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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.
hi, I was wondering what you meant exactly by, “rinse and drain” the beans. every time I use canned beans I open them and allow the excess water to spill out of the can. when you say rinse, do you mean rinse them in water or simply allow the excess water out? I just wanted to be extra sure. im super excited to try this recipe! just went to the store to get every ingredient I needed 🙂
Hi Bianca! I like to put them in a strainer/colander and actually rinse with fresh water to get some of that bean flavor out 🙂 Enjoy!!
Loved these! I would call the texture more “cake-ish” though. Definitely give them a try- I added a dash of almond extract and a peanut butter swirl on top!
Oh I love the almond extract + peanut butter swirl ideas!! 😀
Compared a lot of bean brownie recipes- this is good even to my non healthy eaters. But 30-40 minutes is much too long- I think many comments about dryness/crumbliness are due to this- but ovens vary. 25 minutes was plenty for mine to be soft but not at all gooey- I’d like to try them at 20 minutes. I also reduced the sugar by 1/3 cup, increased the cocoa to 1/3 cup plus added 1.5 tablespoons maple syrup & 1/8 tsp cinnamon, and sprinkled just 1/3 cup chips on top instead of using chips per recipe. I removed the brownies from pan within a few minutes instead of waiting in order to keep from drying out, but they tasted even yummier after letting cool on plate completely. No bean taste whatsoever if you rinse the beans!
For my daughter I put a 1/2 tsp. dollop of frosting on top with a couple sprinkles.
Yay for fiber & protein & no weird taste for kids!
Thanks for the tips!! Indeed, ovens can vary quite a bit. I made these just last weekend at a friends house and they took almost an hour! Always a good idea to calibrate the oven (which I’ll be doing to mine soon to make sure the timing of these is the best it can be!) 🙂
These brownies are delish, though I did find them a little in the sweet side, maybe I’ll lower the amount of sugar and replace it with stevia the next time, i added walnuts and used coconut oil and it just smelled heavenly.. i didn’t have coffee in hand, I wonder if that’s why they tasted so sweet..I did bake them at 300 (my oven over bakes things) and I didn’t time it I would just check up on them after 20/30 minutes.. super moist. Would definitely be making these again to satisfy my sweet tooth. Kids loved them 🙂
So happy you and the kids liked them! If you use stevia be sure to use a baking blend. I tried this recipe with non-baking friendly stevia last week and it was a bust. Love all your healthy additions!
Hi! I want to try this recipe but I wanted to ask if the brownies are too fudgy? I like a bit cakey brownie and not too fudgy? How are these? If they are too fudgy , how can I reduce the fudgyness? I like your recipe since it has the least oil out of all others? How about omitting an egg? Pls reply! I really wanna try! Thank you!
Hi Roah! You can make these less fudgy by cooking them longer (until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean). I wouldn’t recommend to omit an egg though, as they play a pretty big roll in holding everything together. 🙂
I love this combination so much. When I made this, I didn’t put any sugar as I like the original sweetness and it turned out perfect! Not so sweet but flavorful 😍 – Natalie
So good to hear, Natalie! I wouldn’t have thought to go totally sugar-free on these but I’m so happy it worked for ya! 🙂
After searching for awhile and experimenting with recipes for a healthy and suitable gluten-free brownie, these are now my ‘go-to’ brownie recipe – for bake sales, for work functions, for family holidays and I always receive rave reviews!.. I made a few revisions and am loving the turnout – coconut oil as the oil, pure, Canadian maple syrup (representing the Great White North over here 🙂 instead of sugar, I add an extra 1/2 tsp of vanilla and a full tsp of vanilla hazelnut coffee grounds.. They are truly to-die-for!.. Definitely a difference in texture from your traditional brownie but, imo, better in SO many ways! Thanks for posting!
YES! So happy to hear, Melony!! All those substitutions sound to die for (esp the vanilla hazelnut coffee 😍). Thanks so much for letting us know how it went!!
I was watching “chopped” this evening and one of the items in their basket happened to be black bean brownies! I had to have some! Read many different recipes and settled on yours. I did have to use olive oil… but alas!! SO AMAZING!! Thank you very much for sharing! Delicious!
I haven’t watched chopped yet, it seems I’ll have to! So happy to hear they worked out for ya (and with olive oil even!)
Currently cooking them, and they smell wonderful, but are bubbling vs. getting firmer like a baked good. I’m sure they’ll still be good even if they aren’t quite brownie like, but was wondering if you have had this happen before.
They may take sightly longer but they should firm up with more time in the oven! Did you get them to work? 🙂
So delicious! I let it bake for 30 minutes, but it was very cake-y (and very good!), but I prefer fudgey so I’ll try 25 minutes next time. I also made them sugar-free by subbing in Lily’s stevia-sweetened dark chocolate chips and Lakanto golden brown monkfruit/erythritol blend and you wouldn’t guess they weren’t made with real sugar! I’ll have to try the instant coffee or the peanut butter swirl next batch. Can’t wait to play around with these, thanks so much!
So happy to hear, Marissa! I haven’t tried monkfruit before but you may have just convinced me 😀