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.
Heather says
*coconut oil
Lol
Heather says
The batter was YUM and can’t really notice the beans, but the final baked texture… Dry on the outside, lacking that chewiness of a good brownie. I’m going to try again with more fat (coctrronut oil) and brown sugar (I think I made a mistake in using white sugar, I didn’t have raw sugar on hand and should’ve realized brown sugar is much closer to that) and hopefully they’ll be better. Still turned out okay, hubby says “decent” but definitely not quite right
Kay says
Heather, I highly recommend that you try adding water as I did (see my comment directly above yours). I used white sugar, too. That was your problem. And too much oil will just make them heavy and inhibit the baking powder from doing its job. Although I love this site, I could tell just by looking at the recipe that there wasn’t enough liquid the way it was written. :-)
Kay says
I made these yesterday for the first time. They’re awesome!!!!! I used my Vitamix, which allowed the ingredients to be well mixed. These definitely need the water that is suggested in the directions. I ended up having to add six tablespoons of water (dry measure spoon) to get the right consistency. This amount of water helped the baking powder do it job better because my brownies were nicely puffed on top and stayed that way even after cooling. Thanks for the recipe. It’s definitely a keeper!
Beth says
My first time making black bean brownies- YUM!!! My whole family loved them! I used a toaster oven and a mini muffin pan. They cooked about 10 min and were PERFECT! Thank you for the recipe!
Susan says
HOLY MOLY!!! These are absolutely fabulous – I made these for my cousin who just went through chemo and needed some “extra protein” in her diet, but was having a hard time with food….can’t imagine she’d turn these down! Can’t wait to share with everyone else!
Yours,
SUsan
Erica says
These brownies went over wonderfully! Nobody could detect any black beans, even after telling them the ingredients. I also topped with peanut butter frosting and banana slices right before serving.
A word of caution to international readers – Canadian bean can sizes are BIGGER – 19 oz vs 15 oz as specified by the recipe. I had to quickly scale up the rest of the ingredients and add more because I didn’t notice until after blending. My s-blade is broken so I made it in my blender (blended beans and liquid, and added to dry ingredients in a bowl), still worked great!
Sami says
OMGGG these are amazing! I had a really tough time not eating all the batter before baking them.. (perks of being vegan!) So so good your recipes never disappoint. Thinking of adding in some coffee grounds next time for a chocolate mocha type flavor :)
Fayel says
These brownies are great! I was a little skeptical at first as to how black beans and chocolate would go together but i’m obsessed with these now! You can’t taste the black beans at all; these brownies are better than any store bought mixes :) Tempted to eat them all right now to be honest! Thanks for the recipe!
Lexa says
Would this recipe work with white beans and real eggs? TIA
Hi Lexa, we aren’t sure whether that would work, but it might. Let us know if you give it a try!
Steven T. says
BEST VEGAN GLUTEN FREE BROWNIES!!! Like many, I too was skeptical about this recipe. I mean come on, I have NEVER heard of making a desert with black beans. I am also new to Vegan Baking and Cooking for that matter. I am Lactose Intolerant, allergic to wheat (Celiac Disease), and Sugar bothers me most of the time. I am a man of 50, it is what it is, and now that I have discovered this Blog, my life is getting better with each new recipe I try.
Yesterday [Feb 10, 2014] I made my first batch of these VERY tasty Vegan Gluten Free Brownies. I am blown away at how amazing they are, truly amazed. The consistency is like a flourless chocolate cake.
I could not wait to taste one when I took them out of the oven. I did let them cool down. At first I could barely taste the black beans, I thought they were good. The next day they were MUCH better. I LOVE THESE!! I am making 5 batches of 12 and giving them away for Valentine’s Day. One to each person that has shown me a Random Act of Kindness, within the past year. I only bake from scratch, it always tastes better. I also put chopped walnuts, or chopped almonds on top of my brownies, its looks and tastes great!
This recipe is not hard to make, its just getting all the ingredients together. I had NO idea what a Flax Egg was or where to get it. I looked it up online and was amazed. First you buy Flax Seeds, then grind them up, finely ground. Then you take 1 tblspoon ground flax seed and mix 3 tblspoons water for each egg. This is the Vegan Egg to bind the ingredients the same as egg whites. I am learning new things everyday.
