Happy (almost) Christmas week! I feel we’ve nearly reached the pinnacle of holiday spirit. For me, it peaks around the 20th and by Christmas Eve I’ve calmed back down to normal person emotions. But until then, I will buy gifts and wrap presents and bake Christmas-y treats like these 1-bowl fudgy peppermint brownies like a mad woman. They’re so good you’d never guess they were vegan, gluten-free, and loaded with good-for-you nutrients. Yipeee!
The batter is so simple. It all happens in ONE BOWL – your food processor! This ensures the the black beans are completely pulverized and undetectable in the finished product.
Look at that fudgy goodness. It’s honestly so good you could just eat it straight, which I have a number of times. Because there’s no eggs, no regret. It’s science.
Baking these guys in a muffin tin allows every brownie to achieve that perfect, slightly-firm edge and ooey-gooey center. But, I’ve had plenty of people bake these in pans with similar success. So really, it’s your call! I just prefer the bites because I like miniature things. There, I said it.
These brownies get their peppermint two ways:
1) Peppermint extract inside the brownies, and
2) A dusting of crushed candy canes on top.
Chocolate and mint are kind of meant to be together, and these brownies only solidify that fact.
These really are the perfect, healthier GF and V dessert for all your holiday gatherings this coming week (and even New Year’s parties!). They are super moist and fudgy in the center, firm but not too crisp on the edges, and loaded with intense chocolate flavor from both cocoa powder and chocolate chips.
You and your friends will LOVE these brownies. Trust me. I took these down to the staff in our new apartment building and I believe the phrase “inhaled them” was the word most used when I returned later to drop off more treats. Total win (and no black beans detected). Score and score.
And if you happen to have some on hand, coconut whipped cream makes thee BEST frosting for these little guys! Enjoy!
Vegan Peppermint Black Bean Brownies
Ingredients
- 1 15-oz. can unsalted black beans (thoroughly rinsed and drained // 15 oz can yields ~ 1 3/4 cups)
- 2 Tbsp flaxseed meal (to make flax eggs)
- 5 Tbsp water (to make flax eggs)
- 3 Tbsp coconut oil (melted // or sub other oil of choice)
- 3/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1.5 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 heaping cup raw sugar (finely ground in a food processor // or sub granulated)
- 1/4 scant tsp peppermint extract* (I like Frontier brand)
- 1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips (non-dairy, gluten-free)
- 2 Tbsp finely crushed candy canes
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (176 C) and lightly grease a 12-slot standard size muffin pan (not mini // amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size).
- Prepare flax egg by combining flaxseed meal and water in the bowl of the food processor. Pulse a couple times and then let rest for a few minutes.
- Add remaining ingredients besides candy canes, peppermint extract and chocolate chips, and puree – about 3 minutes – scraping down sides as needed. You want it pretty smooth.
- If the batter appears too thick, add 1-2 Tbsp water or almond milk and pulse again. It should be slightly less thick than chocolate frosting but nowhere close to runny.
- Add in peppermint extract a little at a time, pulse, sample and adjust until it’s to your liking. I liked 1/4 tsp (as original recipe is written). Then stir in chocolate chips.
- Evenly distribute the batter into the muffin tin and smooth the tops with a spoon or your finger.
- Bake for 21-26 minutes or until the tops are dry and the edges start to pull away from the sides. I found mine took about 25.
- Remove from oven and let cool for 20-30 minutes before removing from pan. They will be tender, so remove gently with a butter knife or fork. The insides are meant to be very fudgy, so don’t be concerned if they seem too moist – that’s the point. Plus, they’re vegan so it doesn’t really matter anyway.
- Dust with crushed candy cane and serve immediately. Topping them with coconut whipped cream makes them ultra decadent and pairs perfectly with the chocolate-mint flavor.
- Store in an airtight container for up to a few days. Refrigerate to keep longer.
Notes
*You can bake these in an 8×8, just extend the baking time to between 25-30 minutes. 27 should be your sweet spot.
