There is something special about creating recipes that are both irresistibly delicious and genuinely nutritious. It feels like hitting the jackpot!
If you know me in real life—or even just follow me on Instagram—you already know I LOVE baking. I enjoy classic recipes made with butter and the like, but I also love experimenting with new ingredients and current trends. This is one of those recipes!
Dear friend, let me introduce my black bean and cocoa brownies: simple, quick, and wholesome!
Black bean brownies with chocolate—no flour?
Exactly! These treats contain no flour at all, which makes them perfect for anyone who is gluten intolerant or has celiac disease.
But there’s more…
They’re not only vegan (I also include a tested version with eggs in the post) and gluten-free, they rely on a “secret” ingredient: black beans!
Whenever I mention this, people react with a surprised face: “How can a dessert this good be made with a legume?!”
It’s simple: the black beans provide the perfect texture—moist and almost creamy.
And the flavor? I have one word: RICH. They’re deeply chocolatey and you won’t taste the beans. These brownies aren’t overly sweet because the batter uses plenty of unsweetened cocoa (I love bitter flavors, and so do my friends), so finish them with some good 75% dark chocolate (or a slightly sweeter option) to add balance.
Another idea: fold in chunks of dark chocolate just before baking for melty pockets of chocolate.
Family and friends gave them a big thumbs up!
You might be wondering whether family and friends approved once they learned the brownies were made with black beans, an unusual dessert base. The answer is a resounding yes!
I always feel happiest when they enjoy my recipes. When I told them the secret was a legume (of course I checked there were no allergies), they gave me wide-eyed looks—so fun to watch their reactions.
How to make these black bean chocolate brownies
Few desserts are as easy as this one. Believe it or not, you only need a blender—no mixing bowls, just a blender!
There’s essentially one main process to get perfect brownies:
- Place the ingredients into the blender in this order: black beans, concentrated coffee (optional), unsweetened cocoa, agave or maple syrup, a pinch of salt, coconut oil, vanilla extract, baking powder, and flax egg (or regular eggs). Blend until smooth;
- Bake at 175°C (350°F);
- Share with friends and family, reveal the secret ingredient, and enjoy their reactions!
If you like this recipe, please leave 5 stars—it would make me so happy!
Remember: if you recreate one of my recipes or make your own version, tag me on Instagram or send me a DM—I love seeing your photos!
Vegan chocolate brownies
10
20
30
12 mini brownies
Ingredients
- 240 gr Cooked black beans – (drained and rinsed)
- 60 gr Unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3 tablespoons Ground flax seeds
- 6 tablespoons Water
Alternatively (instead of flax + water)
- 3 Whole eggs
- 50 gr Agave or maple syrup – or unrefined cane sugar
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 30 gr Coconut oil – or neutral seed oil
- a few drops Vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons Concentrated coffee
- 1 teaspoon Baking powder
- Crushed pistachios
- Dark chocolate chunks
Optional, to garnish:
- 100% peanut butter
Instructions
-
Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F).
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Combine flax seeds and water, and let thicken for 5–10 minutes.
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Using a food processor or blender, blend all ingredients: start with the black beans and concentrated coffee, then add the unsweetened cocoa, agave/maple syrup, salt, coconut or seed oil, and vanilla extract until smooth.
-
Mix in the baking powder and the flax-water mixture (or the eggs if using).
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Lightly oil a square or rectangular baking pan and pour in the batter. Top with crushed pistachios and chocolate chunks, or a swirl of peanut butter.
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Bake for about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, allow to cool, then cut into small squares.
Nutrition
Calories from fat 54
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