Skinnytaste > Baked Breads and Cakes > Black Bean Brownies

Black Bean Brownies

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This might sound strange, but these brownies actually come out rich and fudgy. They are low fat, high in fiber and protein and no one would know there are beans in them.

I calculated these with a box of Pillsbury Chocolate Fudge Brownies, but I plan on buying reduced sugar to see if it lowers the points and still taste as good. Points may vary depending on which brand you use.

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Black Bean Brownies

4.71 from 17 votes
5
Cals:138.1
Protein:2.9
Carbs:28
Fat:2.6
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Yield: 20 servings
Serving Size: 1 brownie

Ingredients

  • 15 oz can black beans
  • 19.5 oz box chocolate brownie mix

Instructions

  • Open can of beans, drain and rinse well.
  • Put beans back in the can and fill can with water.
  • Put beans and water in blender until smooth.
  • Mix pureed beans with brownie package mix.
  • DO NOT add eggs or oil.
  • Spray baking dish with Pam.
  • Cook brownies according to package directions.
  • Cool and serve.

Last Step:

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Nutrition

Serving: 1 brownie, Calories: 138.1 kcal, Carbohydrates: 28 g, Protein: 2.9 g, Fat: 2.6 g, Fiber: 1.8 g

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264 comments on “Black Bean Brownies”

  1. I made these and they were great, no one knew !! I would take them out a little sooner next time. but delicious just the same!

  2. I couldn’t find the brownie mix size in any store, so I used the 18 oz family size and reduced the beans/water a little. It was too thick, so I added 3 tbs oil. I always add 1 tbs cocoa to brownie mix, so I added that too. They are really tasty and cakey.

  3. Oh my goodness so good! You’d never even guess they have black beans I used the noshu brownie mix and 250g black beans really good. 

    1. I believe you can freeze most anything from cheese to bananas to baked goods. These brownies should be refrigerated anyway because beans will ferment if you leave them out long enough.

  4. Is it possible to replace sugar with Splenda and eliminate the choco chips to lower the points value even more?

  5. I used the recipe builder and got 0 points. What am I doing wrong?  I should be using the “unprepared” information on the brownie mix, correct?  New to WW. 

  6. I can’t say enough about these brownies and how delicious they are! Rich, chocolaty, fudgey! I recommend these 100%!!!

    1. There are brownie recipes that suggest black beans or chickpeas. I don’t know if chickpeas would work with this specific recipe, but it seems to be worth trying.

  7. When I calculated the points using the nutritional information, it came out to 5 points a serving on blue.

  8. I just made these they came out super thin. Not sure if I did something wrong just a brownie mix, black beans and water. Thought they would be thicker. Not sure they’re worth the four points.

    1. Did you fill the can with the beans in them? I don’t think it’s supposed to be a full can of water. 

  9. Avatar photo
    Chocolatey goodness 🤗

    Hello if you used the Minnie muffin tin do you think these would be 2 freestyle pts?

    Thank you

    1. There are 20 servings at 4 blue points each for total points for the pan of 80 blue points.  How many servings in a mini muffin pan?   Assuming there are 24 servings in a mini muffin pan and 80 points for the whole batch then 80 divided by 24 servings= 3 blue points.

  10. I made these the other day. I used a mini muffin tin instead of a baking pan. I did add a bag of sugar free chocolate chips. A great alternative to the real thing.

  11. Avatar photo
    sally Naughtin

    I made this recipe but it stayed very thin. I thought it might rise a little but were less than 1/2″ thick when baked in a 9 x 9 pan. Not sure if this is ok or I did something wrong. I didn’t add any eggs, but I did use pam on the pan, maybe that was my problem. Any suggestions?

  12. I made these tonight using the family size pillsbury brownie mix. It says on the box it serves 18. When scanning the box it says each brownie would be 5 points. If you add up the points for the 2/3 cup of oil it calls for and divide by the serving size, it comes out to 2.5 points! So, by my calculations, if you are not using the oil and only using black beans, they are zero points! I say the brownies if cut into 18 pieces, should come out to 2.5 points each!! 

    1. Nutrition information on the box is only for the mix and does not include the oil. Also, Gina uses 20 servings for her calculation not 18 as per the box.

  13. These were easy to make and came out nicely. Nice alternative to traditional brownies when I don’t have time/energy to make them from scratch. 

  14. Avatar photo
    Laurie Edgerton

    Best black bean recipe I have ever made! So moist and no one will ever know the beans are there.

  15. Avatar photo
    Carol McCollum

    I joined Skinnytaste because I want to be healthier. Gina Homolka, your intro states that your food philosophy is to eat seasonal, whole foods. Packaged brownie mix— that’s not whole food. I want recipes that contribute to good health, not recipes that use products containing chemicals & preservatives. “Whatever we are eating or drinking is either contributing to our wellness, or to illness & disease.” Please let me know if the majority of your recipes contain packaged or prepared foods, or whole foods. Thank you.

    1. There are plenty of recipes here that use whole, seasonal foods. You don’t have to get on some high horse just because you found one recipe where she uses a shortcut. Many of us need shortcuts every once in a while. I think the addition of black beans to an otherwise very “unhealthy” box of brownie mix is genius.

    2. Shes all about eating healthy and affordable. Lots of her recipes do use fresh foods. And even her deserts are made from scratch. There are some recipies here and there that use canned or boxed stuff. Which makes it easier for some people. But you are able to modify it how ever you want. Like this brownie recipe. If you didnt want to use box brownies you can make your own mix from scratch with flour and coco and sugar. 🤷‍♀️

    3. Geeze. Sounds like you need to have a brownie. I love Gina’s recipes. A devoted follower, but I’m also very happy to have a quick, simple treat to make every now and then. 

