Vegan brownies with black beans – yum! This is such an easy recipe for vegan black bean brownies. The batter mixes quickly in the blender, making it the perfect healthy treat to make with kiddos, and enjoy anytime! No one in my family guessed that there were any beans involved in making this chocolate treat made with less sugar.
Vegan brownies with black beans
A healthy gluten free brownie made with beans! A little extra protein you wouldn’t find in regular brownies.
If you haven’t tried blending beans into your treats, today is the day you need to.
This seriously makes the best brownies!
This brownie recipe is vegan since we’re using a flax egg instead of regular eggs. Want to use regular eggs instead? Read on below!
Can you use a regular egg instead of a flax egg?
Yes, you sure can! We’re making the equivalent of 2 flax eggs in this recipe.
If you want to use regular eggs and not keep this recipe egg-free, go ahead and add in 2 eggs.
The texture will be a touch more cake, versus the fudgy brownie you get with these vegan bean brownies. You’ll still get loads of chocolatey goodness no matter which you choose!
Simple ingredients you’ll need for this black bean brownies vegan recipe
- flax meal
- pure maple syrup
- avocado oil
- pure vanilla extract
- black beans
- cocoa powder
- almond flour
- baking powder
- sea salt
- chocolate chips (use vegan chocolate chips to keep it vegan)
Watch me make this fudgy brownies recipe!
Love step by step recipe videos?
Watch me make this vegan black bean brownie recipe below, or over on YouTube!
How to make fudgy black bean brownies
For the full ingredients list and step-by-step instructions, scroll down to view the recipe card below.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare an 8″ square dish by lightly oiling it, and placing parchment paper in to prevent sticking.
- Prepare the flax eggs by whisking the water and ground flax meal together. Let it sit for 5 minutes to gel.
- Into a blender or a food processor add the maple syrup, oil, vanilla extract, black beans, cocoa powder, almond flour, baking powder, and sea salt. Blend until smooth. Scrape the sides down as needed.
- When the brownie batter is smooth, mix in the chocolate chips.
- Pour into the prepared dish. Sprinkle extra chocolate chips on top if you’d like!
- Bake for 28-30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out nearly clean.
- Allow cooling before slicing into. Enjoy!
How to store a leftover healthy brownie
These fudgy vegan brownies keep really well!
Store leftovers in an airtight container either at room temperature or in the fridge.
Substitutions
Below you’ll find a list of substitutions that will work well in this vegan black bean brownies recipe.
If you try something different out, please leave a comment below letting us all know how it turned out!
Flax egg – Use 2 regular eggs instead, or make a chia egg following the same how-to as you did to make a flax egg, but use chia seed instead!
Maple syrup – Honey works great as an alternative!
Avocado oil – Any neutral oil like coconut oil or extra virgin olive oil will work! You could even give it a nut butter twist by using peanut butter or almond butter here!
Black beans – Make this vegan brownie recipe into a blondie by substituting in garbanzo beans or white beans for the black beans.
Cocoa powder – Cacao powder works perfectly well as a substitute.
Almond flour – Try oat flour as an alternative.
Chocolate chips – Chocolate chips can be left out. An alternative would be to chop up your favorite chocolate bar instead!
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Black Bean Brownies Vegan and Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp flaxmeal
- 6 tbsp water
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 can black beans drained and rinsed well
- ¾ cup cocoa powder
- ¼ cup almond flour
- 1.5 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- ½ cup chocolate chips extra for topping if desired
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare an 8″ square dish by lightly oiling it, and placing parchment paper in to prevent sticking.
- Prepare the flax eggs by whisking the water and ground flax meal together. Let it sit for 5 minutes to gel.
- Into a blender or a food processor add the maple syrup, oil, vanilla extract, black beans, cocoa powder, almond flour, baking powder, and sea salt. Blend until smooth. Scrape the sides down as needed.
- When the brownie batter is smooth, mix in the chocolate chips.
- Pour into the prepared dish. Sprinkle extra chocolate chips on top if you’d like!
- Bake for 28-30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out nearly clean.
- Allow cooling before slicing into. Enjoy!
Nutrition
If you try this healthy vegan black bean brownie recipe, I’d love it if you left a star rating and comment below letting me know how it turned out!
XO
Heather
Originally published February 2013. Updated December 2022.
22 comments
I’ve always been a bit skeptical about the bean in desserts things.. Can you taste the beans? Is the texture like that of a normal brownie? I think I’m scarred for life ever since I made that chickpea cookie dough… It tasted like hummus with chocolate- blech!
You really can’t taste the beans in here at all! But, like I said, it’s good for a bean brownie. I wouldn’t say it’s exactly like a regular brownie… but that hasn’t stopped me from eating half the pan in a day… and wanting more 🙂
They look so fudgy and delicious!
Nom, nom… I am drooling over my screen! I really love the big chocolate chunks adorning the top of your brownies. …and no one has to know there are black beans and good extra fiber in there.
No one would know unless you told them!
So glad you liked the brownies! My kids request them often. 🙂
I can see why!
I’m going to be honest…I’ve made several versions and I was not a fan…..Maybe I should give them one more go? Yours look yummy
I think they deserve another try! I would try them with the mini chocolate chips mixed throughout and without the flour or just less flour to keep them more moist (although I think the flour helped with the texture). Let me know if they change your mind about them 🙂
I’ve heard “yum” and “yuck” when it comes to bean brownies but I guess I’ll never know until I try them myself. Do you think instant coffee is necessary? I’m not a coffee drinker so I don’t have any in my house.
I don’t think so. I actually used regular coffee grounds since I don’t keep instant in the house.
Black beans in brownies?! this sounds so off-the-wall that now I must try the recipe. They look deliciously tempting.
I think you must!
I have heard so much about people making brownies with black beans. I am skeptical, lol. I guess I just need to try it out! Thanks for sharing
I think you need to give them a try!
Good choice – I just tried my hand at black bean brownies recently, too! Yours look fudgy and delicious!
Thanks Shelley!
Your Black Bean Brownies look delicious, we will love them.
Happy Valentine Day!
Miz Helen
SRC Group B
These look awesome and I love that you just took a spoon to the pan and went to town. My kind of gal–that’s exactly what I would have done.
Thanks for the recipe… yours is the best black bean recipe I have tried! I make these about few times a month. 🙂
Delicious! I omitted the oil and salt, added a handful of chopped pecans, and substituted oat flour for almond flour (I put oats in the blender to make the oat flour).
Woohoo, so glad you loved it Elizabeth! Thanks for sharing your subs too!