Black Bean Brownies (Printable)

Fudgy chocolate brownies made with black beans for a rich, gluten-free treat with a nutritious twist.

# Ingredient list:

→ Wet Ingredients

01 - 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
02 - 2 large eggs
03 - 1/3 cup melted coconut oil (or unsalted butter)
04 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

→ Dry Ingredients

05 - 2/3 cup granulated sugar or coconut sugar
06 - 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
07 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
08 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Mix-Ins

09 - 1/3 cup dark chocolate chips (plus extra for topping, optional)
10 - 1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

# Cooking steps:

01 - Set oven to 350°F. Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper or grease lightly.
02 - Combine black beans, eggs, melted coconut oil, and vanilla extract in a food processor. Blend until fully smooth, scraping sides as needed.
03 - Add sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt to the wet mixture. Blend once more until batter is thick and creamy.
04 - Gently fold chocolate chips and nuts, if using, into the batter using a spatula.
05 - Pour batter evenly into the prepared pan. Optionally, sprinkle extra chocolate chips atop.
06 - Bake for 22 to 25 minutes until center is set and a toothpick inserted comes out mostly clean with moist crumbs.
07 - Remove from oven and allow to cool completely in pan. For fudgier texture, refrigerate at least one hour before slicing.

# Expert advice:

01 -
  • They taste like pure fudge but hide an entire can of beans, making you feel virtuous while eating dessert.
  • No flour means no gluten, but also means you skip the dense, dry texture that plagues some flourless brownies.
  • The whole process takes under 40 minutes from craving to cooling, and most of that is just the oven doing its thing.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the canned beans—that starchy liquid is the reason some black bean baked goods taste chalky.
  • The batter will seem thinner than regular brownies, but trust it; the beans release moisture as they bake and create that fudgy interior.
  • These brownies are best served chilled, when the chocolate and bean base have set into that perfect fudgy texture that melts on your tongue.
03 -
  • Use a hot knife dipped in water to cut brownies cleanly—it wipes off the fudgy residue and gives you crisp edges instead of torn corners.
  • If your brownies come out slightly underbaked, that's actually perfect; they'll set up more as they cool and develop that sought-after fudgy texture that nobody gets on the first try.
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