  16. Avatar photo
    Renee Patterson

    I made mini muffins. 15 minutes if you like them moist, 20 if you like them crispy. I could have eaten all of them. 🙂 Used a vegan mix (duncan hines decadent California walnut) to take to a work event that needed vegan food.

  17. I made these last night and they came out pretty well. I wasn’t sure if the water in the bean can took the place of the water in the brownie box recipe, so I mixed the beans in first. The batter was a little too thick, so I added some water (about 1/8 cup when the box calls for 1/4 cup). My oven is not the most consistent, but I probably added 13 minutes to the total baking time it had on the box. Even at that point, the toothpick was only coming out clean on one half of the pan (I used a 9×13″ pan). I added some chocolate chips to the batter and some walnuts on top. I may try again, but the texture was not quite right. Thanks for the idea! I was yolk-free for a short time and had a difficult time baking things without eggs.

  18. If I use BettyCrocker brownie mix low fat fudge a boxe. 440gr it will be ok?or I have to take mabe 1 boxe and a half?

  19. Pingback: Menu Plan Monday: 4/23/18 | Living in White Bear Lake

  20. This recipe says to use a 9×13 pan but the recipe on the back of the Pillsbury sugar free brownie mix say 8×8 or 9×9. Which do I use?? 

  21. Made today with Pillsbury Sugar Free Brownie Mix. Came out pretty good. I will try it with regular mix but my husband can’t have the sugar. Thank you Gina for this great idea! 

  22. Just tasted my brownies and they are a chocolate overload! I guess I will tone them down with some Cool Whip (oh, darn!). Thanks for the recipe.

  23. I had the sugar free brownies, but no black beans, so I used red kidney beans. The batter tasted good, so wish me luck on the finished product. Can’t wait for them to be done.

  24. Here’s my take on this terrific recipe:

    1.  I add 4Tbsp Nestle Semi-Sweet Mini Morsels.  Also, different black bean brands vary; my best results are with Bush’s Best Reduced Sodium Black Beans. 

    2.  Instead of using a square baking pan, I bake these in mini-muffin pans. A #40 (small) scoop works perfectly for this!

    3.  You get 36 mini brownies: 2 SPs if using the Pillsbury Sugar-Free Mix; 3 SPs if using the regular Pillsbury milk chocolate brownie mix. Make sure you are using about 18oz of either mix; this will require 1-1/2 boxes of the sugar-free variety. 

    4.  Bake for about 25 minutes.

    You get a whole bunch (36) of chewy, sweet, and satisfying chocolate goodness! I freeze them in batches of 8 or so, then thaw them as needed. 

    1. I’m having the same issue because the nutritional info on the package for just the brownie mix is only for 1 serving….you start adding that up for the whole pan my smart points are much much higher. What am I missing?

    2. Did anyone else have the problem with the points? I cannot get down to 4 FS points when I enter the ingredients. Is the 4 pats based on using the sugar free mix? I noticed there is no sugar listed in the nutritional facts for the recipe.

      1. The SmartPoints® calculator isn’t meant for recipes and will often give you the wrong points (usually higher) because it’s counting 0 points foods such as eggs, chicken, fruits and vegetables. So if you see a recipe with a SmartPoints® value that’s different from what the calculator tells you, that is why.

        The only accurate way to determine any recipe’s SmartPoints® value is to plug the ingredients into the recipe builder on the Weight Watchers website (Click on “My Foods,” select “Recipe,” and click “Create a recipe.”)

  25. You are amazing! …and so are these brownies! I am so making this for next get together we attend or host!

  26. I made these yesterday for my Mom and Sister. I am sorry to say that they were disgusting! I followed the recipe EXACTLY and they were so dense and heavy. They smelled chocolaty but didn't have much of a chocolaty taste. I was very disappointed! 🙁

  27. I made these tonight (using Ghiradelli Double Chocolate because it's the ONLY brownie mix I use, ever!) and I was pleasantly surprised! They were cakey on the outside and gooey in the middle, but that's ok because I looooooove gooey brownie and no eggs means no risk. They aren't quite as good as regular GDC brownies, but still better than most other mixes are!

  28. Not sure what I did wrong, but they turned out with a really odd texture–overly moist in the middle with a wetness but too thick and dry on the edges. I did use a 9×9 pan and though I followed the box instructions I might not have baked them long enough. Probably won't make them again. There are plenty of great recipes that I would rather have.

  29. I made these for an "oscar party" last night, they were so moist and you would of never known! i made sure to tell everyone after what was in them. great idea! and it cooked the same as my normal brownies do (glass 8×8 -50-52min)

  30. I added an extra teaspoon of instant espresso powder (great in anything chocolate), makes the flavor seem like a rich dark chocolate instead of a milk chocolate

  31. Can any type of beans be used? I only have kidney beans… Also, what is the equivalent amount of dried beans to the 15 oz cans?

  32. Just made these last night,absolutely delicious, I would never have known there were beans in these if I hadn't made them myself!

  33. What did I do wrong? Flavor was amazing, texture not so great (too spongy). I used a dark 9 x13 pan, could this have impacted the texture?

  34. Hi! I made these with the chocolate truffle brownie mix from Gluten Free Pantry and they are amazing! What a wonderful treat! I am making a batch now to take to my cousin's house tomorrow….hope they love them as much as I do!

  35. Avatar photo
    natalie wright

    These are really good, even my fussy child ate them. However will keep the ingredients a secret from her.

  36. I just made these and they were pretty good! I am going to give them to my students tomorrow and wait to tell them what they are made from until after they eat them! I can't wait!

  37. Just made these! They really seem overly fudgy. the taste was good but hoping after they cool, they firm up a bit more.

