The best fudgy, flourless black bean brownies!! No one will be able to tell that they’re made with beans and natural maple syrup.
WATCH HOW TO MAKE BLACK BEAN BROWNIES
Today’s fudgy maple black bean brownie recipe was actually inspired by one of Isaac’s students. When we got married in 2013 his class made us a cookbook as a gift. Each student submitted a favorite recipe to include in the book so it’s filled with taste-tested recipes, many of which are hand written and include adorable pictures.
It was such a sweet gift and we’ve made several of the recipes over the past year and half. When we received the cookbook I bookmarked these flourless black bean brownies almost immediately. The “really yummy” and “makes a healthy treat” notes are what caught my eye. 😉
I’ve made the brownies a couple times. The first time I followed the recipe exactly to get an idea of how they should turn out and then I made a batch with some EBF-friendly changes. My version uses maple syrup instead of sugar, coconut oil instead of butter and raw cacao powder.
The biggest change is the maple syrup. I love using maple syrup (especially in baked goods) so we always have a big jug of it in the fridge. Because maple syrup isn’t processed, it contains higher levels of potentially beneficial minerals, including calcium, potassium, sodium and copper, making it a great sugar alternative. If you’re interested in learning more about the benefits of maple syrup or how to use it as a substitute for sugar or other sweeteners, here’s a great infographic.
Making Brownies with Black Beans
I know it sounds kind of crazy, but yes these brownies are made with black beans! But don’t worry because no one will see or taste the beans. They get blended up in your food processor(affiliate link) and they’re completely undetectable.
The black beans are used instead of flour so there’s no gluten in these brownies and they have a little extra fiber and protein. Not only is this awesome for dietary purposes but it also means that you can blend the batter right in your food processor(affiliate link) or blender!
The brownies are a breeze to whip up and come out tasting moist, flavorful and plenty sweet. I love the fudgy consistency of brownies and the little bits of texture from the chopped walnuts. I’ve tried other black bean brownie recipes before and none have turned out as good as this recipe. I think you’re going to LOVE them just as much as we do!
If you make these black bean brownies please leave me a comment and star rating below letting me know how they turn out. Your feedback is so helpful for the EBF team and other readers!
These are the BEST flourless black bean brownies!! No one will be able to tell that they’re made with beans and natural maple syrup.
Scale
Ingredients
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
3 large eggs
1/3 cup coconut oil, melted (or butter)
1/4 cup raw cacao powder (or cocoa powder)
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (gluten-free)
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 cup gluten-free/dairy-free chocolate chips (I use Enjoy Life)
1/3 cup chopped raw walnuts (optional)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Grease an 8×8-inch baking pan.
Place beans, eggs, coconut oil, cacao powder, salt, vanilla and maple syrup in the bowl of a food processor(affiliate link) or blender and blend until smooth. Remove the blade and gently stir in your chocolate chips and walnuts, if using. (Another option is to sprinkle the walnuts on top of the brownie batter once you pour it into the pan.)
Transfer mixture to the prepared pan.
Bake for 35 minutes, or until brownies are set in the center and a toothpicks comes out clean. Cool completely, cut into squares and enjoy!
These look beyond fantastic! I’m going to try making them for a dinner I’m heading to tomorrow but my only concern is that I only have a 9×9 pan and not the 8×8 like it calls for. Even if I bake my brownies for less time, I’m worried they might be too thin, as I’ve read through comments and some people said they could have doubled their batch for thicker brownies. Thoughts?
Hi Kathryn. I think they will be too thin in the 9X9. I’d either buy or try to borrow an 8×8 pan from someone OR you could try doubling the batter. You’ll need to cook them a little longer, but the recipe should still work! Let me know what you decide to do.
So I modified this recipe a tad…I used Xylitol instead of maple syrup, butter instead of coconut oil, and added a TBL extra of cocoa. They came out more cakey for me and a little dry, which I think is because of my modifications. I still think they are a healthy and delicious alternative to box brownies or other sugary desserts.People, they DO NOT taste like beans!!! I have become a believer. If you want another healthy chocolate recipe, try the chia chocolate pudding from this site.
