Amazing Flour-less Black Bean Brownies
Amazing Flour-less Black Bean Brownies are moist, chocolatey and delicious – finally a low-fat, gluten-free brownie that’s pretty darn good made with no flour and no butter!
They come out so moist, not cakey or dry like most low-fat brownie recipe I’ve tried.
The secret ingredient is black beans, and I’m sure you’re thinking… what? But trust me, you don’t taste it! My husband even loves them, and can’t get over how good they are (and trust me if he didn’t like it he would tell me). They really feel like you’re eating something loaded with butter, yet it only uses 1/2 teaspoon of oil. The last version I added some walnuts which increased the points to 5 each, but I gave you the basic recipe without.
How To Make Black Bean Brownies
Amazing Flour-less Brownies
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 30 mins
Total Time: 45 mins
Amazing Flour-less Black Bean Brownies are moist, chocolatey and delicious – finally a low-fat, gluten-free brownie that's pretty darn good made with no flour and no butter!
Ingredients
- 1 14 oz canned low-sodium black beans, rinsed and drained
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon oil
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened almond milk, or dairy, skim
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground coffee or instant coffee
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, divided (Hershey's)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° F.
- Grease a nonstick 9 x 9-inch square baking pan with baking spray and line with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on all sides.
- Blend the black beans, eggs, cocoa powder, sugar, oil, almond milk, balsamic, baking soda, baking powder and coffee in the blender until smooth and pour into a bowl.
- Fold in 1/2 cup chocolate chips until combined.
- Pour the brownie batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips evenly over the top of the brownies.
- Bake the brownies until a toothpick comes out clean, about 30 to 32 minutes.
- Allow the brownies to cool completely before slicing them into squares.
Notes
Adapted from Roasted Root.
Nutrition
Serving: 1brownie, Calories: 144kcal, Carbohydrates: 25g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 0.5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0g, Monounsaturated Fat: 0g, Trans Fat: 0g, Cholesterol: 23.5mg, Sodium: 91mg, Potassium: 0mg, Fiber: 3.5g, Sugar: 17.5g, Vitamin A: 0IU, Vitamin C: 0mg, Calcium: 0mg, Iron: 0mg
Freestyle Points: 5
Points +: 4
We absolutely fell in love with this recipe. But, unfortunately, we will need to play with it to adjust to food allergies AND gluten free. We have an allergy to eggs and black beans. Will find some type of beans that are dark and let you know how it works for us.
Yes let me know!
Great tasting recipe. Batter seemed a bit thick so added more milk then it called for (coconut milk). Instead of the sugar I added 1/4 agave syrup and 1/2 c dates. Next time I would try and reduce the chocolate chips (maybe 1/2 to 3/4 cup).
My favorite black bean brownies! Even my husband loves them!
Easy and delicious! I Iove your site!
So good! I used dairy free mini chips and they turned out great!
I was nervous because it looked soupy when I poured it in the dish.
They are awesome! tried on family could not tell the deafferents…
I’ve made these tonight for a second time and they’re already almost gone! These are pretty much just as good as any other brownie out there. The texture is a little bit different, maybe a little more grainy, but it’s still the chocolate-y goodness that we all know and love. I kept the recipe pretty much the same except we didn’t have regular milk and my roommate is allergic to nut milk, so the second time around I used 1 tsp greek yogurt mixed with 2 tsp water to make up for the 1 tbsp of milk–worked just fine! I will definitely be keeping a batch of these around in the future.
could I substitute the almond milk for regular lactose free milk?
And use coconut oil as my oil?
Made these over the weekend and they were DElish! I brought a square into work for a gluten free friend to try, her response after eating it says it all: “I may or may not have turned the ziplock that the brownie cam in inside out so I could like it #fatkid” That’s how good these brownies are!
Made these last night and they were DElish! I brought a square into work for a gluten free friend to try, her response after eating it tonight says it all: “I may or may not have turned the ziplock that the brownie came in inside out so I could lick it #fatkid.” That’s how good these brownies are!
Use Lily’s baking chips (sweetened w/ stevia) instead of hersheys chips and the points are reduced to 1 per brownie!
Hi Gina, thanks for the recipe. I made this this morning after coming off a night of trying the miracle noodle. Carb free calorie free. Yuck, so I was pleased to give these a try. I do love the texture, love the fact that they are made from black beans. I did replace the sugar with stevia, but they do have a bitter taste. I think it’s the cocoa powder. I may try again using dutch cocoa powder which is supposed to be less bitter. Altogether, great job, I’m sure you could also use this as a great base recipe.
I admit I was skeptical, but pleasantly surprised. I used dark chocolate and Stevia sweetner. These brownies are delicious.
What’s the best way to store these? Made them and they are delicious!
I need to substitute the eggs…. applesauce?
I used the liquid from the can of beans, believe it or not! I learned this trick from my vegan friends 🙂
I am going to use chia seed eggs or flax eggs
Has anyone ever made these and subbed out the eggs for pumpkin puree?? If so, how much pumpkin and how did you like it???
These were delicious! I did not have the problem with the bean skins – i pureed the beans with the eggs well before adding other ingredients. I used mini chocolate chips for the top which I really liked. These were cakey and I used dark chocolate coco powder which made them a little more intense. I would definitely make them again!
I’ve made these for years and they are absolutely delicious. I reduce the sugar to 1/2 cup and only used 1/2 cup chocolate chips on the top (not in the batter). My only problem is I want one and never let them cool enough before cutting and the first one is a little crumbly. Doesn’t matter – I’m happy to eat it with a spoon!
I made these brownies tonight and took them to a party. I didn’t tell anyone the brownies were made with black beans, and no one suspected a thing. Everyone loved them! Even my hubby, who knew about the black beans said the brownies were good.
I also shared the recipe with my friends who eat GF and they are very excited to try.
I made 2 changes: I’m not a coffee drinker, so I didn’t add. And instead of oil and almond milk I used about the same amount of Greek yogurt.
Yum!
I made these deliciously decedent brownies using dark chocolate and they were a huge hit! I was curious though if you’ve used a sugar substitute beforem. Thanks!
I used baking Splenda and they turned out pretty bad. I don’t know if it was the Splenda or something else, but there didn’t seem to be anough liquid and they were pretty crumbly and dry.
This is by far the best black bean brownie recipe on the planet. Tastes like regular delicious brownies!
I made these last night for an office pot luck today. I can’t believe how good they are. Chocolatey, fudgy and moist. I would NEVER suspect in a million years that these were made from beans! I didn’t have the coffee/espresso powder so I left them out but these turned out awesome. Also, I only had chocolate almond milk (it’s the only one hubby will drink haha) and it was fine.
My dad is a HUGE brownie fan. I will make them for him and not tell him what’s in them. I don’t want him to try them with any preconceived ideas that he won’t like them. I bet he won’t even know.
I want to try these but I dont like coffee… can you just leave out the coffee altogether?!
I made them last night and didn’t have the coffee. I left it out. They turned out great.
I doubt you will taste it. Coffee intensifies chocolate flavor in recipes.
These are surprisingly good and I used kidney beans!(didn’t have black beans and it’s too slick to drive). Sprinkle half the chocolate chips over the top instead of mixing and save 2 points per brownie .
Will it lower the points by using LILY’s chocolate chips instead of regular? Thank you!
Hm, not too familiar with the brand.
I’m baking them with Lily’s right now!! I also subbed Swerve for the sugar. I made them into 12 serving and it brought the points down to 2 each! In the oven right now, so not sure how they’ll be. But I love Lily’s chips, so I’m sure they’ll be great!
Wow! These are delicious and so easy to make. My only problem will be eating just one. I have made black bean brownies before and they were disgusting. These are amazing. There is no way anyone will suspect black beans in these. So yummy.
Is there a variation made without eggs?
Made these tonight. Soooooo amazing!! Don’t know how you ever figured out to use black beans! Genius!!
I was skeptical but these are fabulous. Thanks for the recipe .
Wow this is absolutely delicious!!! Keep the healthy desserts coming!
Can I use nesquick instead of cocoa powder??
One of my girls made this and we were looking at the nutrition content…
1) they are absolutely delicious!
2) how did you get you facts? When we added everything up, it was much more that 144 cal per serving. Is there anything different that you did to not make them 1600 cal per serving?
Try running the recipe through “MyFitnessPal “
There is no way this would even come close to adding up to 1600 calories per serving. It makes 16 brownies at 144 calories each
If you consider the whole pan one serving, then 1600 calories makes sense;)
hi gina,
i was very excited to try your recipe and after reading it and going through it multiple times , i made it. i read in the comments about the bean skins so i pulsed the batter a no. of times in the blender to make it smooth, the batter smelled amazing but after baking was when i faced a lot of disappointment. first of all, they dint rise much, (well to be honest , neither did i expect them to, well they’re beans)and were super fudge-y, not like brownies at all, like nowhere near , they basically were just cooked batter cups, and the texture was awful as well, i just couldnt get another after the first taste. they felt like beans. now im not writing this long comment to put off other from trying , i just want to know what i did wrong, i wanted them to turn out like yours, do you have any tips on why did they turn out that way?i cant buy balsamic vinegar or black beans where i live , so all i substituted was while vinegar,and used red kidney beans.but i dont think that was the issue. was it over blending? but theres no flour here so……… can you please help me?
I made these last night because I was wanting something sweet and bad. Because I’m trying not to eat bad I dont have any gluten free flour or mixed that I can make 🙂 I do have low sodium black beans though lol. Who would of thought!!! I had one last night and it hit the spot, moist, soft and wonderful. I woke up this morning and half the plate is gone…My husband and daughter are already out but I asked my son if he had some and said “yes they were awesome, guess they aren’t gluten free” I loved the look on his face when I told them what was in them!!! Cant wait ti tell the other two.
These ARE amazing!
And (I think) I managed to make them even more amazing by substituting equal amounts of Swerve, Monkfruit sweetener, and coconut sugar for regular granulated sugar. I left out the chocolate chips and we didn’t miss them one bit…these are still super chocolate-y. And, divided into 20 pieces, they are only 34 calories each.
What happens if you substitute the sugar for Stevia or another sweenter? Has anyone tried this?! Either way these look delicious!
Allie – I just posted a comment that answers your question
Absolutely delicious! Husband would eat them again! The hardest thing was…we ate them before they cooled! Lol hahaha
Most amazing brownies ever! They turned out moist and delicious. I only added half a cup of chocolate chips.
I tried this recipe and loved it. I want to make them for a friend who does keto, but I’m not sure how to make them keto friendly?
