Christmas exchange in December. Anyway, thanks so much for creating such delicious, healthy recipes!
-Madi