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.
Taylor says
made these today because the recipe was so simple and I was trying to find a unique way to use black beans. not as moist as I’d like, but I might try to bake them for less time next try. worth repeating! chocolate covers the beans well, can’t even taste them.
Sarah says
It masks them wonderfully doesn’t it?! Sorry to hear they turned out a bit dry. I think you’re right in taking a bit of baking time off next time. They should optimally be moist and fudgey 🙂
Lori says
Very tasty. I think next time I make these I would use melted chocolate (or liquid chocolate syrup) instead of chips. The chips sunk unevenly to the bottom of the brownies. I’d prefer a more all over chocolate taste.
Sarah says
Hi Lori! I think melted chocolate or perhaps smaller chocolate chips that don’t sink would work well. The chocolate syrup may be a bit to moist, and I could see it giving the brownies more of a thick pudding consistency. Glad you enjoyed them! 🙂
Sandie says
I used minin chocolate and even a few white chocolate to use up leftover chips.
Dawn says
I can’t wait to try these! One thing I am curious about…is it actual coffee grounds or instant coffee granules?
Sarah says
Hi Dawn, I used ground coffee but you can also use instant coffee if you have it on hand!
Heather says
Any idea of the fibre content? It isn’t listed in the nutrition info.
Sarah says
Hi Heather, great question! There are 1.8 g of fiber per 1 brownie (1/16 recipe), which is about 7% of your daily fiber need. These are mostly oligosaccharides, which are a prebiotic, making them really great for your gut microbes!
Heather says
These are amazing! I added some almond extract in place of the coffee grounds and it tasted fabulous. Thank you so much for this recipe!
Sarah says
Sounds like a really tasty addition, Heather! So happy you liked the recipe 🙂
Michelle says
What is the best way to keep this fresh and for how long? Made these today and it was delicious!!!!
Sarah says
Hi Michelle! I usually store these in an airtight container in the fridge. They should stay good for about a week 🙂
Bonnie says
What a great recipe. Thank you for sharing. I have double the recipe twice in the last days due to graduation parties and the brownies were all gone with only a few knowing that they were made with black beans. Many comments were that these were the best brownies they had had.
I did make blondies also with chickpeas Again another big hit.
So moist and good both recipes.
Again thanks for sharing.
Sarah says
Hi Bonnie, this makes me so happy to hear!! There’s nothing I love more than sneaking healthy ingredients into old classics and having people guess the secret ingredient, muahaha 😉 Thanks so much for leaving a comment!
Liz says
I love these! I am trying to make healthier choices, but still want an occasional sweet treat, these are amazing.
Sarah says
So happy to hear, Liz! 🙂
Mackenzie says
Any idea on making these vegans?
Sarah says
Hey, Mackenzie! I haven’t tried to make a vegan version of this recipe. I’d suggest trying this one from Minimalist Baker. Her recipes always seem to come out great! 🙂
Therese says
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!!!!
I put them in for 40 minutes, but next time I might put them in for about 30 or 35 to make them more gooey, as they did come out a little dry and cakey.
Sarah says
Hi Therese, so happy to hear your loved them!! 😀
Fiona Saluk says
OOhh these look delish – I have tried one bean brownie recipe before but found it to be really gritty. I think the addition of coffee would help, these seem very promising. I’m thinking espresoo powder instead of grounds (simply because I don’t make coffee often enough to have grounds). Thanks for sharing!
Sarah says
Hey Fiona! I think espresso powder would work just fine 🙂 Let me know how it goes!!
Veronica says
I found out I had to go gluten free April of this year. I love baking but now I’m unable to eat everything I used to so I found this recipe while looking for alternatives for my self now that I bake two options sometimes. This was the first gluten free brownie recipe I ever made, and so far the best!! I just wanted to know if you have tried replacing the coffe with coconut flakes? And what about pudding? Because if pudding is as good in this recipe as it is in cake I want to mix in some pistachio or coconut pudding…. If the answer is no, it’s perfectly fine as I am in love with this brownies!!
Sarah says
Hi Veronica! I’m so happy to hear I could help you find a tasty alternative for your new gf diet. I haven’t tried subbing in either coconut flakes or pudding. I think coconut flakes could go really well, however I’m not sure what adding in pudding would do to the texture of the brownies. I think they could end up pretty moist and loose. Pudding on top, however, sounds like my kind of dessert 🙂 If you do experiment with substitutions I’d love to hear how it goes!