  38. Best Brownies ever, so fudgy and delicious! I make them in the blender, so it's even easier to clean up.

  39. Have tried these before and am not a fan, unfortunately! As an alternative, I use 1/2 the amount of oil that's called for, egg substitute instead of eggs. And, I use olive oil instead of vegetable oil – so it's healthy fats. The brownies are still somewhat fattening, but they're the fats that are better for your body. And they taste practically the same. I, personally, could always taste the beans in this. And the diet soda trick for cake always took away some flavor. So, I modified it this way.

    -Mikayla M

  40. I cooked these for 45 minutes using the Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate brownie mix. Eating them the first night (about an hour after baking), they were a little dry and I figured that I had overcooked them. We refrigerated the rest and the next night had some more…and they were awesome. Not too dense and full of fudge goodness. Even my husband whose motto is "extra fat = extra flavor" loved these. Thanks for the recipe!

  41. These were okay, but not great. I was expecting better, definitely did not taste beans but the finished products was very spongy and way too fudgy. Could be my fault though because I purchased the Duncan Hines Dark Cholcolate Fudge Brownies and it says EXTRA THICK AND FUDGY. I suppose this with the black beans enhanced the fudginess making it overbearing. I'm gonna try again but this time with a classic brownie mix.

  42. I was curious on how this recipe would work with making homemade brownies. My husband is completely allergic to dairy and box brownie mixes usually contain dairy, "may contain dairy", or are made in a dairy facility (all which we avoid). Would I just mix the dry ingredients to a normal size recipe??

  43. These were amazing! i will never use eggs and oil in my brownies again. Loved every morsel! Thank you!

  44. if i wanted to double the recipe, would putting 2 cans of beans in alternate the taste at all? would it make the brownies have more of a bean taste?

  45. I was really hesitant about trying these BUT… I made these yesterday and brought them to dinner at my boyfriends house. I told everyone they were made with black beans(after they tried them) and everyone loved them!! So moist and rich!

  46. I love the idea of hiding black beans in brownies, but I was disappointed with the outcome. I decided to bake them in muffin tins for portion control as I have done many times when making regular brownies. They were really, really spongy in a very unpleasant way. Is there anything I can do about the texture? Flavor is great, but I can't get past the weird texture.

  47. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. I have one of the pickest 15 yearolds and she loved these. I have tried from scratch recipes with beans and they were a huge disappointment. I hid the fact there were beans and even let her see the box. When I finally let her know about the beans she smiled and said they were yummy. Her next response was can I eat them for breakfast 🙂

    Shara a Very happy Mom

  48. Avatar photo
    belindanisbett

    Duncan Hines 13X9 family size chewy fudge brownies are only 3 points per serving rather than 4 (if you cut 20 servings

  49. Update, husband just walked through the kitchen telling me how much he really loved the brownies! When he asked if they were made with sugar, I grinned stating boxed brownies aren't made with sugar, but these weren't made with oil or eggs either. When I told him the secret ingredient, he was surprised but liked the idea of the extra fiber he was getting. A sure hit!!!

  50. Just took these out of the oven, and they are super yummy! I used the Pillsbury Chocolate Fudge Mix with Goya Low Sodium Black Beans. I got nervous that my husband might taste "bean" pieces after pureeing them in my mini food processor, so I added a small bag of chopped pecans with about 6 small frozen dark chocolate chips to mask any small bean pieces he might taste. I'm anxious to see if he can taste a difference, but I certainly can't! I would have liked to have pureed them a bit longer, but was nervous about him seeing what I was doing, so I had to be ninja baker! Delicious!

  51. I loved this!! So worried that it wouldn't turn out as I use a homemade brownie mix, but it was wonderful! Also because my brownie mix has less points than the store bought the points plus were reduced to 3 points for 16 pieces! Thank you so much for such wonderful recipes!!

  52. I made these today…wow!!! I of course kept the black beans a secret and nobody knew! They really are better than brownies without the black beans, I loved the dense, fudgy texture!!!

  53. These are yummy when COOLED. If you eat them right out of the oven (like this chocoholic hungry gal loves to do), they have that beany taste. I made them to put in a trifle with cool whip and SF/FF chocolate pudding for a party and no one even noticed! Yum!

  54. Hi Gina,

    First, let me extend a huge THANK YOU for these awesome recipes! I found your site via Pinterest and I have been cooking from it ever since! It's FABULOUS! I am currently making these brownies for Valentine's day, and I was wondering – do you know if these freeze well? Thanks so much again – and Happy Valentine's Day!

    Abby

  55. Made these for the fam tonight. Hubby walked into the kitchen to see me putting the black beans into the blender and walked out. Later on after dinner (which, by the way, was your Turkey Chili Taco Soup which was fantastic), he reached for a brownie and made the comment of how good and moist it was. He then asked what I had done with those black beans. (lol) Thanks Gina for all the hard work of putting all the nutritional info together and giving me the opportunity of trying new stuff that keeps us within our daily WW points (old program).

  56. I made these thinking my 2 year old, who LOVES chocolate, would devour them. Guess what – he took one bite and spit it out. Won't go near them! WTH??? I must say, I don't think they were that good. The flavour is ok, but the texture is odd – almost like a soggy brownie. Plus, they seem to leave an aftertaste in my mouth that is less than pleasant. Oh well, I guess these are a miss for our house. I guess you really can't please all of the people all of the time! 🙂

  57. ok so i made these myself tonight since i had already had the pleasure of tasting this masterpiece previously at my SIL's house for a get together. hers came out rather dense and fudgy while mine came out cakey? i used a 8×8 so I'm not sure if thats why or not…..but i wanted fudgey…..plus they were a lil dry which threw me off. i cooked them for the shortest time on the box so I'm baffled. also i was going to try adding some frozen over ripe bananas to add in a tasty fruit for 0 points but then i completely forgot thanks to my kids being wild. oh and i used pillsbury's brownie mix

  58. I was skeptical at first but I've had chocolate cake with beets so I figured why not. I used the Betty Crocker brownie mix since it had less calories and fat than Pillsbury (calculated out to 3 points plus). For sure you could not taste any beans but they definitely tasted different than regular brownies. Maybe I need to try Pillsbury next time. They were best when hot and fresh.

