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!
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.