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Home Meal Type Desserts
5
/5
35 minutes

Fudgy Black Bean Brownies

Gluten Free Gluten Free Nut Free Nut Free Vegetarian Vegetarian
Jump to Recipe
By: Denise Bustard30 Comments
Posted: 3/10/21 Updated: 3/14/21

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

These black bean brownies are fudgy, rich, and so satisfying! The perfect way to satisfy your sweet tooth while keeping things lighter: no refined sugar, grain-free, and 125 calories per brownie!

I am a sucker for a delicious dessert bar; chocolate tahini oat bars and no bake snack bars are some of my favorites on the blog. But the recipe I come back to time and time again when I have chocolate cravings? These black bean brownies!

close up shot of black bean brownies cut into bars
Jump to... show
1 Reasons you'll ♡ this recipe
2 Recipe video
3 Ingredient notes
4 Step by step directions
5 FAQ
6 Recipe variations
7 More healthy treats
8 Fudgy Black Bean Brownies

When it comes to brownies, let's be honest: it's all about that delicious fudgy texture! I am definitely a brownie fan, and you might remember a time when Sweet Peas & Saffron was filled with crazy over the top desserts.

These days, it's about satisfying that sweet tooth while keeping things on the healthier side. And these black bean brownies are CRAZY good, and were gobbled up by the whole family!

Reasons you'll ♡ this recipe

  • it's refined sugar free, gluten-free and kid-friendly
  • you can make them in the blender or a food processor, no bowls needed!
  • they are fudgy, chocolatey and oh-so-delish

Recipe video

Watch the video below to see exactly how I made these brownies. It’s so easy! You can find more of my recipe videos on my YouTube channel, or on Facebook.

Ingredient notes

overhead view of ingredients required to make black bean brownies
  • black beans- you'll need cooked black beans, whether you cook them on the stove top, in the Instant Pot, or just use canned beans. Measure out 1 ½ cups and make sure they are rinsed, then drained.
  • maple syrup- you can swap for honey or brown sugar if you'd prefer; alternative sweeteners have not been tested.
  • coconut oil- helps bring moisture and fudginess to the brownies; you may swap for butter or vegan butter. Make sure you use refined coconut oil to avoid an overly coconutty flavor (unless you like it!)
  • eggs- I have not tested flax eggs in this recipe and do not know if they will work.
  • espresso powder- brings depth of flavor and enhances the chocolate flavors in the brownies; swap for instant coffee if you don't have espresso powder.

Step by step directions

  • overhead view of ingredients for black bean brownies in a blender (before blending)
  • black bean brownie batter in blender after blending up

1. Blend ingredients- in a large blender, combine the black beans, maple syrup, vanilla, cocoa powder, eggs, espresso powder and melted coconut oil. Blend until smooth and no lumps of cocoa powder remain.

TIP- I use this Vitamix, but even cheap blenders will get the job done

8 x 8 inch baking pan lined with parchment paper and clipped in place

2. Prepare baking pan- Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit an 8 x 8 inch baking pan, and clip it in place using binder clips or kitchen clips.

TIP- spritz your baking pan with a little spray oil to help your parchment paper stick in place

overhead view of black bean brownies in parchment-lined baking pan before baking

3. Add batter- Spread the batter out into the pan, using a spatula to get it all out of the blender. Scatter the top of the batter with chocolate chips.

Remove the binder clips, and bake in a 350°F degree oven for 20 minutes, or until the center no longer jiggles.

TIP- do not use convection setting of your oven as it may cause the parchment paper to blow into the brownie batter

overhead view of black bean brownies in baking pan after baking through

4. Cool, then slice- Allow the brownies to sit for at least 20 minutes, before lifting the parchment paper out of the baking pan and carefully slicing into bars.

TIP- they slice even better when they're completely cooled


FAQ

Do they taste like black beans?

NOPE. Honestly, there is no way I'd ever guess that these were made with black beans, and even my kids (who let's be honest are the real food critics) love them!

Do I need to add the espresso powder?

No, you don't. You can swap for instant coffee if you have it, or leave it out. It simply adds to the chocolatey flavor of this recipe.