  59. made these last night!!! DELICIOUS!! my family loved them & I brought some to work & shared with a co-worker, she loved them too! Question….. could you use the pinto beans to make a "blonde brownie"? or have you tried?

    Thanks so much!!!

  60. According to Weight Watchers Etools – using this same recipe but using Betty Crocker LOW FAT Fudge Brownie mix – they have it listed as 1pt per serving (total of 15 servings). I made them tonight and they were GREAT!

  61. Can't wait to make these with the kiddos. Thank you for providing so many delicious recipes that my food critic/restaurant manager husband, one year old and two year old LOVE. All of your recipes have so much flavor and I love having the kids help me in the kitchen!!!!

  62. I made these this weekend….so good! infact my mother said "these are the best brownies i have ever had" I used the betty crocker mocha brownie mix…im sure that makes the fat/calorie numbers different but they were so good! Im sold!

  63. Absolutely love these.. I was making these before WW times.. A friend made them and I loved them so got the recipe. I am not huge on sweets, but this is wonderful. I have taken them to functions and just kept my mouth shut and no one ever knew…

  64. I made these yesterday and brought them into work and most people declined at the brownies but when I told them they were healthy-ish with black beans, people were more than willing to try them. I used Ghiradelli Triple Chocolate brownies (approx 550g/pouch) which normally calls for 1/3 cup oil, 1/3 cup water, and 1 egg, about 1 cup total). I rinsed my 540mL can of beans and filled with water and when blended, it came out to 3 cups of liquid. I figured it to be too much for 1 pouch so I used it for 2 pouches and they turned out really good. My husband does prefer the original recipe but he was surprised that they weren't terrible:)

  65. my daughter made these the other night, and fooled all of us. she used a mocha brownie mix and they had a coffee flavor and with a scoop of ice cream yummy. Ive made pinto been pie before and it was pretty good but nothing like these brownies

  66. This is a KEEPER! We normally add pecans or walnuts so since I was going for taste first, (yes, I was a bit skeptical), it tasted wonderful! :
    Have you tried replacing the water with black coffee? Wouldn't change the points and might taste good. 🙂

  67. Just made these yesterday – my 8 year old loved them! My husband found a stray black bean in the sink and thought he had busted me for downing a burrito at lunch!

  68. Hi, my name is Amanda and I just started WW. Has anyone thought to use the "No Pudge!" brownie mix with this?? Might cut down the points…

  69. I took these into work today and everyone was amazed at how they were baked! They LOVED them, many people asked for the site I got the idea from. And my toddler wanted seconds last night, that speaks volumes! Def agree w/ the other person who said they have the consistency of a Little Debbie brownie but those were an all time favorite of mine growing up! I did use a reduced sugar mix and they turned out just fine!

  70. Avatar photo
    yarrow princess

    Well mine came out a touch on the dry side, but very tasty. But I was watching a chef (after I made these of course!) making low fat cake and he said to lower the temperature when making low or no fat baking. It helps to keep them moister. He said 25 or 50 degrees should do it. Thought I would pass that along to anyone else having the same issue.

  71. Avatar photo
    Yarrow Princess

    I'm trying these for the first time, they are in the oven now. But I have noticed that here (in my area anyway) in Canada, the cans are 19 oz. and the brownie mix is more like 15.5 oz. So I just added one cup of flour to the dry mix, whisked it in and then added the beans. The texture seemed like any fudgy brownie batter, so I am hoping that it works!

  72. I'm not sure if anyone asked, I couldn't read every review, but can these be frozen? I like the idea of making them and then freezing them for even better portion control. Out of sight, out of mind!

  73. Update… they just came out of the oven. I may have burned my mouth, but they are DELICIOUS! Thank you!

  74. It's 1am and I just put these in the oven. I CAN NOT wait to try them! I've made black bean brownies before, from scratch, and they were awful. I have very high hopes for this recipe! I even tasted the batter and it was pretty darn good!

    I decided, to make portion control even easier for myself, to make these in mini cupcake form. I ended up with 40 mini cupcakes!

  75. These are GREAT! My non-dieting kids had no idea and thought they were great! Best tasting and the moistest brownies EVAH!

  76. My little one has been after me to try black bean brownies for some time and we just made them tonight. We used the Betty Crocker Dark Chocolate mix (which had less calories and fat than the other packages I looked at) and she said they were the best brownies she's ever eaten 🙂 Awesome! I can't wait to trick my family and friends.

  77. I shouldn't have been skeptical in spite of all the raving reviews, but I was. I was even more nervous when I smelled the pureed concoction in my blender. i turned a corner a bit when I finger tasted the batter. But I just had my first bite of cooled brownie and I'm sold. Delicious!

    My husband thinks they're too cakey, but he's eating it anyway 😀

    Oh, and he has NO idea that there are beans in it.

  78. I made these last night without telling my husband what was in them. He is VERY picky. He tasted them and said "they taste like normal fudge brownies" and he couldn't believe it when I told him there were beans in them! He brought a whole plate of them to his fire station this morning and after the men devoured them, he told them what they were made with and they couldn't believe it either. I used Low Fat Duncan Hines brownie mix and No Salt Added Black Beans. Thanks so much for this recipe!!

  79. I made these, and then a regular batch of brownies with eggs, but subbing applesauce for the oil, the black bean brownies were better! They're very dense, which makes them seem richer. They remind me a bit of the Little Debbie brownies.
    Thanks for the recipe!