I wanted to love these, but didn’t. I substituted cashew milk for almond and vegetable oil for coconut because it’s what I had on hand. Maybe that was the issue. I can definitely tell there are beans in them because of the texture. My 4 year old won’t eat them so that is usually a good test because she loves anything chocolate, especially brownies.
Would unsweetened vanilla almond milk work? Or would that change it too much?
I used vanilla almond milk, and they were good.
I don’t currently have balsamic vinegar and am pregnant and need the brownies like….yesterday! Can I use apple cider or regular white vinegar? Or is it just not the same?
They were so good! Mine fell apart a bit…any suggestions for next time?
Just made these tonight and I CANT STOP EATING THEM!!!! I’m doing all I can to not grab a fork and the entire pan!!! It’s hard to find good GF baked goodies, this one is the best I’ve found yet!! I left out the coffee since I’m
Not a coffee drinker.
Finally made these, and they are perfect for my chocolate craving. I used Swerve sugar replacement and stevia sweetened dark chocolate chips and fewer of them (as cooking some for a family member who is diabetic)I really like the beans, so much better nutrition in a wonderful chocolate package! I don’t think anyone could guess that beans are even in there. Simply wonderful, thank you
What a great idea! You didn’t happen to figure out the points on these (with the swerve and stevia chips), did you? I can’t quite figure it out. :).
Holy camoly… these were amazing. I even halved the chocolate chips and Can’t stop eating.
Yeah. Amazing. Can not tell these are flourless or from beans!
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Can these be made in mini muffin pans, do you think? I find that cooking my brownies that way helps me in portion control.
Sure. This may decrease the time needed to bake so just keep an eye on them. You can know they are ready by stabbing a toothpick through the middle of one and it comes out clean.
Naomi – did you try this? Did it work using 16 mini muffins? (And if so, how long did you cook them for?)
Did you use muffin papers or just grease the muffin tins? Wondering if they will stick to the muffin paper. I made them in the 9×9 pan and they are delicious but a little crumbly, so looking for another option to bring to a potluck.
They come out great in muffin pan. I just reduced the time.
I’m not a fan of chocolate chips in my brownies, think it would be good without?
Looks interesting but I’m just wondering the gastrointestinal side effects of eating bean brownies??? Is the vinegar supposed to help with this?
It tasted good. You are right we were gassy. :/
These brownies were delicious. I didn’t tell my grandchildren what the ingredients were and they gobbled them right up. My only suggestion is be sure to blend the beans and other ingredients really well. There were a few bean skins left in the brownies.
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Can these be made with a sugar substitute?
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I work in an olive oil store and had a customer recommend this recipe when she came in to buy balsamic vinegar. I used Espresso Balsamic vinegar and omitted the instant coffee. I also used dark chocolate cocoa powder, and the brownies were black, black and beautifully glossy. This is a fabulous and tasty recipe!
Yum! Bet they were good!!
Omg these are amazing!!! My stepdad is a meat and potatoes kind of guy and he absolutely loved these. He had no idea they had black beans in them, nor did he believe me that they were flourless. So good!
Delicious and so easy to make!
Hi! These look absolutely amazing, I can not wait to try them! One question though: is balsamic vinegar a must or can be skipped? Thanks!
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As good as advertised! Try it.
Unreal. Delicious. I’ll never make brownies another way again.
@skinnytaste, do you think i could get away with reducing the sugar somewhat in these? i suspect youve probably done the best you can without compromising taste/texture.
Love your recipes! have had such good reviews from picky children and adults alike!
I worry they will start tasting like beans 🙂
I STILL cannot believe how great these were!! I’m so glad I took a chance on the reviews. Probably one of, if not THE best brownies I have ever had!! Thanks so much for the recipe! One thing I did change, was I used eggbeaters instead of regular eggs. Excellent!!
can you leave out the coffee?
I am making this with Truvia baking blend and 1/2 the chocolate chips for 4 points. 9 servings. I will let you know how they taste.
It was moist, but too moist that it fell apart. Wasn’t as chocolaty as I’d hoped. I might give in and try this with some flour in it.
These are soooo good! Don’t make the same mistake I did, though: I accidentally bought seasoned black beans (contained cumin, chili powder, etc.). Ha!
Amazing is an understatement! I used a 1/2 cup of sugar and 1/2 cup of chips total. It was plenty sweet and SOO good! Cannot tell there are beans at all! I will definitely make this again!
Great!
These are truly AMAZING! I made them (in 24 mini muffin cups) for a baby shower where the mother has diabetes and they were a hit! Thank you so much for sharing with us!
Forgot to add that I substituted splenda for the sugar. And Hershey’s sugar free chocolate chips.
These were easy to make and really delish. I wish it was easier to get the batter out of the blender but other than that a really easy recipe. I used expresso powder and a combination of Chocolate chips I had on hand for Cookies of milk, bittersweet and dark chocolate.
Do you think there is any way to replace the sugar with a substitute?
Dark chocolate fudgey brownies. Used coconut sugar and whole milk since it was only a tablespoon and all I had lol but great recipe and my first time trying black bean brownies. I used the regular sodium beans and they cut without falling apart when still warm. All I needed was a scoop of ice cream on top. Was a little too dark chocolatety for my husband’s taste so I froze them to keep from eating them all by myself. I look forward to making again and having the kids try.
These brownies are super easy and delicious too! I made them for my hubby’s co-workers and everyone asked for the recipe. Nobody could believe that they were made with black beans! Thank you for sharing this recipe. We will be making these healthy treats again.
These were excellent and I can’t wait to make them again. Next time I’ll make them in mini muffin cups and then freeze them right away so I don’t eat them all!
I made these today for my office for Valentines Day because most of us are on Weight Watchers ( or SHOULD BE! LOL). They are amazing! After cooling completely they were still very soft so I froze them prior to cutting which helped but still not a great presentation.. Perhaps I used the wrong knife?
These will quickly be a ” go to” for a quick relatively healthy sweet! Thank you!!! ( no one knew there were beans in them).
We had guests over and one is celiac so I wanted to make a dessert that everyone can enjoy! I was skeptical about this one … black beans?!? … but I went for it and WOW! Everyone loved it – and my friend insisted on getting the recipe! Thanks Gina!
I have an egg allergy is there anything I could use in place of the egg in this? I wanted to make them today
Holy cow!!! I admit that seeing beans and balsamic vinegar in the recipe made me very skeptical, but wow! These are the best gluten free brownies I have had in a long time!!!! What an amazing diet friendly dessert…thank you!
a hey looks great but has anyone tried Splenda for baking these beautiful brownies. Dont like stevia . after taste. uggg. But does Splenda work…..hit me back chickas. and thanks so if o used Splenda would that drop the points too since WW freestyle has Splenda at 0
Awesome! There was no room for improvement, already perfect!
i want to make a double batch of this in a 9×13 pan. anyadvice on how long i should bake them?
Absolutely amazing! My entire family loves these and are just amazed when I tell them they have black beans in them.
Awesome recipe!
Hello – I often make peanut butter chocolate brownies by adding the PB2 powder. Has anyone tried that with these? If so, does it work? Thanks!
So amazing! A bit crumbly but very rich and fudgy, great flavor!
Hello Gina, I just tried this recipe and it was amazing! Can’t believe I ate two pieces. Can you tell me what the best way of storing them is?
Keep in a sealed container.
Very strong dark chocolate flavor. We don’t like dark chocolate so these aren’t for me. You cannot taste the beans at all though.
My new favorite treat!!
If I wanted to make these as a mini-muffin, any idea how long they should be baked?
The only thing I did different was sprinkled a little habanero sugar on top after they came out of the oven.
Delicious!
Can you put walnuts in them?
If you wish.
Would these still be tasty without the chocolate chips?? (Just don’t have any in pantry at the moment.) Thanks!
What type of oil do you use? ❤️
Canola
I’ve been trying to cut back on sugar, but I had a major chocolate craving and decided to try these! I didn’t have any sugar, so I used 1 tbsp of stevia powder. I also upped the almond milk to 1/4 cup because my batter was much thicker than Gina’s (possibly because I only have an immersion blender).
After reading some reviews that said their brownies fell apart, I decided to use silicone muffin cups instead. I also skipped the chocolate chips in the batter and I just topped each cup with 1/3 ounce of mini semi-sweet morsels.
All that said, the edits gave me 8 servings instead of 16, but each “muffin” is only 3 Smart Points. Baking time was 25 minutes and they were amazing. Rich, chocolate-y, and not overly sweet.
Delicious!! My whole family enjoyed them and no one suspected the black beans;) I did have a little trouble cutting them because they were so crumbly… might try baking just a little longer next time.
These are amazing!!! Instead of 3/4 real sugar I did 1/4 sugar and 1/2 cup Stevie In the Raw and they tasted delish. Next time doing the full 3/4 cup Stevie In the Raw. Also did the apple sauce instead of oil. My husband walked in the kitchen when I was making them and gave me a crazy look when he saw the black beans. He loved the finished product!! As much as I love chocolate will probably cut back on the chips next time. Can’t wait to make again!!!
The family was more than a tad skeptical when I pulled out the black beans, but my daughter has a friend that is both gluten and dairy free due to serious allergies, so we decided to give these a try. Left out the coffee, and made them with Dairy Free chocolate chips and whipped them up in the Vitamix blender…. those beans didn’t stand a chance! Fudgy and delish! The skeptics were amazed, and praised both the taste and texture. They were a bit sticky when I cut them (even totally cool), so if I were going to take them somewhere, I might try the individual brownie pans to make more of a “crust” on the individual squares, but they are not lasting long enough for anyone to worry about the fudgey stuff on the knife and fingers! Thanks for an awesome treat!
Amazing would never know that they were made with no flour.
These were so delicious!!! Never would have guessed in a million years they were made with black beans if I hadn’t made them myself!
Why, when I enter the nutritional info into the WW calculator, do I come up with 6 points instead of 5?
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.”)
Probably the best brownie I have ever eaten!! So yummy!!!! Going to make these again for sure!!!!
These are absolutely delicious! I did not have a square pan so used a 9″round springform pan. Easy enough to get the parchment paper on the bottom but more challenging to do the sides. Threw off the finished product when trying to cut them but that was it. Will be buying a square pan because these will absolutely be made again…and again…and again!!
I made these and substituted Swerve for the sugar, unsweetened almond vanilla milk. Next time i’ll swap out the semi sweet chips for lilly chocolate chips made w stevia…..the ladies at work LOVED them!