Can I make them vegan?

It may be possible to replace the eggs with flax eggs, however I have not yet tested. If you give it a try, I'd love to hear how it turns out!

Can I freeze them?

I bet you could, however I haven't tried. I highly recommend sticking wax or parchment paper between them if you do try it so they don't stick together.

overhead view of black bean brownies with one on its side to reveal texture

Recipe variations

  • bake it up in a muffin pan
  • swap chocolate chips for peanut butter chips
  • add a sprinkling of flaky sea salt to the tops
  • add chopped nuts to tops for added crunch (walnuts or pecans would be great)
  • add ¼ teaspoon of peppermint extract
  • add ¼ to ½ teaspoon of cinnamon

More healthy treats

  • Healthy Pumpkin Bread
  • Healthy Zucchini Bread
  • Creamy Chocolate Dessert Hummus
  • Easy Baked Apples
  • a spatula picking of a slice of no bake snack bars
    No Bake Snack Bars
  • overhead shot of snickerdoodle almond butter granola bars sliced in a row
    Snickerdoodle Almond Butter Granola Bars
  • bag filled with classic peppermint bark with tag saying made with love
    Classic Peppermint Bark Recipe
  • overhead shot of cinnamon roasted pecans in a blue bowl
    Classic Cinnamon Roasted Pecans

Did you make this? Tag me on social @sweetpeasandsaffron and be sure to leave a comment and rate the recipe!

stack of four fudgy black bean brownies

Fudgy Black Bean Brownies

5 from 14 votes
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 20 mins
Total Time: 35 mins
Print Rate
These black bean brownies are fudgy, rich, and so satisfying! The perfect way to satisfy your sweet tooth while keeping things lighter: no refined sugar, grain-free, and 125 calories per brownie!
12

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups black beans drained and rinsed
  • ½ cup maple syrup honey also works
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • ⅓ cup cocoa powder
  • 3 eggs large
  • 1 teaspoon espresso powder
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil melted; see note 1
  • ¼ cup chocolate chips

Instructions 

  • Prepare- Prepare an 8x8 inch baking dish by lining with parchment. Spray the bottom of the pan to help the paper stick, then clip it to the dish with binder clips (remove before baking).
    8 x 8 inch baking pan lined with parchment paper and clipped in place
  • Blend ingredients- in a large blender, combine the black beans, maple syrup, vanilla, cocoa powder, eggs, espresso powder and melted coconut oil. Blend until smooth and no lumps of cocoa powder remain.
    overhead view of ingredients for black bean brownies in a blender (before blending)
  • Add batter- Spread the batter out into the pan, using a spatula to get it all out of the blender. Scatter the top of the batter with chocolate chips.
    overhead view of black bean brownies in parchment-lined baking pan before baking
  • Bake- Remove the binder clips, and bake in a 350°F degree oven for 20 minutes, or until the center no longer jiggles.
    overhead view of black bean brownies in baking pan after baking through
  • Cool- Cool for 20 minutes in the pan, then carefully transfer to a cutting board and cut into 12 bars
    overhead view of cut up black bean brownies

Tips:

1- I recommend refined coconut oil as unrefined can have a strong coconut flavor
Storage
Store in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Variations
  • swap chocolate chips for peanut butter chips
  • add a sprinkling of flaky sea salt to the tops
  • add chopped nuts to tops for added crunch (walnuts or pecans would be great)
  • add ¼ teaspoon of peppermint extract
  • add ¼ to ½ teaspoon of cinnamon

Video

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1brownie, Calories: 126kcal, Carbohydrates: 18g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 4g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 41mg, Sodium: 20mg, Potassium: 161mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 10g, Vitamin A: 70IU, Calcium: 34mg, Iron: 1mg
Author: Denise Bustard
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American

© Sweet Peas & Saffron - Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.

Did You Make This?Don't forget to leave a review below, and tag us on Instagram using @SweetPeasAndSaffron or #sweetpeasandsaffron
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Meet Denise Bustard

Denise Bustard is the creator of Sweet Peas and Saffron, a meal prep-focussed food blog. With a PhD in biochemistry, Denise takes a scientific approach to perfecting her recipes. You can find Denise's work featured on Huffington Post, MSN, Self and more.