These are so good, even my children couldn’t get enough of them and they are beyond picky! The recipe came out almost fudge-like for me, which was great! If only I could get my husband onboard but he wouldn’t try them. Is there something that could replace the eggs in the recipe? I’m vegetarian but mostly eat vegan and eggs are a food group I don’t eat very often and prefer not to. Any suggestions for a good replacement?
First time ever trying black bean anything and it was delicious. Of course not nearly as sweet as a normal brownie but does take the craving away. Thank you for the recipe. I followed it exactly.
Just tried black bean brownies. Tastes good but didn’t raise a bit . Was wondering if anyone has tried baking soda or baking powder and is so did it turn out?
I’m seriously so impressed! this recipe is just what I need to satisfy my sweet tooth. I would say these brownies are more “cakey” and I typically like “fudgey” but they taste so good I’m not going to complain. Thanks so much for sharing!
I tried this out on guests and didn’t tell them anything but that they were made from scratch 😏 My husband said this is what our new go-to recipe and that’s a WIN 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Thank you so much, Monae. I’m so excited that you love the brownies. Really quick favor for you — would you be willing to leave another comment with a star-rating for the recipe? The star-ratings are super helpful. 🙂
Most delicious healthy brownies yet!! Had them at my cousin’s house and had to make for myself. I freeze them so I can grab one when I have a brownie craving!
I just thought you would like to know that I made these once, and Oh my word, they are absolutely the best ever. No one could believe they were bb brownies! The second time I made them I had no eggs, so subbed in applesauce. They took longer to cook, and were certainly not brownie like, but the most delicious chocolate mousse ever!!
Is there any other decent substitute for maple syrup? I know it’s a special flavor & natural sweetener. However, I live in Europe where quality maple syrup is hard to come by.
Hi Beth! Totally understand. You can use honey or even regular cane sugar will work if you’re unable to get your hands on maple syrup! I hope you still get to try these! 🙂
These brownies are fantastic! I make these all the time and my brother, sister and I eat the whole pan in 2-3 days. I did make a slight change to the recipe; I add in slightly less than 1/2 cup of cacao powder instead of the 1/4 that is originally called for… It makes it taste more like dark chocolate brownies and it’s absolutely delicious! I’d eat the entire pan in a day if I could, but I don’t as it’s extremely high in calories, lol….
I started making these brownies a year ago. What a game changer! This is the recipe that finally convinced my family that healthier treats can taste just as good, if not better, than their processed counterparts. My husband and kids absolutely love these brownies. I make at least one double batch a week. I put them in my two youngest children’s lunches and their friends always want to trade for them. At Christmas, I made a few batches for a work pot luck. They were a huge success. My co-workers could not believe they were made with black beans and maple syrup instead of flour and granulated sugar. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe
Made these yesterday and they were fantastic. I was going to take some to work for a healthy snack, but there were none left after my husband and son discovered them!
Hey, I make these brownies without chocolate chips all the time and they always turn out good. You could always make a homemade chocolate frosting to spread on top the brownies, too. That’s what I do and it’s absolutely delicious. It’s real easy to make. Just put 1/2 cup unsweetened cacao powder, 1/4 cup soften butter, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, and 1/8 tsp salt in a bowl. Mx until it becomes creamy and then spread on the cooled brownies. I hope that helps you out.
Hi! These look great. Can I make these without chocolate chips in them? I don’t like chocolate. I know, brownies are chocolate, but other than brownies i don’t like chocolate. Is there a need for them in there?
Has anyone tried to freeze these? I am prepping and freezing desserts for my daughter’s first birthday and am trying to make everything free of refined sugar… Please let me know if they hold in the cold! Thanks!
Hey Kelly. I’m pretty sure date paste will work but I’m not 100% about the conversion because I haven’t tried it with this recipe. Let me know how the brownies turn out if you try it. 🙂
I made these brownies today for my husbands birthday! They’re sooo delicious! A great alternative with no flour, no vegetable oil & no refined sugar! Thanks for the recipe Brittany!
these are amazing! going to make for the 3rd time this month – and love them more than ‘normal’ brownies – I make them in cupcake papers in a muffin tin – easy clean up and serving – thanks so much going to check your other recipes!
