My super cool grandma (who I miss so much) started making chickpea brownies long before they were trendy: I guess I have some catching up to do! I wanted to try it with black beans to get that rich dark colour to the brownies, and they turned out AWESOME.
Now, these brownies aren’t your typical chewy brownie, as they don’t have any flour in them (no gluten which is what creates that texture), but they are moist, chocolatey and absolutely delicious! My 3 year old son was over the moon that he had a brownie in his lunch yesterday, and of course I felt the same (just for a different reason).
These are whipped up in a blender making them so simple to make! I included the options to make these vegan, you’ll see them in the notes and ingredients sections! Please let me know what you think, I hope you love them as much as we do! Take them to the next level with a little scoop of vanilla ice cream or dairy free ice cream.
Coconut Black Bean Brownies (Gluten-Free)
Delicious fudgy (flourless) Coconut Black Bean Brownies that are gluten free with a vegan option! The black beans give these so much fibre and they are whipped up in a blender!
Ingredients
- 1 large 14 oz can of black beans drained and rinsed
- ½ cup cocoa
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs* (see vegan sub in notes)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder (optional)
- 1/2 cup sugar or coconut sugar
- 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup (use maple syrup to make vegan)
- 2 tablespoons almond milk
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ cup melted butter or coconut oil (or vegan butter)
- 1/3 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
- 1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (use dairy free for vegan)
Instructions
-
Preheat oven to 350F and line a 9″x 9″ baking pan with parchment paper, leaving some hanging over the edge to make the brownies easier to remove once baked (baker's note: spray the pan first with cooking spray to make the parchment stick!).
-
Combine all the ingredients except the coconut and chocolate chips in a blender and mix on high until smooth.
-
Pour the batter into the prepared pan, sprinkle with the coconut and chocolate chips, and bake for approximately 30-40 minutes or until the brownies are set (bake for less time for a more fudgy brownie).
-
Remove from the oven and let it rest in the pan for at least 20 minutes before removing from the pan (use the overhanging parchment as handles). Cut into squares and serve!
Recipe Notes
*to sub for the eggs mix together 2 tablespoons ground flax seeds or chia seeds with 4 tablespoons of water. Let sit for 5 minutes before adding to the blender with the other ingredients.
Seriously have to try this recipe Tori – they look so yummy! Of course just the mention of coconut garners my attention!
Mabye a sill question but if I only have a 8×8 glass pan can I use that?
yes!
Most recipes I’ve seen call for pureeing the beans first. Would this change the texture? Definitely trying them this weeknd
ChasingCam.com
I didn’t find that you needed to as it all goes in a blender anyway: super easy!
Amazing recipe!! The brownies turned out so moist. Great flavor! The black beans were totally hidden and I didn’t feel guilty having two 😉 Thank you!
Thanks Stevie, I’m glad you like them! Tori
How do I store these if they’re not eaten immediately?
I would probably store them in the fridge as they have a high moisture and protein content (more prone to spoiling).
Hi Tori,
I just made a batch of these and they really are delicious. I NEVER leave comments on websites/blogs but these are definitely worthy of high praise. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Thank you so much Susan that means a lot to me!!! I appreciate you taking the time to share!
Have a wonderful weekend!
Tori
hi, did you boil de beans before? or they are made with raw beans?
Hi Mina they are made with canned beans (straight out of the can and drained, no additional work needed).
Hi
A friend made this and it was awesome and I just made these. Hit with the whole family ?
I would really like to know the nutrition value of this recipe
Hi Tori,
Just made these soon easy I love that you just throw it all in the blender. I baked mine as directed until they didn’t jiggle anymore but they are still super fudgy I’m worried i didn’t cook them enough? Or is this just the lovely perk of these moist brownies?
thanks so much,
Sarah
Hi Sarah! It’s a very moist brownie indeed… I have made them three times this week and tend to cook them a bit longer to get a slightly firmer brownie. I’ll update the recipe, but I wouldn’t worry about it from a food safety aspect as they are cooked from that perspective if you kept them in for the recommended amount of time! Thanks for the note! Tori
Hi Tori
Just wondering what kind of coco powder you up to make these brownies ?
Thanks
Alisha
Fabulous and so easy to make!! Will add to my fav list!! Thanks!
Wonderful thanks Michelle!
Such a great recipe! I never bake and it was so easy to make and turned out amazing. It has just the right amount of sweetness.
That’s awesome to hear thank you Natalie!!!
Hi Tori,
Can I use regular milk instead of almond milk? Thanks!
Yes you can!
Made these again tonight for some friends! They were a hit! ?
Awesome thanks for the feedback I love hearing that!!
Thank you for this great recipe!
I am gluten sensitive and lactose intolerant so for me this is a perfect match.
Also I consider myslef as a healthy eater so these brownies dont make me feel bad for my body =)
Thank you!
That’s awesome thanks Sofia!
These are definetly amazing.
I’ve made at least 6 batches since coming across this recipe😊
Love the fact that black beans replaces flour and is better for you.
Thanx for recipe it’s a hit in our house!
That’s awesome thanks for taking the time to share that Shawnda!
These look so good! Can i use regular espresso or does it have to be instant?
Hi Laura! You could use brewed espresso and adjust the amount of almond milk in it! Happy baking! Tori
Hi Tori!
I want to try these. Can I use regular lactose free milk instead of almond milk?
Thanks!
Annie
You bet you can Annie! Please let me know what you think!