  80. amazing! I took a batch to a cookout and everyone asked for the recipie. My husband gets a kick out of telling people they have beans in them lol.

  81. OMG, all I have to say is divine ! Best Fudgy brownie ever! Loved it and so did family! I added a little cinnamon to the batter, it was awesome!

    Thanks Gina!

    Millie

  82. I just had to comment on this! I was skeptical and OMG! These are so delicious! I've been giving them to ppl then saying HA! MADE EM WITH BLACK BEANS! So, so good and fudgy.

  83. I am not a big chocolate fan (I know, blasphemy coming from a woman) but when we do have chocolate, we make these. My kids panicked when they thought I putting beans in their precious brownies but once they tasted it,they didn't want to stop. Thanks for sharing this awesome recipe!

  84. These are great! Shared them with a neighbor and a workout buddy – but the rest are for me! 😉

    One question: while I like the fudgy texture, is there any way to "fluff" it up a little bit?

    Thanks for your recipes! They make me feel like I'm not missing out on anything by watching what I eat. It helps me stay on track for sure!!

  85. HOLY MOLY!!! I tried a different black bean brownie recipe before this one and was soooo disappointed. This one is AMAZING. I've been on Weight Watchers for 9 weeks now and have a crazy sweet tooth. These are so perfect. I cant wait to try your other recipes!

  86. I also bought the reduced sodium beans, was not sure about salt content, so I wanted to be safe. I had a small bite of them, so good. I am going to make them again soon for the family.

  87. I bought a Dark Chocolate brownie mix. It was actually lower in Fat, Carbs and Sugar then the Low Fat one. My kids tried the batter and liked it. My little one did say it was a little chunky, but I told him that I had not mixed it enough. We will see how they taste once they are done. Not going to tell anyone what is in them.

  88. Gina,

    I'm an old (read old) foodie guy that has recently been watching what I am doing. I joined Weight Watchers almost two years ago and have had some success with my weight loss program. One of the things I loved about going to Weight Watchers was sharing healthy recipes. Now, in addition to my tried and true, I include your web site.

    Thanks a bunch!!!

  89. I made these a few times a couple of years ago when I was on Weight Watchers for the first time, and alternated between draining+pureeing the beans, and adding them whole and undrained. The whole beans come out looking and tasting like bits of dark chocolate…. this version actually became the favorite 🙂

    Irene

  90. We loved these brownies! My husband isn't a big fan of brownies but he couldn't keep out of these! I used the 22.5 oz box and had no trouble. I just filled the can to the very top with water, and it was enough.
    I also made the Strawberry Swirl Cheescake (in 9" glass pie pan), the Petite Turkey Meatloaves (in muffin tin), and the Garlic Mashed Potatoes this weekend for company. Everything was delicious and got many compliments. This website will have a few more people added to your fans!
    Thank you!

  91. Avatar photo
    Gina @ Skinnytaste

    Good question! Maybe just a little more water would be needed. See how the batter looks. Enjoy and hope it all goes well!

  92. Gina, I'm getting eady to try these for the first time. I have a 22.5 oz brownie mix in my pantry, 3 more oz than you say to use. Can I adjust the recipe (add more water?) or should I just go buy an 18.5 oz box to be safe?
    I want to serve them this Sat. at a meeting in my home. In fact, my whole dinner is coming from your website. I'm excited to try them all!
    Thank you.

  93. I just want to say before you make this, when you buy your can of beans, make sure to look at the ingredients! Some brands add onions or onion powder! It adds a weird musky flavor if you use beans with onions. I had bought just a can of black beans. No spices or anything the can just said "black beans". I made these and noticed they tasted oniony so I looked at the can and onions were in the ingredients. So make sure you check that before you bake! I got a non onion added can and plan to make them again!

  94. Thumbs up! These were very fudgy & unless you knew the beans were in there – there is no way you'd of known! My friend & I served them to our husbands & aside from the fact that I couldn't stop laughing, they'd of never known! Her's ate two! Mine is not a huge dessert guy. I used a Ghiradelli brownie mix.

  95. Ok, so to all those who said there was a funny taste maybe you made the same mistake I made. I totally just grabbed the brownie mix from my cupboard and blended the beans and went to town. After I cooked the first batch of brownie bites (24 minis), I thought "wow, this doesn't smell right or taste right,eww." Then I started thinking about it and everything I've made from this site has been fabulous, so I double checked the recipe and my materials. Sure enough my brownie mix was only 10.5oz (no wonder the batter seemed super thin!), not 19.5. So I went out and bought another mix, added it to my remaining mix and added a few tablespoons of water. Now the batter tastes great! They're cooking as I type, I'm hoping they come out good.

    Thanks Gina, everything has been fantastic!

  96. Avatar photo
    Gina @ Skinnytaste

    Aren't these wonderful! Great for people with egg allergies and vegans too!

    Kristen, no because they don't sell it at my supermarket believe it or not!

  97. I made these today and they are amazing! While pureeing the beans I was a little septical but I knew they would be a hit when I let one of my sons lick the spoon. He loved the batter – could not tell that they were not "regular" brownies. Bonus -I'm that mom that does not let her kids eat raw batter beacause of the eggs (gross!) but with recipe they can. 🙂 Can't wait for my husband to try one when he gets home. Love your recipes! Thank you!

  98. Hi Gina – Did you ever try the recipe with reduced sugar, as you originally mention you might? Thanks!

  99. I've made these before and absolutely loved them! I decided to make them tonight as a Superbowl treat and was deciding between brownie mixes. I decided to go with the Betty Crocker gluten free mix because it has less carbs and it actually has lessened the points+ by 1! (So only 3pts+ per serving)

  100. I made these today on this wonderful snow day, and they were delicious! Next time, I think I may add a few raspberries with a spoonful of low-fat cool whip to give it a little something extra! Yum!