There are so delicious and fudgey tasting! I have made them twice, and they seem to fall apart when I’m cutting them. Any tips? Am o doing something wrong?
I forgot to leave a star rating. Can anyone tell i don’t do this often? Haha
My 6 year old daughter gobbled it up and shouted “these are so delicious! ” Thank you for all your recipes! I’m currently following weight watchers and your food is making it easy to feel satisfied yet stay within my points. I really really cannot say enough good things about these recipes. They’re amazing! My kids ate salmon for crying out loud! Lol
Thanks Noelle! 🙂
I made these tonight but I’m confused with the point calculation being only 5sp? I calculated all the ingredients together and it came to 8sp that’s also with the new freestyle program not counting the beans or eggs?
Are these still 5 sp per brownie on the new freestyle plan since black beans are now free?
Yes, the SP now reflect the new freestyle points on all recipes.
What the heck?!? How are these so good??? And prefect for Passover. I can’t believe it! Well done!
Are these still 5 points on the freestyle system?
Can sugar substitutes be used? If yes would I use the same amount? Thanks!
I used Swerve in 1:1 ratio, they were delicious
I’m wanting to try this recipe, but make it sort of a “Mexican Hot Chocolate” brownie by adding some cinnamon, a little nutmeg and cayenne. With the balsamic and coffee that you use, do you think the flavors would complement each other? I know you probably haven’t tried it this way, so just your best guess. I haven’t tried the recipe yet, and I don’t have time for a test batch!
These are unbelievably good!!! Easy to make and delicious. A genius idea!!
Gina, can I ask you which blender you use? In the market for a new one !
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Can you substitute honey for the sugar and if so how much?
These are made almost weekly in my house for dessert . Totally curbed my cravings for ice cream and other sweet things. I’m making a batch of these right now. Thank you for so many delicious recipes, my waistline wouldn’t be the same without you!
Cannot day enough good things about this recipe! They do not taste different than the traditional tasty brownie and I feel so much better eating them. Like she suggested I threw in some walnuts and it amped up the brownies just a bit. I’ve made them several times and everyone I have had try them can’t help going back for more!
If I want to make these more “low carb” what do you suggest for replacing the sugar?
I love these brownies! Great way to satisfy a sweet tooth without going overboard! Also, great way to sneak healthier foods into my boyfriend’s diet… First time, he had no idea they were “healthy”. Still thinks they’re delicious after knowing!
Canned beans – are they cooked? I have some uncooked beans I bought in bulk. Can those be used as is after rinsing?
Also, Equal Exchange makes much healthier chocolate chips than Hersheys!
Yes the beans are cooked.
Do they freeze well?
these are INCREDIBLE – dare I say, better than flourful brownies or anything from a box. can’t wait to make them again!
Just made these today! So delicious!! Would never know it was made with beans….love it! Thanks for sharing!
What will happen if I don’t use parchment paper and just spray the pan with Pam? Can I use paper muffin cups? Should I spray the cups with Pam?
Wondering the same – did you try it?
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I am a chocolholic and I am trying to loose weight but crave chocolate. This hit the spot… these are so good .. thank you.
I made these using flax seed egg replacer (1 TBPS flax seed/3 TBSP water per egg), a pack of Stevia and cut sugar to 1/4 cup and used Ghirardelli 60% cocao chips. They came out great. Also put them in muffin cups to help with portion control.
I’m glad that you posted about using a flax egg. I have gluten free vegans at my work and wanted to make a treat just for them. Glad to know a flax egg will work!
Made these, they are super moist, but they do taste like beans to me, I drained & triple rinsed my low salt beans. They weren’t horrible, just not filling my brownie craving.
Brownies are my favorite dessert, and I was thrilled with how good these are!! They were fudgy and perfect! My biggest issue was not eating the whole pan of them ;D
Can i use a subitute for the coco
I suspect you could bake some chocolate on top of the cardboard box and then claim that it was gluten-free and full of fiber. However that has nothing to do with the way it actually tastes. Not a fan of this recipe.
Are there any substitutes for the sugar?
I am a fellow baking enthusiast and I use a product called “Xyla”
It has 1:1 ratio and tastes EXACTLY like sugar, is made from trees and natural and bakes great. It’s the first sweetener I’ve used that doesn’t leave a horrible aftertaste and isn’t overly sweet. It really just tastes like sugar. The only difference is the granules are a little bigger. Hope that helps!!!
***I forgot to mention that the Xyla has 40% fewer calories than sugar
Made these this afternoon for a snack. Everyone ate them up and complimented me on the brownies. Then I told them all afterwards that I used black bleans, and everyone was surprised! I added some PB2 to my batch. These seriously are amazing and I will be making them plenty of times in the future. Thanks again for another awesomely delicious recipe Gina!!
I made these last night. They are amazing!!!! I followed the recipe as is and they turned out awesome. Thank you so much for a sharing.
I admit it. I was super skeptical, but I was bored and had a can of beans. VERY tasty. Pleasantly surprised they tasted nothing like beans. I dumped all the ingredients in a bowl and used my immersion blender. My oven took 42 minutes to cook before the toothpick came out clean. PLUS, silly me forgot the parchment paper and they completely fell apart during cutting. Next time, I will make them as muffins in a muffin tin with liners to avoid that heartache. Great recipe!
I have made the Flourless Brownies and the PB2 Flourless Brownies a couple of times each to figure which ones we like best. First off – they are both great! Easy to put together, moist, and chocolatey.
I think my go to will be the Flourless Brownies. I find the texture to be more fudgey and brownie-like with the PB2 Brownies being a bit more “cakey “. I also find that the PB2 gives a bit of a different texture – you can almost feel the powdery PB2 rather than having it mixed in smoothly (if that makes sense). But, as above, both are great! This is just being picky! lol
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Totally delicious. When we have them for dessert I put a piece in n the microwave for about 15 seconds to slightly warm and it has a fresh from the oven with chocolate slightly melts – heaven. I love these
These are amazing!!! Delicious, moist and healthy. Yea!!!
Would Stevia work instead of sugar?
I have not tried.
Hi Mandy- I have used natvia and they tasted a bit bitter. I have been meaning to try either maple syrup or rice malt syrup… however being wet ingredients it might be a bit of a gamble. They might turn out a bit denser… but perhaps hold together a bit better? Can’t hurt to try in my opinion 🙂
I have always used a stevia/sugar mix for baking. I use a little less than the recipe calls for. My husband actually asks for these and just says I don’t want to know whats in them
Lol
Swerve tastes just like sugar, use 1:1 ratio, thats what i used, delicious
Would this change the points?
These were delicious!! Thanks for the recipe!
I just made these be they were very yummy! I only have one, question, even though they were fully cooled off, when I cut them, they started to fall apart. Why?? ????
Well they are a little crumbly anyway, but maybe try a brownie pan (where they are separated)?
I had my doubts…Black beans? No flour? These brownies were AMAZINGLY delicious! They took no time at all to whip together in the blender. I had NO trouble with them breaking apart as indicated in a previous review. I think the key is letting them fully cool for at least one hour. Super moist and the clean up was a breeze with the parchment paper. Will be repeating this recipe for sure!
I commited the terrible mistake of grabbing a can of seasoned beans and of course my brownies tasted a bit of beans. So, as I was reading some of the comments claimed the recipe tasted like beans, you might want to check you’d bought the right and unseasoned beans.
In the future I’ll try this recipe again but with unseasoned beans because they look well moisted and chocolate flavoured.
OMG Gina!!! These are so good!!!!! The entire time I was making these I was doubting if they would be as good as all the comments are saying. I mean c’mon black beans and balsamic vinegar….. How? Really? Yesssssss, really!!! Thanks Gina. These are definitely a winner. These are my first browbies that I’ve ever made. Never making them any other way. This were so easy to make and so good!
Thank you!
Delicious! I used coconut sugar instead of white sugar and next time I make them I’m going to add a grated zucchini ????
I love this idea! I totally want to try it with zucchini too!
These are so good! I will probably cut the chocolate chips in half and try reducing the sugar next time though.
I’m sorry if you have already answered this question, but there are A LOT of comments to read through!! I don’t have any canned black beans, but I do have dried. Have you tried cooking the beans in your Instant Pot and using them in the recipe. If you haven’t, I’ll go and make them as written before I start experimenting!
I have not, but if you do let me know how they came out!
Amazing! Really. I have the pickiest children in the world and they loved these brownies! Thank you.
Great!! Love kid approval!
These look delicious but I’m wondering about the nutrition information. There is nothing under saturated fat but both eggs and chocolate have decent amounts. Is this correct?
I don’t list sat fats
I made them tonight. I sprayed the pan and then put the parchment paper on. I put the batter mix on top of the parchment paper. I bake it and let it cool. When I went to cut it and went to get it off of the parchment paper. It fell apart. It didn’t stick together. What did I do wrong. I followed the directions.
They are a bit delicate, you could make them in muffin tins next time!
Any tips on how long to cook in muffin tins?
I just made these tonight and the same thing happened to me! More like a brownie crumble but so delicious! I can’t believe you don’t taste the beans at all!
I made them in a paper lined muffin tin and they are stuck to the paper. Would it be better just spray the tin and was also wondering how long to bake for 12 muffins.
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They look fantastic! I really want to give them a try… Are their any substitutes for the balsamic vinegar?
Oops! *There
I substitited 1 teaspoon of cider vinegar and a pinch of sugar for balamic vinegar.
Is the coffee a must?
I didn’t put coffee in them and they still tasted great!
Thanks! Was going to ask about the coffee. Not a fan of the flavor and wanted to make sure omitting it wouldn’t change the brownie’s texture or flavor.
The coffee adds a deeper element to the chocolate. It doesn’t change the taste or taste like coffee.
OMG!!!! soooo gooood!! And I don´t even like brownies but made them for a friend and my family and they are to DIE FOR!!!! thanks again Gina for another FANTASTIC recipe!!!
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I made these for my night shift family at the hospital, we all love to snack at night! Let me tell you, these were GONE as soon as I put them out! No one could believe these were made with black beans! I actually ran out of the vinegar and was able to substitute with 1/4 teaspoon of honey and 1 teaspoon of red wine vinegar. I will be making these for every party and function I go to! I couldn’t stop raving and sharing this recipe! Thank you!!!!!!
You’re welcome Kristin! Glad everyone enjoyed them! 🙂
These are amazing ! Substituted the oil for applesauce used 1 tbsp and cut the sugar in half used coconut sugar ! These are soooo good I can’t believe there are beans and balsamic vinegar in them!
