Black Bean Brownies

Rate

Author:

Erin

Published:

August 7, 2013

Updated:

January 25, 2024

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy for details.

OMG OMG OMG. These are freakin’ amazing!!! I’ve been seeing black bean brownies all over the inter-webs and food blogs lately, so I had to give them a try. The other night I came home from work and was really not feeling like hitting the gym and I figured, hey, why not make some treats that I can take to work and test on lots of people? Bad excuse, I know. But these are soooooooooooo good. And I really didn’t feel bad eating them 🙂

I used a recipe from Chocolate Covered Katie – if you haven’t seen her blog yet, it’s a must. Now that I know they are delish, I want to experiment with the recipe. More to follow. Oh, and I don’t know all the rules of gluten free, but she says these fit the bill..there’s no flour of any type involved, which I like. I usually just skip any of the ones that sub regular flour with almond/coconut/whatever other flour you can put in. Out of principal more than anything I guess.

I had some issues getting the mixture to be completely smooth as you can see…

And that’s even in a food processor. Then I tried to stick it in a NutriBullet. Mostly I just made a mess and didn’t get anywhere. I went with it, and they still turned out great. I can imagine they would have been slightly more great if I had gotten the mixture totally smooth. For the chocolate chips, I used semi-sweet mini’s. I think milk chocolate ones may have been a little too sweet? Not sure, maybe I’ll try it out sometime.

I made a bread loaf sized tray of these and put the rest in mini-cups. Mini-cups win for presentation and ease of eating since they turn out a little soft, not crazy dense like a normal brownie, but I didn’t miss it. They’re still really moist and I’d say the density was just right so that it wasn’t like a dog eating peanut butter. Not that that’s a bad thing 🙂

Black Bean Brownies

1 1/2 cups black beans (1 15-oz can, drained and rinsed very well)
2 tbsp cocoa powder- dutch or regular (add a little extra if desired)
1/2 cup quick oats (See nutrition facts link below for all substitution notes.)
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup pure maple syrup or agave (Honey will work, but not for strict vegans.) – I used honey
2 nunaturals stevia packs or 2 tbsp sugar – I used the Splenda sugar blend
1/4 cup coconut or vegetable oil (See “nutrition facts” link for all substitution notes.)
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup to 2/3 cup chocolate chips (Not optional. Omit at your own risk.)
optional: more chips, for presentation

Preheat oven to 350 F. Combine all ingredients except chips in a good food processor, and blend until completely smooth. Really blend well. (A blender can work if you absolutely must, but the texture—and even the taste—will be much better in a food processor.) Stir in the chips, then pour into a greased 8×8 pan. Optional: sprinkle extra chocolate chips over the top. Cook the black bean brownies 15-18 minutes, then let cool at least 10 minutes before trying to cut. Makes 9-12 brownies.
View Nutrition Facts

About Erin

Erin is the author behind Peanut Butter and Fitness. She started this website in 2013 as a way to keep track of her favorite healthier kitchen creations and meal preps. Today, she still loves playing with her food and camera while helping others strike a balance between indulgence and well-being.

Hey, I’m Erin!

I like to describe PBF as a healthy eating blog with a dollop of indulgence. Here you’ll find high protein and veggie-packed meals with a side of cocktails and desserts.