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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 500 five-star reviews, these bean brownies are perfect for healthy dessert lovers, gluten-free diets, or anyone who just wants to try a delicious new recipe.
save this recipe!I’ve been baking some version of these black bean brownies for years, ever since I tried my first bite of one back in college while studying nutrition.
Since then, I’ve rigorously tested this recipe to achieve absolute perfection. It’s fudgy, rich, and flavorful (without any bean flavor coming through!). And with hundreds of five-star reviews, it’s sure to come out perfect for you too!
- Gluten-free without any special flours
- Perfect make-ahead dessert (they get even better chilled)
- Loved by readers who didn’t think they’d ever enjoy a bean-based dessert
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
Why black beans?
The secret to moist gluten-free brownies is black beans! They add structure and bulk, while also making them super soft and fudgy. 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). For the nutritionist in me, it’s love at first bite.
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 bean 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:
- Top it with caramel (this salted date caramel slathered on top after baking absolutely takes them tot he next level).
- Make it vegan but using flax eggs in place of the eggs. Combine 2 Tbsp of flax meal with 6 Tbsp of hot water Let it sit for 10 minutes until it thickens, 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!
P.S. If you like these, you’ll love my peanut-free chickpea blondies and these flourless sweet potato brownies!
Fudgy Black Bean Brownies (No Flour!)
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 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, 60 g
Instructions
- Wets: Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C). Puree 1 15-oz can black beans (drained and rinsed) 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. (You could also just add everything to the food processor and blitz until smooth. The first method gives your brownies a little more bean texture, while the latter is more smooth.)
- 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. (If chocolate sinks into the batter, then reserve a handful. About 15 minutes into baking, sprinkle the remaining chocolate over the brownies so you can get chocolate layers throughout the brownie.)
- 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.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information calculated by Sarah Bond, degreed nutritionist.
did you make this?Leave a comment below and tag @liveeatlearn on social media! I love seeing what you’ve made!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, while also improving the recipe to be fudgier and less cakey.
I tried this recipe and the brownies were amazing. I did change the sugar for dates but they still turned out perfect! Loved the consistency and they also looked like taken out from a food magazine. My husband found out about the beans by the time he finished three squares. Love them, will keep baking and eating them with little to no remorse.
Yay, so happy to hear! I love that you used dates too! 😀
This recipe seems exactly what I need as I am trying to loose weight but without cutting all the sweets.
Unfortunately I don’t have a blender or food processor, do you think I still can create a puree with just a fork and elbow grease? 🙂
Thanks in advance!
Yes! Elbow grease would work 😀
This would make a great chocolate cake. For some reason it just wasn’t fudgy. Any suggestions? The only changes I made was to use coconut oil for the oil and I pushed the chocolate chips on the top rather than mixing them in.
I would cook them for less time to make these fudgier 🙂 The chocolate chips mixed through the batter also helps make a fudgier texture. Enjoy!
These are by far the best black bean brownies I have made…the recipes out there are definitely hit and miss! I added more coffee powder and used half of an espresso dark chocolate bar and highly recommend! Thank you for your recipes!
YAY! So happy to hear you liked them, Brooklyn! 😀
I really wanted to like this recipe, but I couldn’t get past the black bean skins in the brownies. It was like little pieces of paper mixed in there. I anticipated this and repureed all of the wet stuff to get it as smooth as possible and they were still evident. Also, I baked for 19 minutes and they were over done. I was planning on 30 for them to be fudgy and somehow 19 was too long for fudgy 🤷♀️
Thanks for the feedback, Julie! Your oven might be running just a bit warm, but if you can get them fudgy the black bean texture becomes less apparent.
Hi Sarah, I made your Fudgy Black Bean Brownies and loved them! I did add some chopped up dates in the food processor and they tasted great. My husband couoldn’t tell they had black beans in them either.
Can you tell me if you ever made little mini brownie bites in a mini muffin pan (with paper lining) with this recipe? How long would you cook them for? I want to do that for a Baby Shower and maybe a dollip of whipped cream and a strawberry slice on top to make them look pretty…
Hi Lil! I haven’t actually tried this before but it sounds delish! I would probably try baking them for 20 minutes, then do the toothpick test and see if they need more time. Would love to hear how it goes! 😀
hi sarah! what can i sub eggs for? i’m making it for a friend who’s vegan! can’t wait to try out the recipe
These were amazing! I used coconut oil and coconut sugar so they did have a bit of coconut flavor (which I love). I also added 1/2 dark chocolate chips and 1/2 peanut butter chips. I made them in an 8×8 pan and baked for 30 mins and they turned out perfectly moist and yummy!
Yumm thanks for all the substitution tips, Kim! Sounds delish 😀
well i must say its a kind of juicy delicious and fudge like consistency brownies. my family and my friends loved it. big thanks
So happy to hear they liked them! 😀
Wonderful!