Just follow this recipe as directed and you cannot go wrong. I will be making these brownies often and sharing them with EVERYONE! They are that good!
Leah says
Made these with brown sugar and cocoa powder. They were incredible and I had incredible feedback off non vegan eaters!!! Thanks.
Lorna says
Whenever I’ve been to Chinese restaurants, I’ve always thought that black beans could be put to so much more use than as a saucy accompaniment to Peking duck, so I’m really excited to try your recipe, thank you.
Annie says
These were a hit in our house! Passed the “teenager test”— he ate two. :) Great recipe. So rich, mois, delicious. Loved that they were healthy too. Sharing this recipe with my patients & family/friends. Looking forward to trying more of your other recipes. Thank you!
Rachel says
When the recipe says
3 T coconut oil, melted (or sub other oil of choice)
what does “3T” mean – teaspoons or table spoons or something else?
thanks
Ruby says
3 Tablespoons. Capital ‘T’ for tablespoon, lowercase ‘t’ for teaspoon. :)
amanda says
*is it
amanda says
hiii! i was wondering, is possible to replace the black beans with cooked lentils??
Hi Amanda, we haven’t tried that, but it might work! Let us know if you give it a try!
Kaity says
These are amazing. Can’t wait to try some of your other recipes, because this one was on point!
Thank you!!!
Katie says
Thank you so much for a great healthy recipe! I will definitely make these again!!
Brian Hughes says
I made these last night…delish!
I even took a few to put in my dehydrator. I flattened them a bit. Turned into yummy slightly crunchy cookies.
Thank you!!
Lisa says
I can’t believe how absolutely amazing these are. I may or may not have eaten quite a bit of the batter before I filled the muffin tin. :) My husband, who can smell healthy a mile away, had no idea that these little gems were made with beans. All you taste is the chcolatey brownie goodness. This recipe is goof proof, quick and easy, and absolutely yummy. Thank you for creating such a delicious vegan, gluten free treat!
Erin says
I must say, I was skeptical. But these are fantastic! Thanks for the recipe!!
Stephanie says
Thank you. My extremely fussy nine-year-old LOVED these and even told me I should open a bakery and sell them. He has no idea about the beans.
I used chia gel instead of flax, and regular sugar. They took a bit longer to bake, but were just perfect.
Candace says
I have tried a few black bean brownie recipes and this is by far my favourite. I did substitute 1/2 cup maple syrup instead of sugar because in the past I have always had to add quite a bit of water. They turned out perfect!!!
Ruby Drake says
I made a batch of these yesterday and, oh my god, they were spectacular (I’ve had to hide them from my family)! I found that even when I had filled my muffin tray there was still a lot of mixture left so I made 4 large ones in a large bun tin and increased the cooking time just for those. I had to add a lot more sugar to suit my taste too, just added 2 tbsp of water along with it to keep the mix the right consistency. Other than that there was not a single bad thing I had discovered in this recipe. I HIGHLY recommend heating them in a warm oven (make sure you wrap them in foil) the next day and serving with cold milk or cream! I had it earlier and it was just like a gooey hot fudge cake with cream. <3 Thank you for such an amazing recipe.
Jen Ramirez says
Thank you …they were delicious! My daughter loved them! FYI…I did substitute two eggs since I didn’t have flax seeds and used honey instead of sugar and it turned out great!
Jen says
Just made this today and it was absolutely delicious! My kids enjoyed them and I passed them off as homemade dark chocolate brownies.
Linda says
I’ve seen comments about people using honey and agave nectar in place of the sugar… would maple syrup work as well? And how much should I use? 1/4 like the honey user, or 1/2 like the agave nectar person?
Hi Linda, a liquid sweetener will likely make them runnier, so we’d recommend compensating with more cocoa powder and/or some gluten free flour. Let us know how it goes!
Terri says
I was really intrigued with this recipe… So I made it and brought it to my Enology group meeting last night. I decided that I would not tell them what the brownies were made from til after they tasted them and let me knwo what they thought. I used a Dark Cocoa powder and thought it was not quite sweet emougg, so I added a little bit more sugar to the batter. I was really impressed by the rich dark chocolate flavor that the battter had. Ans Surprise!! They all loved them – the flavor and texture were great! ANd… These browies are even GOOD for you! Absolute Success! (I’ll try the Coconut Whip Cream next time! YUM!~: )
Natalie says
Hello!
