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Black bean brownies are a special kind of flourless brownie, made with a base of canned black beans instead of any flour.
These brownies don't taste like beans at all, and since I started baking gluten free with bean flours back in 2004, I'm very sensitive to desserts that taste or smell like beans! Tasting is believing!
“Yummy! These came out really nice! I added half a cup of walnuts in place of half the choc chip and they were perfect! Very glossy, dark chocolatey but also not too sweet, and felt wholesome to eat! Thank you Nicole! I’ve always wanted to try bbbs and this was the perfect recipe!”
my take
Nicole's Recipe Notes
- Classic brownie taste: Baking with beans mostly means tasting beans, except here all you'll taste are rich chocolate brownies.
- Great texture: They may look cakey, they're really smooth and fudgy, and melt in your mouth.
- No fancy ingredients: The only ingredients are canned black beans, eggs, oil, cocoa powder, brown sugar, vanilla, a touch of baking soda, salt and some brewed coffee (even decaf).
- No fancy equipment: And you need is a simple blender, a bowl and spoon, and a pan to bake it all in.
“I’ve had success with so many of your recipes, your site is my first stop when looking for something new. This recipe did not disappoint! They were easy to make and delicious. So super chocolatey that I cut mine into 16 smaller squares and they were perfect to satisfy a craving. Freeze perfectly. Thank you!”
What's in it
Recipe ingredients
The full recipe is below, but here are a few words about the key ingredients in these brownies that I think are helpful to keep in mind:
- Black beans – The backbone of this recipe, so use good quality canned black beans. To avoid beany flavor, drain and rinse them until the water runs clear, and let the water drain entirely.
- Chocolate chips – Optional, but add extra chocolate flavor and some nice texture to a very moist, melt-in-your-mouth brownie.
- Eggs – the main binder, since there's no flour.
- Oil – together with cocoa powder, creates a chocolate flavor with the proper smooth texture.
- Pure vanilla extract – adds depth of flavor
- Brewed coffee – decaf is fine, since the coffee is only used to bring out the flavor of the chocolate (you don't taste the coffee itself)
- Cocoa powder – For the deepest flavor, use Dutch-processed cocoa powder.
- Baking soda – To neutralize the acid in natural cocoa powder and brown sugar, and provide a bit of lift.
- Brown sugar – Adds depth of flavor and moisture along with sweetness, of course.
substitutions
Ingredient substitutions
You'll see in the recipe card that this recipe, as written, contains eggs, sugar, coffee, and oil. Here are some ideas for how to substitute these ingredients if you need to:
Dairy free
These brownies are already dairy-free when the recipe is made exactly as written. Just be sure to use dairy-free chocolate chips and you'll be all set.
Egg free
If you can't have eggs, you can try using a boiled flax eggs in place of each of the two eggs. These need more structure than “chia” eggs can provide.
Sugar free
I am fairly certain that these brownies would work with coconut palm sugar in place of brown sugar, although I haven't tried it. For a sugar-free replacement, try Swerve brown sugar replacement or Lankato brand brown sugar replacement.
Alternative sugars tend to leave baked goods a bit dryer than normal. I recommend adding an extra tablespoon or two of brewed coffee to get the batter to the proper consistency.
Coffee
If you don't like the taste of coffee, rest assured the couple tablespoons of coffee only enhance the chocolate flavor. The brownies don't taste like coffee at all. You can use decaffeinated coffee, if you don't want to add more caffeine than is already in the cocoa powder.
You can also replace the coffee with an equal amount of milk or water. For added flavor and sweetness, try replacing the coffee with 1 1/2 tablespoons (32 grams) pure maple syrup.
Choosing an oil
A neutral-tasting oil is all that you need here, so you have lots of options. I usually use grapeseed or canola oil, since I always have those in my pantry. You can also try peanut oil, but nothing with more than a very subtle flavor, like avocado oil. Avoid olive oil, since we don't want a competing flavor.