Hi! I don’t have a large enough food processor or blender but am interested in making these. I assume these wouldn’t work in a mixer with a whisk attachment, what about if I used an immersion blender? I can puree the black beans in my blender, then put the pureed beans with the rest of the ingredients in a bowl and use the immersion blender to blend everything together? Do you think that would work? If not, what do you suggest? Thanks!
Hi Gabby. I don’t think they will work in a mixer with the whisk attachment because you need to really puree the black beans to get the correct texture. I think I’d mash the beans really good by hand and then use your immersion blender to blend everything. Just don’t over mix the eggs! Let me know how it turns out if you try it. 🙂
I absolutely love this recipe! I have been wanting to make black bean brownies for quite some time now and am so glad I tried this one. Everyone in my family loved them and didn’t think for even a second that they were made using beans. The fudgy texture is to die for! I used a teeny bit less maple syrup, but I don’t think it made a difference at all. SO quick, easy, and sweet-tooth satisfying!!
I baked these brownies today, posted a picture on Instagram and tagged you! This is the first time I used Instragram…and I’m very happy to see a response back from you 🙂
They turned out very well and are very easy to make! Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Hi there, Brittany! This recipe looks fantastic. I have one quick question– do you have any thoughts on how subbing blackstrap molasses for maple syrup would work out in this recipe? I know the flavor would turn out quite different, but I’m a huge fan of that licorice-y taste. I’m just wondering whether other aspects of the recipe, like texture, would turn out very different if I used a thick molasses in place of the relatively thinner maple syrup that your recipe calls for.
Zing!! These are amazing!!! I love a sweet treat I can feel good about, and my junk food lovin husband couldn’t detect the beans. Mwahaha :). Thanks for an awesome keeper of a recipe!
Hi Misty! So I haven’t tried them with an egg substitute yet, but I think I’ll test using 3 flax seeds soon. That said, I did have one person say that they used Bob’s Red Mill egg replacer and that they turned out great! Let me know if you decide to try them egg-free.
I’ve been DYING to try black bean brownies! These look so good and the recipe is pretty strait-forward! I will have to try it. I love the maple syrup chart as well, I literally just used up all of my syrup because I use it as a sweetener so often. 😉
I’ll admit I was skeptical reading “black bean” in brownies, but your photos make them look so good, as I’m sure they taste! Pinned this for future baking 🙂
That cookbook is the cutest thing ever! 🙂 And those brownies sound awesome! I haven’t been able to get a batch of black bean brownies to turn out well, but these sound perfect!
Black beans are a fantastic idea! Never thought of that, although I would have to slip them in while avoiding skeptical onlookers in my house. Thanks for enlightening!
I hate to be that person, but I really do love black bean brownies more than “normal” ones. Something about the texture and how fudgy they are! Can’t wait to make these. Thanks for sharing.
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These look beyond fantastic! I’m going to try making them for a dinner I’m heading to tomorrow but my only concern is that I only have a 9×9 pan and not the 8×8 like it calls for. Even if I bake my brownies for less time, I’m worried they might be too thin, as I’ve read through comments and some people said they could have doubled their batch for thicker brownies. Thoughts?
Hi Kathryn. I think they will be too thin in the 9X9. I’d either buy or try to borrow an 8×8 pan from someone OR you could try doubling the batter. You’ll need to cook them a little longer, but the recipe should still work! Let me know what you decide to do.
So I modified this recipe a tad…I used Xylitol instead of maple syrup, butter instead of coconut oil, and added a TBL extra of cocoa. They came out more cakey for me and a little dry, which I think is because of my modifications. I still think they are a healthy and delicious alternative to box brownies or other sugary desserts.People, they DO NOT taste like beans!!! I have become a believer. If you want another healthy chocolate recipe, try the chia chocolate pudding from this site.