I was really hoping to make these using my mini muffin tin but can see in the recipe this is not recommended. Is this a definite no no??
You can use a mini muffin pan if you prefer. The only thing to keep in mind when converting your recipe for the mini pan is that baking times differ depending on the size of the brownies, so make sure to keep an eye on the clock. If you make mini brownies, report back on how it goes!
Emily_Asque says
Hi there,
I’m going to make these for my sister in law, shes fine with eggs..can I just replace the flax eggs with 1 or 2 eggs? or will this effect the end product? Also is raw sugar similar or able to be substituted with a type of brown sugar? I cant seem to find any solid results that bring up raw sugar in any shops near me.
Thank you!
Emily
Hi Emily, chicken eggs will make them more cakey instead of fudgy, but they should still work. And brown sugar should work. Let us know if you give it a try!
Heather says
Just made these today they’ve got a really nice rich chocolate flavor, not too sweet but you get an underlying mealy bean texture. Doesn’t impact the flavor at all but the texture is a little hard to get past. Thanks for the recipe though!
Krysta says
I made these for the first time today because I am experimenting with leaving flour out of my diet for health reasons.. but would never want to sacrifice my sweet tooth. I did use 2 eggs instead of the flax eggs and perhaps I should have used 1 egg to gain that fudgey taste, but they were still great! Would you mind if I shared your article and obviously plugged your site when I discuss making these on my blog next week? I write about everything Mommy and life while living in Costa Rica. If you want to check it out. first, but I can’t wait to share your recipe with my adaptations! Thank you!
Helen says
Just made these, turned out amazing even though I accidentally forgot the baking powder!! They also look just like the pictures :)
Monique says
These turned out GREAT. I would add to make sure to only fill muffin halfway as they do rise, and use the small muffin tin to help them firm up more and get crispier on the outside. Also, I used four dates and two packets of stevia when I mixed everything in my Vitamix instead of the sugar as I am trying to avoid sugar. The flax eggs worked great, and I loved the idea of a healthier alternative to eggs. Next time, I may try to substitute the oil with a ripe banana and add walnuts inside as well as on top. I also added quite a bit of cinnamon to add some punch to the chocolate! Thank you so much for this recipe. Let me just say, not all black bean brownie recipes are that good!
Lindsay says
I made these today and love them! I have been trying to figure out what to do with my extra few cans of Aduki beans in the cupboard, because I discovered that I HATE them as a legume (much in the same way that I do not like black eyed peas). Well, they worked beautifully in this recipe and now I don’t have to eat them in soups and salads anymore! Thank you Dana and John! I will hashtag my finished product to your instagram feed this week!
whoop! Glad you liked these. Thanks for sharing, Lindsay!
Y B says
Thanks for this recipe. I didn’t read all the comments, but in case someone asked:
I used a vitamix, not a food processor. I needed to add 4 extra tbsp of water, but batter came out a great consistency.
I used chia for the egg replacer, since I was out of flax. I liked it so much, I think I’ll start using it from now on!
I used white beans, not black beans.
Silicon muffin tin made it easy to get them out.
I definitely need to double the sugar. I used organic cane sugar, but perhaps raw sugar is sweeter? I covered them with powdered sugar so my kids would eat them.
No one tasted beans.
These will become a common dessert around here. I love that its made all in one “bowl”. My Vitamix is basically self cleaning, so this recipe is a breeze!
Thanks again,
YB
Amelia says
Nice texture; & my brownies turned out looking very similar to the photos. but the taste is not too delicious. None of my friends liked them, & I’m a serious chocoholic, but having a hard time eating them.
Jen says
OMG!!. X-mas came early. I just made these and followed the receipe to a “T”. As I was putting this together I was getting very excited. Once the batter was done…you know…had to stick a finger in it to try it…and it was velvety smooth and delecious….I just knew I had a winner..Yeah!! I can’t believe there are black beans in there…wow…I’ve been trying various vegan receipes and my husband said this was the first dessert one that tasted great…believe me…that’s sayin something..lol. Thank you so much.