How to make black bean brownies
Blend drained and rinsed black beans, eggs, oil, and some brewed coffee until as smooth as possible. You don't need a fancy blender.
Whisk cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, and brown sugar in a mixing bowl. Mix in the blended beans mixture, and add chocolate chips.
Transfer the soft brownie batter to a greased and lined square baking pan. Scatter some more chocolate chips on top, and bake at 325°F for 25 minutes or until the brownies don't jiggle when you shake the pan. Let cool, then chill for clean slices.
My Pro Tip
Expert tips
Use a blender
You can blend the drained and rinsed can of beans in a food processor if that's all you have, but a blender will make the smoothest black bean puree. That means the smoothest brownie texture.
Use a smaller, light colored pan
If you bake these in a 9-inch pan, they'll be thinner and a bit more fragile—so an 8-inch square pan is better. Be sure you're using a light-colored metal pan or your brownies may burn before they bake all the way through!
Don't overbake (but bake fully)
For a firmer, more cake-like brownie, stop baking as soon as they are set in the center and don't jiggle when moved side to side. They'll be really fudgy, though, so stick the cooled tin of brownies in the freezer or refrigerator for a few minutes for clean slicing. Be careful not to underbake them, though, or they won't hold together even after they cool.
Chill first for clean slices
No matter how long you bake them, the pan of brownies needs to be completely cool, or your knife will drag through and pick up pieces of brownie along the way. For the cleanest slice, place the cooled pan of brownies in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or the freezer for 10 minutes before slicing—and clean your knife after each cut.
Black Bean Brownies Recipe
Equipment
- Blender or food processor
Ingredients
- 1 standard can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed well
- 2 (100 g (weighed out of shell)) eggs, at room temperature
- ¼ cup (56 g) neutral oil, (like grapeseed, canola, peanut, or vegetable)
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons strong brewed coffee, (decaf is fine; see Recipe Notes)
- ¾ cup (60 g) unsweetened cocoa powder, (natural or Dutch-processed, your choice)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ cup (164 g) packed light brown sugar
- 3 ounces semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips, optional
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325°F. Line an 8-inch square baking pan securely with parchment paper or line with aluminum foil that is nonstick or greased well. Set the pan aside.
- In a blender or food processor, place the drained and rinsed beans, eggs, oil, vanilla and coffee.
- Blend or process until smooth.
- In a large bowl, place the cocoa powder, baking soda, salt and brown sugar, and whisk to combine well, breaking up any lumps in the brown sugar.
- Create a well in the center of the cocoa powder mixture and add the pureed bean mixture.
- Mix until well-combined. The mixture will be very soft.
- Add about half of the (optional) chocolate chips to the batter and mix to combine.
- Scrape the mixture into the prepared baking pan and spread into an even layer with a spatula or by shaking the pan from side to side. Sprinkle the remaining (optional) chocolate chips even on top of the batter, and press down gently to help the chips adhere.
- Place the baking pan in the center of the preheated oven. Bake until the top springs back when pressed gently with a finger (about 25 minutes).
- Continue to bake your brownies until the top is set, and it springs back when pressed gently in the center with your forefinger. And when you shake the pan gently from side to side, it doesn't jiggle at all.
- For cakier brownies, lower the oven temperature to 300°F and continue to bake for another 3 to 5 minutes or until the center is really stable.
- Remove the pan from the oven, place it on a wire rack (still in the pan) and allow to cool until no longer hot to the touch.
- Remove from the pan and slice into squares with a sharp knife. For cleaner slicing, place the bars still in the cooled pan in the freezer for 10 minutes or the refrigerator for 30 minutes or more.
- Remove the brownies from the pan by lifting up on the paper or foil, and place it on a flat cutting surface. Using a large, sharp knife, slice into 9 equal pieces using one swift motion per cut.
