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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 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.
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.
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.
Oh so yummy.
I’ve made them twice now… so good!!!
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!
Haha LOVE IT! So happy to hear you both liked it, Xena! 😀
Do these brownies freeze well?
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!)
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!
I haven’t tried using the recipe yet but can you use kidney beans instead?
I haven’t tried with kidney beans! I think it could work, and would love to hear if you try it how it goes!
These are so delicious!
I just made these and they are absolutely delicious!! I added in 3 TBSP of cashew butter and subbed the sugar for 1/3 cup of maple syrup. I used 70% dark chocolate chips and also topped them with a small handful of choc chips fresh out the oven, which I spread on top once melted and sprinkled on a good pinch of fleur de sal. I didn’t even bother separating dry and wet ingredients, I just popped everything into my food processor in one go. My 5 year old gobbled up a big slice while still hot and asked for more, so big thumbs up for being kid approved and healthy! This is going into my favourites recipe file!
Great recipe, thanks Sarah! Whoodathunk I could make black beans into brownies? I made it from dried beans soaked overnight and simmered on the stovetop. I’m cutting back on sugar in everything I make so I used 1/2 C brown sugar instead of 2/3 C white. And dark choc chunks, plus 1/2 C chopped pecans, lightly toasted. Also 2 T flaxseed meal and 1 T chia seeds, just on general principles. I used some water when blenderizing the cooked beans so the batter was thin, so I added 1/4 C whole wheat flour. Baked in a 9×9 steel pan. Result: a good chocolate fix with just a hint of sweet, and good texture. Next time: double the flaxseed and chia seed, add hemp seed, maybe add other (Colorado legal) hemp-related material. Use oil instead of water when blenderizing the cooked beans–adding water was a rookie mistake.
Thanks for letting us know how all of those changes went, Jim!! Always love seeing folks make a recipe their own! 😀