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    Home » Recipes » Desserts

    Dark Chocolate Black Bean Brownies

    Published: Apr 10, 2018 Modified: Feb 6, 2020 by Kristin King / This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe | Pin Recipe

     You will never go back to a boxed mix again. Try this easy dark chocolate brownie recipe for a delicious, fudgy, and better-for-you dessert that doesn't compromise on flavor or texture!

    Side shot of two dark chocolate black bean brownies stacked on a white plate.


    Let me just first state up front that these brownies are not health food in any way, shape, or form. You can only push this concept so far before you start to lose too much of everything we love about brownies.

    But, that being said, 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!

    My boys, to this day, don't know that they have been eating black beans when they chow down on these squares of happiness.

    But, that's not all folks! There is another secret to this brownie recipe that makes it so delicious and decadent!

    Overhead shot of a single dark chocolate black bean brownie on a white plate with more on a white plate in the background.


    The secret is.... (drum roll, please, along with suspenseful music...)

    Dark chocolate cocoa!

    Yes, purely by accident, I discovered that using dark chocolate cocoa in this recipe results in the chocolatiest, fudgiest, yummiest brownies ever.

    It just so happened that one day when I decided to make these brownies, I realized too late that I was out of the regular cocoa that I usually use.

    But, there was a container of dark chocolate cocoa in the cabinet, leftover from one of the baking experiments of my older son. So I used that instead, and I am so glad I did!

    Side shot of two dark chocolate black bean brownies stacked on a white plate.

    Give this brownie recipe a try! You will be surprised at how amazing these turn out.

    Note that you can also use the black bean substitution in using a mix from the box. However, the cocoa in the typical boxed mixes is not the dark cocoa, so just keep that in mind and don't be surprised that they don't turn out quite as delicious as these brownies. Either way, they will still be good!

    And if you're still craving brownies, you have to try this Brownie Cakesicles Recipe! For a fall twist, make these Pumpkin Brownies with Oreos! And if you lovr candy bars, make these Snickers Bar Brownies.

    Interested in some other chocolate recipes?

    Close up shot of the whole chocolate pretzel monkey bread on a grey plate. Side shot of chocolate raspberry fudge pieces on a clear plate. Close up shot of a piece of malted chocolate stout cake on a white plate with a fork and the whole cake in the background. Side view of chocolate sauce being poured into a clear jar with a blue and white plaid cloth and spoons in the background.

    Chocolate Pretzel Monkey Bread
    Easy Chocolate Raspberry Fudge
    Malted Chocolate Stout Cake
    Best Homemade Chocolate Sauce

    Black Bean Chocolate Brownies Recipe

    Love this recipe? Awesome! Please give it a 5 star ⭐ rating below! And if you make this, snap a photo and tag me on Instagram. You can find me at DizzyBusyandHungry or #dizzybusyandhungry!

    📋 Recipe Card

    Side shot of two dark chocolate black bean brownies stacked on a white plate.

    Dark Chocolate Black Bean Brownies

    Recipe Author: Kristin
    You will never go back to a boxed mix again. Try this easy dark chocolate brownie recipe for a delicious, fudgy, and better-for-you dessert that doesn't compromise on flavor or texture!
    4.75 from 4 votes
    Print Recipe Share by Email Bookmark Saved!
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 30 minutes mins
    Total Time 40 minutes mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 12 servings
    Calories 235 kcal

    Ingredients
     

    • 1 cup flour
    • 2 cups sugar
    • ¾ cup dark cocoa powder (I use Hershey's brand Special Dark)
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • 7 ounces black beans (about ½ can)
    • â…“ cup water
    • 1 tablespoon canola oil
    • 4 eggs
    • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees
    • 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 â…” cup of the black bean puree, water, oil, eggs, and vanilla.
      â…“ 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.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 235kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 54mg | Sodium: 120mg | Potassium: 172mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 33g | Vitamin A: 80IU | Calcium: 21mg | Iron: 1.9mg

    Nutritional information is an estimate. The nutritional values for your final dish may vary based on measuring differences and products used.

    Want to make cooking even easier?Sign up here to receive FREE DBH exclusive content, including my favorite kitchen shortcuts and hacks, and unlock access to the DBH resource library with many other free downloads!

    Thanks so much for reading! I also invite you to follow me on FACEBOOK, PINTEREST, or INSTAGRAM to keep up with what's going on in my kitchen.

    And you might want to check out my Dizzy Busy and Hungry store on Amazon for a whole bunch of great kitchen products I love!

    Happy cooking!

    Close up of a signature of Kristin.

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Erlene

      February 10, 2019 at 5:05 pm

      Sometimes the best recipes come by accident 🙂 Thanks for sharing your brownie recipe on MM. Will be featuring this on tonight's party!

      Reply
      • Kristin

        February 15, 2019 at 8:46 am

        Oh wow, thanks! I really appreciate it, Erlene!

        Reply
    2. Akaleistar

      April 28, 2018 at 11:10 am

      Those black bean brownies look heavenly!

      Reply
    3. Miz Helen

      April 24, 2018 at 10:09 am

      5 stars
      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

      Reply
    4. Helen at the Lazy Gastronome

      April 21, 2018 at 10:35 am

      These look so rich!! Thanks for sharing your great recipes at the What's for Dinner party.

      Reply
    5. Sheri

      April 19, 2018 at 2:15 pm

      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!

      Reply
    6. Christine

      April 18, 2018 at 8:43 am

      4 stars
      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!

      Reply
    7. Kim~madeinaday

      April 17, 2018 at 2:17 pm

      5 stars
      These look amazing! Pinned & sharing! Thank you for sharing on Merry Monday! Hope to see ya next week!
      Kim

      Reply
    8. Michele Michael

      April 17, 2018 at 8:34 am

      Can't wait to try these. Right up my alley.

      Reply

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    👋 Hey there, I'm Kristin! As a full-time working wife and mom, my life is such a whirlwind, it makes me dizzy sometimes! So I have been working to develop quick, easy, family-friendly recipes for 20+ years, and this site is where I share them with you! Happy cooking!

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