Best-Ever Black Bean Brownies Recipe (Flourless)

I can't believe it's taken me almost 10 years of blogging to come up with a black bean brownies recipe! It's made me question what I've been doing with my life.

These dark chocolate black bean brownies are so fudgy and yummy that even I'm surprised at how well they turned out.

Black bean brownies are healthy, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, flourless, wholesome, and delicious. What’s not to love?

Who knew that the humble black bean could become such a delicious treat? I love black beans in salads, soups, and tacos, but this is potentially my favorite use for them. Nutrients plus chocolate make the best brownies. Plus, this is one of the easiest dessert recipes you can make.

These healthy brownies have a rich dark chocolate flavor and are not overly sweet, thanks to the raw chocolate powder and all-natural ingredients. They make a great healthy dessert and are also tasty for a midday snack.

Is it hard to make black bean brownies? No, it isn’t hard to make black bean brownies. The prep time for my all-natural recipe is only 15 minutes.

What does the texture of black bean brownies resemble? The texture of black bean brownies resembles a traditional brownie: fudgy, dense, and just a little gooey. I can’t wait for you to try them!

Black beans make the perfect healthy base for brownies without leaving any traces of black bean flavor. For real! I was skeptical, too, but now I'm a believer. Don't mention it to anyone until after they eat them—no one will know about your secret ingredient.

Disclaimer: Links in this article may earn me a small commission if you use them to purchase a product. This hasn’t affected my opinion, but it helps me continue to write free articles and recipes for you to enjoy!

The Best Black Bean Brownies Ingredients

The healthy benefits of black bean brownies come from more natural sweeteners, high-quality ingredients, and skipping both dairy and gluten.

These brownies also skip more harmful sweeteners like brown sugar, sugar-free applesauce, or granulated white sugar, using maple syrup and vegan chocolate chips instead. (Coconut sugar is a great alternative that will slightly change the taste, but some people love coconut.)

Here’s what you need to make these little guilt-free showstoppers that still satisfy a sweet tooth.

Black Beans

One of nature's most impressive superfoods, black beans double as a protein, cholesterol-lowering fiber, and good carbohydrates.

Look for a 15-ounce can or box of black beans (plain, no seasoning added) and rinse and drain them well. One 15-ounce can of black beans is approximately one and three-quarter cups.

Are black bean brownies healthier? Black bean brownies are healthier than traditional brownies as they remove the need for all-purpose flour. Black beans also offer a tasty source of potassium, fiber, calcium, and vitamin A, while keeping the taste of fudge-y and chocolaty goodness.

Raw Chocolate Powder

Raw chocolate is also known as cacao. It has an earthy chocolate flavor and is another superfood packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. I use cacao powder in almost all of my chocolate recipes for its purity and health benefits.

I use the Thrive Market brand because it's high in quality and at a great price. You can substitute vegan unsweetened cocoa powder (cacao's roasted cousin) if you prefer.

For some reason, I see a lot of black bean brownie recipes call for instant coffee grounds. First off, instant coffee is not good for you. (Look up “instant coffee acrylamide” if you want to know.) Second of all, raw chocolate powder gets the job done and maintains a great texture.

Flax Eggs (or Eggs)

I know this sounds weird at first if you've never made a flax egg, but trust me, it works. Once you’ve tried, you'll want to use it often. A flax "egg" is simply one tablespoon of ground flax seeds mixed with three tablespoons of warm water.

Let it sit for 15-30 minutes for the flax seeds to absorb the water and gelatinize, and voila! You've just made yourself a vegan egg replacement. Flax eggs usually do a great job of replacing a regular egg in baking.

You can read more about how to make the best flax eggs here. If you’d prefer to use regular large eggs, that’s fine too.

Whole Rolled Oats

I used whole rolled oats in these black bean brownies to give them some structure. Oats are gluten-free by nature, but they're usually stored with other grains. Look for certified gluten-free oats if you need to avoid cross-contamination.

To make this recipe totally grain-free, you can substitute the oats with almond flour one for one. I prefer the texture with the oats, but almond flour works if you want a proper grain-free brownie.

