Fudgy Black Bean Brownies

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!

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!

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

• 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.

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Step by step directions

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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

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

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

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

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FAQ

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

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More healthy treats

• Healthy Pumpkin Bread
• Healthy Zucchini Bread
• Creamy Chocolate Dessert Hummus
• Easy Baked Apples