  101. Oh, hello, new favorite brownie! I just made these and they were great! Not as decadent as a bakery brownie, but definately a wonderful way to curb a chocolate craving. Everyone here loved them( all 5 of us), and my 8 year old actually high fived me when he heard that they were made with black beans!!

  102. Hello. I was sent this link from a friend. I do not do weight watchers but eat healthy and am always look for healthier recipes. I was wondering if you had the rest of the nutrition information for these since I don't the point system for Weight Watchers? I am mainly wondering about the fat grams. Thank you!

  103. WOW, I just baked these and like everything else on your blog, they are wonderful! My hubby was not really into them once he knew what I put into them, but was brave and tasted them, he LOVED them. Once again Gina, Thank you so much!

  104. So, is the 4 Points Plus accurate when cut into twenty servings? I am trying these for the first time and they just came out of the oven in a 9×13, looking cakey and fabulous. I used lowfat Betty Crocker mix for 89 cents and a generic can of black beans for 70 cents. Not only are they nutritious, but you can't beat the value!

  105. I cant wait to try this! And I suck at baking but this seams so easy I wouldnt be able to screw it up!

  106. Thank you Gina for this recipe! I'm allergic to chocolate, so I can't buy packaged brownie mix. Instead, I tried this recipe with my usual carob brownie recipe, and cut back on the margarine and eggs. It's in the oven right now, and it looks so tasty!

  107. Hi Everyone! I found this recipe on sparkrecipes.com (http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=89708) Looks like it calculates out to *4 POINTSPLUS * but I would imagine the brownie mix could affect that.

    Nutritional Info
    Servings Per Recipe: 20
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories: 138.0
    Total Fat: 2.6 g
    Cholesterol: 0.0 mg
    Sodium: 162.0 mg
    Total Carbs: 26.8 g
    Dietary Fiber: 1.2 g
    Protein: 2.4 g

    Thank you Gina! I love your site, and use it often!

  108. Avatar photo
    ♛ The Nutrashionista ♛

    Hi Gina!
    Would love, love, LOVE to make these for all the company coming over for Christmas…

    Any idea how many NEW points they are yet?

    🙂

  109. Hi Gina, these are on the menu this week. Can you prioritize these for new points plus if possible? Thanks in advance!

  110. There was definitely no bean taste! They were super dense. Not as good as the real thing, obviously, but still very tasty! Love your recipes!

  111. Avatar photo
    Gina @ Skinnytaste

    @Emily, thanks, I'll have to make them from scratch one day and see what I like better. Thanks for your comment!

    @Stacey – I'm sure these taste better when you don't know there are beans in them! LOL

  112. Made these today! I used the Pillsbury Sugar Free brownie mix, which gave them a funny texture, but I'll try again with regular mix soon. There is zero bean taste, and these were a definite hit with my mom, who was seriously grossed out when blending the black beans for me, haha!

  113. Pretty darn good. I'm not doing WW or anything, someone posted your site on FB a while back and I bookmarked it. I don't ever use a brownie mix when I bake them, so I just used my recipe and omitted the eggs and butter. The other thing that I did was I didn't buy a can of beans I had a bunch of dried black beans in my pantry. So, I just cooked and drained them and measured out 2 cups of beans and filled the measuring cup with water. That worked great. I was a little nervous about my proportions, but the consistency looked good when I poured it into the pan. My recipe was: 2C pureed black beans, 2c sugar, 1 1/4 C flour, 3/4 C baking cocoa, 3/4 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp salt.
    (in a mixer)Mix the beans and sugar together. Dump the rest of the ingredients into the bean mixture and mix. Spray 9 x 13 pan with PAM and pour into pan. Bake for 35 min. (This is exactly what I did)
    It turned out pretty good. I can smell and taste a slight difference. But delicious, especially if you're dieting!!
    (I have no clue how to calculate the points on this recipe)

  114. I love these brownies also and I made these for the family function as well as the taco dip. My family was in heaven

  115. WARNING: these are SO delicious that you may blow your points on them. Beware.

    I had to make mine in a pie tin b/c I don't have the right size pan. This made the center very gooey and I ate some warm out of the oven. B/c they are made with the pureed beans, I didn't have to worry about eating uncooked eggs.

    This is such an incredible idea. Thanks Gina!

  116. Ok my Niece and I just made these we were so curious about how this would turn out. They are amazing fudgy,moist simply delicious!! Two thumbs up Gina!!!

  117. what kind of brownie mix do you use? I stopped by the baking isle at my super market and they had like 10 different kinds. or does it really matter?

  118. Ok, I must admit, I was actually SCARED to try these. Made them today, and they were AWESOME!!! My friend who isn't on a diet even enjoyed them…and the kids asked for seconds! Why to go hiding veggies INSIDE of the yumminess of brownies! I LOVE YOUR RECIPES GINA!!!!

  119. I was pretty skeptical…I can't believe it…these brownies are so good! I will NEVER use oil and eggs again!! Thank you so much Gina for you're great recipes.

  120. I made these last night and they were great! I was very skeptical, but they tasted fantastic. I don't think anyone would ever be able to tell that they were made with black beans. Crazy but it works!

  121. I love these brownies! I have made them a couple times. I have taken a few pieces to work to share and everyone liked them, even if a few people thought it was weird. 😉 Such a great idea!

  122. I think I'm going to try to trick my brother, a dessert lover who is coming over for dinner tonight. I'm thinking of making brownie cheesecake squares.

  123. Just made these,YUM! like everyone else i could not taste the black beans at all! tasted just like regular home made brownies. my husband, who is EXTREMELY picky thought they were good!but like a dumbie i cut them into 30 squares instead of 20. so they came out at 1.5 points each, or 2 for 3 pts not bad!