Read more...

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Recipe Rating




  1. Crystal Davis says

    Posted on 3/25/22 at Posted on 3/25/22

    These look amazing. May I ask what type of chocolate chips you used? I noticed mention of “No refined sugar.” Were you only referring to the “brownie batter,” or does that apply to the chocolate chips as well?

    Reply
    • Jasmine @ Sweet Peas & Saffron says

      Posted on 3/26/22 at Posted on 3/26/22

      Hi Crystal, great question! It definitely depends on what kind of chocolate chips you are using - if you're looking for refined sugar free check out Pascha, Hu Kitchen, or Lily's Sweets for options without any refined sugar. I hope this helps!

      Reply
  2. Cindy says

    Posted on 3/25/22 at Posted on 3/25/22

    I don't have a blender, could I use a Nutri Bullet instead?

    Reply
    • Jasmine @ Sweet Peas & Saffron says

      Posted on 3/25/22 at Posted on 3/25/22

      Hi Cindy, absolutely a Nutri Bullet should work! Hope you enjoy!

      Reply
  3. Anne says

    Posted on 3/28/21 at Posted on 3/28/21

    5 stars
    These are so good! I studied several recipes for black bean brownies after I had them at a party. These met my requirements for rich chocolate flavor and not too much sugar. I also love the smooth texture. I have made them several times. Whenever I start to have a chocolate craving, these come to mind. It doesn’t hurt that these are so easy to make. Thank you for this recipe!

    Reply
    • Denise Bustard says

      Posted on 4/19/21 at Posted on 4/19/21

      Hi Anne! I'm so happy to hear these are your go-to. Thanks so much for taking the time to come back and leave a review!

      Reply
  4. Sonia pichinte says

    Posted on 2/2/21 at Posted on 2/2/21

    I have to admit i was really skeptical at first even as they were cooling out of the oven . However it satisfied my sweet tooth i added instant coffee instead of the expresso powder and it gave it like a nice depth . I don’t really like beans but I’ve got no complaints here Denise thanks for the recipe.

    Reply
    • Denise Bustard says

      Posted on 2/9/21 at Posted on 2/9/21

      Yay! I'm so happy you gave them a try, Sonia! I know, black beans in brownies sounds so weird. Thank you so much for taking time out of your day to report back, I really appreciate it! <3

      Reply
  5. Inger Lopez says

    Posted on 2/1/21 at Posted on 2/1/21

    5 stars
    A few weeks ago I tried this recipe and it was an immediate hit.
    I don not like cooking but was up to making a healthy snack..
    Everybody loved it and A friend of even even aak me to make it as goodies foe her birthday.
    Such an easy eecipe

    Reply
    • Denise Bustard says

      Posted on 2/9/21 at Posted on 2/9/21

      Hi Inger! I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed! Thank you so much for taking time out of your day to leave a review, I really appreciate it 🙂

      Reply
  6. Current Resident says

    Posted on 1/23/21 at Posted on 1/23/21

    I've tried other fudgy black bean brownie recipes and like this one the best-a batch is cooling on my kitchen counter as we speak. Minor tweaks that worked for me; reduced honey to 1/3 C., substituted a pinch of ground coffee since I don't have espresso, and added 1/4 t. of baking powder and a pinch of salt. Since I really like chocolate, I also hand-mixed in 1/2 C. of semi-sweet chips to the batter.
    I think they taste best right out of the fridge. Thanks so much for the recipe!

    Reply
    • Denise Bustard says

      Posted on 1/24/21 at Posted on 1/24/21

      Thank you so much for reporting back with your modifications, that's so helpful for others 🙂 So happy to hear you enjoyed!

      Reply
  7. Oana says

    Posted on 12/15/20 at Posted on 12/15/20

    5 stars
    Super easy, super yummy

    Reply
    • Denise Bustard says

      Posted on 1/4/21 at Posted on 1/4/21

      Hi Oana! So so happy to hear you enjoyed the brownies. Thank you so much for coming back to leave a review, I really appreciate it!