Great! Thanks for sharing, Jen!
missy says
HI, do you have a beet, black bean brownie recipe? let me know. thanks
Not brownie, but cupcake! https://minimalistbaker.com/fudgy-vegan-beet-cupcakes/
AJ says
These were great! Didn’t have a food processor, so used the Vitamix–helped create a smooth batter. I added 2 tbspn water, 1 1/2 cup brown sugar (instead of 1 cup raw sugar), 1 tspn mint extract (as well as the vanilla listed in the recipe), and good quality cocoa. Turned out perfect, no bean taste–protein and dessert in one! Thank you.
Perfect! Thanks for sharing, AJ!
sarah says
I’m not vegan, and I was wondering if these would work with normal eggs? Just because I already have eggs so it would be easier for me :)
I think so – check the comments! Others have done it successfully, I believe. Good luck!
Melissa says
These are DELICIOUS! My 5 year old is gluten free, and a major bean-hater…he LOVED THESE! I’ve made quite a few black bean desserts over the years, and this one is by far the best one I’ve made. I used 2 eggs instead of flax eggs, and sprinkled mini chocolate chips on top. I’m feeding them to a group of 7-8 year old cub scouts tonight, and I’m pretty sure I should have made a few more batches. :)
Hannah says
I LOVE this recipe! I’ve been making them almost once a week for about 6 months. The only thing I do differently is use chia instead of flax.
BTW… I ran out of cocoa, and found some peanut butter powder. I used the same amount (3/4 c.) but reduced the sugar to 1/4 cup (the powdered peanut butter has sugar in it), and they were delicious!! Side note: I used garbanzo beans for this, just for appearance sake. They’re especially delicious if you put some jam on top.
Era says
These are my all time favorite muffins. The little bites are so rich! They are always a big hit among anyone who experiences them.
Maggie says
Loved these!! I only had dried black beans on hand, so I cooked those up with a cinnamon stick. The hint of cinnamon was delicious. Will definitely be making these again!
Elisabeth says
I made these tonight and they are soooo good! I’m not vegan or gluten free but am looking for healthier alternatives. I loved these!
Valentine Reltien says
Hey!
I just made this recipe and my brownies turned out just the right consistency but too bitter for general taste. How do you recommend I sweeten them after they’ve come out of the oven?
I thank you all in advance!
Hi Valentine, you could add chocolate frosting! https://minimalistbaker.com/date-sweetened-chocolate-frosting/
Kristina says
Dana,
You have no idea how much easier you make my life. These were so moist, chewy and rich! I couldn’t taste the beans at all. I love it. I love how I’m sneaking protein in it too! One question, do you think these would turn out at all without ANY oil (beside greasing)? We are high carb low fat low sodium vegans (rawtill4) and would love to have more variety without cheating.
Thanks for the kind words! I’m not sure how this would work without oil. Perhaps sub a little mashed avocado for natural oil? Let me know if you give it a try!
Melrose says
These are super yummy! I don’t have a food processor so I ended up subbing in some agave for part of the sugar, just to make it a little easier on my blender. They turned out great! I’ll definitely be making them again. Thank you! :)
Sarah says
I am trying to make this sugar free as well – I boiled some dried dates in a little water and added raisin to the food processor. Can’t say how they will turn out but I’ve given it a shot…
renay says
fantastic recipe, and i was majorly skeptical to begin with! husband loved them (i told him afterwards what they were made of). i used coconut sugar and topped with chopped walnuts. i might use a tiny bit more coconut sugar next time if i’m taking it for a family event. thank you & keep up the great work!
Valentine Reltien says
Do you reckon they taste better after a night in the fridge?
Have you ever tried making them with agave syrup?
Also, what does T stand for?
Very excited about baking these, thank you for the recipe!
Tablespoon!
Yanic says
Insanely yummy!!!! We made them in 24 mini-muffin tins so we can have 2-bite brownies. PERFECT!
Chelsie says
Just made these. Not bad, but not really good either. They are pretty bland tasting.
Joy says
These are mega wonderful!! I’ve been craving brownies, and these absolutely satisfied that craving. I only had red beans on hand, and didn’t add any sugar or sugar substitute, but those are the only changes I made. They are quite gooey and delicious, though I could stop myself after eating one! I think I will try your exact recipe (including the raw sugar) before I introduce these to my friends, as they have more of a sweet tooth than me. Oooh, and I topped them with sliced almonds… it contrasted lovely with the gooeynes.