Turned out delicious! Could have doubled it to make them a little thicker. Still worth trying. ❤️😋
★★★★★
These are so good, even my children couldn’t get enough of them and they are beyond picky! The recipe came out almost fudge-like for me, which was great! If only I could get my husband onboard but he wouldn’t try them. Is there something that could replace the eggs in the recipe? I’m vegetarian but mostly eat vegan and eggs are a food group I don’t eat very often and prefer not to. Any suggestions for a good replacement?
★★★★★
First time ever trying black bean anything and it was delicious. Of course not nearly as sweet as a normal brownie but does take the craving away. Thank you for the recipe. I followed it exactly.
★★★★★
Just tried black bean brownies. Tastes good but didn’t raise a bit . Was wondering if anyone has tried baking soda or baking powder and is so did it turn out?
Oh my, black beans? That’s an interesting substitute, and I never would’ve noticed! Thanks for sharing, they look delectable!
I’m seriously so impressed! this recipe is just what I need to satisfy my sweet tooth. I would say these brownies are more “cakey” and I typically like “fudgey” but they taste so good I’m not going to complain. Thanks so much for sharing!
★★★★★
These Brownies were sooooo good!! I still can’t believe Black Beans are in them 🙂
Amazing Recipe. You won’t be disappointed.
★★★★★
I tried this out on guests and didn’t tell them anything but that they were made from scratch 😏 My husband said this is what our new go-to recipe and that’s a WIN 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
★★★★★
These Brownies were amazing. You haven’t failed me yet! Thanks
Thank you so much, Monae. I’m so excited that you love the brownies. Really quick favor for you — would you be willing to leave another comment with a star-rating for the recipe? The star-ratings are super helpful. 🙂
No problem Brittany 🙂
Very yummy! I used kidney beans instead of black beans. My boyfriend loved it (: thanks for the inspiration !
★★★★★
Most delicious healthy brownies yet!! Had them at my cousin’s house and had to make for myself. I freeze them so I can grab one when I have a brownie craving!
★★★★★
I just thought you would like to know that I made these once, and Oh my word, they are absolutely the best ever. No one could believe they were bb brownies! The second time I made them I had no eggs, so subbed in applesauce. They took longer to cook, and were certainly not brownie like, but the most delicious chocolate mousse ever!!
Making them today for the oscar party tomorrow.
Love your recipes!!!
These are so fudgy and delicious. I def wouldn’t be able to guess black beans as an ingredient if I didn’t know. Yum!
★★★★★
Delicious! They were moist and chocolatey without being overwhelmingly sweet.
★★★★★
Is there any other decent substitute for maple syrup? I know it’s a special flavor & natural sweetener. However, I live in Europe where quality maple syrup is hard to come by.
Hi Beth! Totally understand. You can use honey or even regular cane sugar will work if you’re unable to get your hands on maple syrup! I hope you still get to try these! 🙂
Such a great recipe!!!
★★★★★
Thank you so much, Cara!
Can you use honey instead of maple?
Sure! Honey should work great.
Dear lord these are unbelievable.
This comment made my day. So glad you love them.
These brownies are fantastic! I make these all the time and my brother, sister and I eat the whole pan in 2-3 days. I did make a slight change to the recipe; I add in slightly less than 1/2 cup of cacao powder instead of the 1/4 that is originally called for… It makes it taste more like dark chocolate brownies and it’s absolutely delicious! I’d eat the entire pan in a day if I could, but I don’t as it’s extremely high in calories, lol….
Do you think I could substitute some chocolate protein powder for the cocoa?
I haven’t ever tried it with chocolate protein powder, but I bet it would work! Let me know how they turn out if you try it. 🙂
I started making these brownies a year ago. What a game changer! This is the recipe that finally convinced my family that healthier treats can taste just as good, if not better, than their processed counterparts. My husband and kids absolutely love these brownies. I make at least one double batch a week. I put them in my two youngest children’s lunches and their friends always want to trade for them. At Christmas, I made a few batches for a work pot luck. They were a huge success. My co-workers could not believe they were made with black beans and maple syrup instead of flour and granulated sugar. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe
Made these yesterday and they were fantastic. I was going to take some to work for a healthy snack, but there were none left after my husband and son discovered them!
