Fudgy Black Bean Brownies
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These rich and fudgy Black Bean Brownies are made with feel-good ingredients, like canned black beans, maple syrup, and coconut oil, making them a truly delicious gluten-free dessert. You won’t even notice the beans!
Why you’ll love this family favorite recipe!
A feel-good treat – This recipe for black bean brownies is proof that you don’t need eggs, sugar, flour, or butter to make some seriously good brownies. Bonus: they’re naturally gluten-free!
Rich and fudgy – These brownies are as decadent as my fudgy vegan brownies, thanks to the black beans (a perfect flour replacer), cocoa powder, chocolate chips, and coconut oil.
Protein! Yes, just like my cottage cheese brownies, these brownies have some sneaky protein (approx. 4 grams per brownie)! They’re practically a health food when you think about it…
Table of Contents
Brownies don’t last long in my house because I admittedly can’t resist their fudgy, chocolatey charm. It’s why I like sneaking good-for-you ingredients into my brownie recipes, like my chickpea brownies and sweet potato brownies. That way, I don’t feel so bad about eating them all!
This is why I always have a can of black beans in the back of my cupboard. It’s the perfect excuse to make these Black Bean Brownies over and over again! They’re a flourless and gluten-free treat with some sneaky protein thanks to, you guessed it, black beans.
And don’t worry, friends… Flourless brownies with black beans do NOT taste like beans. The beans are simply there as a flour replacer and for some plant protein. All you get is the rich, chocolatey goodness you crave from a classic brownie.
This is one of my favorite recipes on the internet. Every single time I make them, people eat all of them and have the exact same reaction when I tell them they’re black beans—”no way!”
– Sarah
Black Bean Brownie Ingredients
Black beans – I used a can of black beans because they were already in my cupboard, but dry black beans cooked from scratch would also work.
Coconut oil – The source of fat that makes these brownies nice and gooey. I recommend using refined coconut oil to avoid any coconut flavors. Melted butter might work as a substitute, but I haven’t tried it.
Cane sugar – My main sweetener of choice for this dessert (along with some maple syrup). Coconut sugar or date sugar will also work.
Cocoa powder – I like using unsweetened cocoa powder, but you can use natural or Dutch-processed cocoa powder if you’d prefer.
Chocolate chips – The chocolate chips add a little more sweetness to make this “healthy-ish” recipe feel like an indulgent dessert. Try not to skip them!
This list provides further clarification on a few of the ingredients. See the recipe card below for the complete ingredient list.
Variations
- Vegan option – I haven’t tested vegan black bean brownies, but you can try replacing the eggs with an egg replacer or two flax eggs (2 tablespoons ground flaxseed mixed with 5 tablespoons water). The brownies may not hold together as well, but they will still taste delicious.
- Coconut oil substitute – If you don’t want to use coconut oil, I’d opt for avocado oil instead. Olive oil might be too overpowering for this recipe.
- Add espresso powder – Adding 1 or 2 teaspoons of espresso powder is optional, but it will take the richness to another level.
- More mix-ins – Combine the chocolate chips with pretzel pieces, chopped nuts, or fresh raspberries.
How to Make Black Bean Brownies
Step 1: Mash the beans. Start by pulsing the beans in the food processor until no whole beans remain.
Step 2: Add wet ingredients. Next, add the coconut oil, eggs, syrup, and vanilla, and pulse to combine them with the mashed beans.
Step 3: Add the rest. Add the sugar, cocoa, baking powder, and salt to the food processor and pulse to combine. Remove the blade, then fold in the chocolate chips with a spatula.
Step 4: Bake. Pour the brownie batter into a baking pan and sprinkle extra chocolate chips over top. Bake the brownies until the edges are firm and set.
Step 5: Cool, then slice. Set the brownies aside to cool, then slice them into bars and remove them from the pan. Enjoy!
Erin’s Tips and Tricks
- Start this recipe by draining and rinsing the black beans under running water. This will remove as much of the bean flavor as possible.
- No food processor? Use a mixing bowl and an electric mixer to make the brownies by hand. Just make sure those beans are well mashed before getting started!
- This recipe either makes 9 large brownies or 16 smaller brownies, depending on how you cut them.
My Pro Tip
Let Them Cool
These brownies need AT LEAST 20 minutes to cool down after baking. They’ll be way too moist and soft after baking, leaving you with a big, chocolatey mess to clean up if you don’t wait!