Ronana says
I WAS a skeptic. I plan to try other recipes. The “missing” eggs was my doubt. I am SO glad I tried these and very glad to have stumbled upon the site.
WOW.
Yay! Glad you liked these!! Thanks for sharing. They’ve turned a lot of skeptics into believers!
alex says
I’m sorry…just want to confirm, what is the 3 T of coconut oil?!? is it 3 Cup?!? can you help me please…..these look so good!
3 Tablespoons :D
Karen says
I eat gluten free and am also a chocoholic. Most brownies recipes are too sweet and unhealthy. I really appreciate the creativity of using black beans and flax seeds instead of flour and eggs. I have made these brownies twice and they are amazingly good! There is no “beanie” taste. I substituted coconut palm sugar for the sugar in the recipe and added 1/8 cup of additional water to moisten the thick batter.
Carolyn says
Made these twice already but I have some adzukis that need to be used up so think I will try those out. :) The black bean ones were fabulous, and fun, and no one at work believed they were black beans! Heh.
Adzuki beans might work. Let us know if you give it a try!
Charlotte says
Absolutely delicious! I think the measurements may be wrong though: they didn’t account for me eating half the batter during preparation :(
Brigitte says
Do you think I could substitute a cooked apple for the sugar? For it would be healthier if we eat a lot of them. They look so yummy!
It would definitely affect the texture, but it’s worth a shot! Just compensate with more cocoa powder and perhaps a little flour?
Augusta says
I just made these, they were AMAZING!!!!!
I added scraped vanilla beans, half a tsp of instant coffee, some agave syrup (and a little white sugar, i had ran out of raw sugar) and some fresh strawberry pulp from a juice i had just made.
Everyone loved them, they’re so fudgey and gooey, and just oh so good!
You can’t even tell there are black beans in them.
Thank you so much for your great and delicious recipes <3
Love from Chile
MP4 says
Just wanted to add that a stick blender and large bowl also works for mixing these up.
Amanda says
Made these for my husband and stepson, and they loved them so much I had to make another batch. Definitely recommend trying these – don’t fear the beans, you don’t taste them at all!
Taryn says
AWESOME recipe. Simply amazing. You cannot taste the black beans at all. Rich, sumptuous and delicious. Next time I may try adding some coffee powder and I might also try it with red kidney beans. A guilt free pleasure for sure!
Emma says
I made these for a family dinner last night where my cousin’s daughter is allergic to gluten, dairy, eggs, potato, garlic, onion, and cranberries. Poor little thing!
The whole family LOVED them. We had them with coconut ice cream and berries. Delicious. Couldn’t taste the black beans and so happy they are so healthy!
I subbed in half a cup of almond meal because my can of black beans was smaller, and used white sugar not raw sugar.
I’ll definitely be making these for myself later this week. Yummmm
Sayre says
I must thank you from the bottom of my heart. My seven year old was recently found to have celiac disease which is a big adjustment for a little guy. He loves these. I love these. I love that I can practically serve these to him as a lunch- they are tiny little bean burgers that taste extra delicious. Thank you , thank you!
Miss Chef says
Well, I didn’t have any black beans or kidney beans, but did have a can of beetroot in the pantry. (I have made awesome non-vegan chocolate cake using beetroot previously, so thought it was worth a try.)
I drained just substituted for the beans. Turned out great and moist, and no-one could tell the beetroot was there.
Thanks,
and with all the positive comment, I will try with beans next time.
:)
Ameera says
Hi! I’m still new to this whole healthy eating thing and wrapping my head around black bean brownies is certainly proving to be difficult. However, I feel like I’m ready to overcome my fear and take the plunge! One question though, it’s either difficult to find or too expensive to buy raw sugar where I live so can that be substituted with brown sugar? It’s okay if the health benefits are compromised a bit. ;)
That should work!
Jennifer says
First of your receipe I tried last week. I baked them a couple minutes too late, so they were kinda dry, but I won’t be fooled next time! Might also add some chocolate chips in the mixture to make them more chocolated-tasting, but overall very satisfied!
Herman says
I am new to this vegan thing, I made these for the first time today. Took 30min to make (not including cooking time) and they are FREAKIN AWESOME!!! Never have to eat a traditional brownie again in my life. can I rate it 10/5???
haha, I wish!! Thanks for sharing!
sarah says
great… now there is drool all over my keyboard, lol
Beth says
I am so excited about these brownies! What a great way to get some healthy goodness into my kiddos! They are in the oven now….
