You’ll Never Guess What’s in These Brownies 🫘

Black Bean Brownies

These 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. You’ll never guess they’re made with beans!

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Why You’ll Love This Vegan Black Bean Brownies Recipe

• Fudgy and Amazing. I’m not sharing this black bean brownie recipe to coax you into a healthier, but inferior-tasting, dessert option. These brownies are truly rich, fudgy, and all-around incredible. I am particularly famous (not tryin’ to brag…) for my One Bowl Brownies (which my friends lovingly call “THE Brownies”) and Healthy Brownies, so you can trust me. I know my brownies!
• No Bean Flavor. Promise! Like my Chickpea Blondies and Chickpea Cookie Dough, the beans serve to replace some of the fat, making these black bean brownies have lower calories and less cholesterol/saturated fat, while also making the bars super moist. 
• Stealthily Healthy. 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. But rest assured, they also have all the chocolate goodness you NEED in a brownie.
• Perfect for Special Diets. Gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, and nut-free, they are a great dessert to bring to parties, where there may be allergies present. These Vegan Brownies are another great option and are extremely fudgy as well.
• Easy to Make. This black bean brownie recipe is simple! The food processor does the heavy lifting (or shall I say blending).

How to Make Black Bean Brownies

The Ingredients

• Coconut Oil. Refined coconut oil has a neutral flavor, whereas virgin coconut oil will have a coconut flavor. Both work; choose which you prefer! Canola oil or olive oil can also be used. Canola oil has a neutral flavor; olive oil adds a subtle fruity flavor, which I personally like with the chocolate.
• Oats. Why stop at the black beans when making healthy brownies? Choosing old fashioned rolled oats over all-purpose flour adds fiber and protein.
• Black Beans. Canned beans work great for this simple black bean brownie recipe. Use low-sodium (or no-salt) canned black beans.
• Maple Syrup. This natural sweetener adds a lovely maple flavor.
• Cocoa Powder. Sift your cocoa powder to remove any lumps.
• Espresso Powder. Espresso powder is one of my go-to ingredients to add to brownies to make them taste better. It brings out the chocolate flavor, making them even richer. Instant coffee can be used instead.
• Vanilla. Pure vanilla extract is another one of my not-so-secret ingredients to add to brownies to make them dynamite. It balances and intensifies the chocolate flavor.
• Chocolate Chips. Use semi-sweet (or dark chocolate chips) for the perfect chocoholic hit. Mini chocolate chips distribute more evenly and nearly melt into the brownies, while keeping them super fudgy. You can swap in regular chocolate chips if you prefer; the brownies will be a little less firm and fudgy, but still delish.

The Directions

1. Combine. Add oats and baking powder to a food processor or high-powered blender.

2. Blend. Blend into oat flour.

3. Add Beans. Let’s get fudgy!

4. Blend. The mixture will be thick.

5. Add Liquids. Pour in the maple syrup and melted coconut oil and blend until combined.

6. Add the Next Ingredients. Blend in cocoa powder, espresso powder, vanilla, and salt. 

7. Finish the Batter. Stir in chocolate chips.

8. Assemble. Pour into baking pan. Sprinkle chocolate chips over top.

9. Bake. Bake black bean brownies at 325 degrees F for 28-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean.

10. Finish. Cool brownies on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Remove from pan. Slice. ENJOY!

Storage Tips

• To Store. Store vegan black bean brownies in an airtight container at room temperature, or refrigerate 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.

Recommended Tools to Make this Recipe

• Nesting Mixing Bowls. I use this set for everything. They stack for easy storage, and there’s a size for every task.
• 8×8 Baking Pan. My favorite baking pan for brownies, bars, and more.
• Parchment Paper. These pre-cut sheets are a nice short cut.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

• No Blender Option. 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.
• The Secret to Fudgy Black Bean Brownies. Simple and I hate to say it, but 1) follow this recipe, and 2) do NOT over bake them. Brownies are done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean (melted chocolate chips on there doesn’t count).
• 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.

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Black Bean Brownies

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Fudgy black bean brownies are rich and fudgy—no bean taste! A healthy brownie recipe that's quick, easy, and super decadent. Delicious!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 28 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Servings 16 brownies, very thick

Calories 232kcal

Author Erin Clarke / Well Plated

Ingredients

• 1/2 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
• 1/4 to 1/2 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 1/4 teaspoon salt if your beans are regular or low sodium; use 1/2 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).
  

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: 1brownie | Calories: 232kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Potassium: 286mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 7IU | Vitamin C: 0.003mg | Calcium: 63mg | Iron: 2mg

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