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Black bean brownies are a special kind of flourless gluten free brownie, and this amazing recipe doesn’t taste like beans at all. Tasting is believing.
What makes these black bean brownies special?
High in protein and fiber, these black bean protein brownies are made entirely with basic pantry ingredients that almost everyone has already. And all the equipment you need is a simple blender (otherwise, you'll have whole black beans in your brownies!), a bowl and spoon, and a pan to bake it all in.
I think can agree that baking with beans mostly means tasting beans. But it doesn’t have to be that way! I’m about to show you that sometimes you can bake with beans and not taste them. Instead, you’ll just taste … brownies.
The only equipment you need is any blender (both my high-speed blender and my mini, nonfancy blender that I got for free ages ago work perfectly) or food processor. Just remember that the food processor won’t puree the beans quite as smoothly.
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). Unlike classic gluten free brownies, there is no rice flour at all in these. They’re tender as could be, plus rich and not-too-sweet.
What's in it
Recipe ingredients
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:
Semi sweet chocolate chips – These are entirely optional, but they add extra chocolate flavor and some nice texture to an otherwise very moist, melt-in-your-mouth brownie.
Black beans – The backbone of this recipe, use good quality canned black beans, and be sure to drain and rinse them until the water runs clear, then let the water drip out entirely.
Eggs – Without flour, eggs are the main binder here. Make sure yours are at room temperature so they don't make the oil form clumps.
Oil – A neutral oil is great for baking with cocoa powder, since together they create a chocolate flavor with the proper smooth texture.
Pure vanilla extract – This helps enhance the chocolate flavors, so don't skip it!
Brewed coffee – The depth of flavor in brewed coffee is preferable to hydrated instant coffee granules; 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, but since there's baking soda in the batter, it will neutralize the acid of natural cocoa powder so that's fine, too.
Baking soda – To neutralize the acid in natural cocoa powder, and in the brown sugar, and provide a bit of lift. There's no need for baking powder in this recipe, since we don't want the brownies to rise more than they already do.
Salt – Salt always enhances the other flavors in any dish, in cooking or baking. I bake with kosher salt, since it has larger granules that are much harder to overmeasure than fine table salt.
Brown sugar – Light brown sugar adds depth of flavor and moisture along with sweetness, of course.
How to make black bean brownies
Prepare the wet ingredients
- Rinse and drain a can of black beans. Be sure you rinse them as well as you can without losing any of the beans. They may break, but we’re going to blend them, so it doesn’t matter.
- Place the beans, oil, eggs, vanilla, and coffee in a food processor or a blender and turn that mixture into a puree. But even if your puree isn’t 100% smooth, you still won’t taste beans in the brownies.
Finish making the brownie batter
- Whisk together light brown sugar, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda in a large mixing bowl.
- Add the blended or processed pureed bean mixture, and mix to combine.
- Mix in most of the chocolate chips, if you're using them.
- The mixture will be quite soft, and thinner than “regular” brownies.
Bake the brownies
- Transfer the raw brownie mixture to a square baking pan lined with parchment paper or greased or nonstick aluminum foil.
- Bake at 325°F for about 25 minutes, or until the center springs back when pressed gently with your finger. When you shake the pan gently from side to side, it doesn't jiggle at all.
- Remove the pan from the oven and allow the brownies to cool in it until no longer hot to the touch (about 30 minutes).
- For cleaner slices, place the pan in the refrigerator or freezer to chill before removing from the pan and slicing into 9 equal squares.
Do these brownies taste like beans?
No! You do not taste the beans in these brownies; all you taste is deep, rich chocolate flavor. The vanilla extract, cocoa powder, and a bit of brewed coffee take care of that (no, you don't taste the coffee either—just the chocolate!).
These naturally gluten free black bean brownies are truly flourless, but like all flourless baking, they need an alternative base. Instead of melted chocolate, like in our classic flourless brownies, the base here is the humble can of black beans. The beans provide structure and tons of fiber without adding any bean flavor.
The same goes for my flourless black bean cookies, which also taste rich and chocolatey, not at all like beans.
Even though they'r not chewy, these brownies also aren't cake-like in the traditional sense. The look cakey, but they're actually really smooth in texture. They quite literally melt in your mouth.
My Pro Tip
Expert tips
Use a blender for the smoothest texture
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
Since these brownies are so tender and have no real flour replacement, they're a bit more fragile—so I like to make them in an 8-inch square pan for that extra thickness. Be sure you're using a light-colored metal pan or your brownies may burn before they bake all the way through!