So glad that you liked them, Jean! And bonus points that your husband and son enjoyed them too! You’ll have to make another batch to take to work. 🙂
Wondering if you can make these without the chocolate chips…? They look amazing but I don’t have chips! Please advise. Thanks a million!
Hey, I make these brownies without chocolate chips all the time and they always turn out good. You could always make a homemade chocolate frosting to spread on top the brownies, too. That’s what I do and it’s absolutely delicious. It’s real easy to make. Just put 1/2 cup unsweetened cacao powder, 1/4 cup soften butter, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, and 1/8 tsp salt in a bowl. Mx until it becomes creamy and then spread on the cooled brownies. I hope that helps you out.
Oh, I forgot about the honey lol… You add 2-4 TBSP of honey in the frosting, as well.
Thanks so much! Can’t wait to try them!!
Tried these last night and they turned out SO YUMMY! Thanks for the recipe!
I can’t imagine what these must taste like but they sure do look good! 😀 I’m totally down with a healthy brownie 😉
What a sweet gift! These brownies would be what I’d try first too! Like the upgrade you did. They look so delicious!
Just made these today! So good! Thank you for sharing this great recipe.
★★★★★
I have made your recipe in the past, they were delicious! I’m about to make a batch with my daughter right now. Thanks for sharing! ????
★★★★★
Yay! I hope you and your daughter enjoy the brownies.
Hi! These look great. Can I make these without chocolate chips in them? I don’t like chocolate. I know, brownies are chocolate, but other than brownies i don’t like chocolate. Is there a need for them in there?
Just tried one!!! Yum…I’m pleasantly surprised. Thank you.
★★★★★
Hooray! So glad you like them. 🙂
These are insanely good. Will be tagging you on insta soon! 🙂 Q – how long do they keep in the fridge and/or freezer? Thanks!
Oh yay! So glad that you like them Faye. I’ll watch for the tag on IG! They should last 3-4 days in the fridge and 1-2 weeks in the freezer. 🙂
Has anyone tried to freeze these? I am prepping and freezing desserts for my daughter’s first birthday and am trying to make everything free of refined sugar… Please let me know if they hold in the cold! Thanks!
Hi Brooke. I haven’t tried freezing them, but let me know if you try it! Happy birthday to your sweet girl. 🙂
Can i sub the maple syrup for date paste? Is it the same conversion? Thanks 🙂
Hey Kelly. I’m pretty sure date paste will work but I’m not 100% about the conversion because I haven’t tried it with this recipe. Let me know how the brownies turn out if you try it. 🙂
I made these brownies today for my husbands birthday! They’re sooo delicious! A great alternative with no flour, no vegetable oil & no refined sugar! Thanks for the recipe Brittany!
these are amazing! going to make for the 3rd time this month – and love them more than ‘normal’ brownies – I make them in cupcake papers in a muffin tin – easy clean up and serving – thanks so much going to check your other recipes!
These brownies are moist and delicious! I took them to work and my co-workers asked for the recipe… Yummy! Definitely will make these again! ????
Woo-hoo! So glad that you liked them, Shelley and props for sharing with your co-workers instead of just keeping them all to yourself. 😉
Hi! I don’t have a large enough food processor or blender but am interested in making these. I assume these wouldn’t work in a mixer with a whisk attachment, what about if I used an immersion blender? I can puree the black beans in my blender, then put the pureed beans with the rest of the ingredients in a bowl and use the immersion blender to blend everything together? Do you think that would work? If not, what do you suggest? Thanks!
Hi Gabby. I don’t think they will work in a mixer with the whisk attachment because you need to really puree the black beans to get the correct texture. I think I’d mash the beans really good by hand and then use your immersion blender to blend everything. Just don’t over mix the eggs! Let me know how it turns out if you try it. 🙂
I absolutely love this recipe! I have been wanting to make black bean brownies for quite some time now and am so glad I tried this one. Everyone in my family loved them and didn’t think for even a second that they were made using beans. The fudgy texture is to die for! I used a teeny bit less maple syrup, but I don’t think it made a difference at all. SO quick, easy, and sweet-tooth satisfying!!
