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Home By Meal Dessert

Easy Vegan Black Bean Brownies

★★★★★ 37 Reviews Recipe Print
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By: Erin2/7/19

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

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!

tray of black bean brownies

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.

While I really love these brownies, my Healthy Tahini Brownies are a close second. Highly recommend making both.

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
stack of black bean brownies

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.

stack of black bean brownies with bite

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!

  • Pecan Pie Brownies
  • Paleo Zucchini Brownies
  • Healthy Pumpkin Brownies
  • Raw Peanut Butter Cup Freezer Brownies
tray of easy vegan black bean brownies
black bean brownies
★★★★★ 4.9 from 37 reviews

Easy Vegan Black Bean Brownies

These easy vegan black bean brownies are made in less than thirty minutes, are gluten free, paleo, deliciously fudgy, and made with simple ingredients. Top with extra chocolate chips for extra chocolate deliciousness.

Prep: 10Cook: 25Total: 35 minutes
Yield 12 brownies 1x
Print Pin it Rate

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

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350F.
  2. In a food processor, blend beans, nut butter, almond flour, cocoa, maple syrup, coconut oil, vanilla, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
  3. Scrape down sides as needed.
  4. Once creamy and smooth, take off lid and stir in chocolate chips.
  5. Do not process the chips.
  6. Pour into greased 8×8 pan and add more chocolate chips on top if desired.
  7. Bake for 20-22 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
  8. Store on counter for 24 hours or fridge for 1 week.
Author: Erin Lives WholeCategory: Dessert, vegan, gluten-free
black bean brownies

Did you make this?

Leave a comment below and tag @erinliveswhole on social media!

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There may be affiliate links in this post! By purchasing a product I recommend, I may receive a small compensation. However, I only recommend products I absolutely love and use myself. Thank you for supporting Erin Lives Whole, it helps keep this blog afloat 🙂

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chocolate chip cookies
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Have a question? Use the form below to submit your question or comment. I love seeing what you made!

Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

  1. Jessica says

    Posted on 10/10 at 7:06 pm

    Hello,could I substitute the coconut oil?

    Reply
    • Erin says

      Posted on 10/12 at 5:38 pm

      Hi Jessica, any neutral oil will work – vegetable or canola would be best! Let me know how they come out!

      Reply
  2. Mary B-MacL says

    Posted on 8/5 at 6:37 am

    Hello Erin
    Excited to make these brownies !!
    Can I use regular flour instead of almond ?
    Thanks
    Mary

    Reply
    • Erin says

      Posted on 8/5 at 1:13 pm

      Hi Mary, yes, you can use a different flour. Before you bake just be sure to check the ratio because some flours are not a 1:1 ratio. Let me know what flour you use and how it comes out!

      Reply
  3. Steph says

    Posted on 6/4 at 12:01 pm

    DELICIOUS!! I love it because they’re a treat (obviously) but also filling and nutritious. I’m not usually a brownie girl, but I look forward to eating these 🙂

    Erin smashes another recipe, basically.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Erin says

      Posted on 6/5 at 9:19 am

      Hi Steph so happy you loved the brownies so much! Thanks for your kind words!!

      Reply
  4. Grace Foley says

    Posted on 12/19 at 1:22 pm

    Literally just as good as the chickpea brownies! I make them both interchangeably depending on which can I have in the pantry. So easy, moist, and rich. I’ve even made them into brownie ice cream sandwiches, which I highly recommend. 🙂

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Erin says

      Posted on 12/19 at 4:33 pm

      Hi Grace, so glad you loved them!!

      Reply
  5. Al says

    Posted on 12/10 at 5:30 pm

    I think I love you.
    And I’ve only tried the batter so far.
    If its as good as I expect I’m going to freeze the batter next time and have it as cookie dough type treat.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Erin says

      Posted on 12/12 at 10:10 am

      Hi Al, so glad you loved it!

      Reply
  6. Amanda N says

    Posted on 11/2 at 7:48 pm

    Where is the Ten star button? Thank you for this recipe! I used lindt unsweetened dark chocolate bar and chopped it up into chunks versus the chocolate chips and it was heaven! We also found a vegan Carmel sauce and drizzled that on top to finish it off. Thanks again!!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Erin says

      Posted on 11/3 at 11:57 am

      Hi Amanda, I am so glad you loved the brownies so much and great addition!! 🙂

      Reply
  7. Laila says

    Posted on 9/21 at 11:12 pm

    Hi could I substitute the almond flour for oat flour? What would be the ratio or would the amount be the same if I used oat flour? So excited to try this recipe!

    Reply
    • Erin says

      Posted on 9/22 at 12:24 pm

      Hi Laila, yes, just double check the radio and let me know how they come out!!

      Reply
  8. Harriet says

    Posted on 8/30 at 4:06 pm

    These are SO good! You can’t taste the black bean at all and they are so fudgy and chocolatey, will definitely be making these again, thanks Erin!!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Erin says

      Posted on 8/30 at 4:21 pm

      Hi Harriet, so glad you loved them so much!!

      Reply
  9. Rachel says

    Posted on 8/22 at 9:22 pm

    These are SO good!!!! So fudgy and awesome… definitely making again!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Erin says

      Posted on 8/23 at 7:01 pm

      Hi Rachel, so happy you enjoyed them!!

      Reply
  10. Madison says

    Posted on 6/30 at 3:54 pm

    These are the best brownies I have ever had and I love the extra protein and fiber the black beans add!! I make a batch of these almost every single week they are so good!! One thing I would mention is they come out of the oven looking very much not done but I recommend letting them cool fully (I know it’s hard) and they are perfect. Thanks for the recipe!!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Erin says

      Posted on 7/1 at 6:38 pm

      Hi Madison, so happy you love them so much!! 🙂

      Reply
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I’m Erin. Creator of Erin Lives Whole, a food blog with delicious and easy healthy recipes that will leave you feeling good. We’ve got everything from wholesome baked goods to comforting savory dishes. I can’t wait to see what you whip up! Read More...

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