Make these Fudgy Black Bean Brownies and you'll never go back to a boxed mix again! Featuring rich dark chocolate, these brownies are delicious and decadent.
Best of all, thanks to black beans they're a little bit better for you without losing any of that chocolatey indulgent goodness! This recipe is an amazing way to sneak in a secret healthy ingredient to your family's favorite dessert.
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🩵 About This Recipe
Using black beans as a substitute for most of the oil really helps to lighten up these tasty treats without compromising on their incredible yumminess. Shhhhhh…it's a secret!
This black bean dessert isn't exactly health food, but compared to typical brownies they are a bit better for you. Once you try these, you'll never go back to regular brownies!
Can't get enough brownies? Try my Snickers Bar Brownies or these unique and festive Brownie Cakesicles!
🧂 Gather Your Ingredients
- flour
- sugar
- dark cocoa powder - be sure to use specifically dark cocoa powder for this recipe to get the best results!
- salt
- black beans - makes these brownies super fudgy and filling and adds some bonus protein.
- water
- canola oil
- eggs
- vanilla extract - plays well with the rich chocolate flavor.
🔪 Let's Make Fudgy Black Bean Brownies!
(Or click here to jump right to the recipe card with measurements!)
Prepare Pan
Line an 8x8 pan with parchment and coat with baking spray.
Combine Dry Ingredients
In a large bowl, mix together flour, cocoa, salt, and sugar.
Blend Beans
Add beans (with their liquid) to a food processor and blend until smooth.
Mix Wet Ingredients
In another mixing bowl, combine eggs, water, canola oil, vanilla, and ⅔ cup of the black bean puree.
Combine Ingredients
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and whisk until a batter forms.
Bake
Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Cool in the pan, then slice and serve!
💡 Expert Tips and Tricks
- Be thorough when blending the black beans to ensure you don't have any surprise textures in your brownies.
- Your brownies will still be slightly soft in the center but fully baked and set when they're done. Avoid overbaking them or you may dry them out!
- To make the brownies easier to cut, allow them to properly cool first.
❔ FAQs
Black beans are high in fiber and protein, so using them as a substitute for some of the oil in brownies is a great way to add a bit of nutrition to a tasty dessert.
This is likely due to overbaking, or the ratio of dry ingredients to fats is off. Be aware that the brownies will continue to bake a bit once you remove them from the oven to cool, so don't leave them in for too long.
The flavor of black beans is already fairly mild, so when you mix it in with other ingredients like dark cocoa powder and vanilla you won't be able to really taste it. The black beans just make these brownies incredibly hearty and moist!
📝 Substitutions and Variations
- For added flavor, mix in chocolate chips or chopped nuts like walnuts or pecans.
- Coconut oil can be used instead of canola oil for a subtle coconut flavor.
- Before baking, sprinkle with sea salt to balance out the rich chocolate flavor.
Kristin's Kitchen Tip
If you have leftover black bean puree, keep it in the fridge in an airtight container to use in another recipe or for another batch of brownies!
🥡 Storage and Reheating
Leftover black bean brownies should be stored in an airtight container. Keep them out at room temperature for 3 days or in the fridge for up to 5 days, or slice and freeze them for up to 3 months.
Brownies can be enjoyed at room temperature or microwaved for a few seconds to warm them up again.
Keep It Handy
Don't have time for this fudgy black bean brownies recipe right now? Click on or tap the heart icon on the BOTTOM RIGHT of the screen to save it for later!
🍴 What To Serve With This Dish
Top your brownies with a scoop of ice cream, dust them with powdered sugar, drizzle with chocolate sauce, or add colorful sprinkles for a fun presentation!
😋 More Easy Dessert Recipes You'll Love
- Pumpkin Brownies with Oreos - Another amazing brownie recipe that has delicious cookies baked right in.
- Chocolate Zucchini Cake - Make this cake with shredded zucchini for added nutrition!
- Strawberry Lemonade Popsicles - Sweet and fruity, these popsicles are perfect for the summer but delicious all year long.
- Sticky Rice Cakes with Red Bean Paste - This recipe from the Omnivore's Cookbook is a homemade take on a Chinese dessert that also features beans!
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Brownie Black Bean Dessert
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📋 Recipe Card
Fudgy Black Bean Brownies
Ingredients
- 1 cup flour
- 2 cups sugar
- ¾ cup dark cocoa powder (I use Hershey's Special Dark)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 7 ounces black beans (about ½ can)
- ⅓ cup water
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 4 eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare an 8x8 baking pan by lining it with parchment paper and spraying the paper with baking spray. (Allow the edges of the paper to overhang the pan to help with removal later.)
- In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, and salt.1 cup flour, 2 cups sugar, ¾ cup dark cocoa powder, ½ teaspoon salt
- In a blender or food processor, blend the black beans (with liquid) until smooth. (I usually just blend the whole can of beans and keep the remainder in the fridge to use in another recipe.)7 ounces black beans
- In a medium bowl, combine ⅔ cup of the black bean puree, water, oil, eggs, and vanilla.⅓ cup water, 1 tablespoon canola oil, 4 eggs, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients, and mix until well-combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and tap it a few times on the counter to remove air bubbles.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes. When it is done, the edges should be getting a little crispy and the middle will not jiggle when you shake the pan.
- Cool in the pan and then remove to cut into 12 pieces.
Notes
Prep Tips:
- Make sure to blend the black beans thoroughly until completely smooth-this ensures no bean texture in the brownies.
- Don't overbake! The brownies should be set in the center but still slightly soft for that fudgy finish.
- Let the brownies cool fully before cutting for clean, even squares.
Variation Suggestions:
- Stir in chocolate chips, walnuts, or chopped pecans.
- You can substitute coconut oil for canola oil for a subtle coconut flavor.
- Add a sprinkle of sea salt on top before baking to make these extra-yummy!
Serving Suggestions:
- Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla or coffee ice cream.
- Dust with powdered sugar or drizzle with melted chocolate for presentation.
Storage Info For Leftovers:
- Store leftover brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- For longer storage, you can freeze individual squares for up to 3 months. When ready to serve, thaw at room temperature or warm briefly in the microwave.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate. The nutritional values for your final dish may vary based on measuring differences and products used.
Update Notes: This post was originally published in April 2018, and was republished with tips, step by step photos, and a recipe change in October 2025.
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Happy cooking!
Erlene says
Sometimes the best recipes come by accident 🙂 Thanks for sharing your brownie recipe on MM. Will be featuring this on tonight's party!
Kristin says
Oh wow, thanks! I really appreciate it, Erlene!
Akaleistar says
Those black bean brownies look heavenly!
Miz Helen says
Beautiful Brownies! Thanks so much for sharing your awesome post with us at Full Plate Thursday and hope to see you again real soon!
Miz Helen
Helen at the Lazy Gastronome says
These look so rich!! Thanks for sharing your great recipes at the What's for Dinner party.
Sheri says
I definitely have to try these! Thank you for sharing at the To Grandma's House We Go DIY, Crafts, Recipes and More link party! Pinned!
Christine says
Oh boy do those look good! Thanks for linking up at the Dishing It & Digging It Link Party. Hope you made some new friends and had fun! Have a great weekend!
Kim~madeinaday says
These look amazing! Pinned & sharing! Thank you for sharing on Merry Monday! Hope to see ya next week!
Kim
Michele Michael says
Can't wait to try these. Right up my alley.