May says
Are you supposed to bake them at 350 degrees or 375? Just wondering, because the directions say one thing and on of the intro paragraphs say another ?
Sarah says
Hi May, thanks so much for catching that!! The correct temp and time is 350 degrees F for 30 to 40 minutes. 🙂
Victorria says
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 had to use an 11×7 pan so I only cooked for 30 minutes and they were the perfect, fudge-like consistency. I will be making these again!
Sarah says
So happy to hear that, Victoria!! I also had that “uhh…black beans?” response when I first heard of the concept. It’s always fun to see people’s reactions to it 🙂 So happy you liked them!
Victorria says
Ok so my family turned up their noses when I told them I was making this recipe. Two days later? The pan is scrubbed clean and I only got two pieces. To say this was a hit is an understatement. My mother-in-law is going to try to make these even healthier — using coconut oil, trying other sugar alternatives. Can’t wait to see how those turn out!
Victorria says
I didn’t realize I responded on this already — please feel free to delete this one! 🙂
Obviously I love this recipe.
Sarah says
Hahaha, hello again! I’m so happy to hear how much you love it!! I’d love to hear how the healthier alternative turns out 😀
Sandie says
I made these today and they’re very good. I couldn’t tell they were made of black beans. I do have a question. I added pecans because my family likes nuts in their brownies and if I want them to eat them I thought I better do his. The brownie was a tad crumbly. Any suggestions on how to prevent this next time?
Sarah says
Hi Sandie, I’m so happy you tried out the brownies! These will be a tad more crumbly than regular brownies, but you can prevent too much crumbliness by making sure the brownies cool in the pan before you cut them. I could also see how the nuts might add to crumbliness, so perhaps next time add a bit less. Thanks so much for dropping a note here. Happy cooking! 🙂
Adriana says
I made these today, however, I poured the batter into mini cupcake pans and baked for about 10 minutes less. They are delicious! Although I forgot my kiddos do not like the taste of coconut oil and I think it came though (for my kiddos) to strong. Which i’m fine with, i guess these will be mommies treats!!!! I will make a batch using Veg. oil. Overall this is a simple and good recipe. Thanks for sharing it!
Sarah says
That’s such a great idea, Adriana! Something about having mini versions of things always make me want to eat more of them. I’d be popping these like M&Ms! 😀
Felicity says
These tasted amazing, but they wouldn’t hold together or come out of the pan. I followed the recipe exactly, so I’m not sure what went wrong? And I really did grease the pan, I didn’t skimp! 🙁
Maybe too much moisture in my canned beans? I did drain them but that’s the only thing I can think of, since it seems to be only me having this problem. Perhaps there was a bit of liquid in them that threw it off…
Sarah says
Hey, Felicity! I’m sorry to hear they were a bit crumbly! If you make them again, be sure to really drain the beans, and it could help to let the brownies sit for a while after they get out of the oven. You could also try lining your pan with parchment paper to be sure they won’t stick. With all that said, these will be slightly more crumbly than regular brownies, because they’re missing the gluten that would otherwise hold everything together.
PS: With the leftover crumbles, you could try out these brownie truffles!
steve H says
Noticed in nutrician facts that fiber was not mentioned. Do you know whatit is so as to calculate net carbs?
Sarah says
Hi Steve! Great question. I’ve revised the nutrition facts to include grams of fiber, which is 1.8g per serving (1/16th recipe). Thanks for pointing that out! 🙂
Lauren says
I made these with 2/3 cup of honey instead of sugar and they were amazing!!!
Sarah says
Oh that sounds great, Lauren! Probably a nice round taste, and maybe even chewier 🙂
Robin says
I had friends coming for dinner last night and one of the is diabetic. I had been wanting to make these, so that was the push I needed. So easy to make. I used stevia instead of sugar and used dark chocolate chips since they have less sugar. I must say, they were absolutely delicious. My only problem now is whether to tell my husband that they were made with black beans. He know that they were low carb and no sugar, and he loved them. Just not sure if I should tell him. Such a delicious dilemma.
