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!)
Absolutely delicious and fudgy, and SO chocolatey. I don’t have a food processor but I just blended the oats first, and then combined it all with an immersion blender. Worked out amazingly. I’m happy to eat them with a spoon but it would be cool to learn how to get them to be handleable.
Can these be stored frozen? Making them ahead of time for my daughter’s birthday party…
Yes!
These have become a household staple! My 7 year old loves them and can’t even tell they’re made with beans!
Amazing! My toddler loved them. I used the blender since I don’t have a food processor and they were great!
Delicious! Made it with honey and substituted the oil with butter. Really good for a sweet treat. Definitely would make again.
I replace oat flour with almond flour, use 1/2 cup pure maple syrup and add 3-4 dates to the food processor. After baking I refrigerate overnight and they come out perfect. I have made them several times. No one ever suspects they are made with beans. Great recipe and very easy to make.
I wanted to make these so much but I only had canned chickpeas, no black beans. So I gave it a go and it worked!!!!
Thank you for the recipe.
These are PHENOMENAL. I was highly skeptical 😂…but they are DELISH! My 4 year old said they’re the “best brownies we’ve ever made!” (and she loved that she could lick the batter bc no egg lol) It won’t let me post a pic but mine set up just fine-I didn’t have the problem some mentioned about them having to eat it w a spoon.
Delicious! Happy to report rolled oats works, but you should give them a spin in the food processor before you add the rest of the ingredients unless you want a chewier texture.
Katie,
What are your thoughts on adding a scoop or two of unflavored protein powder?
I really like these but I can never get the same texture each batch and my dough is always much thicker than your video.
I have tried this recipe twice. This is what I did the last time (because I barely remember the first time):
-Substituted almond flour for oats
-Added 3 TBSP chia seeds
-Used almost 2 tsp vanilla and almost 1 tsp peppermint extract
-1/2 cup honey, no additional dry sweetener
-Chopped sugar-free Hershey special dark bars
I did these things mostly because of blood sugar issues.
I think the chia seeds (or flax, which i didn’t have) are needed because the almonds don’t absorb much liquid, but they’re still very crumbly at 3 TBSP. I would say next time I’d up it to 4 and/or use a higher powered squishing device like my nutribullet rather than my Cuisinart food processor. It’s very liquidy, especially at first, and crushing the seeds more would probably help with the texture.
I baked them in my toaster oven. They’re still very squishy, even after 18 minutes. But overnight they did become kind of great in the fridge. I’d say 15 minutes is better for baking them this way but expect to chill them. They won’t hold together before that.
It’s possible peanut butter would help the texture too, but obviously not with mint!