- Serve immediately after slicing.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
make ahead/leftovers
Storage instructions
You can store any leftover brownies at room temperature in a sealed container for 2 to 3 days or up to 1 week in the refrigerator
For longer storage, they also freeze very well. Place them in a single layer on a lined baking sheet, and be careful with them as you load them into the freezer, though, since it's hard to avoid breaking off some moist crumbs.
They never actually freeze solid, so you don't even really need to defrost them unless you prefer them at room temperature.
FAQs
Some are! Some black bean brownie recipes are made using black beans in place of some ingredients, but include flour and most other classic brownie ingredients. This recipe is truly flourless, so it's safely and naturally gluten free.
No, this recipe doesn't have the structure to turn out chewy, no matter what you do. We have a separate recipe for classic chewy gluten free brownies that might be what you're looking for.
You can use dried black beans that you've cooked fully at home, but only if you cooked them in plain water alone. If they're made with stock, stick with the plain black beans from a can.
Some readers have said that they have successfully made these brownies in lined muffin tins. Line the wells of a standard 12-cup muffin tin, fill them about 2/3 of the way full, and bake for about 18 minutes. They're done when the top springs back when pressed gently in the center with your finger. Cool completely.
Just made this tonight and was very impressed! Even the timing and degree change was perfect for the cake-like brownie texture. I did add chopped walnuts in place of chocolate chips in the brownie mix but added both to the top. Delicious and hard to stop at just one. I don’t taste bean at all!
Amazing that you can’t taste the beans, Nicole, right? So glad you enjoyed the brownies.
I made these with my, “I can’t bake anything” sis-in-love who is not gf. She was so impressed the results now she makes them with her Grandkids
That’s awesome, Jayne! Flourless recipes are a great entry point for anyone who isn’t familiar with gluten free baking. Thanks so much for sharing that!
This has become a weekly request for school snacks at our house and I don’t even feel bad about it! I eat about a quarter cup of the batter every time before it makes it to the pan. We’re a nutrient conscious household and I was wondering if spinach leaves and flax seed alter the end result much?
Hi, C.C., so glad you enjoy these brownies, and I love that you eat the batter raw. I’ve never tried that but I bet it’s delicious and if there ever was a testament to how it does not taste like beans, that’s it! I’m afraid I can’t recommend adding other ingredients to this recipe, as it’s well balanced just as it is and it wouldn’t turn out properly with those additions.
Yummy yummy.
I’ve had success with so many of your recipes, your site is my first stop when looking for something new. This recipe did not disappoint! They were easy to make and delicious. So super chocolately that I cut mine into 16 smaller squares and they were perfect to satisfy a craving. Freeze perfectly. Thank you
I’m so happy to hear that you trust my recipes like that, Nancy! That is so meaningful to me. It’s a very strange concept, blending a can of black beans and using that to make brownies, but it works! Thank you so much for sharing that. ❤️
I made these using flax eggs and they came out delicious. Very fudgy. I did not use chocolate chips and used less sugar (1/2 cup coconut sugar). I sprinkled chopped walnuts on top. They baked a bit longer as well. No one could guess the main ingredient & they got rave reviews!
Good to know, Deb. Thanks for sharing that your egg replacer worked!
Yummy! These came out really nice! I added half a cup of walnuts and reduced the choc chips by half and they were perfect! Very glossy, dark chocolatey but also not too sweet, and felt wholesome to eat! Thank you Nicole! I’ve always wanted to try bbbs and this was the perfect recipe!
So glad you enjoyed the brownies, Rose. You have to take the leap, in spite of the feeling that it probably won’t taste like you hope. Tasting is believing!!
I forgot to put the eggs in the batter. I realized this after they had been in oven for 20 min. Can these be salvaged by baking them longer?
I’m afraid they really won’t hold together without the eggs, Kathy. So sorry!
Really nice. A little sweet, I used 140 g sugar and I think 100-120 g would be right for me personally. Will make again with that adjustment
Hi, Nell, I’m glad you liked the brownies! Keep in mind that sugar isn’t just a sweetener, but it’s also a tenderizer so as you reduce it, the brownies will become tougher and less tender.