Kate says
i took half of everything because i wasnt sure if I would like the taste… oh how wrong was I!!
These came out so good, my husband did not realize, there made from black beans!!
Thank you for sharing this.
Maia says
I just made these! I don’t have a food processor and my blender is not very good so I figured it wouldn’t work in there. I blended the black beans with a bit of water and the vanilla and Orgran egg-substitute eggs. I then used the electric egg-beater to mix that with the other ingredients and it worked fine :) Anyways, the brownies came out pretty good aside from being slightly bitter and undercooked in the middle (giving them an extra-extra gooey centre…). I will be sure to make these again with some more sugar, less cocoa powder and longer in the oven! Great recipe but definitely recommend trying it first if you’re planning to take them to an event as it seems to turn out different for everyone :) oh and I used regular granulated sugar
Heather says
Finally. A delicious vegan brownie recipe! I’ve been waiting years to find this! Simple, delicious, and fudgy – thank you for your sharing your recipe :)
Lovely! Glad you enjoyed them, Heather! xo
Maia says
Are you sure I can use my blender instead of a food processor? I don’t think I can “puree for 3 minutes” /leave it on for 3 minutes because it might explode… after 1 minute of blending a thick smoothie it starts to smell like burning rubber
Linnea says
Could someone PLEASE convert the messures to gram/dl, I’m new to cooking with cups and get so confused about US/English cups and so on. Would really appriciate because they look amazing!
Hi Linnea, if you click “metric” under the ingredients header, you will see metric measurements. Hope that helps!
Natalie @ Our Passion For Food says
I reaaally need to try this, the comments are insane haha! Just cooked up a batch of black beans, sadly I don’t have a working oven at home so got to go to my in-laws tonight but guess what i’ll be baking… ;) haha can’t wait! Thanks guys!
JoCo says
I made this recipe last night. It. Was. Amazing. In my second batch, I added peanut butter and cinnamon. Wow. With banana “ice cream,” it’s heaven. I love this recipe so much, I had some for breakfast with berries. So in love. Thank you for sharing.
Kris Morley says
Can I freeze these .
Yes!
JP says
Thanks a lot for this recipe, it made my son who eats gluten free happy! I used red beans instead of black and it worked well too! Will try with mung beans one of these days. :)
Christine says
I made these again today, but I left the oil out as mine have always been a bit too gooey. I also made mine in a glass pan and then poured this on top when they were cool.
OH. MY. GOSH.
Melanie says
Excellent recipe – my children LOVED these and my oh-so-skeptical husband pronounced them “good” (which is a big win, since he’s rejected every vegan brownie recipe for nearly 4 years). I consider the kids to be the bigger win here tho: they had 2 for snacks after school and wanted more after dinner. I thought the batter was decadent as I was making them and loved the gooey texture, combined with excellent fudge flavor (and that’s just with Kroger brand cocoa!). Thanks for a terrific recipe (and blog)!
Thanks Melanie! Glad your family enjoyed these!
A.G. says
I’m not one to comment on baking blogs, but these are divine. And versatile. Instead of black beans I used red kidney beans. Instead of cocoa powder & sugar, I used 1 c. hot chocolate mix and half bag melted semisweet chocolate chips. Despite the modifications, they came out perfectly; a rich, dense texture but not sickly sweet. I also loved that they cut so smoothly and it was easy to clean the pan. I will definitely make these again, thank you.
Kate says
I’m excited to try these brownies for my sisters gluten free baby shower! I was wondering if it’s possible to use regular eggs, melted butter, and brown sugar instead of flax eggs, coconut oil, and raw sugar? Maybe that sounds silly..I’m a grad student and on a budget, so gluten free is a priority but vegan is not. What exactly is flax and what purpose does it serve in this recipe?
Thanks!
Maria says
Flax meal is ground flax seeds. In this recipe it substitutes eggs as a binding agent, besides adding good omega 3 nutrients! I did this recipe adding one teaspoon of espresso grinds and I used a baking tray instead of muffin tins. Delicious!!
Mary says
I loooved these!! Brought them to a picnic today and the unanimous reaction upon biting into one was “oh my god…” brownie heaven :) No one guessed there were black beans in there. I added one tablespoon of coconut flour, since I had it on hand, and I loved the fudgy texture. Will definitely be repeating this recipe!
