This fudgy Black Bean Brownies recipe is a decadent gluten-free dessert (and no one will ever guess that they’re packed with black beans!) With over 400 five-star reviews, these bean brownies are perfect for healthy dessert lovers, gluten-free diets, or anyone who just wants to try a fun new recipe. Our community has had success making these with sugar-free alternatives as well as vegan options – see comments!
As I wandered the aisles of some nutrition fair back in college, one of the vendors offered me a sample of seemingly innocent brownies. I accepted the brownie offering, and it was good! But there had to be a catch. This was a nutrition fair after all.
That catch…black beans. Their brownie recipe replaced the flour with black beans! In addition to being gluten-free, a cup of black beans has about half the calories that a cup of all-purpose flour has, it’s got 20% of your daily iron, AND it has a slightly higher protein content (15g).
The nutritionist in me was in love at first bite.
Reader rating
“”OMG. These brownies are delicious!!! My family was hesitant to try them because of the ‘black beans’ but they had no problem gobbling them up!! I will be making these again!”” —Victoria
How to make gluten-free black bean brownies
The secret to moist gluten-free brownies is black beans! They add structure and bulk, while also making them super soft and fudgy.
Step 1: Mix the wet ingredients
You’ll need to rinse, drain, and puree a can of black beans to make a good pasty base. I like using a food processor for this, but you could also use a blender! Blending the beans first removes that distinct beany texture. Then mix in the rest of your wet ingredients.
Step 2: Mix the Dry ingredients
In a separate bowl, mix together the dry ingredients. I like to throw finely ground or instant coffee in with the dries – they add a little something something. Mix the wets and dries separately to make sure everything gets mixed evenly.
Step 3: Bake!
Then just pour the brownie batter into a baking pan, bake, and serve! I have this *condition* where I serve secretly healthy foods to unsuspecting eaters then ask them to guess the secret ingredient. And with this recipe, almost no one guesses the brownies are filled with beans – you really can’t taste them because they’re bursting with chocolate flavor!
Reader rating
“”These are the best brownies I’ve ever had!! You can’t even tell they have black beans in them. I followed the directions exactly, using coconut oil. I also used half milk chocolate chips and half dark chocolate chips because I didn’t have semi-sweet. Can’t stress enough how good these are!!!!” ” —Therese
Substitutions & Variations
This brownie recipe is customizable in so many ways (just take a peek at the comments section to see the delicious modifications our community has had success with)! Here are a few of my personal favorite ways to switch up this recipe:
- Make it vegan but using flax eggs in place of the eggs. Combine 2 Tbsp of flax seeds with 6 Tbsp of water in a blender, then use that as a replacement for the eggs.
- Add nuts, like chopped walnuts, pecans, or even a drizzle of peanut butter!
- Make it lower sugar by using monk fruit, stevia or agave nectar.
- Make them in a muffin tin if you prefer brownies with crispy edges!
Storage
- Refrigerate these brownies for up to 7 days.
- Freeze brownies for up to 3 months. When ready to eat, let them thaw in the fridge before reheating them for best results (I like to pop them in the air fryer for a few minutes to give them a nice texture!)
More secretly healthy desserts you might like
Ingredients
- 1 15-oz can black beans rinsed and drained, 425 g
- 3 large eggs
- 3 Tbsp oil a flavorless oil like canola oil or vegetable oil, 45 mL
- 1 tsp vanilla extract 5 mL
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder 30 g
- ⅔ cup sugar 120 g
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ tsp finely ground or instant coffee optional
- ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips 60 g
Instructions
- Wets: Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C). Puree 1 15-oz can black beans in food processor into a rough paste. In a large bowl, mix together the bean puree, 3 large eggs, 3 Tbsp oil, and 1 tsp vanilla extract.
- Dries: In a separate bowl, combine ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, ⅔ cup sugar, ½ tsp baking powder, ¼ tsp salt, and coffee (if using). Add the dry ingredients to the wets, then stir in ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips.
- Bake: Grease an 8×8 or 9×9 inch pan, then line with parchment paper. Pour in batter and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the edges are visibly cooked and the center doesn't jiggle much when you shake the pan (a toothpick may still come out a little gooey, that's fine!)* Allow brownies to cool before cutting.
Tips & Tricks
Nutrition Information
I originally posted this Black Bean Brownies recipe back when the blog was in its beginning years. I’ve since updated it with new photos and more clear instructions.
diane says
I made a few modifications to this recipe to try and get ever a little bit healthier — I substituted monk fruit sugar for the white sugar, added a scoop of chocolate peanut butter powder, and used dark chocolate chips. My black beans weren’t pureeing very well, so I added a few tablespoons of coffee (since I put it in the batter anyway), and that freed up the blade to puree the beans well. End result — the batter was very wet, but the brownies were a little too dry. I do like them gooey, and 30 minutes was too long. I will definitely try again and cook for less time.
Finley says
I made these for the first time and used my Bullet to blend the eggs and backbeans first and then added the other ingredients and blended til combined, poured the batter into the pan and baked 20 minutes. I didnt get a crinkly brownie top like in the photo 🙁 and once they firmed up they were still quite gooey except around the edges, like eat it with a spoon gooey, so I would probably try again and see how they fared at 30 minutes. I do think they taste a bit different than a normal brownie.
Julia says
SO yummy. I replaced half the sugar and 2 T of oil with a very ripe small banana and added a dash of cinnamon. I think I overcooked, but still so delicious.
Judith Carneal says
Oh so yummy.
I’ve made them twice now… so good!!!
Xena says
I told my boyfriend that I was making brownies using beans to which he just made a face and said “NO”. 30 minutes later he sees me take a bite and close my eyes and skeptically opens his mouth for a tiny bite. He looks at me and asks are you sure this has beans in it.
I am going to be making this for literally any and every occasion.
Thank you!
Sarah Bond says
Haha LOVE IT! So happy to hear you both liked it, Xena! 😀
Mandy says
Do these brownies freeze well?
Sarah Bond says
Yes, you can freeze these black bean brownies! Once they have cooled completely, cut them into portions and place them in an airtight container or freezer bag (just make sure to separate the portions with parchment paper to prevent them from sticking together!)
Mari says
I rarely comment on recipes so this is a special thanks to Sarah for this recipe! I’ve never made black bean brownies, but I just wanted to try something new so I made this.
Instead of 120 g sugar, I added one date while processing the beans and egg. I also added about 60 g of “brown sugar” erythritol, and about a couple tablespoons of sugar because I felt like it.
I also added chocolate whey protein powder, replacing about 8 g of the cocoa powder. Just thought I’d give it an extra protein kick.
I sprinkled in some xantham gum for extra binding and I think that was a good idea!
Lastly, I added a small spoonful of Speculoos, and when it was out of the oven, I put Speculoos, chia seeds, and chocolate sprinkles on top. I think it was a nice touch 🙂
Overall, the brownie took about 25-ish minutes in my electric oven. It came out mostly firm but the toothpick pulled some batter out with it, and smelled heavenly. It firmed up and the texture turned to what I can only describe as a baked no-bake brownie. Taste is really good, but naturally the texture is very different from a regular brownie. It’s delicious, and I’m totally gonna make it again!
Christine says
I haven’t tried using the recipe yet but can you use kidney beans instead?
Sarah Bond says
I haven’t tried with kidney beans! I think it could work, and would love to hear if you try it how it goes!
JaLisa says
These are so delicious!