Black Bean Brownies Fudgy (Print Version)

Fudgy brownies made with black beans for a rich, chocolatey, naturally gluten-free dessert.

# What You'll Need:

→ Wet Ingredients

01 - 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
02 - 2 large eggs
03 - 1/3 cup melted coconut oil (or unsalted butter)
04 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

→ Dry Ingredients

05 - 2/3 cup granulated sugar or coconut sugar
06 - 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
07 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
08 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Mix-Ins

09 - 1/3 cup dark chocolate chips
10 - 1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

# How To Make:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper or lightly grease it.
02 - In a food processor or blender, combine black beans, eggs, melted coconut oil, and vanilla extract. Blend until completely smooth, scraping down the sides as needed.
03 - Add sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt to the wet mixture. Blend again until the batter thickens and becomes creamy.
04 - Fold in dark chocolate chips and nuts, if using, with a spatula until evenly distributed.
05 - Pour the batter into the prepared pan, spreading it evenly. Optionally, sprinkle additional chocolate chips on top.
06 - Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, or until the center is set and a toothpick inserted comes out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs.
07 - Remove from oven and allow to cool completely in the pan. For a fudgier texture, chill in the refrigerator for at least one hour before cutting into squares.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • They taste like indulgent fudgy brownies while hiding plant-based protein that actually makes you feel good afterward.
  • No flour means naturally gluten-free without any of the weird texture compromises you'd expect.
  • The prep is almost embarrassingly simple, which somehow makes the result feel like cheating in the best way.
02 -
  • Don't skip the complete blending of beans in step two—any remaining grittiness will betray the secret ingredient and disrupt the texture.
  • The toothpick test is everything; every extra minute of baking trades fudginess for cake texture, and you'll regret it if you guess wrong.
  • Refrigeration isn't optional if you want fudgy brownies; room temperature versions are significantly less impressive.
03 -
  • Use a kitchen scale for cocoa powder specifically—it's the ingredient most affected by how densely you pack it into a measuring cup, and weight removes the guesswork entirely.
  • If your cocoa powder came from the back of a cabinet and tastes dull or chalky, it's probably stale; fresh cocoa powder is an underrated upgrade that transforms these brownies.
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