Vegan Dark Chocolate Chips

Look for the highest quality possible. The addition of the chocolate chips to the cacao powder makes these brownies extra chocolatey and full of flavor. Like the cacao powder, I use the Thrive Market brand because they're healthy and priced well.

If you choose to grab semisweet chocolate chips, read your labels and use the highest quality you can find. These often have unwanted filler materials like vegetable oil or canola oil.

Either way, make sure you separate the 2 tablespoons and ¼ cup chocolate chips.

Notes

These gluten-free brownies are a hit at parties or as a mid-workday treat. Here’s what to keep in mind.

• Pan Size: I wrote this black bean brownie recipe for an 8x8-inch baking pan. You can check with a toothpick to see if they’re done once they’ve reached their total cook time.
• Blending: I used a Cuisinart 12-cup food processor to make this recipe and many others, and I highly recommend it for this recipe. An 8-cup food processor would work, too. A blender can work if that's your only option, just stop often and scrape down the sides until you puree a smooth brownie batter.
• Shopping: Don’t forget to check Thrive Market for the best natural recipe ingredients.
• Variations: You could add in a hint of peanut butter, espresso, or peppermint chips if you wanted to change up your brownies’ flavor.
• Serving suggestions: I love eating one of these with a bit of dairy-free ice cream or with a cup of peppermint tea.

If you’re looking for more black bean goodness, check out these recipes:

• Easy Vegan Black Bean Soup from Scratch [3 Ways] 

• Superfood Black Bean & Quinoa Salad Recipe

• Energy-Boosting Black Bean & Sweet Potato Salad Recipe

The Best Black Bean Brownies Recipe

★★★★★ 5 from 3 reviews

• Author: Elizabeth Rider
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 25 mins
• Total Time: 40 mins
• Yield: 16 1x
• Category: Vegan & Gluten-Free
• Method: Mix
• Diet: Vegan

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Description

This black bean brownie recipe makes a decadent treat, but it contains only healthy ingredients (and you can't even taste the black beans). If you love it, please leave a 5-star rating in the comments to help other readers in our community.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 2 flax eggs (2 tablespoons ground flaxseed mixed with 6 tablespoons tepid water)
• ½ cup whole rolled oats
• (1) 15-ounce can black beans, well rinsed and well-drained
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (or other healthy oil of your choice like coconut oil)
• ¾ cup cacao powder (or unsweetened cocoa powder, if you prefer)
• ¾ cup real maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon high-quality vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons vegan dark chocolate chips, divided

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Instructions

1. First, make the flax eggs, as they need to sit for 15-30 minutes to gelatinize.
2. While the flax egg mixture sits, prepare the rest of the ingredients.
3. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
4. Spray an 8x8-inch baking pan with a healthy extra virgin olive oil spray, or use a paper towel with 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil to grease the pan. Don’t use parchment paper.
5. Place the ½ cup of whole rolled oats into the food processor and process for about 30 to 45 seconds until you have milled oat flour.
6. Add the rest of the ingredients except the chocolate chips and process for about 2-3 minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides a few times. Mix until very well combined and thick.
7. Once the brownie batter is ready, add ¼ cup of dark chocolate chips and pulse once or twice to combine.
8. Pour the mixture into an 8x8 baking dish and smooth evenly with a spatula.
9. Sprinkle on an additional 2 tablespoons of dark chocolate chips if desired. A few tablespoons of chopped walnuts would also be a great addition to the top if desired.
10. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the sides appear completely cooked. The middle will stay a little gooey but will firm up as it sets.
11. Remove from the oven and let sit for at least 30 minutes before serving, to allow the brownies to firm up. I find them even better the next day.
12. Store in the refrigerator for up to a week, or freeze for up to three months.

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Notes

This black bean brownie recipe is written for an 8x8-inch dish.

I used a Cuisinart 12-cup food processor to make this recipe and many others, and I highly recommend it for this recipe. An 8-cup food processor would work, too. A blender can work if that's your only option, just stop often and scrape a spatula down the sides until you have a smooth brownie batter.

Be sure to check out my flax egg recipe, which is super important to this black bean brownie recipe.

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Nutrition

• Calories: 117 kcal per serving

Keywords: Black Bean Brownies, Healthy Recipe, Black Beans, Vegan, Gluten-Free