It seems ludicrous to make your favorite recipes just once, but when you’re a food blogger sometimes you don’t have time for repeats!
But, after making a similar version of these black bean brownies a couple years ago I couldn’t help but try them again.
They’re fudgy, sweet, and still one of the best brownies I’ve had to date. Never mind they’re loaded with fiber, omega-3s and tons of other good-for-you ingredients.
Just last week I attempted a vegan gluten free brownie recipe that was a total flop. They didn’t set at all and sort of remained “soup” in the pan. So disappointing. The worst part? I’d wasted an entire bar and a half of my favorite dark chocolate and a decent amount of Earth Balance in the process. Not cheap, not cheap, not cool.
Then I thought, “Why would I make unhealthy brownies if I could make healthy ones that I know I love?” See, I do reason sometimes, especially when it comes to dessert.
These brownies are ridiculously simple to make.
They require a handful of ingredients you likely have on hand, and all you need is a food processor (or a blender) and a muffin tin.
Does clean up get much easier than that? Let me answer that, NO.
Besides being simple they’re insanely delicious. The edges have a slight crispness and the inside is all fudgy, chocolaty goodness.
Plus, you don’t have to dirty a knife cutting into them – they’re already baked into bite-size deliciousness. How convenient!
Enjoy these plain, with some vegan ice cream (coffee, chocolate, or vanilla), dunked in almond milk, slathered with peanut butter or topped with fresh berries (credit to my smart friend Arleigh for the berry idea).
Better yet, I have another idea for these beauties coming up next week. Wish me luck! In the meantime, bake these brownies and tell no one what’s inside…until they’re three bites in and begging for the recipe. Hooray for healthy deception!
More Black Bean Brownie Recipes
- Vegan Peppermint Black Bean Brownies
- Vegan Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies
- Refined-Sugar-Free Turtle Brownies (GF)
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
Vegan Gluten-Free Black Bean Brownies
Ingredients
- 2 heaping Tbsp flaxseed meal
- 6 Tbsp water
- 1 15-oz. can black beans (well rinsed and drained // 1 can yields ~ 1 3/4 cups)
- 3 Tbsp coconut oil (melted // or sub other oil of choice)
- 3/4 cup cocoa powder (the higher quality the better // such as this one)
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 heaping cup organic cane sugar (slightly ground or pulsed in a food processor or coffee grinder for refined texture)
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
TOPPINGS optional
- Crushed walnuts
- Pecans
- Dairy-free semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (176 C).
- Lightly grease a 12-slot standard size muffin pan (not mini // adjust pan size if altering batch size). Make sure you’ve rinsed and thoroughly drained your black beans at this point.
- Prepare flax egg by combining flax 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 walnuts or other toppings) and puree – about 3 minutes – scraping down sides as needed. You want it pretty smooth.
- If the batter appears too thick, add a Tbsp or two of water and pulse again. It should be slightly less thick than chocolate frosting but nowhere close to runny.
- Evenly distribute the batter into the muffin tin and smooth the tops with a spoon or your finger.
- Optional: Sprinkle with crushed walnuts, pecans or chocolate chips.
- Bake for 20-26 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 30 minutes before removing from pan. They will be tender, so remove gently with a 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.
- Store in an airtight container for up to a few days. Refrigerate to keep longer.
Annie says
Could I use coconut sugar?
Hey Annie, we haven’t tried it, but we think it would work! The texture might just be a little different. Let us know how it goes!
Anna says
I made this recipe, and it was very good. Everyone liked it and was surprised that it was made with black beans.
My request, if I may, if possible, a measure of batter per brownie would be highly helpful.
We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Anna! Thanks so much for the lovely review and for the suggestion!
Ariel says
Lovely recipe – very fudgy and tasty! I love that these are fiber-licious with the beans and flax – neither of which can be tasted in the final product. I did modify: I used 1/2c cocoa and the brownies were still very dark – 3/4c would have made them too dark for me, so unless you love seriously dark chocolate taste, I would recommend cutting back on the cocoa; I used a scant 1/2c of sugar and they were still plenty sweet; and finally I baked them the full 25 min but will take it to 30/35 next time bc the consistency was a little too “raw” of a mouth feel for me. I used my blendtec blender for these and that worked well. I will definitely make these again! Thanks so much for the recipe :)
Thank you for sharing your experience and modifications, Ariel! We’re glad you enjoyed the brownies!
Brantlee says
such a great recipe! as always, you have hit it out of the park. typically, i don’t tweak anything in your recipes…don’t need to! but in this recipe, i made a small addition of one tbsp. of instant coffee. i LOVE the way coffee enhances the taste of chocolate, so i gave it a whirl and it turned out lovely.