Black Bean Brownie FAQs
No! The black beans are only there for that gooey, fudgy texture. The cocoa powder and sweeteners do a fantastic job of covering up any bean flavors.
These brownies can be a little finicky, which is why I don’t recommend making too many substitutions. However, if they’re a little too sweet for your taste, try replacing the cane sugar with an equal amount of monk fruit sweetener or reduce the chocolate chips by half.
I haven’t tested it, but one medium mashed banana or an equal amount of unsweetened applesauce should work as an oil-free substitute for the coconut oil.
Storage
Room temperature: Keep the baked and cooled brownies covered and on the counter for up to 3 days.
Refrigerator: Black bean brownies keep for up to 1 week when stored in an airtight container in the fridge.
More Gluten-Free Desserts
Fudgy Black Bean Brownies
Video
Ingredients
- 1 can black beans, (15 oz. can), drained and rinsed
- 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1/2 cup cane sugar
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Place beans in food processor and pulse; add coconut oil, eggs, syrup, and vanilla and pulse to mix together.
- Add in sugar, cocoa, baking powder, and salt and pulse to combine. Remove blade from food processor and stir in chocolate chips by hand.
- Coat a 8×8 baking pan with coconut oil and then pour batter into pan, using a spatula to smooth and even it out.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until edges have hardened. Allow AT LEAST 20 minutes for brownies to cool before cutting and removing from pan.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Can this be made with Just Egg.
I haven’t tried it but I’m guessing yes?
Can I use chickpeas, out of black beans right now :/
I have a chickpea brownie recipe that you should try instead: https://thealmondeater.com/chickpea-brownies/
Hi. What size can of black beans please
15 oz.
I can’t wait to make these. Do you know how much sugar substitute (Swerve) to use?
Hi! I don’t I’m sorry — I’ve never used that kind before. When in doubt use less, especially because these have chocolate chips in them to help sweeten them.
My college freshman self just became gluten free 🙁 I have been looking for ways to eat more sweets that are healthy (“ish” lol) and gluten free for my sweet tooth! These brownies turned out amazing..I was even able to trick some of my family into eating them and they loved it! Thank you for sharing your kindness 🙂 A 10/10 recipe! I will be using this daily.
This makes me so happy! I’m glad you like the brownies 🙂
These are crazy delicious and nutritious! Love them so much they’ve become part of our Halloween tradition topped with “bats” 😂 Basically, Back to Nature chocolate cookies made into bats with candy eyes.
This is such a cute idea! So happy you like the brownies 🙂
These brownies are AMAZING! I make these all the time now for my kids and they LOVE them. I made them for Thanksgiving last year and they were a huge hit…people chose them over pie and other desserts and then were elated when I brought them again for Christmas. Thank you so much for this recipe – it’s so easy and delicious. I usually end up doubling it and baking it in a 9×13 baking pan – it takes a bit longer, but works perfectly!
Thanks for your kind comment, Sara! I’m so happy everyone likes them, and that they work in a larger pan too.
I just made these tonight!! 11/13/20 and they came out amazing! I did a few substitutions, I used coconut sugar and greased the pan with grass fed butter and when it was finished i added more butter (because…why not)? When they were finished baking I had the wife try one (she hates black beans) and I got a “very good” response from her! I think we have a WINNER!!
Thanks Brian!! I’m glad your wife approved too.
I have trouble with recipes that call for “one can” of something. I like to know a quantity, partly because cans may come in differing sizes depending on the brand, but also because I always prefer to cook my own beans instead of using canned ones. Home-cooked beans are so much nicer than canned ones! Also, if the recipe calls for one cup of beans, it must specify whether that is a cup of uncooked beans, or a cup after soaking or cooking. Looking forward to trying this recipe. I’ve also heard that lima beans make good brownies.
Hi Barbara — if you want to use dry beans instead, I’d refer to this article which explains how to do so: https://www.thespruceeats.com/dried-bean-conversions-and-measurements-1388322
Hi! I don’t think this question has been asked yet, but is there a recommended egg substitute? I have “egg substitute.” Would that work for this recipe?
That might work! If I’m substituting an egg I almost always use flax eggs– you could try that. 1 flax egg = 1 tbsp flaxseed meal + 2.5 tbsp water. Let me know how that works!