For years, I've been perfecting my black bean brownie recipe, ever since that first bite in college while studying nutrition. Rigorously tested, this recipe delivers a fudgy, rich, and flavorful experience, with absolutely no hint of beans.
The Secret Ingredient: Black Beans
The secret to moist gluten-free brownies is black beans! They add structure and bulk, while also making them super soft and fudgy. The black beans help to keep these brownies ultra-moist. As one satisfied baker exclaimed, “OMG. These brownies are delicious!!! My family was hesitant to try them because of the ‘black beans’ but they had no problem gobbling them up!!”
Why Black Beans? The Health Benefits
Beyond their textural contribution, black beans offer a nutritional boost. Boasting 15g of protein per 1 cup, beans also provide lots of soluble and insoluble fibre, which helps you stay fuller longer and helps decrease the risk of many chronic diseases. Black beans are also associated with lowering LDL cholesterol levels (reducing your risk of heart disease), the magnesium aids in bone health, and the potassium can lower blood pressure.
Key Ingredients for Keto Black Bean Brownies
Only four main items will be needed to make this recipe. And, for measuring, you’ll need the following sizes: 1/4 tsp, 1 tsp, 1 tbsp, 1/4 cup, and 1/2 cup.
- Black Beans: The base of our brownies, providing moisture, structure, and a healthy dose of protein and fiber.
- Almond Butter: Almond butter is always my go-to nut butter, as it’s filled with healthy fats and lots of protein and is a personally favorite option than standard peanut butter. Go with the all-natural kind, always!
- Almond Flour: Next up, almond flour is my favorite alternative to regular all-purpose flour.
- Maple Syrup: If you’re a regular on my blog, you know that maple syrup is in almost all of my dessert recipes!
- Cocoa powder: For chocolate flavor, cocoa powder is the way to go.
- Eggs: Essential for binding and creating the right texture.
- Coconut Sugar: this is what I personally used but regular granulated sugar will work just as well.
Step-by-Step Recipe
If you’ve ever made a single batch of brownies in your life, you’ll be able to whip this together just as easy. I, for one, am at the point where I feel like I can essentially make brownies with my eyes closed! It’s just one of those recipes that’s crazy simple.
Read also: Easy Low-Carb Cheese Crackers
Step 1: Prepare the Black Bean Puree
You’ll need to rinse, drain, and puree a can of black beans to make a good pasty base. I like using a food processor for this, but you could also use a blender! Blending the beans first removes that distinct beany texture. In a food processor, blend the beans, nut butter, almond flour, cocoa powder, maple syrup, coconut oil, vanilla, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
Step 2: Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients
- Wets: Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C). Puree 1 15-oz can black beans in food processor into a rough paste. In a large bowl, mix together the bean puree, 3 large eggs, 3 Tbsp oil, and 1 tsp vanilla extract.
- Dries: In a separate bowl, combine ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, ⅔ cup sugar, ½ tsp baking powder, ¼ tsp salt, and coffee (if using). Add the dry ingredients to the wets
Step 3: Bake to Perfection
Grease an 8×8 or 9×9 inch pan, then line with parchment paper. Pour in batter and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the edges are visibly cooked and the center doesn't jiggle much when you shake the pan (a toothpick may still come out a little gooey, that's fine!). Allow brownies to cool before cutting. *For ultra-gooey brownies, remove brownies when the center still jiggles some.
Step 4: Cool and Enjoy!
Allow brownies to cool completely before cutting. They’re even fudgier the next day, so if possible, resist the temptation to try them until the next day if you’re a fan of super fudgey brownies.
Tips for the Best Black Bean Brownies
- Thoroughly Rinse and Drain: Rinsing the black beans well is crucial to removing excess starch and achieving the best flavor.
- Blend Until Smooth: Ensure the black bean puree is completely smooth to avoid any unwanted texture in the final product.
- Don't Overbake: Overbaking will result in dry brownies. Keep a close eye on them and remove them from the oven when the edges are set and the center is still slightly soft.
Variations and Customizations
This brownie recipe is customizable in so many ways (just take a peek at the comments section to see the delicious modifications our community has had success with)! You can customize these brownies in so many ways! If you love peanut butter and chocolate, you can add some peanut butter powder to it.
- Vegan: Make it vegan but using flax eggs in place of the eggs.
- Chocolate Chips: Add ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips. Optional: sprinkle extra chocolate chips over the top. I also used half milk chocolate chips and half dark chocolate chips because I didn’t have semi-sweet. Of course, if you’re making these for grown-ups you may want to add some real chocolate chips.
- Coffee: I like to throw finely ground or instant coffee in with the dries - they add a little something something.
Serving Suggestions
I have this habit where I serve secretly healthy foods to unsuspecting friends and family then ask them to guess the secret ingredient. The trick with these: serve them first, and then reveal the secret ingredient.
Read also: Keto Calorie Counting: A Detailed Guide
- Warm with Ice Cream: For an extra indulgent treat, serve warm brownies with a scoop of low carb vanilla ice cream on top.
- Dust with Cocoa Powder: Dust the brownies with cocoa powder for an elegant presentation.
Storage Instructions
Store on the counter for 24 hours, or keep in the refrigerator for 1 week. Freeze brownies for up to 3 months. Can you freeze black bean brownies? Yes! Be sure to wrap the brownies tightly with foil or plastic wrap, then place in an airtight freezer container or freezer bag.
Are These Really Brownies? Addressing Common Misconceptions
It’s not a replacement for a super-chocolatey, indulgent brownie - you’re simply not going to get that without a ton of chocolate and sugar.
Can you taste the beans?
Like, the amount of you who have made these and mentioned that nobody could tell is pretty impressive! I like to let my friends and family try these and mention how great they are before delving into my little vegan secret. They normally don’t even believe me!
Are these brownies gluten-free?
Yes!
Are these brownies sugar-free?
These sugar free black bean brownies are crumbly, fudgy, and all of the good things that brownies should be.
Read also: Magnesium Supplements for Keto
What makes brownies fudgy vs cakey?
It’s all about the ratio of fat-to-flour in your brownies. For fudgy brownies, you want more fat (i.e., eggs, butter, oil) and less flour. For cakey brownies (like my eggless brownies recipe), you want less fat and more flour.
A Healthier Brownie Alternative
As much as I love the added nutrients and their overall deliciousness, what’s best of all is how easy these gluten free black bean brownies are to make! Just toss everything into a food processor, then pour the smooth batter into a prepared square baking pan.