I know right!
How much coconut sugar did you use? Did you use any regular sugar?
What am I doing wrong?! The taste is delicious but I have now made these twice and my batter is so thin, not thick like in the video. They took much longer to cook too because they were still really uncooked in the middle I am following the recipe exactly. I want to get it right because it’s such a wonderful recipe!
Not sure? Do you live in a high altitude?
This recipe is amazing Gina! Just devoured two, still warm (I couldn’t wait!).
great! share the video please!
I calculated the SP based on the Nutritional Information you provided and the points are 7. NOT 6
Are you using the recipe builder? 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.”) which does not count fruits and vegetables in recipes in the calculations as they are now 0 points.
The SmartPoints® calculator isn’t meant for recipes and will often give you the wrong points (usually higher) because it’s counting the fruits and vegetables. So if you see a recipe with a SmartPoints® value that’s different from what the calculator tells you, now you know why.
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These were PHENOMENAL!!! My 6 and 4 year old helped bake them and gobbled the brownies right up!!!! Super yummy, great soft texture! I usually use expensive coco powder but I used Hershey’s special dark and it was perfect! Thank you!!!
Do you really have to use a blender? Will a hand mixer do.?
This recipe was really interesting. In Hungary, from where I come, they make chestnut puree of borlotti bean, which has a little beige color
would raw cacao work in place of cocoa powder?
I have never commented on a recipe before but this one … As many people on here, I too was very! sceptical when reading the recipe but holy dooley … this is gooooood! I reduced the amount of sugar to 1/2C as I am not a gigantic sweet tooth, and it was just perfect. Moist, rich, gooey, chocolaty yumminess. I have tried very hard but literally can’t find a taste or after taste of the black beans. Keeper!
Ok, back on the LoseIt! Plan and craving these delicious brownies again. They are – simply put – the best brownies I have ever eaten. And in my lifetime of being a sweet-lover, I have eaten a lot (A LOT) of brownies. The problem of course is now self control in trying limit to one after supper…so be warned, they will not last long! And my kids (4, 5, 6, 15, 16) all love them too – even knowing they have beans in them! LOL!!! I do use the mini-chipits though, as they go further and melt in the batter a wee bit better.
These are delicious!! I made exactly as listed and for those commenting they do not like coffee and asking for substitute, it’s not necessary, no coffee flavor at all. I used my ninja processor attachment to blend and worked wonderfully. These would be wonderful with raspberry! I’ve never given sweets to my 10 month old and gave her a tiny bit and she wanted more and more lol.
Could I use a sugar substitute in these?
I’ve been making this recipe for years now! It never fails and is a big hit with my kids and their friends. I do find that the chocolate chips mixed in aren’t necessary and only 1/4cup of chocolate chips is optional on top. Then it’s even healthier!!!
Thanks so much for this awesome recipe!!
I replaced the 2 eggs with half a banana and 3 tbs of natural peanut butter. YUMMY. definitely recommend.
🙂
I’m currently making this right now and in the blending stage – the beans dont seem to be mashing. Any suggestions?? I am using a handheld blender also.
Perhaps a stand blender is best.
Mine fell apart. Any suggestions?
Hmm, maybe make them in muffin tins?
Made these the other day. Great flavor. But crumbly. Is there any way to fix this
I made these and they were super good. I substituted Splenda sugar blend for the sugar which I hope made them less points! Will make these again!
These brownies are, well, amazing! I did tweak the recipe a bit (some tweaks by accident), but still turned out fine.
I used the 15.5oz can of organic black beans from Trader Joe’s, used 1/2 cup of date sugar instead of 3/4 cup of regular sugar since I don’t like things too sweet, left out the instant coffee and the vinegar (by accident). I also used 1/3 of a cup of mini chocolate chips because I try to cut down on the amount of sugar.
The texture is moist and cake like, which is how I like my brownies. I bet if you like them more gooey, adding the 1 cup of chocolate chip will accomplish that. Will definitely make again. Thank you Gina! 🙂
could you eliminate the chips in the batter? would they be as moist?
It wont be as sweet
I just went to make these while stuck in the house during a snow storm, thinking I had all the ingredients. But, when I reached for the beans all I had was a can of red kidney beans, so I said “what the heck” and used them. I’m thrilled with how these turned out! You can’t taste the beans at all, and they are plenty chocolate-y, especially with the sprinkled chips on top that got all gooey. 5 stars!
Thank you! 🙂
These look really good! I was wondering for a Vegan option if you could sub the eggs out for the flax?
Hi,
Love your recipes. I have 2 questions; could I use honey or maple syrup instead of sugar? Could I use espresso powder instead of instant coffee?thx!! -Nicole
Sure
Store in the fridge? How long will it keep(besides devouring it)?
At least 3-4 days.
Thank you.
Made this tonight. It was delicious! However, it was crumbly, not moist as I had hoped. Wondering if a half of avocado blended in the mix would help in the moist dept.
My family loves these! Thanks for all of the great recipes. Quick question: How many servings does this recipe make? We were trying to figure out how many squares to cut in order to match nutritional info. Thanks!
whoa whoa whoa. These were damn delicious (and so easy to make!)! Thanks so much!
Hi! Mine came out a bit dry. I substituted the sugar for ½ cup of maple syrup (with a little honey because I was short). I was wondering if you had any tips if its a little dry?
I wonder if these could made with kidney beans into like a “red velvet brownie”, with white chocolate chips… hmmmm
Haven’t tried but could be good.
Just made these and they are absolutely AMAZING!
Would us in dark red kidney beans work the same as the black beans?????
Just tried this brownies ,never expect to be that GOOD and no black bean taste at all , just straight up CHOCOLATE. I change the recipe just tiny bit by reduced amount sugar to 1/2 cup, didn’t add any of the balsamic vineger, wack in extra touch of walnut and 2 tbsp chocolate chips ontop of brownies are plenty for me.Seriously going to make this over and over again .Thanks so much and really do appreciate for sharing the recipes to us.
Can I use a 6×6 pan instead?
When i made this brownies i use 7×7 pan and it works but i think 6×6 pan will works too . However , the time to bake the brownie could be different , just check it with a tootpick by insert into brownie will comes out clean. I hope that was helpful.
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LOVE these brownies! Can even get my skeptical hubby and kids to partake. For those that can’t wait the baking time….I microwaved it for 5 minutes on high and then let it rest for two minutes and they came out fantastic. These brownies are so good I normally can’t wait the long bake time. ?
Has anyone tried baking these in individual muffin tins? I think it would be easier for me for portion control and wondering how they’d turn out??
I’ve made the recipe the regular way and they were great!
I’m from uk and can’t seem to get black beans,could I use something else?
Maybe Great Northern or Pinto beans, but I personally haven’t tried either.
balsamic vinegar? that’s interesting!!!! Why balsamic vinegar? can it be replaced with something else?
Why coffee? What does this add to regular brownies? Can this be left out?
Could the sugar be substituted? Perhaps date powder? pure Maple syrup?
White sugar or raw, coconut sugar???
Japanese use red beans in a lot of their desserts, so this makes sense to me. I’ll have to give it a try!
Just pulled these out of the oven and they look INCREDIBLE! Such an easy recipe, thank you so much for sharing this Gina!!
What is the purpose of the vinegar in the recipe?
Gina, I don’t drink or care for the taste of coffee. Is there a substitute ingredient or can I keep ingredient out?
No taste of beans as others have mentioned, not even the raw batter. (Yes, I checked!) Used good , (but not expensive) Dutch cocoa (Costco). Very dark, rich goodness, tastes chocolatey and fudgy! Was a bit crumbly, but not dry tiny crumbs so, easy to pick up! Refrigerated to keep it moist. Best part, no flour and the addition of the good benefits of beans to our diet.
Just made these this weekend, and they were unbelievable! Since we've gone gluten free, it has been difficult finding things that we like to make that doesn't require substitutes. Made it as is – LOVED them.
YUM! Awesome lighter dessert that fits in with my eating plan.
Am not teling the 14-year-old that there are black beans in these…I added a container of raspberry Oikos, cut the sugar to 1/2 cup, and used half cacao nibs and half chocolate chips. yum!
Amazing is fact! Some of the best brownies I've had. I even messed up the recipe by not draining the beans. Also, I noticed some commenters said their brownies just fell apart… maybe that's the key? More moisture? I didn't have a problem with them falling apart.
Thanks so much for sharing.
Mine were wonderful
I was out of BS and also used 2 egg whites and 1 yolk
Used Truvia instead of sugar.
Amazing
I reduced the sugar to a half cup, as well as the chocolate chips, and put all the ingredients into MyFitnessPal ad got 107 calories per brownie (12 per baking pan). Almost seems too good to be true!
So yummy!!! Everyone in my house LOVED them!!
I liked them but they are too dry Not enough oil or butter i think.
Made these exactly as written and they are awesome. Going to try again today using a bit less chocolate chips and date sugar.
I have a a problem with my blood sugar getting too low during the night, and causing insomnia during the wee hours of the morning. To fix this I'm now eating complex carbs and protein before bed. You have helped me by putting complex carbs and protein in BROWNIES! Thank you!
These are ridiculously good! And 1/16th of the pan should satisfy your chocolate craving.
I'll never go back to "regular" brownies again. Thank you so much, Gina and Julia!
I just made this as a healthy alternative to the chocolate cake I'm bringing to Xmas dinner. It was very easy and quite delicious!
I replaced the chocolate chips you mix in with butterscotch chips and the ones on top with white chocolate chips. Relatively the same calorie count lol. I'm so excited! Yum!
I just calculated the points involved in this recipe for the new SmartPoints on WW. Sadly, 100 points for the 9"x 9" pan. I am craving sweets! hoping to find a clever lower point recipe. Will keep looking. These do look so so good.
These look absolutely delicious! And they're not too difficult to make despite the absence of flour.
These are AMAZING!! my first time making black bean brownies. I looked over many recipes and I'm glad I chose this one! I used 1/2 cup sugar and were great. I think next time I will try Coconut Palm Sugar. Also, I only had Cashew Milk on hand, worked just as well. I stirred in walnuts, and topped with 60% dark chocolate chips. These are divine!!
I have been skeptical of these brownies for a long time, so I finally made them last night… Final verdict… these are AWESOME! My parents knew what was going into them, were *extremely* suspicious, tried them, and then went back for more! I gave some to my brother's friend (who did not know what was in them). I asked if he thought they were good and he said, "Yeah! They're really chocolate-y." After I told him about the nearly two cups of black beans in them, he literally wouldn't believe me. This is quite possibly my *favorite* brownie recipe. Next time, I'll be doubling it to make in a 9×13.