*Prep/cook time does not include cooling time.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate.
Carly F says
Love this recipe so much! It was one of the first healthy desserts i ever made and i was certainly quite skeptical. But I’ve made it too many times to count now. I like to substitute the sugar for an erythritol/stevia blend to further reduce the sugar and find that the cooling effect of the erythritol pairs well with the mint. Great recipe!
Love it! Thanks for sharing, Carly. We’re so glad you enjoy this recipe!
Kirie says
Yum! Made a 1.5 recipe because I had 1/2 a can of open black beans. The only change other than multiplying the ingredients was I just used 1/2 c of maple syrup instead of the called for amounts of raw sugar, which is not something I keep on hand. Sweetness level seemed fine with 1/2c. I highly enjoyed cleaning all of the extra batter from the mixer. My 4-year-old approves of the finished result. I’m still full on batter so have not tried them, but he’s fussier than I am so I will trust his review!
Ha- love it! Thanks so much for sharing, Kirie! xo
DV says
I’m a huge fan of your site, and all of your recipes I’ve tried are usually a huge success (and I’ve made many!), but this one was a miss for me. Only changes were I baked in a square pan and used olive oil instead of coconut oil. The flavor was nice — very chocolatey! — but the texture was way, way off. Very mushy, like refried beans, except the very edges. Even kids took one bite and were done. LOL. I think this recipe would benefit from flour. Or maybe I should have subbed a different oil? Or perhaps they absolutely must be baked in mini-sizes? As written I think they’d be great for those with severe diet or allergy restrictions, but I’ll stick to your other desserts that are far tastier in my opinion.
Hi there! I’d definitely recommend baking these in a muffin tin as suggested because it allows the edges to get fully cooked and diminishes the bean texture. The olive oil may have affected the flavor, but not the texture. Sorry this wasn’t a hit!
DV says
Dana, thanks for the reply. I am intrigued to taste them as they’re supposed to be, and now have peppermint extract, LOL, so maybe I’ll try again in a few months. I’ll re-review if I’m successful. I always have faith in your recipes. Thanks!
Crystal says
I think the coconut oil does matter because it solidifies at room temperature so once it cools it wouldn’t be as mushy whereas olive oil stays a liquid…
Eli says
I asked my husband to make these for my birthday and they were soooo good. He raves about them constantly telling people “you won’t believe they are made from black beans!”
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Eli. We are so glad you both enjoy them! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
Eli Briggs says
Oops! forgot the rating
Hannah says
Wow, I will definitely be making these again! I substituted apple sauce for the coconut oil and used coconut sugar, and it still turned out great. I also upped the peppermint level a little. I decided to make them in a mini muffin tin, so they only cooked for about 15 minutes instead.
My friend said he didn’t think a dessert with black beans could taste so good, but this recipe proves it can!
Whoop! We’re so glad you and your friend enjoyed them. Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Jennifer says
Hello! This recipe looks great! Before I try it, do you think I would be able to substitute coconut sugar for the cane sugar? Or could another option be maple syrup and/or blended dates as another possible option? I found sugar free peppermints to top as well, so I’m very excited to give this recipe a try as part of my Christmas baking for this year!
Hi Jennifer, coconut sugar should work! Let us know how it goes!
Vanessa says
I have been aware of black bean brownies for years but I finally decided to try them and knew you would have a good recipe, Dana!
We were amazed by how good these were! You do not get any sense of a bean in there and they have a lighter texture than a typical brownie, which we really liked. Satisfying our household sweet tooth while also sneaking extra protein in is a great combination! I didn’t have a candy cane but the peppermint extract was a tasty addition! Mint + chocolate has always been my favorite!
My only sub was chia eggs instead of flax and I used pure cacao chips for half of my chocolate chips. I made these a week ago and I’m making them again tonight for my mom now that I know they’re a winner!
Yay! Thanks for sharing, Vanessa!
Tanya says
Dear Dana, just checking: NO FLOUR?! Wow. Omw to the kitchen.