Natasha says
Just to let you all know, these are a PERFECT after workout snack, as they have carbs and protein in the magical 4:1 ratio, plus super chocolatey flavour. Forget manufactured stuff out of a wrapper, these are a hundred times better! Thanks for the recipe.
Great idea, Natasha! Glad you’re enjoying these so much. Thanks for sharing!
Stacy says
Literally the BEST vegan brownies I have ever made! Thank you so much for the great recipe!
Rosie says
Is the Nutrition Information
value per Brownie or for the whole batch?
For 1 of 12 brownies
Naome says
Can stevia be used instead of raw sugar? If so, how much would be appropriate?
It shouldn’t take much! Taste the batter as you add it in little by little to check. Hope that helps!
Cassandra says
Making these as I type… wow… they look bubbly and chocolatey and DELICIOUS… thanks for the great recipe! :)
Mary Sweeting says
Oh my goodness these are so good! I have made them, photographed them (after doing your fabulous food photography ecourse) and today they are on my blog, thanks again for the recipe, Mary
cs says
I’m not one to comment, but I have to say that these are HEAVENLY! I just happened to sneak a couple of licks of the batter too (just like any brownie mix out there, and better). Homemade brownies that are healthier and EASIER than any traditional recipe where you have to melt chocolate. I will be making these again and again!
Thanks for sharing!! So glad you enjoyed these. Cheers!
Christine says
I made a double batch of these for my sister’s family yesterday. I used chia eggs instead of chicken eggs and brown sugar instead of another sweetener. I gave her a note to read AFTER they ate them telling her what was in them and she replied that they were deliciously fudgey and they loved them! I now have a double batch in the oven for me! I’m vegan, gluten free and sugar free and they are so addicting!!!
Christine says
Just FYI, you can use cupcake/muffin baking cups! They work great!
Thanks for sharing, Christine!
heather says
Just put mine in the oven but have to bounce off to the gym asap could I put them in the freezer to set the outside so I can take a few with!?
Mike says
The taste was pretty good, but in have never made a dryer brownie ever. They were like dust. What did I do wrong? I followed the recipe to the letter. Anyone else have this issue. It’s so annoying because I wanted more because the flavor was rediculous. Thanks
julie says
The might have been dry if they were overbaked. Does your oven run hot? even a couple of min. at a hotter temp can overbake something small. Also, the oil may have been measured incorrectly. If your cannned beans were really dry or starchy, there may not have been enough moisture. Also, if your cocoa powder is old, it may be really dry and need a little extra oil and water to compensate. So many reasons why baking recipes can go wrong! I just pulled mine out of the oven and am impatiently waiting to take them out of the pan. They smell amazing!
mike says
Our oven runs a bit cold, we checked and pulled them slightly before fully done….coca powder was new. I can try adding a bit of oil next time. Let me know how yours turn out, thanks for the help
Christine says
I followed the recipe to the letter and mine came out gooey! They are addictive…maybe try again? Ü
Madeline says
Try cooking them for just a little longer – maybe around 4 minutes. Unless you like them gooey; that would be yummy with a some fresh homemade whipped cream or a scoop of icecream :-)
Christine says
Just came out of the oven and I inhaled 2 of them! I used natural sweeteners and so guessed at the measurements because I am new to this. They could have been a little more sweet, otherwise they were delicious!
Sarah says
I too want to use natural sweeteners such as raw honey, yacon syrup or dates. What did you use and which measurements?
Christine says
I used Lakanto (monk fruit & erythritol), stevia and xylitol and I didn’t measure. Sorry…
Sarah says
Christine, I too want to use natural sweeteners such as raw honey, yacon syrup or dates. What did you use and which measurements?
Joannie says
OH MY GOD. Second time I try one of your recipes and I’m already hooked. I ADORE those brownies. Just the batter was making me drool. The texture is so rich, they’re so crispy on the outside and so decadent on the inside. I topped them with pecan bits and grossly chopped non-sweetened dark chocolate. I adore the taste of bitter dark chocolate, so those are a big win for me. To people who like more sugary dessert, I’d suggest adding a bit more sugar, or semisweet chocolate chips to them, but I love them as they are!