*Notes* I don't have a food processor, so I blended the black beans and eggs together in my single-serve blender. Then, I mixed the whole recipe with a hand mixer. Absolutely perfect! Also, I used balsamic vinaigrette, since I had no balsamic vinegar. It had no effect on the taste. 🙂
Would red or white kidney beans work…I can never find black beans in the uk..I would also like to say most of my meals are made from this site Its my absolute favourite place to search for recipes thank you so much xx
I would also like to know this,so could you please tell me if you get an answer! Thank you.?
Late to the party but I found black beans down the world food aisle in my local Asda Walmart, strangely with the Caribbean foods rather than the Chinese
I think the calories do not add up. The whole cup of semisweet chocolates is around 1120 calories alone. That would make the brownies around 180 calories per serving instead of the 144 cals as listed.
I made these a couple of weeks ago. Absolutely delicious. A good way to take care of those sweets cravings.
I made this last week and didn't say what was in it. Everyone loved them and asked for the recipe. They were all surprised when I told them what was in it. You can't taste the beans or vinegar or coffee! They just all work together. We will definitely make again and again , especially since they are gluten free!
Would doubling the recipe screws things uo you think?
These look fantastic!
Would you say the sugar would be lowered if you just used
can you substitute avocado for black beans?
Wow! I made these out of pure curiosity…and let's just say my boyfriend and I fought over the last one! They are rich and I may even do a little less sugar next time around, but delicious none the less. I followed the directions exactly. Mine were very crumby and made a mess, but we just took spoons and dug in!
I made these and they looked amazing…up until I took a practice bite (before shocking everyone with the secret ingredient) and they ended up super duper bitter. Like chewing on some tablets of tylenol bitter.
Do you or anyone know where I went wrong? I was so sad because I had to scrap everything. I know that it's possible to make the brownies…I just need to figure out what made them so terribly bitter. Maybe it was the baking coacoa I bought?
I would really appreciate the help. Thanks for the recipe! I'm more than determined to get it done.
can these be frozen ? we are only two people 🙁 .. they look awesome and cant wait to try !
Made these last night with slight modification of a scant less than 3/4 cup sugar – didn't feel like getting more out of the bag! 🙂 They were *delicious* – we loved them !!!
I love to make these and instead of a 9×9 pan, I put them in my mini loaf pans. So much easier to portion out!
These brownies were amazing! My 12 year old daughter measure out everything and made them with no assistance. There were fabulous. Will be making again for sure! She added rainbow sprinkles on top and they looked very pretty! Thank you for the recipe!
Gina I have to say that every recipe of yours that I have tried has been amazing and this was no exception. My husband is a diabetic so I made them with Splenda, espresso powder,Hershey's special dark cocoa and Hershey's sugar free chocolate chips. This recipe is a keeper, we loved it!
Just made a batch, I licked the spoon after I popped them in the oven, but it tasted like beans, I hope the end result doesn't have the taste of beans!
Late to the brownie party, but I'd like to report that I made them with some substitutions as to what I had handy: I used egg beaters (1/3 cup), brown sugar, and half cocoa powder/half carob powder. It worked out just fine, getting not too overly sweet brownies with a nice density. I'll definitely make them again, hopefully closer to the original recipe :).
Wow! What a great recipe! I love my sweets so it was nice to find a recipe that substitutes for a healthy ingredient such as black beans. Kids didn't even know the difference. To see how it turned out check out my blog: http://huntershealthykitchen.com/2015/02/09/the-best-flour-less-brownies/
Hello I was wondering if I can sub agave for the sugar? Also can I use egg whites instead of the whole eggs?
Made these today for my husband's birthday — they are A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! Whole family liked them including my daughter who is very adamant at not liking black beans. When I was packing up the leftovers, I asked for a container to put them in. My daughter's reply…"I have one… MY MOUTH!" Guess she liked them. So much so that she asked for these for her birthday which not until April.
I must have done something wrong because these tasted just like black beans. They were quite gross lol Maybe I am just use to good old fashioned brownies?Sorry to post this 🙁
I just made these to satisfy my sweet tooth. A+ my whole house loved them!
These are fantastic! They were a huge hit with friends and coworkers. You don't taste the beans or the coffee, just the chocolate. I used espresso powder instead of ground coffee because that's what I keep on hand for baking and I don't drink coffee.
AMAZING! The name tells it all. My husband DEVOURED these. I didn't tell him what was in it but I warned him that it might be different so give me his TRUE opinion. Welp he ate most of the brownies and got mad when I wouldn't let him have my last one.
I am in the process of making these again right now. Had to supplement the balsamic with apple cider (per google search recommendation) so I'll see how this turns out!
Made these for the Super Bowl; my family loved them! Substituted the regular sugar for Truvia-came out amazing!
Have you added PB2 to this recipe? I want to mix your 2 brownie recipes together for peanut-buttery brownie, but unsure how much to add or how to compensate for the addition of PB2 (will I need more liquid/oil/milk)? Thanks!!
I put peanut butter chips on top instead of the chocolate chips that she calls for. That seemed to work well and satisfied my PB/Chocolate craving!
This is by a mile my favourite dessert recipe of all time. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
Would it change the calorie count at all if I added peanut butter chips instead of chocolate chips on top?
Can you tell me how much sat fat is in these brownies?
These were really yummy! I added a splash of vanilla, and used mini chips b/c that's what I had on hand. I am so pleasantly surprised!
This is most definitely NOT printer friendly. Please fix this!
Hi! I am a baker and cake decorator, so I was very curious to try this! The flavor was great, but they were quite crumbly. Any suggestions?
I also found these to be crumbly. I was hoping for some help, but no reply. I love the flavor but will not make them again because of the mess.
These are really good and if you let them cool fully, they will not fall apart! I just made them and I have to say they are amazing!
Thank you so much for all these amazing recipes. These brownies are awesome. I've been having a blast making yourecipes. 3 days in a row now. Lol
I've never used black beans before and struggling to get these. Is the black beans used normally for rice and soups? The one I can get is tinned in salted water or I can buy black bean dried pulses. Are both of these the right thing please?
You’ll want to use the canned (tinned) beans in salted water — but get low sodium if it’s available. I don’t think the texture would come out the same if you use rehydrated dried beans.
You can definitely cook your own black beans from dried beans instead of using the pre-cooked/tinned. I don’t think when you referenced “black bean dried” you meant dehydrated refried beans, which are something different.
I made these for the husband the other night and we loved them. He took them to work and everyone in the shop thought they were great, except for the one guy who abstained on principle (ha ha – joke's on him)!
How much sugar should I leave out if I'm using sweetened almond milk?
Almond Breeze Original has 7g of sugar/cup of almond milk. Given this is a little less than 2 tsps of sugar/cup and there’s only 1 Tbsp of almond milk in the recipe, this means it’s contributing only about 1/8 tsp sugar to the recipe. It’s essentially insignificant, IMO.
So I just made/ate one. VERY tasty. Def. A lot moister than I thought they would be. My only change was that I used all dark chocolate stuffs.
I have a teeny tiny bean after taste in my mouth, but that will not stop me from devouring the pan!
I was a complete skeptic of these. So much so that I would not even hint at what was in them to my husband before he tried them. Welp, I was completely wrong! These are delicious! Very moist and chocolatey. My husband also thought they were quite good.
I ate 2 and was overly satisfied. I honestly should've eaten 1 because that would've been enough. Now I have plenty of left overs for the next few nights desserts.
Thanks Gina for yet another awesome recipe!!
These were amazing! My boyfriend loved them too. I was skeptical of black beans but decided to give it a try and I will make them again! Thanks for another great recipe!
I made these once but was not a fan. If my kids won't eat them then there is no point in making them again. I have tried a couple of these kinds of brownies and my kids won't eat them. I'm sticking with box brownies. I do like most of your recipes Gina 🙂
Would this recipe work using dried beans? Same amount of them, just soaked overnight?
Has anyone made these with a substitution for the eggs? Bananas or applesauce?
I just made these and they are delicious! I was definitely skeptical as I've never tried black bean brownies before. My husband HATES coffee and can usually taste it in anything – but not in these. Thank you Gina – I'm so happy I found your site. Everything I have made has been fantastic!
They were okay, but for 4 points, I'd rather make my regular Brownies (at 5 points per square). I am impressed that they were made using black beans, but I'll save the beans for my tortillas and use butter, flour and chocolate in my desserts. (the five point recipe is smitten kitchen's favourite brownie recipe cut into 16 squares).
I was looking for a good brownie recipe to use in place of traditional brownies for a pumpkin swirl brownie. I'm hoping this will work well with the pumpkin/cream cheese mixture (low fat). Planning on using a 9×13 pan to accommodate both.
These brownies have amazing flavor. Mine were a crumbly mess. I followed the recipe exactly. What can I do to fix this problem? I would like to try again, but the only way you can eat them is with a spoon.
Hi, could someone tell me in grams or oz. how much is a cup of chocolate?? thnxxx
I made these to bring into work and people loved them! They didn't last long at all. Thank you so much for the recipe 🙂
These were absolutely fantastic. I'll omit the chocolate chips next time to save on calories, but they were certainly delicious with them included. Not sure why some found them crumbly or dry, but I thought they were amazing and our three boys said they were the best brownies they've ever had. This will be my only brownie recipe from now on. Thank you!!
would it be ok to leave the coffee out? i'm not a fan of coffee and was wondering if the taste of it was noticeable or if the recipe could do without. thank you!
Can I omit the chocolate chips?
Flour-less.. Gluten free eh?
You do know.. There is no such thing as a gluten allergy..
Anyone who says they are allergic to gluten is a mental nutcase who watches too much daytime TV and think they have to have what the people on TV say they have so that they TOO can be cool..
The idiocy of soccer mom’s never cease to amaze me.
I just made these and surprisingly they were good! Though I shouldn't have doubted you!
Just made these and they are soo good. A chocolate lovers dream! The only thing, after i let me brownies cool on the counter for over an hour they are still very soft and mushy. We ate them but they keep falling apart and weren't very firm like in the picture. Did i do something wrong? I put them in the fridge to see if that will help.
Hello do you think these would be good without the chocolate chips and the coffee?
I made these a while ago but forgot to comment. Black beans are not available where I live, so I used kidney beans instead and they made the most velvety brownies! I'm making another batch this weekend. Thank you!
