Vegan Black Bean Brownies
These healthy Vegan Black Bean Brownies are rich, fudgy, and ultra chocolatey. This recipe uses only 10 ingredients, meaning these brownies are ready to dive into in no time.
If you love chocolate desserts, this Chocolate Pudding Cake is a must!
I never thought I’d share a recipe for brownies made with black beans. And yet, here I am. Every time someone tastes them, they love them. But then they’ll ask me something like, “What are the ingredients?”
Do I lead with black beans? No, I leave that until last. Because who wants to think they’re eating brownies with beans? And yet, they’re so good, they always ask for seconds.
Key Ingredients
You can find the full printable recipe, including ingredient quantities, below. But first, here are some explanations of ingredients and steps to help you make this recipe perfect every time.
These easy vegan black bean brownies are made with only a few ingredients, including:
- Coconut oil — I used unrefined coconut oil for added coconut flavor to these brownies
- Black beans — A 15-ounce can of black beans works great, or 1 ¾ cups of cooked black beans.
- Chocolate Chips — Choose from many Dairy-free chocolate chips available these days.
- Cocoa powder — I have used both natural and dutch-process cocoa powder, and both work well.
- Flour — I used all-purpose flour, but whole wheat pastry flour would work, too.
- Flax — We’ll add a bit of ground flax seeds, but you can substitute chia seeds.
I imagine you have several of these ingredients in your pantry right now. Although it’s true I’m making these vegan black bean brownies with flour, you’ll notice that it’s not too much. That makes an extra dense brownie that’s sure to please.
How to Make Vegan Black Bean Brownies
Here’s a summary of the steps involved in making this recipe:
- Pulse Beans and Coconut Oil — Pulse together the melted coconut oil and black beans in a food processor.
- Sugar and Chocolate — Add the sugar and chocolate chips to the food processor. It will be a bit bumpy, but pulse in short bursts to break up the chocolate chips.
- Make the Batter — Add in the cocoa powder, flour, ground flax, cornstarch, and water. Give the mixture one more pulse until the ingredients are combined.
- Pour and Bake — Pour the brownie batter into the prepared pan, using a spatula to distribute it equally across the pan. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until a tester inserted in the middle, comes out clean.
- Cool — Once the brownies are done, remove them from the oven and set them aside to cool before serving. The brownies will firm up as they cool.
It’s hard to imagine brownies made with black beans, but you may never go back to traditional brownies again. Of course, it’s not enough to have just any brownies, I had to make these black bean brownies vegan, too!
What Makes This Recipe Shine?
- Black beans add an incredibly dense base to these brownies
- Coconut oil gives this dessert a wonderful texture
- Chocolate chips add a rich chocolate flavor to every bite
I also love to serve these brownies with a dollop of Coconut Whipped Cream on top.
Tip: Use virgin coconut oil for a more defined coconut flavor or refined coconut oil for a more neutral flavor.
Marly’s Tips
Here are some tips for these vegan black bean brownies:
- You can add ¼ cup chopped walnuts to the batter.
- Make these into flourless black bean brownies by subbing almond flour for the flour (I do not recommend coconut flour).
- Make black bean muffins by pouring the batter into greased muffin tins. Reduce the baking time to 25 minutes.
Sugar-Free Black Bean Brownies
Here are ideas to reduce the refined sugars or to make keto black bean brownies:
- Zero-Calorie Sweeteners — Substitute Swerve 1:1 with sugar.
- Natural Sweeteners — Substitute 1 cup of Medjool dates (remove the pits first) for the sugar. You’ll need to pulse them in the food processor, and they’ll add natural sweetness.
- Flour — Substitute almond flour for the all-purpose flour for a low-carb option.
- Chocolate — Use sugar-free chocolate chips, such as Lilly’s dark chocolate chips made with stevia.
Reader Reviews
First vegan dessert I have made, and it was great! The family loved it. I took the left-overs to work so I wouldn’t eat them all. The guys at work were skeptical once I said the word vegan, but they all loved them. When they were done I told them about the black beans and the fiber, they couldn’t believe it!
Jessie H.
Hands down, the best black bean brownie recipe I’ve made!
Kerry A.
This has become my go-to brownie recipe!
Terry
Protein Brownies
You would think these healthy black bean brownies would be loaded with protein because of the black beans; however, they only deliver 3g of protein per brownie. If you want black bean protein brownies, feel free to add a quarter cup of chocolate plant-based protein powder. It will boost the protein level by up to 5g of protein per brownie.
Regarding fiber, the average brownie has around 1 gram of fiber per serving. Because of the black beans, these brownies boast nearly 4 grams of fiber per serving.
Are Black Bean Brownies Actually Good?
If you’re worried these black bean brownies taste beany, worry no more. You’ll get the added bonus of fiber, with the amazing decadent and delicious flavor of the best brownies ever.
More Vegan Brownies
These vegan black bean brownies are amazing! And if you’re ready for even more delicious brownies, start with these:
That’s it for these vegan black bean brownies.
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Vegan Black Bean Brownies
Ingredients
- ½ cup coconut oil, melted
- 15 oz can black beans
- 4 tablespoons water (see note)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup dairy-free chocolate chips
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- ½ cup all-purpose flour (substitute gluten-free baking flour)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F/175°C. Spray a 9-inch square baking pan with vegetable cooking spray.
