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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.
These are fantastic! So moist & fudgy. My family is also sugar-free, so I substituted powdered monkfruit for the sugar & added Lily’s sugar-free chocolate chips & chopped pecans- they taste amazingly decadent but they actually aren’t junk food at all!
So yummy thank you
I’ve made this brownie recipe a few times now, we actually love it more than traditional brownies (without black beans). It’s so fishy and decadent without being a toothache! This recipe is great and easy to whip together too
Hi!
Could you clarify some things in the recipe?
1. Did you use 425 net grams of beans, or the whole can contained 425 g beans + liquid?
2. When baking – is the convection on or off?
The can is 425 grams, so the weight of the beans will be a bit less. Convection is on for this one. To make this recipe in a conventional oven, increase the baking temperature to 375°F (190°C) and start checking for doneness at around 35 minutes. Keep an eye on the center; it should jiggle slightly for fudgy brownies or be more set for firmer ones 🙂
These have a really nice flavor. Mine turned out cakey rather than fudgy; I only baked them for 25 minutes otherwise I followed the recipe exactly. Unbelievable that there is a can of black bean and no flour in these!
After coming off of the success of the Chickpea Blondies; I was super excited to try this recipe. It is a terrific healthy fudgy brownie recipe! No “beanie” taste at all! No one suspected a bean was involved and I would have never thought up the idea on my own. They turn out moist, tender, and fudgy. The coffee and cocoa combo gives it a rich flavor. I used canned black beans–drained, rinsed, and blotted dry. I substituted Stevia (per package ratio directions) in place of the sugar. I happened to have some left over chopped toasted walnuts and peanut butter chips, so I gave the chips a rough chop to equal the walnut size and tossed them in before baking as a replacement for the semi sweet chips. I took the advice from a previous comment and turned it into a 1 bowl wonder by mixing the ingredients in the food processor. It took the full 40 minutes for mine to bake. (Not certain if the Stevia affects baking time). This is recipe that I will be making many times over– I’m thinking of doing a duo platter with the Chickpea Blondies. Thank you for showing us a way to make healthy yet tasty treats ! Please keep sharing the Love!
Can I use Splenda or monk fruit
Yes! Many readers have commented that these work well with splenda and monk fruit.
These were dee-licious!….and I have tried many black bean brownie recipes. My twist on them:
– 2 eggs and 1 chia egg (1T chia seed soaked in 2.5T of hot water for a few minutes)
– coconut sugar & monkfruit
– melted coconut oil
– ground coffee
– walnuts (didn’t have choc. chips)
I used my immersion blender and thoroughly blended/mashed the black beans with the egg/chia mix. I didn’t have any black bean skin issues (Trader Joes BB) Even the batter tasted good! Baked in cupcake tin until just firm…..yum.
I’ve made bean brownies a couple times before, but they’ve never been this amazing! I’ll need to double the recipe next time, bc I know this pan is going to get wiped clean in like, 2 days… mostly by me 🤭 Since I already had to blitz the beans, I decided to assemble the rest of the recipe in my Vitamix as well, then mixed in the chocolate chips after pouring the batter into my pan. Also, instead of a neutral oil I opted to use melted butter, which I’m sure enhanced the decadence of these brownies!
Omg! This is the second, but last recipe I will ever use for black bean brownies! So gooey and delicious. I substituted 1/4 of a cup of sugar for 1/4 cup prunes. Wow. I cut it into 20 pieces so that’s only 5g of refined sugar per slice. Plus fruit and veg!! 😝 Seriously amazing.
Delicious, decadent, AND with extra iron, fiber & protein. What’s not to love. Go make these now!