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These black bean brownies are rich and fudgy while also being oil and gluten-free. They only require a handful of ingredients and about 40 minutes. Everyone will love these, especially kids!
I remember when I first went vegan, I was OBSESSED with bean desserts. From black bean brownies to white bean cookies, I thought it was so freaking cool that something like a bean could taste amazing in a dessert. My family, well…. not so much. They were not vegan at the time and were SO weirded out by the concept of bean desserts. There are definitely still people out there who are skeptical about the whole thing, so my recommendation is not to tell them and let them realize that it is delicious regardless.
Not only is this recipe easy, but it also only requires simple and easy-to-find ingredients. Black beans, sugar, cacao (or cocoa) powder, organic cane sugar, flaxseed meal, baking powder, vanilla extract, and salt. The walnuts and chocolate chips are optional but HIGHLY recommended 😉
Make sure you tag us on Instagram @sweetsimplevegan and @consciouschris and hashtag #sweetsimplevegan if you recreate any of our recipes, we love to see your photos!
Gluten-free Black Bean Brownies Recipe
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 16 small brownies
Description
Who would have known that black beans were the secret ingredient to perfectly rich and fudgy brownies? These easy black bean brownies make for the perfect dessert as they are oil-free, gluten-free, flourless, rich in fiber, and ready in about 40 minutes. They are delicious and everyone will love these, especially kids!
Ingredients
- 2 flax eggs (2 tablespoons flaxseed meal + 6 tablespoons water)*
- 1/2 cup organic cane sugar (we used raw but it is not necessary)
- 1 (15 oz.) can (1 3/4 cups) black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/4 cup unsalted peanut or almond butter*
- 3/4 cup cacao (or cocoa) powder
- 2 tablespoons brewed espresso (or strong brewed coffee; optional)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Optional
- 2 tablespoons crushed walnuts
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons dairy-free semi-sweet chocolate chunks
Instructions
- Prepare the flax eggs by mixing the flaxseed meal with the water in a small bowl. Set aside to thicken for about 15 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line a 9-inch square baking dish with parchment paper. You can oil the baking pan instead as well.
- In a food processor, add in the sugar and process it enough to bring it to a finer texture. Whether you are using raw or not, the sugar should be broken down for better brownies. Add in the black beans and almond butter, and process until smooth.
- Add in the prepared flax eggs, cacao powder, espresso, vanilla extract, baking powder, and sea salt, and process smooth. You may need to stop and scrape down the sides.
- Add 1/4 cup of the chocolate chunks and mix them in by hand. Pour the batter into the lined baking dish and use a spatula to smooth out the top. Top with 2 tablespoons of walnuts and the remaining to tablespoons chocolate chunks as desired.
- Place into the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick runs clean. remove the brownies from the oven and cool completely before digging in.
Notes
- You can also use 2 tablespoons chia seeds in place of the 2 tablespoons flaxseed meal.
- To make this recipe nut-free, avoid the optional walnuts and use sunflower butter in place of the peanut or almond butter. We have not yet tested the sunflower butter and cannot guarantee the results will be the same, but it is what we would do to make it nut-free!
- Store the brownies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5-7 days.
- The nutrition facts take into account the use of almond butter + all of the optional toppings.
- This recipe is adapted from Minimalist Baker.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dessert, Leftovers
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Vegan, Gluten-free
Keywords: Dessert, Leftovers, Black Bean, Brownies, Baking, Vegan, Gluten-free
Nutrition facts label provided by Nutri Fox.
Need more ideas for using up black beans? Check out more below!
Easy Vegan Black Bean Dip (Oil-free + 7-Ingredients)
Sweet Potato & Black Bean Breakfast Hash (Gluten- and Oil-Free)
Vegan Enchilada Casserole With Homemade Sauce (Oil & Gluten-Free)
Vegan High-Protein Teriyaki Mushroom Burgers
Instant Pot Black Bean Soup (Vegan + 30-Minutes or Less)
Disclaimer: The nutritional information shown is an estimate provided by an online calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional’s advice. This page may contain affiliate links, which simply means that we earn a commission if you purchase through those links, but your price remains the same. Thank you for supporting Sweet Simple Vegan!
These brownies were rich and satisfying. However, why the espresso? I mixed in the indicated amount of espresso into the batch, but I ended up with bitter, very caffeinated brownies! It was a bad idea, and next time I will replace that with some peppermint extract…
★★★
That is strange! The amount we added was so little that it enhances the flavor, not diminishes it. Did you use brewed espresso and not espresso powder? Powder will definitely ruin the flavor.
Hi, thanks for sharing this awesome looking recipe! I would like to try to make it without coffee or espresso – do you have any suggestions for a substitution? What about carob powder, or can I just leave it out?
Thanks!
You can just leave it out! 🙂
I just made these and they turned out amazing! I followed the main recipe as is, though for the “toppings” I chopped up part of a dark chocolate bar (I didn’t have any chocolate chips) and omitted the walnuts (I don’t prefer nuts in my brownies). The best part of these brownies was the texture – almost like a cross between a regular brownie and fudge! And they got even fudgier after I had them in the fridge for a few hours!
★★★★★
Can you sub maple syrup instead of sugar?
Hi Mel! We have not tested these with maple syrup but from my experience, it may make the brownies a bit moist.
I can’t get black beans where I live. Could I sub other beans? I need to make these asap!
Love your supper chill stile and awesome food. ❤️
Hi Julia! We have not tested this recipe with any other bean, but we think that you could try this out with white beans and make blondies!
THIS. IS. THE. BEST. BROWNIE. RECIPE. IN. THE. WHOLE. WORLD.
p.s. some ovens require about 10-15 more minutes of baking time
p.s.s. sub 1/2 cup of the cocoa powder for dark cocoa powder for a even more deliciously rich chocolate-y flavor
★★★★★
Thanks for the tip! We are so glad that you liked them 🙂
AMAZING! These are the best black bean brownies I have tried! Super smooth consistency and super fudgy, therefore not at all “bean-y” like some other recipes! Keep the leftover series comin’! 🙂
★★★★★
We are so happy to hear that, thank you for sharing Melissa 🙂
AMAZING! These are the best black bean brownies I have tried! Super smooth consistency and super fudgy, therefore not at all “bean-y” like some other recipes. Keep the leftover series comin’! 🙂
★★★★★
Oh my goodness, these look fabulous! Desserts are such an unlikely recipe when it comes to using leftovers. The most common ones I see are Buddha bowls, salads, soups, or stir-fries. I love this twist on using black beans! I bet these were too irresistible–how long did they last? I’m sure not for too long though! ;D
That is definitely out goal! We want to show people anything and everything they can make. These did not last long AT ALL! You know me too well 😉
Do you think brown sugar can be subbed for cane?
Yes! You can substitute 1/2 cup of brown sugar for the 1/2 cup cane sugar in this recipe. Since brown sugar contains molasses, the texture and flavor may change a bit but the sweetness will be the same!