Sarah says
Haha, that’s so great Robin! Really, such a hard choice. I always like playing the game of “can you guess the hidden veggie?”. See if he has ANY idea! 😀
Eileen says
These were truly fantastic! Will definitely be making them again. Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Ally says
Hi there!! Making these tonight for a healthy valentines day treat for the hubby 🙂 I am by no means a baker… and i mean…. i can mess up remade cookie dough. Would adding in peanut butter morsels along with chocolate chips be okay?! thank you and excited to try!!
Sarah says
Oh how fun!! I haven’t tried this but I think it would be okay to add the peanut butter morsels! I would just replace half of the chocolate chips with peanut butter morsels 🙂 Happy Valentine’s Day!
Angela says
Simply delicious! Moist, dense but not gooey, and the perfect chocolateyness! (Is that a word? Who cares, it is now!)
Thanks for this amazing recipe!
Sarah says
Of COURSE it’s a word! 😀 So happy you like them, Angela!!
BakedOnTheWestCoasT says
Trying these right now. I don’t use white sugar so I used honey in the wet ingredients and I didn’t have coconut oil or veg oil so I used peanut butter. Lol
Totally didn’t measure… Hope these turn out okay ! I’m also baking them in my toaster oven because we don’t have a regular stove/oven. If these are any good with my subs I’ll let you all know ! Xo
Sarah says
I’d love to hear how they turned out! 😀
Kirsten says
HI Sarah – would coconut sugar or honey work for an unrefined option??
Thanks!
Sarah says
Hi Kirsten, I haven’t tried either but they should work! The coconut sugar definitely, and the honey may just make them even stickier and tastier 🙂 I’d love to hear how it goes for you!
Leslie says
I tried these today and they turned out great! I added instant coffee granules and used an 11×8 pan for 25 minutes…. PERFECT! They came out super moist which I was really surprised by.
Surprised my husband with them when he came home and asked if he could figure out the “secret ingredient”. He had no clue and his eyes bugged out when I told him it was black beans. He and I were definitely impressed!
Sarah says
So happy to hear, Leslie! Haha I LOVE playing the game of “Guess the Secret Ingredient” with unsuspecting eaters. So happy you both enjoyed them, and thanks for dropping by and letting me know! 😀
Katie says
With the stevia as a substitute how much did you use?? Also what brand of stevia?
Sarah says
Hi Katie! I usually like this brand of Stevia because it’s great for baking. I usually try 1 part sugar and 1 part stevia (so 1/3 cup sugar, 1/3 cup baking stevia). I’d love to hear how they turn out for you! 😀
Mary says
So no cocoa?
Sarah says
You’ll need unsweetened cocoa powder 🙂
svet says
FANTASTIC recipe! Moist, chocolate-y, and healthy! Thank you!!
Sarah says
So happy to hear, Svet!! You’re more than welcome 😀
Rebekah says
Made these last night and they surprised me. I wasnt sure what to expect with black beans but these were good! I used 1/2c honey instead of sugar and they were very good.
Sarah says
So happy to hear, Rebekah! And thanks for letting me know about the honey, I’ll include it in the recipe for folks who want to avoid refined sugar 😀
Kathy Rorie says
Any idea how much protein per serving?
Sarah says
Hi Kathy! I just calculated the nutrition info for the recipe and put it all in there (this is an older post, before I was regular about including nutrition info). 1 brownie (1/16 recipe) has 3 grams of protein! 🙂
Aurora says
My search for the best beanie brownie is over! Thank you for this recipe. So delish😋
Sarah says
So happy to hear, Aurora!! 😀
Ashley says
I added a blob of peanut butter and swirled it in the batter before baking- soo good!
Sarah says
Such a good idea, Ashley! It probably made them even more gooey and moist 😀
Renee Schouten says
Hi Sarah, I do not have a 9 by 9 pan. Can I use a 9 by 13 pan?
Thanks,
Renee
Sarah says
Hi Renee! You can, but then your brownies will be a bit thinner so you should reduce the cooking time a bit (or double the recipe 😀 ).
convolutedthinker says
This looks really good! Do you know if it’d work as a sheet pan brownie recipe?
Sarah says
It should! Though if it’s a large pan I would probably double the recipe to they are still nice and thick 😀
Jo Carroll says
Hi Sarah, I’m type 2 diabetic. What do you think about 2/3 cup applesauce substituted for the sugar and 3 Tbsp applesauce in place of the oil.
