Name: Black Bean Brownies (Flourless!)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1.5 cups canned black beans (- about 1 can (15 oz) of beans, rinsed and drained); 1/4 cup olive oil (- or avocado oil or coconut oil); 1/3 cup maple syrup (- or honey); 2 tsp vanilla extract; 2 eggs (- large); 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder; 1 tsp baking powder; 1/4 tsp salt; 1/3 cup dark chocolate chips; 3 tbsp chopped walnuts (- or nuts/seeds of your choice (optional))

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These Protein-Packed Black Bean Brownies are a delicious and healthier way to satisfy your chocolate cravings. They’re flourless, naturally sweetened, and full of fiber and protein for a more nutritious twist on a classic dessert.

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Why You'll Love This Recipe
Ingredients
Instructions
Equipment
Storage
Toasty's Tips
Other Flavours to Try
📖 Recipe
💬 Reviews

Why You'll Love This Recipe

Packed with Protein & Fiber thanks to the nutritious black beans as our key ingredient, which makes these satisfying, filling and nourishing.
Naturally Gluten-Free & Flourless (thanks to the black beans!), yet perfectly fudgy and chocolatey.
You Won't Taste the Beans! Trust me - these brownies taste like classic brownies, not like beans. In fact, you won't even taste them!
Naturally Sweetened using maple syrup or honey, so there's no refined white sugar in these.
No Butter Needed with these, unlike most classic brownie recipes out there!
Perfect for Batch Prepping, as they store well in the fridge or freezer.

Ingredients

Please see recipe card below for exact quantities.

Black Beans – The star of the show! Packed with plant-based protein and fiber, this acts as the base of our brownies to give it structure and a fudgy brownie texture.
Eggs – Help bind the brownies and give them a fudgy structure.
Cocoa Powder – I use unsweetened cocoa powder to give our brownies their rich chocolatey taste.
Maple Syrup or Honey – Naturally sweetens the brownies without refined sugar.
Nut Butter – Adds creaminess and healthy fats.
Vanilla Extract – For a pop of vanilla flavour.
Baking Powder – Helps the brownies rise during baking, and gives it a little lift.
Chocolate Chips – For added sweetness and a fudgy, moist texture.
Chopped Nuts - Gives some added crunch as a topping, as well as some healthy fats.
Protein Powder (Optional) – If you'd like an extra boost of protein, feel free to add protein powder in (with a splash of milk or water) as well!

Instructions

blending ingredients for making black bean brownies

STEP 1: In a food processor or blender, add in the Wet Ingredients and blend until mixed.

STEP 2: Add in Dry Ingredients to the mixture, and blend again until everything is well combined.

STEP 3: Mix in chocolate chips by stirring them into the batter with a spoon or spatula.

STEP 4: Lightly grease or line an 8x8" baking tray with parchment paper. Pour batter into baking tray, spreading it out evenly. Top it off with extra chocolate chips and some chopped nuts!

STEP 5: Bake in a pre-heated oven at 350°F/177°C for 20-25 minutes or until cooked through.

checking doneness with toothpick after baking black bean brownies

STEP 6: When done, take it out and check for doneness with a toothpick. If it comes out clean, it's ready to eat. Otherwise bake again for an extra 2 minutes. Let the brownies sit out and cool down for 30 minutes to let it settle and firm up.

STEP 7: Slice brownies up into squares, and enjoy!

Equipment

For this recipe, we'll need a food processor or blender. I love using my KitchenAid 3.5 Cup Mini Food Processor for its space-saving compact size and ease-of-use. It works perfectly for this recipe. Or, a bullet blender like my NutriBullet Pro works just as well!

Storage

You can store these brownies away in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Just thaw them in the fridge, or heat them up whenever you're ready to enjoy them!

Toasty's Tips

Let the brownies cool - always let the brownies cool and chill after baking for at least 30 minutes! This is important to let the brownies settle and firm up, giving you that classic brownie texture. I know it'll be hard to resist, but make sure not to skip this step!
Rinse and drain beans well - make sure to thoroughly rinse and drain your canned black beans - this will remove any excess sodium and residual liquid from the can, which helps get rid of any bean-like aftertaste.
Blend until smooth - blend the black beans into a smooth purée without any lumps in order to get that classic brownie texture.
Incorporate mix-ins and toppings - adding dark chocolate chips or chopped nuts can enhance texture and flavour, making the brownies more indulgent. But you can add whatever toppings and mix-ins you like! Nuts, seeds, coconut flakes, dried fruits like raisins, are all great options!
Add protein powder - speaking of mix-ins, even though the black beans already provide a great source of natural protein, you can also add in an even bigger protein boost with a scoop of protein powder! Just make sure to add in about 2 tablespoons of milk or water to help balance out the dryness from the protein powder.
Substitute regular egg with flax egg - for a vegan egg alternative, substitute a regular egg with a flax egg by mixing together 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed with 2 tablespoon of water, and letting it sit for 5 minutes until it turns into a thick paste.