  124. Funny thing about this when I first tried it, I had my 17 year old daughter lick the beater and she didn't even know it was just black beans and mix. She crinkled her nose when I told her but did admit they tasted good even after they were cooked. We try to see the look on people's faces when we tell them what's in our brownies. LOL

  125. @rina- I would wrap extras in plastic wrap so air doesn't get in. I always give extras away so I'm not sure how long they last.

    @Felicia- I don't see why not! Same principal, lots of fiber. The color I suppose might be affected. Let me know how they come out!

  126. Would they work with pinto beans? I'm an american in Australia, and sadly they don't have black beans here. I managed to track down a specialty food store, but all I could wrangle were refried black beans which um, yum…in a tortilla, but not so much in a brownie considering the spices, cumin, and pork fat. lol

  127. Gina,

    Thank you so much for the recipe, I read through every single comment to see what other people were rating it. Looks like it's a hit and I can't wait to try it (tonight) lol

    One question, do these store well?

    Thank you!

  128. That's great!! Thanks for commenting back! I'm going to take these to a BBQ and I'm not telling anyone!! Lol

  129. I commented yesterday about them, I took them to work and no one had a clue until I told them, then they went back and had another to see if they could taste the beans. HA!

  130. I just made these and they are pretty good. Not as good as the fattening ones but still good. No one would ever know they have beans in them. I am taking them to work tomorrow to see how they go over.

  131. Yum! Going to try these! Do you use a 9 x 13 pan? How long are they baked for? You count them for 2 pts?

    Thanks…

  132. Brownie's were great! My only issue was that they were a little too crumbly when I was trying to get them out of the cooking dish. So I had to kind of mush them together to keep them in one piece. Did I cook too long maybe? They were really fudgy and moist – but crumbly at the same time. Weird.

  133. Just made these and they are AMAZING! I used the WW recipe builder and calculated 16 servings instead of 20..came out to 3 points each.

  134. @Katherine- I'm not sure, it's been a while since I've made them and calculated the points. Glad you lost 12 lbs! Keep up the great work and let me know how the brownies come out!

  135. Mine are in the oven and smelling up the house something wonderful!!!! I am very excited. WW site calculated 3 points for me as well… I'm using Betty Crocker Low Fat Fudgie Brownie mix… so I'm not quite sure why. If they taste as good as they smell (and as good as the batter tasted, lol)… than it's well worth 3 points! Thanks for all your wonderful dishes Gina! I've tried several of them so far, and in a month I've lost 12 pounds with your help!!

  136. Thank you very much for this site, is making my goal easier to reach, this recipe is amazing is really good, everybody at my house loved it!!!

  137. I love this site SO much! I made these brownies last night and they were amazing! And much better than the WW brownies. These taste REAL! If anyone is from the UK, i used a packet of brownie mix from Morrisons (284g) so you only need half the beans in this recipe. I cut it into 12 pieces, so each piece was only 1.5 points. In fact, i have some in my bag that i am going to eat right now!

  138. I make this at least once a month and they are fabulous. No body can tell there are BEANS in them.

    This time I baked them in mini-muffin tins and decorated each differently. Some had sprinkles, some a mini marshmallow, and some with white chocolate chips on top. Still came out to 2 points for each brownie bite!

    Thank you!!

  139. I made these brownies yesterday but did not tell my skeptical husband what was in them. He loved them! He only turned green at the "idea" there were beans in there, once I told him. But he did eat another one! They are Fab-U-Los!

  140. I made these and I was VERY skeptical, but then I gave them to family and friends, everyone raved how delicious my brownies were and then I told them the ingredients, they were floored! My husband begged me last night to make him brownies…LOL This is a keeper and a new family favorite, thanks Gina, love the site!

  141. I have an idea for you. Why don't you have your own half hour cooking program on Food Network and have Weight Watchers sponsor it. I'm sure it would be watched by millions!

  142. I calculated them with the recipe builder on WW.com and it's 2 points. I put them in with the information for each serving of beans and dry mix. I'm sure Gina's right that it depends on the brownie mix you use. I used Betty Crocker's fudge brownie mix.
    My beans were 110 cals, 1 gram fat, 7 grams fiber for 1/2 cup. The brownie mix was 110 cals, .5 gram fat, 0 fiber for 1/20 of the box. So then for the recipe I used 3.5 servings of beans (that's how many it said were in the can) and 20 servings of brownie mix (that's what it said on the box). Then I had it divided into 20 portions. And it came out to 2 pts for each serving.
    You cannot taste the beans at all! It's not the best brownie I've ever had obviously, but it's pretty good. I would make them again!

  143. Yes, these are good. But they are calculating at 3 points each, 20 servings. Be sure to not rinse the beans – the extra liquid helps to really puree the beans. My ww leader gave us these a month or so ago.

  144. mine are in the oven! This week I've been experimenting with new recipes from this site! I made the Oatmeal shake two days ago, today I'm making the brownies, and tomorrow I'm making the Chicken taco chili!

  145. I just joined WW this week, and I saw a similar recipe on the WW site, but it had more ingredients than this…and got some bad reviews on the message board there. I'm going to try these instead since so many people seem to like them!

  146. Avatar photo
    yummysushipajamas

    I found the black bean brownies to be slightly disappointing. They TASTE fantastic, but it is more than a little odd to get a little bit of black bean husk every now and then, and they have a very bizarre fudgy texture that is neither fudge nor fudgy brownie but more like really, really wet cake. Did I do something wrong?

  147. This combination was so unusual that I had to try it. And like Gina said, they came out rich and fudgy! Surprisingly good! However, like someone else said, I calculated these to be 3 WW points apiece. Other than that, great!