Thanks,
Jo
Sarah says
Hi Jo! I haven’t tried this recipe with those substitutions so I’m not entirely sure. I would give it a go if I were you, and perhaps add in some “sweetening” spices like cinnamon and nutmeg to help bring out the natural sweetness of the beans. I’d love to hear how it turns out! 🙂
Debbie L. says
O-M-G! I made these yummy brownies today following exactly, the recipe you’ve provided — including the addition of the coffee granuals. I did, though, alter the instructions slightly— mixing the oil with the beans and “mashing” them together with an immersion blender. (This allowed for a smoother mash than I could get with my food processor.). The final product was DELICIOUS!
I will definitely make these again.
Thanks for sharing your recipe!
Sarah says
So happy to hear Debbie!! 😀
Katie says
Hi! I am curious if I can make the batter a couple hours before so when my guests arrive I can pop them in after dinner…. trying to trick my guests into thinking they are “real” brownies haha
Ps. I made them previously and LOVED them!
Sarah says
Hi Katie! I haven’t tried this before so I can’t say for sure, but I think a couple hours prior would be just fine. You might run into problems with rising if you keep it in the fridge overnight (or longer), but I don’t think you would have any issues with a couple hours 😀
Paula says
Thank you for an excellent recipe. I am trying to prepare for our Christmas dinner, doing anything ahead that I can. Can these be frozen?
Sarah says
Hi Paula! I haven’t tried freezing them before, but other black bean brownie recipes around the web seem to have luck with freezing. My recommendation would be to whip up a batch this weekend and freeze them, then try them out in a few days. Then you’ll know for sure if it works (plus you’ll have a good excuse to eat brownies) 😀
Susan says
I use Stevia instead of sugar. Would this work in this recipe?
Sarah says
Hi Susan, I haven’t tried Stevia for this recipe, but I think it would work (as long as you use the Stevia equivalent that is recommended on the package)
Saphira says
Could I use Red Kidney beans instead of black? (Canned)
Sarah says
Absolutely! 😀
Bev Chapman says
These were absolutely delicious!
Also super easy to make.
Sarah says
Happy to hear, Bev! 😀
Joe says
If you coat the chips in flour before you add them they won’t sink.
Sarah says
Thanks for the tip, Joe! Such a great idea 😀
Jacynthe says
Thank you sooooo much for sharing this recipe!
I had friends over for dinner last night and I wanted to try something new.. Everybody loved it so much. Very moist and tasty, plus it is healthier. It is my new favourite brownie. Will do it again and again 😊
Sarah says
So happy you liked them, Jacynthe!! 😀
Melanie says
Sounds like such a fantastic recipe, I can’t wait to try it out! Has anyone substituted the sugar for the amount of applesauce? Would that work?
Sarah says
Hi Melanie! I haven’t tried this recipe with applesauce so I’m not entirely sure. I would give it a go if I were you, and perhaps add in some “sweetening” spices like cinnamon and nutmeg to help bring out the natural sweetness of the beans. I’d love to hear how it turns out! 😀
Liz says
Tonight is probably the sixth time I’ve made these in about 3 weeks. They are so delicious! I haven’t tried it with the coffee yet. I use only 1/3 cup chips, and bake for about 30-33 minutes in a convection oven. Thanks for this awesome recipe. You’d never know what the ingredients are.
Sarah says
Haha, so happy to hear, Liz!! You definitely don’t need the coffee but it gives it a little something extra 😀
Daria says
Great! I put half of the chocolate chips on top and half incorporated. Also topped with walnuts and it came out gorgeous AND yummy
Sarah says
Oooh love the idea of topping it with chocolate! 😀
Glenn says
I made these and they’re really bad? I don’t know if I did anything wrong but they just don’t taste sweet at all, I followed the instructions correctly, came out awfully… :/
Sarah says
Sorry to hear that, Glenn! Are you sure you added enough sugar? This recipe calls for 2/3 cup which is actually quite a bit. Though everyone’s tastes are different for sure 🙂
Vina M Platania says
Hi Sarah I made them with truvia instead of sugar and coconut oil. Instead of semi sweet chocolate pieces I use cocoa nibs and added pecans. They were amazing
Sarah says
So glad to hear, Vina! And thanks for letting us know that those substitutions worked! Many people have asked, especially about the truvia/stevia and coconut oil but I haven’t had the chance to try it out 😀