- Combine the coconut oil, black beans, and water in a food processor. Pulse until smooth.
- Add the sugar and chocolate chips to the food processor. It will be a bit bumpy, but pulse for a few seconds (up to 20 to 30 seconds) to break up the chocolate chips. You can always chop the chocolate chips into pieces on a cutting board if you prefer not to put your food processor to the test.
- Add in the cocoa powder, flour, ground flax, and cornstarch. Give the mixture one more pulse until the ingredients are combined.
- Pour the brownie batter into the prepared pan, using a spatula to distribute it equally across the pan. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until a tester inserted in the middle, comes out clean.
- Once the brownies are done, remove them from the oven and set them aside to cool before serving. The brownies will firm up as they cool.
- Store brownies in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Individual brownies can be frozen. Allow them to cool, slice them, and place them on a tray. Place in the freezer for 30 minutes. Then transfer to a freezer bag. They will keep in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Recommended Equipment
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Video
Notes
The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator and should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
This post was originally published in 2015 and was updated to include new photos, new text, and an updated recipe in 2021.
The brownies I made with this recipe turned out wonderfully. I used almond butter instead of coconut oil and used whole wheat flour. This is the best brownie recipe I’ve ever tried! Thanks for this! 🙂
This has become my go-to brownie recipe. I use coconut sugar and white spelt flour but only out of preference. The ingredients and ratios are spot-on in my opinion, Gooey yumminess! Thanks
Hands down, the best black bean brownie recipe I’ve made! I subbed almond flour for all purpose and instead of the sugar, I used 1/2 c of coconut nectar and 3 medjool dates. HEAVEN!
Kerry! I’m so glad to hear this. And your substitutions sound DIVINE! I love almond flour…and coconut nectar! OMG! 🙂
First vegan desert i have made, and it was great! Family loved it. I took the left-overs to work so i wouldnt eat them all. The guys at work were skeptical once i said the word vegan, but they all loved them. When they were done i told them about the black beans and the fiber, they couldnt believe it. They are more than willing to help me eat more when i make them again. Thanks for everything!
Hi Jessie! I’m so glad you (and everyone else) liked this recipe! It’s one of my favorites too, because it’s indulgent, but also healthy because of the beans! I used to have the same thing when I took delicious vegan treats to work. People would be so hesitant, but then they’d love it! 🙂
Sounds delicious and would like to try this recipe. Is the 40 grams of sugar listed on the nutrition facts for the entire pan of brownies or for one serving (doesn’t say how many servings per pan)? Also wondering how using maple syrup instead of sugar would change the texture. Do you know if it would it make them more fudgy or less fudgy? And If using home made black beans how much liquid (water I guess) to add since there wouldn’t be any brine from a can?
Hi Janice. Thanks for your note. You raised a good point and I went back to the recipe and changed the serving size. Because these vegan black bean brownies are so rich, we always cut them into smaller slices. The nutritional information provided is by serving. I have never tried using maple syrup with this recipe, but I totally would do it. I would reduce the amount of maple syrup by about 1/4 to 1/2 cup vs. the sugar. And you might need less liquid anyway so the fact that you’re not using canned beans is good. I would probably have some water at the ready, and if the batter is too dense, add a tablespoon at a time until you get the right spreadability (you want some denseness, otherwise it won’t set right). I hope this is helpful!
Surprised to see, white refined sugar, white refined flour and refined cornstarch in this “healthy” recipe.. Mmmm wouldn’t go near it!!!
Hi Paula. Thanks for your comment. I understand that the word “healthy” is relative. I mean, some people think raisins are not healthy. I get that. This recipe uses only a half a cup of flour, compared to 15 oz (basically 2 cups) of black beans. That’s a pretty good ratio. I agree that it’s important to pay attention to how much sugar we consume. I care about these things as well which is one of the reasons we have reserve treats like these brownies for indulgences.
Hi I’m just wondering if you used Cacao powder? Traditional cocoa powder would have milk in it no? Which would mean these aren’t Vegan?
Hi Allison. Thanks for your note. Most cocoa powders are made after the cocoa butter is removed from the bean. What’s left is ground into a powder, creating cocoa powder. However, there might be some cocoa powders where milk products have been added. For the most part, I have no trouble finding dairy-free cocoa powders. Hope that’s helpful!
As long as I can remember, cocoa powder comes in two varieties: “natural” and “Dutch” (alkalinized).
Hot Chocolate powders had milk and sugar in them, as well as cocoa.
The taste was phenomenal! Couldn’t even taste the beans! However, they turned out very ver gooey. Do I just add more flour or bake longer? (I baked for 40 minutes)
Hi Jen, You’re making me think I should make another batch…like maybe tonight! Sometimes these brownies seem too gooey when they’re first pulled out of the oven, but after they cool they firm up. This is especially true if you store them in the fridge. They will firm up quite a bit. If not, yes, I would recommend cooking a little longer, but I’d put a piece of foil over the top so the top doesn’t get too crispy. Hope this helps!
I’d like to double or even triple this recipe for a party… Anything I should look out for? Thanks!
I was so skeptical about combing black beans with brownies that I read through review after review on Google to see if the hype was true. After making this recipe tonight I can hands down say, this is one of the best brownie recipe I have ever made. And not just for black bean brownies – all brownies. Thank you so much for sharing! Can’t wait to make this again and again.