  148. SO delish! I make these for all my friends at work… No one can believe they have black beans in them. They actually come out richer than the normal recipe!

  149. I sprinkled 2 tablespoons of mini chocolate ( 3 points) chips on top before baking, it increased the points to like 2.1 a brownie, and it added a little more sweetness!! !

  150. @Lisa, Wow, that's great! Aw, that's nice to know. Yeah, try cooking them a little longer if you want them less fudgy, but I love them fudgy!

  151. These passed the boyfriend test with flying colors!! He made fun of me at first for even suggesting it, but now asks me to make them all the time!

    If I cook them longer will they be less fudgy?

    We have lost over 70 pounds between us, and we always say it was with the help of Gina!!! : )

    Thanks a billion!

  152. No, these are 2 points each. Not the whole recipe. If you make these brownies, basically cut them into 20 even pieces.

  153. These Recipies are so helpfull! I am just wondering if the 2 points counts for ALL 20 servings? or is that per serving? If so how big is a serving?

  154. I just started weight watchers and I am pleased to say, it's amazing! I never thought that these meals can taste so good. The best part is, I can serve this to my family and they don't even know unless I tell them.
    I must say though I did make those brownies and I loved them. I love my chocolate and this was so rich w/ flavor that I had to share w/ my husband. He couldn't believe it and neither can I…still. Thank you.

  155. Figured out the calorie count yet? Someone here quite rightly said that it is calories one has to watch so I don't want to be eating loads of these and consuming too many calories a day :D!

    Thanks for your amazing blog, Gina!

  156. I started adding calories just recently since I got so many requests for it. But older recipes don't have calories. I will try to figure it out and adjust it.

  157. Wow! That's pretty funny! How did it taste with the lime?? Have you tried the crepes? Yum!! They always satisfy my sweet tooth, even if I just fill them with a jam and cool whip!

  158. I am addicted to sweets – can't help it – it's my biggest issue. THANK YOU SO MUCH! I made these and my sweet addicition was satisfied.

    Can you believe that I was SO intense on making them, that when I only had black beans w/ lime, I still made them… and I LOVED THEM!

    Thanks again
    Kerri,
    Colorado Springs, CO

  159. I heard about these in one of my Weight Watchers meetings a few years ago. The reason they are only two points is because of all the fiber in them. However, that does not mean they have less sugar in them. So you’re still eating as many calories as you would if you followed the recipe. That’s what puts on the pounds. It was because of this recipe that Weight Watchers put a limit on the number of grams of fat that you could credit one recipe with having. I’m glad to finally find this recipe. (My WW leader wouldn’t give it to us.) I look forward to giving it a try.

    1. I'm confused why the leader wouldn't give out a recipe that easy. Makes no sense to me. That's like people who use a can of diet soda with cake mix. Why withhold the recipe? Dumb.

  160. These sound delicious. But, when I entered it into the WW recipe builder online it came out as 3 points.

  161. Ok, made the brownies and was amazed at how good they were…and to think they are nutritious as well…win-win!

  162. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE these brownies!!!! I’d tried a spinach version before and they did not pass the husband test – these did! My whole family loved these. Thanks so much!!!

  163. These brownies are in the oven right now. It felt so wrong to add pureed black beans to the brownie mix. I can’t wait to see how they turn out.

  164. I just made these brownies tonight and they really hit the spot!!! You cannot even tell there are beans in them!!!

  165. WOW this sounds crazy!!! i would have never thought of doing something like this, im definitely going to be this idea out really soon!!!

  166. I am going to make these for the next BirthNetwork meeting in Februrary. I wonder if you can get gas from eating bean brownies??

  167. Avatar photo
    aspenfamilymedicine

    OH MY GOSH had these brownies along with one of your pork chop recipes for dinner tonight & they were SOOOooooo good! I had to blog about it and I gave your site a total shout out:

    http://rebuildingamy.blogspot.com/2009/01/man-that-was-amazing-meal-if-i-may-say.html

    THANKS for the recipes! I'll be using this site as a reference again, SOON!!!!

    Amy
    rebuildingamy.blogspot.com

  168. I tried this recipe and it’s amazing, I can hardly believe it! I can’t wait to test it on my husband. This will definitely help me through my weight loss journey, as well as many of the other recipes here. I’ve added this blog to my favorites. Thanks so much!

    Maria
    Irvine, California

  169. I actually received this recipe from my group meeting last week. A couple of members had tried them and said they were amazing.

  170. I just made the brownies and they are actually good!!! I used the low fat Betty Crocker brownie mix. Fooled my husband!!

  171. Oops, that was a typo and Im so glad you caught that. I just corrected it, its 20 brownies. Time would depend on box instructions. They are so good you can’t even taste the beans!

  172. Wow, sounds amazing! I’m going to have to try these! Just to clarify – the whole recipe makes 4 servings? They must be 4 large brownies! If I had a box here right now I could look at the nutritional information…

  173. I baked these this morning. They don’t rise very high because of no eggs but that makes them dense and rich! Delicious! I used Betty Crocker Dark Chocolate Mix. I can’t believe they are only 2 pts. I don’t think the beans affect the flavor at all. Thanks!

  174. Fascinating! When I saw the name I confess I thought, “Beans in brownies?? Say what?” But they DO sound good and love it that they add a nutritious kick, too. Thanks!

  175. Avatar photo
    Kats Big Fish

    How odd. I don’t think I would have ever imagined putting these two ingredients together.

    I am going to have to try it. Thanks, I think. LOL

  176. Avatar photo
    Margie and Edna

    Hmm, that’s an interesting idea. I’ll have to try that, I’m all for “good for you” brownies! 😀

  177. What a nice simple recipe and full of the goodness of black beans, I shall certainly give this one a bash.