Aw, thank you so much for your sweet words and lovely review, Brantlee! We’re so glad you enjoy our recipes! YUM – great idea to add instant coffee to enhance the chocolate flavor. We appreciate you sharing! xo
Sarah says
I’ve made these many times now and they always come out well – thank you for such an easy, failsafe recipe.
This time I used a brownie pan, and they came out perfectly again!
Yay! We’re so happy to hear you have been enjoying this recipe, Sarah. Thank you for sharing your experience! xo
Toni says
Made these tonight using chickpeas (after removing all the skins). Made 24 brownies in a mini muffin tin. Baked for 14 mins. I added chopped vegan milk chocolate bar. They were very tasty, thanks for sharing!
How fun! We love your creativity with it, Toni. Thank you for sharing! xo
Fran says
Oh MY. These were recommended by a fellow vegan Weight Watchers member, and they do not disappoint! The cocoa flavor is stronger than I’m used to in brownies, but delicious. They’re tasty enough to satisfy non-vegans, too; I brought them to a tea party as the vegan dessert option last weekend.
To make them more tea party-sized, I baked these brownies in a mini-muffin tin (producing 24 brownies) and reduced the baking time by about half. Following your instructions for detecting when the brownies are fully baked is key, regardless of their size.
Thank you for sharing your experience, Fran! We’re so glad you enjoyed the brownies and that they were a hit at your gathering! xo
Lebo says
Made these last night. They came out a little bitter, I think the recipe has a bit too much cocoa powder. But I do like them, the texture is great, even though hey are more muffin like than a brownie. I replaced the flax meal with 2 eggs. Will definitely make again but maybe half the cocoa powder.
Sorry these turned out too bitter for you, Lebo! These are super chocolaty brownies. Eggs will make these more fluffy vs. fudgy, so if you’re looking for more of a brownie texture, we would suggest sticking with the flax eggs next time!
Shelby Renaud says
I’m surprised at all the great reviews. I made this today and didn’t love them. I did make a couple of subs, so it’s not 100% on the recipe itself.
Just giving feedback to help anyone who wants to try it.
I subbed sugar with maple syrup (same quantity) and the flax with 2 eggs. Everything else was as is. The texture was fine, but I think the cacao powder was overbearing. Brownies were a little bitter and not sweet enough.
I recommend adding a bit more sugar or the chocolate chips inside the dough rather than on top.
Sorry you didn’t love the brownies, Shelby! We would definitely encourage making them as written. Eggs are more drying, meaning the brownies won’t turn out as fudgy (which we really enjoy here!). Additionally, cane sugar tastes sweeter than maple syrup!
Xenia says
I’ve made these countless times over the years and they are fantastic! They definitely work best if made in a food processor, but not currently having acess to mine, I’ve been making them in a blender jug ( and having recently burnt one of those out making hummus) I add in some coffee to ensure a smoother blend without strain on the blender. Have also been baking them in an airfryer in a small banana bread tin and they still turn out so well!!
Amazing! That’s a creative workaround. Thanks so much for sharing, Xenia! xo
Jo says
This was a fantastic recipe and all around family crowd pleaser! I can’t believe I’ve never tried black beans before. Total convert now. I don’t know how I can ever go back! These just turned out so moist and fudgy. Will definitely be making these brownies for family and friends many times over.
Whoop! We’re so glad you got to try these brownies and that they were a hit with the whole family. Thank you for sharing, Jo! xo
Andee Sz says
I love these! Made them multiple times and have shared the recipe multiple times☺️
Though wondering if there’s any substitutes that might make them more “ light/ fluffy”…? I guess I’m just wondering if I am doing something wrong because it doesn’t rise much at all…🤔
Thanks in advance ☺️
We’re so glad you enjoy these brownies, Andee! Thank you for the lovely review and for sharing the recipe with others! These are a more fudgy brownie (vs. cakey), but they should rise a little. Is it possible your baking powder is expired?
Susan says
I’ve made these and shared these with family several times. Just as good with cannellini beans or northern if you MUST have some but don’t have black beans. Good cocoa does make a difference! Use stevia or erythritol to make them sugar free.
Amazing! Thank you for sharing your experience, Susan! xo
Sue says
Lower carbs and sugar: I’ve made this several times, with some health-conscious substitutions. It’s definitely the best way to work black beans (very good for you) into my diet. Although I consider myself a chocoholic (no day goes without it), I found 2/3 cup still made a very dark, rich chocolate. It may be that I’ve started using a new organic cocoa. I also substituted the sweetener with erythritol or monk fruit, upping the amount to 3/4 cup and think a little more might be needed for my sweet tooth. I used dark chocolate chips, since there is only one gram difference in carbs from Lily’s sugar free, and added the walnuts. So good!
Thank you for sharing your experience, Sue! We’re so glad you enjoy these brownies for working black beans into your diet :)