495 February 7, 2019 Dessert

Easy Vegan Black Bean Brownies

Name: Easy Vegan Black Bean Brownies
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 1 – 15oz can black beans, drained and rinsed.; 1/2 cup almond butter (or any nut butter); 1/4 cup almond flour; 1/4 cup cocoa powder (the darker, the more chocolatey); 1/2 cup maple syrup; 1 Tbsp melted coconut oil; 1 tsp. vanilla; 1/4 tsp baking soda; 1/4 tsp baking powder; 1/4 tsp salt; 1/2 cup chocolate chips

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Easy vegan black bean brownies are made in less than thirty minutes and are gluten-free, paleo, deliciously fudgy, and made with simple ingredients. Top with extra chocolate chips for an extra sweet treat!

Fine, I’ll admit it…

I am obsessed with baking with legumes and beans, and I don’t see myself stopping anytime soon! After you eat these easy vegan black bean brownies, I’m sure you’ll be saying the same thing.

I have a strong reason to believe this, as chickpea brownies seem to be the most widely viewed and tried recipe on my site! I also get tagged in new chickpea brownie posts on Instagram at least 2-3 times a week. People love those chickpea recipes, that’s for sure!

Made with black beans, almond butter, and cocoa powder, these brownies turn out to be perfectly fudgy. Since they’re made from beans, they’re high in protein, aka healthy as heck. But, the best part about this recipe is that you’d genuinely have no idea they were made from 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! Dive into this recipe and try it for yourself.

Ingredients used to make fudgy black bean brownies

Like my chickpea brownie recipe, this black bean rendition uses all vegan ingredients and is just as easy to make as a “standard” brownie recipe (they require only 10 minutes of prep time). They’re also completely free of gluten, and they match paleo diet guidelines!

Here’s everything you’ll need:

Black beans (drained and rinsed)
Almond butter (or any nut butter)
Almond flour
Cocoa powder (the darker, the more chocolatey)
Maple syrup
Coconut oil
Vanilla
Baking soda
Baking powder
Salt
Chocolate chips

Tools you’ll need to make easy vegan black bean brownies

Only four main items will be needed to make this recipe. It’s a pretty simple black bean recipe that doesn’t create a huge mess in the kitchen!

Food processor
Spoon or spatula
8×8 baking dish
Nonstick spray

And, for measuring, you’ll need the following sizes: 1/4 tsp, 1 tsp, 1 tbsp, 1/4 cup, and 1/2 cup.

How to make easy vegan black bean brownies

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.

To start, preheat the oven to 350F.

In a food processor, blend the beans, nut butter, almond flour, cocoa powder, maple syrup, coconut oil, vanilla, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

Scrape down the sides as needed.

Then, once creamy and smooth, take off the lid and stir in the chocolate chips.

Do not process the chips.

Pour the batter into a greased 8×8 pan and add more chocolate chips on top if desired.

Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Store on the counter for 24 hours, or keep in the refrigerator for 1 week.

A healthier brownie alternative

There’s something about experimenting with healthy ingredients and figuring out what works and what doesn’t that’s so exciting! It’s probably my favorite part about recipe development, despite the fact that I lose lots of ingredients along the way.

Here are some of the ingredients that work magically in this recipe and are great, healthier alternatives!

Black beans
First up on the list of healthy ingredients in this recipe are of course the black beans! This is a great addition because not only does their consistency work well to make soft, fudgy, brownies, they also supply healthy amounts 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. It’s low-carb, nutrient rich, and works so well in most baking recipes!

Maple syrup
If you’re a regular on my blog, you know that maple syrup is in almost all of my dessert recipes! It’s the perfect all-natural sweetener that provides a delicious taste of subtle sweetness.

Cocoa powder
For chocolate flavor, cocoa powder is the way to go. The darker the power the more chocolatey it will taste, which is why my go-to is Hershey’s extra dark flavor.

Coconut oil
Finally, coconut oil is the perfect replacement for vegetable or canola oil thanks to its supply of healthy fats.

If you liked these brownies, you’ll want to try my other brownie recipes too!

Brownies are always a hit. They’re perfect for gatherings, and I’ll admit that I find myself sneaking them for breakfast every now and then. I mean, it’s equivalent to eating a morning muffin, right? Below are some of my favorite brownie flavors that I know you’ll love too!