These are friggen amazing. I have made them a few times… my kids really like them too
Hi Chantelle, thank you so much!! Such a win when the kids love them too!
I love love looovvveeee this guilt free dessert! I’ve made it so many times and just love it! We finally have a decent blender so I’m excited to make these again! I just found a bag of black beans in the cupboard…how much would you say I should use to be equal to canned? And should I just soak them or boil them as well? I know canned is easier but I figured since I have these I may as well! Any advice would be great! Thanks 🙂
Hi Isha! So so sorry not sure how I missed this! I can’t say exactly how much but they typically double in volume when you cook them (approximately). you would need to boil them (and ideally soak them first, I usually soak them in boiling water for an hour, drain them, then cook them in more water until tender. You can even cook up a big batch and freeze them for future brownies to make it more efficient! Tori
Do I have to use espresso? Will it alter the taste a ton if I dont?
Thanks!!
Hi Danya you can absolutely leave it out! Tori
Hi Tori,
The IG post said there was a vegan option? I’m not seeing it in the recipe..or maybe I missed it? Can you let me know. Looking forward to making these for my son who has egg/gluten allergies. Thanks so much!
Ah sorry Tabitha yes I added it – I thought I did it before whoops! It should be all there! Tori
Fantastic recipe! Any substitution for the white sugar? Also, my coconut got pretty brown in the oven…maybe add it on top after its done baking?
Wonderful almost guilt free recipe!
Thank you 😊
Hi Lori! You can sub coconut sugar if you want! And absolutely, if you want a lighter looking coconut topping you can add it part way through – it just may not stick to the top as it wouldn’t be baked in if you add it too late!
Take care,
Tori
Hi Tori,
I must say, these are delicious bean bars! Although, I played with the recipe quite a bit as I am Type One Diabetic and avoid all forms of added sugars 🙂
I used mashed banana instead of maple syrup and sugar, and substituted good quality Maison Orphee Olive Oil (for the butter/coconut oil), and replaced the chocolate chips with ground pumpkin seeds and chia seeds. I also doubled up on the recipe (adding 2 cans of black beans), and mixed in gluten free sprouted oats soaked prior to adding, and extra raw cacao powder to boot! I also omitted the coconut, but added raw chopped up walnuts instead to sprinkle for garnish.
The result was rich and wonderful! These will definitely be a staple. My recipe made a total of 20 large brownie bars.
Keep posting great recipes. They always inspire me to create wonderful baked goods in the kitchen!
Hi Alexis, wow you are so creative I love it! Thank you for sharing that I really appreciate it!
Thanks for following along and have a great weekend, Tori
Can raw cacao be used in place of the cocoa powder? Would it be a 1:1 substitution? Thanks!
I made these the other night and they didn’t come out fudgy at all??? And they kinda fell apart Any idea why? Would love to try again.
Thanks!
Hi Donna,
They might have just been baked a little too long!
Love these brownies and many of your other recipes. Couldn’t find espresso powder but the coffee shop was happy to turn their espresso beans into a powder for me. I have been recommending your website to everyone interested in great food.
Awesome! Thank you so much!
Doni really have to cook them for 50 mins? Seems like a very long time.
Hi Brittany, it really depends on how fudgy you want them. They take a bit longer to bake vs a traditional brownie as they are quite dense, but I’ve baked them for around 35 minutes and they are still good… just much more moist! I will add a range and a note to give an option in the recipe!
Tried these on a whim Sunday after a swipe up made me realize I had all the ingredients on hand. Took them along to a dinner party that night and, considering we all knew they were black bean and were expecting much worse 😉 , we LOVED them!
So glad they were a hit with the crew Colleen!
Just made these for my daughters bake sale tomorrow at school! So easy and so delicious! I accidentally made the first batch with a nut milk, so now they get to stay home! I also made them egg free!
Hi Tori
Where can I find that instant espresso pdr. Having no luck finding it in kelowna. Thanks for your help!☕
Superstore!
Tori, these are so good! Kids gobbled them up. Never in a million years would you think there’s black beans in these brownies. Flourless perfection. Will absolutely make again.
Wow! What an easy and great recipe! You’d never know it was ‘healthy’. I baked until set and it was a light, fluffy texture that melts in your mouth. As the recipe says, baked less would be more ‘fudgy’ and towards a traditional brownie. Will definitely add this to my regular list!
I made these from the cookbook today and they are fabulous, so delicious and light and guilt free 😃
Hi Tori, if I don’t have a big blender (small bullet one and hand blender) what could I use instead??
Hi Josie, you should be able to use a bullet (in 2 batches then stir together) or an immersion blender!
These were fabulous!! I love a simple blender dessert – loooove the fudgier texture and my husband thought they were fantastic as well!
So happy you enjoyed them Meredith! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review!
These are amazing, even the kids loved then! Will definitely be making them again!
I will never make normal brownies again! These are the best brownies I’ve ever had and I had to try really hard not to eat the whole pan. The dark cocoa from bulk barn is a must to get the fudgie texture and taste. I actually find it resembles an oreo taste which I love!
Thanks Tori for continuing to be awesome!
So happy to hear you enjoyed them Melissa! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review!
These are incredible, so easy to make with my three year old son. I recently made them with just a 1/2 cup of honey and no sugar as I had ran out and they were really good too. I make them at least once a week x
Can I omit the coconut? Or sub with something else? Kids do not like coconut. Thanks 🙂