I was so excited when a friend gave me this recipe, being gluten free, always looking for something new. These were absolutely the worst brownies I have ever had. Don't waste your time and ingredients on this one. Threw the recipe in the trash the minute I tried them. Does anyone know what brownies are supposed to taste like? This ain't it!!
These were really wonderful, but I had to adjust them a bit to our current eating plan, and what we had on hand. For the sugar portion I used 1/3 cup powdered Stevia (1:1 with sugar) 1/3 cut honey and the last 1/3 cup I split between raw sugar and maple syrup. For the oil I used coconut and I substituted apple cider vinegar for balsamic and I added a splash of vanilla, and used espresso powder. For the chocolate I only sprinkled 1/2 cup of mini chips on top and mixed in about a 1/4 cup mini chips into batter along with 1/4 cup of Cacao nibs. Yum.. they tasted like chewy moist brownies with nuts from the Cacao nibs (which are so healthy for you) Delish!
i made these and forgot the sugar… they still were delicious! the semi sweet chips added enough sweetness to curb my sweet tooth. These are amazing! and I will be making them again (no sugar) soon. Thanks
Gina, I made these with and without walnuts and both batches were absolutely incredible. I kept the one with walnuts for myself and my boyfriend, and took the other to a work-bake-sale and they were a huge hit. Everyone wanted the recipe. You knocked this one out of the park for sure! Great Job!
-Sarah
Made these today – oh my goodness they were DELICIOUS!! Will be posting on my blog shortly.
Couple of modifications – replaced some of the sugar with natural maple syrup and also added some chocolate protein powder. Perfection.
I have made these so many times!! I absolutely LOVE them. My boyfriend loves them too, even though I cannot tell him they are "black bean based" because he shys away from anything remotely resembling health food.
When I make them I follow the recipe as listed with the exception of using milk chocolate chips to detract a little from the intensity of the chocolate, and if I think about it I add a quick dollop of molasses.
Seriously, Gina, thank you so much for this recipe!!
When you bake with beans do you need to keep them under refrigeration after baking?
I just made these brownies and used espresso powder because I didn't have any coffee beans! They are delicious! Next time I might add some walnuts!
I'm baking these right now and of course I had to taste the batter. They are really good. Hopefully there will be some when the rest of the family comes home.
I made these last night and followed the recipe exactly as it was. These came so delicious and my 7 year old absolutely loved them! She was so excited to tell everything that she ate her beans lol. Best brownies I ever had and definitely ones that I will be making from now! They are so moist. Thank you for this recipe!
I made these using stevia instead of sugar this past weekend and OMG they were mind-blowing! Too delicious to even put into words. I'll more than likely never eat regular brownies again. Thanks for such a fantastic recipe!
These are my favorite! My husband and co-workers request them all the time. I made some minor adjustments-I left out the coffee grinds and substituted the regular sugar with 1/4 cup agave and a 1/4 cup of turbinado sugar. Still great! Also, if you let them cool and then lift the entire paper out of the baking dish, then cut them, they cut easier. 🙂
I made these last night. Fantastic! Even my boyfriend loved them. I didn't have a 9×9 pan so I had to use smaller. I cooked an additional 10min and I should have cooked longer. They were fudgey which was great but need a few more minutes. I used low fat milk and needed just a hair more than the recipe. Will definetly make these again!
I was stunned at how cake-like and amazing these were given the ingredients. However, I think a couple of tweaks make them even better. A) putting 2/3's of the chocolate in the brownies (finely chopped) helps counter the sense of cake with chocolate on top AND makes them easier to cut when cold. B) I realise you are probably keeping points low, but the addition of another egg OR 1 TBS extra oil makes fudgier brownies, which is more to my taste. less time in the oven helps a bit too. Thanks for introducing me to black bean brownies!
Tried them out prior to Mother's Day weekend for my son and his girl free who have adopted a gluten free diet….very rich and chocolaty…never would have guessed that black beans are the mystery ingredient. I used instant espresso powder which comes in a little jar. They were excellent! Definitely would make them again!
I made these brownies few weeks ago and didn't get much approval from family. So today I decided to make these brownies again…I cut back a bit on Hershey cocoa and tried out stevia and sugar light instead of regular sugar. Baked them. And I got thumbs up! I even tried it and ended up eating 3 pieces instead of one. I read through the recipe and realized I forgot to add in fresh coffee gound/or instant coffee! But hey! They were great…I am aiming for 4th,,,,
I'm making these for the 2nd time now, because they are absolutely amazing! Perfectly moist and chocolatey with no hint of bean flavor. No one, not even the kids, could tell they were made with black beans. This recipe is perfect! I made one small addition, I added 2 teaspoons of vanilla and used apple cider vinegar instead of balsamic. Thank you for a great recipe!
I just made them but had to make some changes, however they are SOOOOO GOOOOOD!!!
I didn't have black beans so I used Garbanzo beans. After tasting the batter I felt it was missing flavor so I added about 1/2 tsp rum extract, 1 tbls vanilla extract and about 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon. It came out so good!!
I use applesauce for the sweetener (as long as you find the brand that has NO corn syrup solids of ANY kind)
I also use fat free plain yogurt. Both of these work better for me than regular sugars.
Made these the other night and they were SO good! Nice and moist. Melt in your mouth! Just sinful….my hubby even liked them! WIN! 🙂
Made these today for a coffee morning on Friday. They are yummy! Living In the uk is never heard of black beans but had a go and they are amazing. Making your Panna cotta and choc chip clouds for a dinner party on Wednesday
I made these for the first time for Easter and they were a hit! This is definitely a keeper.
this was TOTALLY AMAZING!!!! I skipped the parchment paper step out of laziness and it didn't stick. What is the purpose of the parchment paper? And, how in the world are theses so "normal"??? I'd love to know the science behind it if you know. This has given me a whole new respect for the modest bean!!
I couldn't stop eating these! Why couldn't they be 4 points for the whole tray?! My 6 year old son loved them as well! I don't think I'll go back to making regular brownies! Thank you so much Gina!!
This is my favorite black bean brownie recipe. I put them into muffin cups to make cupcakes for a GF birthday party and they looked and tasted great.
These were too crumbly and fell apart in a million pieces, even after cooling thoroughly!!
Holy mother of pearl these were good! Forget about the fact they are low fat and gluten free, these are some of the best brownies I have ever made and tasted! Thank you Gina!
Made these last night and they are very good. No modifications except putt ing them in the frig. Started cutting after they coo!ed but they crumbled. Next time will extend cooking time a bit and grease the parchment paper and only cut them after they are very cold. This batch I will have to eat with a spoon.
I made these last night, had a taste of the finished product (no modifications made), and immediately went out to get another can of black beans to make some for my family. These brownies are incredible and taste even better the next day. I noticed some people said their brownies were very crumbly. I let mine cool on a rack just in the parchment paper for 2-3 hours and used a very sharp, large knife. Not too crumbly. Thank you, another fantastic recipe. I will be making these all the time. I popped half of mine into the freezer…who doesn't love a partially frozen brownie?
I made these for myself, and my gluten sensitive/dairy allergy son. They are delicious. He ate one and then said "you could make black forest cake out of this recipe" He hasn't had that in a long time. (Using cool whip isn't quite the same but he'll be happy)
I was very skeptical but these brownies are delicious. No hint of beans or vinegar in the finished product.
Sweetened or non sweet cocoa powder? Thanks 🙂 (Fran)
I made this today… awesome they melt in my mouth yammy Thank you for a great brownie .
Made these tonight. Found them crumbly and rather sweet. Not 'brownie' texture but still tasty – in really small quantity.
I used a can of chickpeas in place of the black beans and only 1/2 cup sugar. Super yummy!
It's absolutely shocking how good these are! All my kids loved them, and hubby too! Even after my daughter accidentally shut off the oven during baking, and I had to restart it.
Absolutely phenomenal! Who would have thought those ingredients could create such an amazing brownie. Definitely a huge hit with all family and friends!
I made the brownies last Saturday with few mishaps, I did have all the ingredients except almond milk ( I used Skim). My old blender didn't do me justice when I added all the items and blended. For one it REFUSED to budge, so I had to scrape the sides of blender and mixed the ingredients around and finally it was working! Secondly, I used spatula to scrape the cocoa powder on sides to mix in with batter after I stopped the blender and well…….UMMMMMMM my spatula got stuck in with the blades. Here I am battling it out trying to get the doggone spatula freed from being stuck between the blades plus trying not to have a batter mess. I had to unscrew the bottom of blender container to get spatula part out. Fortunately, batter was already smooth and done. I grabbed the bowl as the batter was pouring out from the bottom of blender after blades were removed. Then I realized I didn't have parchment paper to put in 9 x 9 baking pan. I tried wax paper and that was not a very good idea…after I put the batter in oven and I forgot to add chocolate chips, I grabbed the pan out and to my horror….wax paper was MELTING! ..emergency tactics…I grabbed the wax paper with batter in it and one hand holding the wax paper with batter which was threatening to ooze over…other hand, I grabbed the wax paper out of the pan and quickly sprayed with nonstick spray and pour the rest of batter into the pan and added remaining chocolate chips on top and breathed a big sigh of relief that it turned out very good and my 21 yr old has been laughing over this. His GF wanted the recipe and I said SURE…..just use the latest NINJA blender or food processor…..nevermind about using the outdated blender!!
1) I am buying a new updated blender
2) NO wax paper ever
3) no spatula in with blades
🙂 🙂 😛
I cannot get over how fudgy and delicious these were! I was so skeptical about using black beans but it really is true you can't tell they're in there. I followed the recipe exactly as written.
Made these today, and my kids loved them!
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OMG!!!! These are so good…so rich and chocolatey…
Amazing. My son is gluten intolerant and this just made our day. So fast, easy, CHEAP. No more expensive Gluten Free brownie mixes!!! Thank you so much for sharing. And I threw in some hulled sunflower seeds into mine for some nutty flavor and used skim dairy as my son also has a severe allergy to peanuts and we are advised to stay away from tree nuts until he's much older.
Could I sub soy milk for the almond milk? I'm allergic to tree nuts.
thanks!
I'm surprised at how great these turned out… very rich, moist, and super chocolatey. You'd never guess they contain beans! I bought a dark chocolate bar and chopped it up to use instead of chocolate chips…it made them extra decadent 🙂
Made these tonight and followed the recipe exactly- they tasted fantastic! Super fudgey. Even my husband, who won't eat "healthy" tasting desserts, was devouring them!