      Reply
  8. Kristy says

    Posted on 12/2/19 at Posted on 12/2/19

    DO you think that this recipe would work using flax eggs to make it vegan?

    Reply
    • Denise says

      Posted on 12/9/19 at Posted on 12/9/19

      Hi Kristy! Great question, unfortunately I have not tried. I do think it would work. If you give it a try, would you report back to us?

      Reply
  9. Darla says

    Posted on 5/7/19 at Posted on 5/7/19

    5 stars
    So good!!! Love this recipe. My family ate them and loved them. Couldnt believe they are healthy!

    Reply
    • Denise says

      Posted on 5/8/19 at Posted on 5/8/19

      Hi Darla! I'm so happy you and your family enjoyed! Thank you so much for your review!

      Reply
  10. Naomi says

    Posted on 5/7/19 at Posted on 5/7/19

    I used the Coconut sugar instead of the maple syrup, and I didn't love the consistency, nor were they quite as exciting as the other comments. But I froze them, and I eat them out of the freezer after giving them a few minutes (so not rock solid, but still frozen) and BOOM! They are so good! Freezing them was the key for me! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
    • Denise says

      Posted on 5/8/19 at Posted on 5/8/19

      Hi Naomi! I have to say I tried these with coconut sugar and was underwhelmed as well. I think it's just less sweet and fudgy. So glad you could save them by freezing them! Thanks for the tip!

      Reply
  11. Jan says

    Posted on 4/24/19 at Posted on 4/24/19

    5 stars
    These are my go to brownies from now on...so easy and so delicious! Thanks, Denise!

    Reply
    • Denise says

      Posted on 4/26/19 at Posted on 4/26/19

      So happy you enjoyed! Thanks so much for taking the time out of your day to leave a review 🙂

      Reply
  12. Daria Doering says

    Posted on 3/21/19 at Posted on 3/21/19

    5 stars
    I looked over all the black bean brownie recipes online, and I thought these had the most healthful ingredients. I prepared these as written (well, I did substitute 1/4 C. xylitol for 1/4 C. of the maple syrup), and they are to die for! Thank you so much!

    Reply
    • Denise says

      Posted on 3/22/19 at Posted on 3/22/19

      So happy you enjoyed, and thank you for sharing that it worked with Xylitol! Thanks for taking the time out of your day to leave a review, Daria!

      Reply
  13. Jennifer says

    Posted on 1/30/19 at Posted on 1/30/19

    BEST brownies I've ever tasted! They're super fudgy and simple to make. I threw in the ingredients I had on hand: a 540 mL can of black beans (which is a bit more than 1 1/2 cups), honey, vanilla, heaping scoop of cocoa, no espresso powder as I didn't have any, eggs, vegetable oil as that's what I had handy, no chocolate chips. This recipe took all of 5 minutes to make while the baby napped. They turned out amazing and I feel good enjoying this chocolaty treat knowing that I'm getting a little extra protein and iron. Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply
    • Denise says

      Posted on 2/4/19 at Posted on 2/4/19

      Holy moly, what a HUGE compliment! Thanks so much for your review, Jennifer!

      Reply
  14. Sherriebrown says

    Posted on 12/5/18 at Posted on 12/5/18

    5 stars
    Can these be frozen

    Reply
    • Denise says

      Posted on 12/10/18 at Posted on 12/10/18

      Good question! I haven't tried (they always disappear first!). Let me know if you give it a try.

      Reply
  15. Alicia says

    Posted on 11/19/18 at Posted on 11/19/18

    Hi Denise! Can the coconut oil be substituted with any oil? Unfortunate coconut allergy sufferer here... <-- But your recipe looks perfect and delicious!

    Reply
    • Denise says

      Posted on 11/22/18 at Posted on 11/22/18

      Hi Alicia! I have only tried with coconut oil but I bet vegetable oil could work in these? Let me know if you give it a try!

      Reply

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Hi, I'm Denise

Meal prep took me from feeling constantly stressed out about meals to cool, collected and in control. I want to share this amazing and transformational habit with you, so you can feel in control, too! Read more ...

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