Some readers have said that they have successfully made these brownies in lined muffin tins. Try lining the wells of a standard 12-cup muffin tin, filling them about 2/3 of the way full, and baking for about 18 minutes. Like in the original recipe, they're done when the top springs back when pressed gently in the center with your finger. Cool completely.
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.
Let them cool completely for clean slicing
No matter how long you bake your black bean brownies, they'll need to be 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.
What to serve with these brownies
Since the taste is rich chocolate, just like you'd expect, you really can serve them any way you would a classic gf brownie. Here are a few serving suggestions, but of course they're perfect on their own:
- Top with a scoop of marshmallow ice cream for the ultimate smooth and creamy addition
- A dollop of whipped cream and a few fresh berries make a beautiful presentation
- Drizzle some warm peanut butter on top for a peanut butter-chocolate treat
make ahead/leftovers
Storage instructions
You can store any leftover brownies at room temperature in a sealed container for 2 to 3 days. You can also store them that way for up to a week in the refrigerator.
The texture and taste of these brownies do really well in the freezer. 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. In that case, let them sit on the counter at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving them after freezing them.
substitutions
Recipe substitutions
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.
Recipe 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.
Yes! I've included (estimated) nutritional information in the recipe card below, so you can see how much fiber and protein you'll find in these brownies—and how little fat compared to a classic brownie recipe. They still have sugar, though, and oil, so they're not truly health food.
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.
Sure! The brewed coffee is only added to enhance the chocolate flavor from the cocoa powder, and you don't taste it. You can use decaf coffee, or just replace the liquid with any sort of milk, or even water. The chocolate taste will be a little bit more subtle.
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.
The cake tester/toothpick test isn't reliable in this recipe, since it will come out nearly wet even when the brownies are done baking. 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.
If you're not sure that your brownies are done baking, lower the oven temperature to 300°F and continue to bake for another 3 to 5 minutes.
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)
- 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, and 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.
Can you use an egg substitute like flax seed n water?
You can try a “chia egg” (flax eggs have a distinct, distracting flavor), but I’m honestly not sure how well it would work. Eggs are the only binder in this recipe. But feel free to experiment!
I just made these and they are yummy! I substituted milk for the coffee and it worked fine for me.
I am also wondering if you can make these without coffee?
As Sherry mentioned below, any liquid will work, but the strong flavor of the brewed coffee helps to mask any residual bean flour and enhances the chocolate flavor. You don’t taste the coffee. Like Steph above, you may not be very sensitive to any bean taste—but those you serve it to may indeed! So I recommend making it with coffee. Maybe try decaf coffee. The caffeine isn’t at all necessary.
Coffee is only there to naturally bring out the aromatics in the chocolate.
Black bean brownies are seriously my favorite! I love that you can whip them up in a blender, bake them off, and go to town guilt-free since they’re basically healthy. I like using coconut sugar or pure maple syrup to sweeten mine and am always so psyched when I give them to my friends and they ask me what they’re made out of. Brilliant, indeed!
Can you make this without using coffee?
The coffee helps mask the flavor of the beans and enhances the flavor of the chocolate, and you won’t even taste the coffee flavor(unless you use espresso, but even then, it is only 2 TBS). Omitting the coffee will affect the flavor of the brownies, but if you do decide to omit it, don’t forget to replace it with another liquid(water, or maybe your favorite flavor of tea???). Good luck with your experiment!
Yes, I too wanted to know if the recipe would work with coconut oil or butter?
You are probably better off using a fat that is liquid at room temp. Using melted butter or coconut oil might change both the taste and texture. Have fun experimenting!
Sherry you’ve been a huge help. Thank you so much for jumping in. And you’re 100% right!
WOWZERS! If you say it tastes good, I’ll trust you, cause you’ve never failed before. But must admit my first reaction was the same as yours. Will try!
I’m honored that you trust me like that, Victoria! I promise, they’re so good and even stay moist for days after. :)
I was wondering if I could use melted butter or coconut oil in place of a “neutral” tasting oil, as butter and coconut oil are what I typically have on hand.
Cannot wait to try these!
You boldly went where you would not go before! Okay, I will try them too!
YOU DID IT!! So proud of you. I will try these out ASAP….
LOL, Jennifer! I was wondering if you would be willing to give them a try, considering that you have some unfortunate experience with another recipe for black bean brownies. :)