These brownies are AMAZING!! They were a hit at the office, they are a hit with the family. Just pulled my 4th batch out the oven. Going to experiment with some sugar substitues next. Thanks so much for sharing!! I recommend your sight to EVERYONE.
Was really unsure about using black beans to make brownies but boy was I wrong! These were SO delicious.. Brought them to a friends place for dessert and came home with a clean dish. They were a huge hit…. Thank you so much for sharing! I did add a few chopped pecans on the top.
Just made them and I have to say–really good! No taste of the beans whatsoever and I think the coffee adds a very subtle appeal.
How would recipe be affected by using 1/4 cup Splenda sugar blend in place of 1/2 cup sugar?
I've made these twice this week (added a green mint cream cheese frosting for St. Paddy's day…not super healthy, but still GF). They are amazing. My family and coworkers love them. Thanks for sharing!!!
Can I use regular white vinegar? Or must it be balsamic?
My first time ever making a dessert with black beans and these were amazing! My husband, 2 brothers and stepdad all liked them and never knew they were made with black beans. Of course the texture isn't exactly the same but they were still delicious!
Just made these, and they are phenomenal! So moist and flavorful.
I followed the recipe exactly. They tasted great but I lost about half of the batch because they just fell apart…any suggestions?? I would love to make this work!
Made these last night….for company…I was nervous because I have never made black bean brownies before…they were awesome….everyone loved them! and so easy….I may never go back to brownie mix again!
Can bananas be used in place of the sugar?
These were AMAZING! I could not even tell there were beans in there, either could my husband! I cut the sugar down to 1/2 cup and they were still delicious!
Made these today substituted sugar with sweet & low… it was delicious !!!! Everyone at home loved them…
I made these last night and was really impressed with how they turned out! They're more cakey than chewy, but they're delicious! I brought them to work today and everyone likes them so far!
This is a great recipe! I have to admit that I added an additional 1/4 cup sugar (I also used 1% cow's milk rather than almond milk because that's what I had on hand). I served them to a large group – grandparents, a 5 year old, and a picky 38 year old without telling them the secret ingredient. They all loved them!
I've already made these twice and will be making them again this weekend for a get-together with a friend of mine. You would never know it's made with black beans. I did use Egg Beaters for the eggs and it turned out fine. I think a good quality chocolate chip is essential too.
Wow, thanks for this AMAZING recipe! I wanted to try black bean brownies since forever, but I never got canned black beans anywhere around here, so I never did. Now I soaked them myself and the brownies turned out super delicious. I swapped half the sugar for a stevia-erythritol blend and used less chocolate chips to cut the calories even further. I also found that the extra moisture is not needed, the thicker the batter, the better the consistency (at least with my oven). Thanks again! I still can't get over how deliciously fudgey and sweet they are, it's hard to believe they're not made with tons of butter and sugar.
Mine came out cakey and dry. Will not be making them again.
these are definitely not cakey or dry .. you prolly screwed something up,, try again theyre great
I made these last night and there was no way the blender was going to mix the ingredients. I had to put everything in a bowl and use my immersion blender and it was SO hard to blend everything. My immersion blender actually overheated and stopped working. I have to use a second immersion blender and by the end of mixing it all, that blender was overheating! The mixture was so incredibly thick, there was no way it could be "poured" into the pan. The experience was incredibly disappointing as I followed the recipe to a T. I really don't understand what I did wrong. If anyone could shed some light on the matter, it would be greatly appreciated.
Hi, does anyone have an idea where you could get 'Black Beans' in the UK or if there is a suitable alternative ingredient? I see that somebody commenting here has tried chickpeas, but I don't really think this would give the same result. Thanks.
Tesco sell them in their ethnic food area with the Caribbean foods.
DELICIOUS! I made these last night and there is only one sad little brownie left this evening. Super easy and wonderful. Fudgy and moist.
These brownies really are amazing. Way better than regular chocolate cake or brownies. Making these again this weekend! YUMMMM!! 🙂
I made these tonight and they are YUM. I used apple cider vinegar and instant coffee because that's what I had on-hand, other wise no subs. And I used my blender because my processor is kaput. No problemo. THANK YOU for another fab recipe!!
Just took these out of the oven and they are incredible!!! WOW! I even forgot to include the sugar and they were still really good!
These look amazing!
Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can cut out the sugar? Can I use agave, honey, or stevia (although I've heard it doesn't bake too well) instead? I try to cut out refined sugars out of my diet.
I made these for my 20 month old daughter the other day. She lives off of fruits and veggies, but gets no protein so I thought this would be a good sneaky way to get some protien into her. The only thing is they were a little crumbly. I did use a 15 oz. can of beans (I figured 1 extra oz couldn't make too much of a difference). Is there any way to make them less crumbly? I'm not opposed to flour; like I said I'm really just after the protein in these. Can I add some flour? Maybe an extra egg? Any suggestions?
Does anyone else have a problem with it smoking? I have made these twice now and both times the oven fills with smoke.
These were absolutely fantastic!!! Thank you, Gina!!
These are fantastic! I have a son with autism and he has a very picky palette-he pretended to faint he liked them so much! I will never tell him they are made with beans. We have a hard time getting him to eat protein so thses are great.
These are INCREDIBLE! I did not tell my kids that there were black beans in them; they gobbled them up. So moist and rich! Will be making again and again!
Thank you so much for this FANTASTIC recipe. My brownies turned out exactly like the ones in your picture. And at just 100 cals a pop, they're a brilliant treat that I can work into my calorie allowance and nix my afternoon sugar craving. Amazing…
Can I make these with Garbanzo beans? I am very allergic to black beans.
Can I use regular milk instead of the Almond Milk? I don't have access to unsweetened almond milk over here 🙁 I really want to try this out for my husband's birthday dinner tomorrow, but I want to make sure they still taste good
Just kidding. Ignore my comment haha I reread the ingredients list.
I made these tonight – OMG, so good. You really can not tell that they're made with black beans. I will be making these again and again.
These are fabulous & so chocolatey! Made them exactly as the recipe indicates. I won't go back to regular brownies made with flour ever again.
Just made these! WOOOOOOOOOW are they goooooood. I can't believe how little oil there is, these taste like they were made with butter. Wow. Completely addictive. Now I don't know what to do cuz if I eat the whole pan it'll be a LOT of points lol
I made these last night, followed directions to the letter, let them cool completely and then went to cut them… and it all turned into a crumbled mess… would not hold together at all… tasted great, but couldn't cut them into a "brownie"… using as a brownie topping for ice cream, but what did I do WRONG?
I made this, and I was a little grossed out to try it, but it IS REALLY GOOD!! =) No bean taste at all!
These are AMAZING!!!
Hey Gina! These look legit. I've tried to make a lot of different recipes for black bean brownies, but these may be the only ones I've seen that actually look like brownies on the inside… extra brownie points!
Wow! Fantastic, thank you so much!
These are fantastic! Super moist and, if I didn't know otherwise, I never would have known there was anything 'different' about these brownies. I've always been afraid of the black bean thing but I've never been disappointed in a Skinnytaste recipe so felt confident with this one, too. I have directed several of my gluten free clients to this recipe and they've all raved over it! Yum!
Made these brownies today and they were so good. My husband had no idea they contained black beans and loved them. Super moist and flavorful. Made them exactly as the recipe indicated. Perfect! Will be making them again. A keeper!
I made these today and they are fantastic. I replaced the sugar with Splenda and I used egg whites. Will definitely make them again.
I made these today and they are fantastic. I replaced the sugar with Splenda and the whole eggs with egg whites. I will definitely make them again, thanks for the great recipes/
I was wondering if anyone has substituted the sugar? Agave or applesauce, just wondering how it worked out. TIA!
These are Fantastic! I am not gluten intolerant but I am on Weight Watchers and with a few tweaks these are only 2 points each! I used egg whites only and Splenda brown sugar in place of the other sweeteners. I also found we prefer folding in all the chips instead of sprinkling 1/2 on the top, They looked better and cut much cleaner this way. They are moist and Oh so chocolaty! And at 2 point each I can have 2 and not feel guilty!
My gluten free friend almost cried when I brought these to a gathering because A) she could eat them B) They were so good and C) her husband liked them too. Honestly the best black bean brownie recipe I've tried. I decreased the sugar to 1/2 cup and used dark cocoa powder. I felt the density was good and they were slightly crumbly, but I figured that was to be expected. The chocolate chips are a must. These brownies were loved by the kids as well as the adults. Thank you Gina for allowing us to make brownies and eat them too!
Made these with my daughter who has an allergy to flour, rice, citric acid, and dairy. She loved them. Keep these black bean recipes coming! Amazing!!
How much would the drained beans weigh?
These are great, especially considering what is in them and also what's not in them (butter!). It was bit crumbly as I was cutting them, but then I was cutting them into more than 16 pieces, so I left the rest of them larger and they held together better. I can't believe there are black beans in them! Thanks for the recipe!
I just made these tonight! Thank You! I don't know if you remember the Life cereal commercial but my daughter, "she hates everything." She really liked these! We all did! Thank you!
I made this recipe and used half dark choc and half milk choc. chips. No one could even remotely tell that there were beans in them. I would say that they don't store quite the same as other brownies. SO GOOD!
Amazing! Airy, gooey and moist. I substituted stevia for sugar.
ANy issue with leaving the choc chips out? I am sugar free, low fat and wheat free, so I guess I'll find out when I try this myself:-)
Honestly, the chocolate chips make little difference.
No, I left out the chocolate chips b/c I'm not a fan of them unless it's in chocolate chip cookies and it came out awesome.
Brownies prepared in the one bowl of a food processor is what got me to make these the first time. The rich chocolate taste is why we are having them again. Thank you for the recipe!
hi gina great recipe just asking are these brownies good to freeze
As a Registered Dietitian and mother to an Diabetic teenager, I'm always looking for new recipes and these were awesome! I am completely hooked on your site. I love that you include all the nutrition information, as well as the serving size in all your recipes. Thanks so much for the fantastic recipes!
made these today and very yummy! I find them to be more cake like and crumbly than brownie texture ( I use box brownies when I make them, so maybe a scratch brownie texture is different??) would never know they are made with beans. the only change I made was using coconut sugar.
Just made these for our Valentine's Day dessert for this evening! Looking forward to trying it out! Should I refrigerate the leftovers?
These are delicious! Turned out perfectly and I cut the sugar by using Truvia Baking Blend. Amazing!!
Gina, These were so good! Mine were very crumbly though, moist, but very crumbly. Any idea what I may have done wrong? I didn't substitute anything, so that's not an issue. If I can't figure out how to tweak the recipe, next time I may make these in ramekins to make them easier to eat.