Given this circumstance and it being May, what can I sub the peppermint extract for?
Hi Tanya, no flour! You could omit it or perhaps a drop of food-grade peppermint essential oil?
Erin says
Is there a substitute for coconut oil that you would recommend? Looking for an alternative that is nut, dairy, and coconut free!
We haven’t tried these with another oil, but would suggest trying avocado oil. Let us know how it goes!
Chris says
Is the 2 T flax+5 T water=ONE flax egg or TWO flax eggs? Thanks! :) Can’t wait to try these!
Two. Sorry for any confusion!
Becky says
Have you tried freezing these, Dana? I want to make 6 dozen for a Christmas baking exchange but would like to bake some ahead of time. Wonder if they’d freeze ok…
Hi Becky! That should work!
RebeccaVeegan says
I don’t have a food processor. Blender would work?
I think so, yeah!
Maria says
Made them and they are so good, but they look really flat ish….do you think doubling up the recipe would generate more thicker brownies?
Jb says
Made them and they came out amazing. Thanks!
Joya Matza says
I really want to make these with my preschool children for a holiday treat~ can I use a mini muffin pan? Will it work?
That should work! Just bake for less time. Good luck!
Lisa @ Chocolate Meets Strawberry says
Ooh, very keen to try these! I’ve made black bean brownies before that tasted super beany, so you had me at “undetectable”! Yummo!
Kay says
What brand of black beans do you use? I use the trader joes one and when I make the brownies, I sort of taste the beans in it. I can’t wait to make this, peppermint is so festive! I love your blog so so much, always checking in a couple times a week :)
Hmm, I use Trader Joe’s, too. Try and use unsalted. And be sure to thoroughly rinse them before using!
Alex says
These are fantastic! Got bored tonight and had the ingredients in my cabinet, and I just had to try them out! I subbed half of the black beans for garbanzo beans, and I ended up making two batches because my muffin tin is pretty big. They turned out so fudgy and so yummy, I can’t wait to share these with the fam for Memorial Day!
Casey says
I made these as an after school snack for my 3 and 5 year olds because I wanted something they would like with some protein in it. The kids *loved* them. Later my husband tried them and asked what was in them.
Me: “I don’t want to tell you”
Husband “Why? Do they have Andes mints or Hershey’s kisses?”
Me: “no, I wanted something I could give the kids as a snack…”
Husband: “you mean they have something healthy in them?!? Don’t tell me…”
:)
Sonia says
These were awesome! The only thing I did differently was use egg replacer instead of flax egg. Everyone loved them. Thank you!
Emily says
Can’t wait to make these this weekend for company! LOVE that they are vegan and GF! Are you on Instagram? Your pictures are great!
Jaime says
I can’t wait to try these out! Wondering if peppermint essential oil would do in place of the extract?
Anon E Mous says
Oh. So. Delicious.
I’ve made these brownies multiple times and have loved them every time. So fudgey, so chocolatey, so minty. . . ah, black bean brownie perfection. I used dark chocolate cocoa powder and the intense chocolate flavor was so good. And as I didn’t have any candy canes, I crushed up some Ghirardelli dark chocolate-peppermint bark squares for the topping — fantastic! This is now my go-to recipe for brownies.
Keep up the awesome work! Love your blog!
Thanks Anon!
Shelley says
Oh my goodness! I made these for my youngest son who is allergic to dairy and eggs since the rest of us will be having “normal” chocolate cake tomorrow and I wanted to make sure he had something tasty as well. These were SO GOOD!!!! I couldn’t detect the black beans at all (and believe me I tried)! Seriously SO good! Everyone needs to try these because they are amazing!!!! My baby will be lucky if he gets any of these tomorrow because I can’t stop eating them!
Lindsay says
2nd time making these… they are too good!
