Fudgy Black Bean Brownies
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These fudgy black bean brownies are rich, chocolatey, and naturally gluten free. Made with simple ingredients, they bake up soft and decadent every time.
With over 100 five star reviews these black bean brownies are one of EBF’s most popular dessert recipes so if you haven’t tried them yet, here’s your sign!
They’re a breeze to whip up and come out tasting moist, fudgy and plenty sweet. And trust me, nobody will even be able to tell that they’re made with black beans. They get blended up in your food processor and are completely undetectable. The beans essentially just replace flour, plus they add some fiber and protein.
I’ve tried other black bean brownie recipes before and none have turned out as good as this recipe, if I do say so myself. I think you’re going to LOVE them just as much as we do!
Table of Contents
“No one knew these weren’t regular brownies! I’ll definitely be making these more often… love that they weren’t too sweet; sometimes brownies are sickly sweet and these were perfect!”
Why I Love These Black Bean Brownies
- Ultra fudgy texture: These brownies bake up soft, dense, and chocolatey, with that classic fudgy center.
- Simple prep: Everything comes together in a food processor, which keeps the prep quick and the batter smooth.
- Naturally gluten free: No flour needed, and they’re easy to adapt for different dietary needs.
- Sweetened with maple syrup: A natural sweetener that pairs perfectly with the rich chocolate flavor.
Ingredients Needed
- black beans – acts as a flour substitute and adds protein and fiber! I used one can of black beans (drained and rinsed), but you can always use dry black beans instead. I haven’t tried this, but someone else used 154g of dry black beans and the brownies turned out well.
- eggs – helps bind the ingredients together and provide structure for the brownies.
- coconut oil – to help add moisture to the brownies. Olive oil, avocado oil or butter works as a substitute.
- cacao powder – can’t have brownies without cocoa powder for that chocolate flavor! If you don’t have raw cacao powder, unsweetened cocoa powder works too! I really like Navitas organic cacao powder.
- sea salt and baking powder – two baking essentials!
- pure vanilla extract – for some added flavor.
- pure maple syrup – the perfect liquid sweetener for these brownies. Just be sure to use pure maple syrup, not the artificial kind labeled “pancake syrup” that’s made from corn syrup. Another liquid sweetener like honey or agave would also work.
- chocolate chips – can’t have brownies without chocolate chips! Feel free to use your favorite brand!
- walnuts – I love the added crunch the chopped walnuts add, but you can totally skip these or use another nut instead.
Dietary Substitutions
- Vegan: To make this recipe vegan you could use flaxseed eggs. I have tested these brownies with flax eggs and the brownies turned out, they just didn’t rise as well.
- Nut-free: Skip the walnuts and top your brownies with more chocolate chips if you prefer.
- Dairy-free: Make sure the chocolate chips you’re using are dairy-free.
- Low-sugar: To reduce the sugar content of these brownies you could use stevia-sweetened chocolate chips like Lily’s chocolate chips and swap the maple syrup with sugar-free monk fruit maple syrup.
How to Make Black Bean Brownies
Step 1: Preheat the oven and grease baking pan. Place the beans, eggs, maple syrup, coconut oil, cocoa powder, salt and vanilla in the bowl of a food processor or blender and blend until smooth.
Step 2: Remove the blade and gently stir in your chocolate chips and walnuts, if using.
Step 3: Transfer mixture to the prepared baking dish. Bake for 35 minutes, or until brownies are set in the center and a toothpick comes out clean.
Step 4: Cool completely, cut into squares and enjoy!
Tips for the Best Black Bean Brownies
- Blend until completely smooth: Take an extra minute to fully blend the batter so the brownies bake up soft and fudgy with no texture from the beans.
- Do not overbake: Pull the brownies when the center is just set. They’ll continue to firm up as they cool and stay nice and fudgy.
How to Serve
I love eating these brownies plain, but if you want to get fancy here are some topping ideas:
- Nut butter – Add a drizzle of nut butter on top of your brownies for some healthy fats and added protein.
- Coconut whip – These brownies would be delicious with a dollop of coconut whip cream on top!
- Ice cream – You can’t go wrong with a scoop of ice cream when serving these brownies!
- Caramel sauce – These brownies paired with a drizzle of my date caramel sauce would be to die for!
- Yogurt – Want to eat a brownie for breakfast? Crumble it on top of some Greek yogurt (or any yogurt of choice) with a sprinkle of granola (this homemade granola is delicious) and fresh berries. Like a breakfast brownie sundae… so yummy!
How to Store
These brownies never last long in our house, but here are some storing tips:
- At room temperature: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 4-5 days.
- In the fridge: Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to one week.
- In the freezer: These brownies freeze well! Store them in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months. To thaw, place the brownies in the fridge overnight or at room temperature for a few hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
These black bean brownies are still considered a treat, but they’re definitely made with more nutritious ingredients than many desserts and baked goods. They’re made without flour so are lower in calories than many brownie recipes and they have 4 grams of protein per brownie. Plus, they’re naturally sweetened with maple syrup.
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 or blender.
I haven’t tried using another bean for these brownies and I wouldn’t recommend it. I. do have a recipe for chickpea brownies if you want to use chickpeas.
Yes, you can use a high-speed blender to make these brownies if you don’t have a food processor.
More Brownie Recipes to Try
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
Black Bean Brownies
Ingredients
- 1 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup pure maple syrup
- ⅓ cup melted coconut oil
- ¼ cup cocoa powder, or raw cacao powder
- ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ cup dairy-free chocolate chips
- ⅓ cup chopped raw walnuts, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and grease an 8×8-inch baking pan.
- Place beans, eggs, maple syrup, coconut oil, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder and vanilla in the bowl of a food processor 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!
Video
Notes
- Eggs: To make this recipe vegan you could use 3 flax eggs (1 Tablespoon flaxseed + 3 Tablespoons water for each egg). I have tested these brownies with flax eggs and the brownies turned out, they just didn’t rise as well.
- Coconut oil: Melted butter, avocado oil or olive oil works too.
- Maple syrup: Another liquid sweetener like honey or agave would also work.
- Walnuts: You can totally skip these or use another nut instead.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Equipment
Like This Recipe? Rate & Comment Below!
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. 🙂