Hi Alexis! This comment made my night. I’m so happy that you and your family enjoyed the brownies. Thank you so much for trying the recipe. 🙂
These are so amazing!! I just made them today during lunch and my coworkers couldn’t even tell they were healthy! What a great recipe – thank you!
I’m so glad that you liked them, Anne! Thanks for coming back to let me know how they turned out. 🙂
Wow these look so delicious! I could really do with eating one of them right now!!!! I love your blog!
Hi Brittany,
I baked these brownies today, posted a picture on Instagram and tagged you! This is the first time I used Instragram…and I’m very happy to see a response back from you 🙂
They turned out very well and are very easy to make! Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Ahh!! I was so excited to see your Instagram post — thank you so much for sharing and tagging me. 🙂 I’m so glad you enjoyed the brownies.
Hi there, Brittany! This recipe looks fantastic. I have one quick question– do you have any thoughts on how subbing blackstrap molasses for maple syrup would work out in this recipe? I know the flavor would turn out quite different, but I’m a huge fan of that licorice-y taste. I’m just wondering whether other aspects of the recipe, like texture, would turn out very different if I used a thick molasses in place of the relatively thinner maple syrup that your recipe calls for.
Thanks!
Hi there! I think it would work in the recipe and you’d get some extra iron too! Let me know if you try it. 🙂 Also, if you like molasses you might like these protein bars too! (https://www.eatingbirdfood.com/2012/01/vegan-pumpkin-protein-bars/)
Thank you so much! I’ll definitely give them a try 🙂
Zing!! These are amazing!!! I love a sweet treat I can feel good about, and my junk food lovin husband couldn’t detect the beans. Mwahaha :). Thanks for an awesome keeper of a recipe!
can these be made without the egg swapped with a vegan alternative?
I would also like to know if these could be made without egg.
Hi Misty! So I haven’t tried them with an egg substitute yet, but I think I’ll test using 3 flax seeds soon. That said, I did have one person say that they used Bob’s Red Mill egg replacer and that they turned out great! Let me know if you decide to try them egg-free.
I haven’t tried it so I’m not 100%. Let me know if you test it out. 🙂
I’ve been DYING to try black bean brownies! These look so good and the recipe is pretty strait-forward! I will have to try it. I love the maple syrup chart as well, I literally just used up all of my syrup because I use it as a sweetener so often. 😉
oh my goodness these look amazing! What a fabulous, healthy food swap for regular sugary brownies 🙂
http://www.getchaglowon.com
I’ll admit I was skeptical reading “black bean” in brownies, but your photos make them look so good, as I’m sure they taste! Pinned this for future baking 🙂
I love them, I love them, I love them a lot, and they’re officially GONE from my kitchen and into my belly. 😉
Guess that means I need to make more. 🙂
That cookbook is the cutest thing ever! 🙂 And those brownies sound awesome! I haven’t been able to get a batch of black bean brownies to turn out well, but these sound perfect!
I’m always surprised at how good black bean brownies taste! I can’t wait to try your recipe! It looks delicious!
We may just make these today since we are snowed in!
i have been craving for brownies for a while now – this is so going to happen this weekend.
I’ve been wanting to make black bean brownies and this recipe looks perfect!
Black beans in brownies? Totally strange, but I bet it’s delicious! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Now you’ve got me craving black bean brownies! Such a good and healthy treat. Might have to whip up a batch to enjoy throughout the week.
Black beans are a fantastic idea! Never thought of that, although I would have to slip them in while avoiding skeptical onlookers in my house. Thanks for enlightening!
I hate to be that person, but I really do love black bean brownies more than “normal” ones. Something about the texture and how fudgy they are! Can’t wait to make these. Thanks for sharing.
These look delicious! I have always been intrigued by beans in sweet dishes. I really have to give it a try. Thanks for sharing this recipe. 🙂