I used maple syrup (1/2 cup) in the place of sugar and about a 1/4 cup of apple sauce in the place of oil. Worked just great!! Thank you for this amazing recipe…its definitely one I will keep in rotation!
lisa says
Good News! After letting them set; putting them in the refrigerator overnight; they have a great appearance & spell much better. I will not use bananas next batch though; or maybe just one; maybe just a half. But I am going to try the cupcake method; much funner & easier to eat.
Leigh says
So my food processor has arrived and THIS is going to be the inaugural recipe! We are so excited!! Of course Christmas is long over so we haven’t any candy canes but we don’t care ~ peppermint black bean brownies & coconut cream are happening. NOW. Right now.
DO IT. Hope you enjoy these, Leigh! Let me know how it goes :D
Sarah says
Quick question – how would you substitute real eggs in this recipe? I’m not vegan :-) so I’m not very familiar with the flax eggs. Does 1 flax egg = 1 egg? Thanks!!
It’s a 1:1 swap!
Hanna says
Hello! My mom made this recipe for my birthday and it was absolutely DELICIOUS!! Thanks so much for the recipe. :) This one’s a keeper. Oh, and several people have already asked for the recipe.
Yay! Thanks for sharing, Hanna! So glad everyone enjoyed them :D
Mike says
These are incredible, and my first time making coconut whipped topping makes them even better!
Yay! The coconut whipped cream really does make these, right!?
Mike says
I never knew you could do that with Coconut Milk – I’ll probably never use dairy whipped topping again. Still warm and with the topping, these things are like a choc lava cake – delicious!
Lillie says
First on the list of things to register for with my fiancé is a nice food processor so I can undertake more of your recipes!
DO IT! You can make virtually anything with a nice food processor. So glad we got one at our wedding. Love you (and miss you) friend!
Haley - egginon says
These look amazing! I’ve always wanted to try black bean brownies and this might be the recipe!
You absolutely should! Topping them with coconut whipped cream = perfection. Also, I’ve got ANOTHER black bean recipe coming soon that is perhaps my favorite yet. Stay tuned!
Meital says
Hi, they look great!
A question – Do I need to leave the beans for 24 hours in water before using them? Do I need to cook them before using them?
Thanks!
Jazzoya Alexander says
i would recommend using canned beans.
Katie @ Produce on Parade says
I looove your original brownies, so I know I will love these. They are beautiful! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks, Katie! Hope you like this variation. I kind of prefer them :D
Dixya @ Food, Pleasure, and Health says
i have been eating so much sweets lately I kind of needed a break..however these little guys are telling me to dive right in. Coconut whipped cream sounds heavenly too.
Abbie @ Needs Salt says
Ahhh these brownies. They look totally amazing! So gooey and chocolatey. I need them in my life.
Pinned!
Robin says
Holy yum! I made these yesterday afternoon for a Christmas party and they honestly came out SO WELL. Like, I’ve never made a black bean dessert and no offense to any black bean dessert recipes, did not expect these to turn out as heavenly as they did. I think I gave ’em 24ish minutes. A little crumbly on the outside yet dense and fudgy on the inside! Putting them in muffin tins was genius. I waited until everyone at the party had grabbed one and tasted them before telling anyone they were vegan brownies. Everyone was literally so impressed…and then I told them the main ingredient and they were doubly shocked. This one woman went on about how amazed she was for the entire rest of the party! Seriously, thanks so much for this recipe. With all natural ingredients, I felt great serving these to friends!
Ha! This makes me so happy. I did the same thing to my apartment office staff. I didn’t tell them until afterwards that they were vegan, GF and made with black beans. Quite a shocker, eh? Glad you all enjoyed them so much, Robin! Thanks for sharing your experience.
Rebecca @ Dorm Room Baker says
These look delicious! I’m just worried if I made them I’d end up eating all the batter before it ever made it into brownie form!
haha, legitimate concern!
Kate says
Just bought some peppermint extract and have had a hankering to use it! I can’t wait to make these, they look so fudgey
Thanks Kate :D Let me know if you do!
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar says
Daaaaang, these look perfect!