These flourless Black Bean Brownies are made with wholesome ingredients like black beans, oats, coconut oil, and maple syrup, but they will satisfy ALL your chocolate cravings with their over-the-top fudgy texture and decadence.
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These brownies will blow your mind.
Black bean brownies are truly rich, fudgy, and all-around incredible. Do they taste like beans? NO! They do not!
Just like the avocado in my Avocado Brownies or sweet potato in Sweet Potato Brownies, the black beans give you some nutrients in your dessert without overtaking its flavor. But rest assured, they also have all the chocolate goodness you NEED in a brownie.
Gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, and nut-free, they are a great dessert to bring to parties where there may be allergies present. And rest assured, this black bean brownie recipe is simple! The food processor does the heavy lifting (or shall I say blending).
5 Star Review
“I am honestly shocked…these are SO good. I brought them to a get together and everyone was SHOOK that they had black beans.”
— Elaine —
Tips for Fudgy Black Bean Brownie Perfection
- Don’t Skip the Espresso Powder. Espresso powder is one of my go-to ingredients for brownies, and I find it’s particularly important for fabulous black bean brownies. It really brings out the chocolate flavor, making them even richer. Instant coffee can be used instead.
- Swap in Oat Flour to Use a Regular Blender. If you don’t have a food processor or high-speed blender, you can make this black bean brownie recipe in a regular blender by swapping 1 cup of tightly packed oat flour for the rolled oats.
- Don’t Overbake. These black bean brownies are done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean—which means it’s totally fine to have some melted chocolate from the chocolate chips on there.
- Chill First. For the best-ever flavor and texture, let the brownies chill in the refrigerator for a few hours first… or just go for it; I don’t blame you.
More Recipes for (Healthy) Brownie Lovers
- These Healthy Brownies are the OG—the recipe that convinced me you CAN have your brownies and eat them too. They’re decadent and delicious, even in a lightened up form.
- When summer brings you its bounty, use it to make these Zucchini Brownies. (And yes, just like these black bean brownies, you’re not going to taste the zucchini. I promise!)
- Eggs? Butter? Who needs ’em! These Vegan Brownies are delectable without any animal products.
Black Bean Brownies
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 28 minutes
Total: 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 16 brownies, very thick
These flourless black bean brownies are rich and delicious, with a fudgy texture that's impossible to resist. Vegan, gluten-free and nut-free!
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Ingredients
- ½ cup refined coconut oil* melted and slightly cooled, or canola oil or light olive oil
- 1 cup old fashioned rolled oats**
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 (15-ounce) cans low sodium or no-salt black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup pure maple syrup
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder sifted if lumpy
- 2 teaspoons espresso powder or instant coffee
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup chocolate chips*** mini semi-sweet, divided
Instructions
- Place a rack in the center of your oven and preheat to 325 degrees F. Coat an 8×8-inch baking pan with nonstick spray, then line with parchment paper so the paper overhangs two opposite sides like “handles.”
- In a small, microwave-safe bowl, melt the coconut oil for 20 to 30 seconds, until only a few solid pieces remain. Stir and allow the residual heat to melt it completely. Let cool to room temperature (this will take about 5 minutes). If using canola or olive oil, no need to melt.
- To a food processor or a high-powered blender, add the oats and baking powder (see notes if using a regular blender or something like a Nutribullet). Blend until the oatmeal turns into a fine, oat-flour consistency, about 1 minute.
- Add the beans and blend for 30 seconds. Stop, scrape down the bowl (the mixture will be thick with dry oat spots), and blend for 30 seconds more, until the beans are broken up and it looks grainy.
- With the machine running, pour in the maple syrup and coconut oil through the feed tube. Blend for 1 to 2 minutes, topping to wipe down the bowl as needed, until the mixture is very smoothly combined.
- To the food processor, add the cocoa powder, espresso powder, vanilla, and salt (use ¼ teaspoon salt if your beans are regular or low sodium; use ½ teaspoon if they are unsalted). Blend until the batter is well combined and thick, about 1 minute, stopping to scrape down the bowl halfway through.
- Turn off the food processor, carefully remove the blade, and add three-quarters of the chocolate chips. Use a spatula to prod them around in the batter so they are evenly distributed as possible (this is a little tricky because of the hole in the center of the food processor bowl, but just do your best).
- Scrape the batter into the prepared pan—it will be thick, sticky, and glorious. With a knife or spatula, smooth the top into an even layer. Sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips evenly over the top.
- Bake black bean brownies until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean (the melted chocolate chips may stick a bit), about 28 to 30 minutes. The center of the brownie should look set and no longer sticky like a batter.
- Place the pan on a wire rack. Let the brownies cool in the pan for 30 minutes, then use the parchment paper to lift them onto a cutting board. Slice and enjoy! (For the best-ever flavor and texture, let them chill in the refrigerator for a few hours first…or just go for it, I don’t blame you).
Video
Notes
*Refined coconut oil has a neutral flavor; if you use virgin coconut oil, it will have a coconut flavor. Pick whichever is your preference, or keep it simple and use canola oil, which has a neutral flavor. Olive oil with have a subtle flavor (which I like with chocolate, but it’s up to you).
**If you don’t have a food processor or high-speed blender, you can make this recipe in a regular blender by swapping 1 cup of tightly packed oat flour for the rolled oats.
***Mini chocolate chips distribute more evenly and nearly melt into the brownies, while keeping them super fudgy. You can swap regular chocolate chips instead of minis if you prefer.
This recipe yields a super tall, ultra thick, fudgy brownie. For a thinner brownie, halve all of the ingredients except the chocolate chips (use 2/3 cup total). The thinner brownies will bake in 24 to 25 minutes and be more low calorie.
- TO STORE: Store black bean brownies in an airtight container at room temperature, or in the fridge for up to 1 week.
- TO REHEAT: Enjoy leftovers at room temperature or, to make them extra fudgy, warm slightly in the microwave.
- TO FREEZE: Cover the brownies uncut in the pan with foil and store frozen for up to 2 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
Serving: 1brownieCalories: 232kcalCarbohydrates: 28gProtein: 3gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.4gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 1mgPotassium: 286mgFiber: 4gSugar: 18gVitamin A: 7IUVitamin C: 0.003mgCalcium: 63mgIron: 2mg
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I took a risk and made these for a family gathering. I didn’t tell everyone till after they tasted then that they were black bean brownies. Everyone liked them and were very surprised. Delicious and fudgy.
I baked in a 9×9 28 minutes and stired in all the chocolate chips
So glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Sheryl! Thank you!
These black bean brownies are absolutely delicious! They have that perfect fudgy texture that I love in brownies, and the chocolate flavor is rich and satisfying. I honestly couldn’t tell there were black beans in them, but they gave the brownies such a great moist consistency. It’s the perfect balance of healthy and indulgent, and I’m definitely making these again.
Yay! So glad you enjoyed them, Kathryn!
I made these brownies and they turned out awesome! It was nice to eat a brownie and not feel guilty about eating it. I was really surprised as to how good the taste was and I would have never known that there were beans in it if I didn’t make it myself. These brownies sure do satisfy your cravings for chocolate. It was also hard just to eat just one.
So glad to hear you enjoyed them, Cynthia! Thank you!
I made these black bean brownies for the first time today, and they turned out so much better than I expected! The texture is perfect it is moist and dense, with a deep chocolate flavor. The black beans are completely hidden, and the brownies taste just like a regular, indulgent dessert. I’m so happy I found this recipe and it’s the perfect way to enjoy brownies without the guilt!
So glad you enjoyed it, Jodie! Thank you!