Description
Fudgy, fiber-rich, naturally sweetened, and surprisingly decadent. These brownies use blended black beans for a super moist texture without any gluten, dairy, or eggs. Perfect for a quick better-for-you dessert.
Ingredients
- 15.5-ounce can (about 1 1/2 cups ) black beans, drained and rinsed and well dried. (see notes)
- 1/3 cup (85-90g) creamy no-stir nut butter or seed butter (nut-free option)
- 1/3 cup honey or maple syrup/agave (vegan option)
- 2/3 cup cane sugar or fine coconut sugar
- 1/3 cup gluten-free 1:1 flour (40-45 grams) OR 1/3 cup gluten-free oat flour (40 grams) - See notes for flour tips.
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (30 grams)
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup dairy-free chocolate chips or dark chocolate chips
- Flaky sea salt for topping (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line an 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- Add rinsed black beans, nut or seed butter, and honey/maple syrup, and sugar to a food processor. Blend until completely smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides as needed.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together oat flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
- Add the blended bean mixture to the dry ingredients. Stir in the vanilla and chocolate chips until a thick batter forms.
- Transfer batter to the lined pan and smooth it into an even layer. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt (optional).
- Bake for 22–27 minutes (23-25 is the sweet spot for fudgy). The edges should look set and slightly pull from the pan; the center should look matte (not glossy) and lightly spring back when tapped.
- The brownies will firm up as they cool. For the fudgiest texture, let them cool completely at room temperature or place cooled pan in the fridge for 10-15 minutes before slicing.
- Storage: Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days, or freeze slices for up to 2 months. Thaw before serving.
Notes
No-salt-added beans work best. If using salted beans, rinse well, skip the flaky salt topping, and add a small pinch (up to ½ teaspoon) of extra sweetener to balance the salt.
Flour Note + Substitute: Both oat flour and gluten-free 1:1 flour work well and yield soft, fudgy brownies. Oat flour gives a slightly more tender crumb, while GF 1:1 flour adds a touch more structure—still very fudgy, slightly cakey. If you don’t have oat flour, you can grind rolled oats into a fine flour of equal grams (see how to make oat flour post for tips).
Baking Tip: If the edges brown before the center is set, lightly tent the pan with foil and continue baking until the center looks matte and lightly springs back when tapped.
Freezing Tip: For best texture, freeze brownies wrapped individually with parchment in an airtight container for up to 2–3 months. Thaw at room temperature or warm slightly before serving.
*nutrition will vary based on flour choice, chocolate chips used, and size of brownie cut. Cutting brownies into 9 pieces (vs 12) will increase calories but also have more fiber and protein.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 22-27 minutes
- Category: dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: american
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 brownie (based off 12 slices)
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 16 g
- Sodium: 170 mg
- Fat: 4.2 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 26 g
- Fiber: 3.7-4 g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
