Black Bean Fudgy Brownies (Printable)

Rich and fudgy brownies made with black beans for a naturally gluten-free, chocolatey delight.

# Ingredient List:

→ 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 tsp pure vanilla extract

→ Dry Ingredients

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

→ Mix-Ins

09 - 1/3 cup dark chocolate chips (plus extra for topping, optional)
10 - 1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper or grease lightly.
02 - In a food processor or blender, blend black beans, eggs, melted coconut oil, and vanilla extract until smooth, scraping down sides as needed.
03 - Add sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt to the wet mixture. Blend until thick and creamy.
04 - Gently fold in chocolate chips and nuts using a spatula if using.
05 - Pour batter into prepared pan, spread evenly, and sprinkle extra chocolate chips on top if desired. Bake 22 to 25 minutes until the center is set and a toothpick comes out mostly clean with moist crumbs.
06 - Allow brownies to cool completely in the pan before cutting. For fudgiest texture, chill in refrigerator at least 1 hour before serving.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • They taste like pure decadence but sneak in actual nutrition from the beans.
  • No flour means they're naturally gluten-free, so you can serve them to almost anyone without the fuss.
  • The texture lands that impossible sweet spot between fudgy and just-set without requiring any special tricks.
02 -
  • Overbaking by even two minutes turns these from fudgy to cakey, so set a timer and trust it.
  • The batter looks thinner than traditional brownies before baking, but it sets up beautifully in the oven.
  • Chilling for at least an hour transforms the texture into something almost mousse-like and makes slicing cleaner.
03 -
  • Use room-temperature eggs if you can—they blend more smoothly with the beans and create a silkier batter.
  • High-quality cocoa powder makes a noticeable difference; splurge on it if your budget allows.
  • If your chocolate chips are thick and waxy, chop some good chocolate instead—the texture difference is real.
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