Gina,
Can you use the same amount of espresso powder for the coffee grinds? I don't drink coffee so I don't have any.
Thanks.
OMG these are so good. I didn't tell hubby the ingredients he loved them too much. He actually said they tasted to good be healthy LOL!! I did use dark chocolate chip because that is what I had. You did it again Gina. I absolutely love your site.
I don't know why people are acting so surprised there's coffee in these? Coffee in small amounts in recipes such as brownies, chocolate cake, etc naturally enhances the taste of cocoa. Anyway, made these earlier, and they're great! I used one egg yolk though, and added vanilla into the batter!
These were amazing! Daughter made them last night. We had to use skim milk and regular black beans because that's all we had. I brought them to work today and 4 people asked for the recipe! That's great, as we are an office of 5! Yum!
these are in the oven right now. my batter was rather runny, so folding the chocolate chips was a little difficult. they just kind of sank to the bottom. any ideas what i did wrong?
Made these tonight and they are AMAZING! I used Truvia baking blend in place of sugar, Starbucks Via instant coffee, and a cherry zinfandel balsamic vinegar. I did have difficulty cutting them as they crumbled a lot, although I let them cool completely. But they were delicious and I will make them again! Thanks, Gina for all your amazing recipes!
same here…very crumbly :/
after I let them cool, when I cut them they just fell apart. they taste great but should I have cooked them longer or is it the extra 1oz from the 15 oz can of black beans?
These are perfect! They are more cake-like than brownie to me, but they hit the spot. Who knew black beans could make a dessert. Thanks for sharing!
These were incredible. Followed recipe to a T. They still taste "healthy" according to my 10 year old, but both my picky kids ate them up. As did my husband and me. Easy, easy! I made in food processor.
Tried these yesterday!!! Everyone LOVES them!!! I couldn't believe it!
I'm amazed that the texture of the brownies came out exactly like regular brownies, and the black beans don't taste AT ALL! DELICIOUS!
I told my sister I was going to try them, and when she did, she said "You didn't use the black beans? You made regular brownies?" Haha!!!
🙂 Thank you so much for this delicious healthy snack, next time I will add nuts and so on to it! 🙂
I made these this morning. First, I love a one bowl dessert and these were a snap to make. Second, I used my food processor because it was out and I won't make that mistake again (as it was tricky to mix in half the chips without spilling through the center hole), my bad. Third, when I tried the batter, I knew they'd be a winner. Fourth, the whole house smelled like chocolate as they were baking. Finally, these are, hands down, the best low-fat brownie I've made (and I've tried many). I had to make them while my husband was at work and my son at school as they 'don't like beans' and boy are they going to be surprised.
I made mine in a dark, non-stick square cake pan and they only needed to cook for 22 mins and were done, so keep an eye on them.
Perfecto, Gina. Mangia!
I've been curious about black bean brownies for a while, but have been too skeptical to try it. However, after seeing you post a recipe I feel safe making them. I've tried several of your recipes and they have all been wonderful. I haven't tried them yet, but my 6 year old scraped the brownie bowl and loved it. She has no clue they are made from beans!!
WOW! I made these this morning and I couldn't believe how moist & chocolatey they are. I used Espresso Powder for the coffee and they are delicious! There are two gluten intolerant people on our ministry staff at church. I'm taking them to staff meeting but not telling them what is in them until after they taste! I'm just promising them they are gluten free! Thanks, Gina. You have helped me stay on goal for a year!!!!!
Made these awesome brownies yesterday. Used White Balsamic Pear infused vinegar and the coffee grounds from an instant coffee "tea-bag" that I quickly microwaved in a cup of water. Also opted for mini chocolate chips.
The results were amazing. My new kitchen pan has single serving dividers that lift away when the brownies come out of the oven. They were perfectly shaped and delicious. Froze most of them in individual baggies so we aren't overly tempted and can remove them one at a time. The texture was divine – very moist. Black beans will remain my little secret from hubby!
Just made these brownies and they are awesome. Had my husband try them and he liked them also. Nice and moist…not crumbly at all. I used 3/4 cups of the mini chocolate chips.
These were fantastic. I'm gluten free and am so glad to find a grain free brownie. I didn't tell my husband and my 9 year old what was in them, but they both gobbled them up. My husband is on a no white carbs, low fat diet, so these worked out well as a nice treat for him too.
Approximately how many cups of black beans do you need?
Hi, this may be a silly question – can you open a K Cup and use that? It's not instant, but it is all I have at the moment! Thanks!
Sure, that would work
If you don't want to use coffee you can buy Postum, a coffee substitute made from roasted grains. It adds the bitterness that instant coffee would-this helps bring out the chocolate flavor. Use the same amount of Postum as you would instant coffee. I store my Postum in the freezer because I only use it occasionally.
I made these last night using espresso powder. They are some of the best browniies I have ever made. I was a little skeptical using the beans and vinegar, but they are amazing! I used an 8×8 pan and baked them for about 12 more minutes, let them cool for about an hour and then couldn't wait any longer to try them – outstanding!!
Amazingly delicious, my teenaged son ate half the batch last night after I made them. Definitely wait until they're cool to cut them, or you will have a crumbly mess. I used coffee grounds straight from my mornng coffee filter, they were beans I had ground myself then used to make coffee. I wonder if they would have tasted different if I used fresh ground coffee, but mine came out so yummy. Has anyone tried baking them longer to see if that firms them up more?
Black beans – Brilliant! Nice option to flour/ gluten. I/m curious as to sugar options. I see many have asked about this, but just curious if anyones has had success with something lower in glycemic load.
I use coconut sugar in place of regular sugar works just like sugar. I saw this on Dr Oz Show, it actually has something in that blocks fat and no difference when used in place of white sugar, except that it is healthier.
Would the leftovers need to be refrigerated?
Ok so I made these brownies this morning and was unsure of how this was going to come out as I've never baked with beans before. Had the kids try them without saying what the secret ingredient was. Result: You should make these more often – who knew you could make something so good with beans?
Made these tonight. The only change I made was using baking stevia instead of sugar. Amazing! So rich and chocolatey.
I WANT TO EAT THE ENTIRE BATCH! 🙂 Amazing, easy, moist, delicious…theres just so much I could say about these sneaky little treats and it would all be awesome!!! Used regular ground coffee straight from the bag..had some red mint choc chips lying around and it gave a nice little mint kick! Make these NOW. 😀
Can I substitute honey for the sugar?
It might affect the texture and you'll have to adjust a few of the other ingredients since honey is a "wet" ingredient
I made these today and they were SO delicious!! I tricked my husband and only told him about the black beans after he devoured them. He was shocked. Mine turned out so moist, but also really crumbly? It was a bit confusing. They were really good though and I'll be trying them again.
I had the same problem. The flavor was good, but they just fell apart.
I made these today and they are so good! Both of my boys (ages 4&8) loved these and said they were the best brownies ever. I am inclined to agree!
I made these tonight and my family loved them. I haven't yet told them about the black beans…maybe I'll keep it a secret. The only issue I had with the recipe was the brownies sticking to the parchment paper. I think next time I will spray the paper as well as the pan. Thanks for the great recipe!
Just made these….unbelievably yummy. I was also skeptical, but they came out amazing! You would NEVER know they are made with black beans, vinegar and coffee grounds!. I used 1% milk because it was all I had, but followed every thing else exactly. I've already sent pics and my raving review to several people. Thanks you so much! Oh, and I had no parchment paper either, just used non stick spray and it worked just fine. Minimal sticking – only where the chocolate chips sunk to the bottom, but not a problem at all!
These just came out of my oven, warm, gooey, chocolate dream! They are delicious, no one would ever guess that they are made from black beans. I was quite skeptical but have never been disappointed by any of your recipes, they always come out great! Thank you for doing what you do, I have recommended your site to many of my friends!
I just made this and I have to say that I am amazed! These aren't only delicious, they may be the best brownies I have ever made! Thanks for the awesome recipe.
What kind of oil do you use? Thank you! 🙂
I usually use vegetable or coconut oil in baked goods. You could probably also use olive oil since it's such a small amount
As soon as I saw this recipe, I knew I had to make them. They were delicious! They were very cake like and crumbly however. I am wondering exactly how much black beans to use because they are only available here in 19 oz cans. After rinsing and draining, I was left with 11 oz of black beans. If I were to use a 14 oz can what is the weight of the beans after rinsing and draining? I'm wondering if I used to many which is why I got the texture I did.
Sounds like you used too much beans.
How much beans should it be? A cup? 1 1/2? As I mentioned, I can only buy beans in a 19 oz can here so how much should I take out? They tasted really good but they just fell apart so I would love to make them again.
Weigh your beans before draining and rinsing and remove 5 oz to get to the 14oz amount needed. Then drain and rinse.
I used a 14 oz can as suggested and mine were also very crumbly. They don't stay together when you cut them to eat.
I used a 14oz can of beans and mine were also very crumbly. Too crumbly to cut and then pick up and eat.
I followed her recipe exactly and I'm an experienced cook. I was skeptical about the texture because of the lack of flour to bind the ingredients and keep them intact after baking. The brownies looked perfect like the picture above IN the pan, but once sliced, they are very crumbly. However, the taste was good and the texture was very soft. I am enjoying these and will freeze them for whenever I want an almost guilt-free brownie fix but I won't bake them again.
GREAT recipe – just made 2 pans. Outstanding GF option. Do not skip the coffee or the balsamic – I might even add a bit of flaky sea salt in the future as they are a little bit sweet. Truly wonderful – thank you for sharing.
I want to hit the "Like" button on your post. 🙂
They make a blended sugar/splenda.
Can you substitute the coffee grounds for something else? I don't drink coffee and don't ever plan on buying it.
leave it out then…
Try either milk powder or almond powder instead. They work great.
We don't drink coffee either, and I've used Pero as a substitute and thought it worked pretty well.
I just made these. I like the flavor and they are very moist. But I like brownies to be more chewy, and these seem more cake-like? How can I remedy that? Another egg? I don't want to add more oil if I don't have to.
Omit the leavening agents to make a denser brownie 🙂
Do you think you can use Rice milk? I have a dairy free grand child.
I think any non-dairy milk would work. I always use almond, coconut or soy milk
I was wondering about using Truvia or Coconut Palm Sugar? Can either of those be use to relace sugar and would that be a 1:1 ratio?
Don't know about Truvia, but I believe coconut palm sugar can be subbed 1:1 ratio
I'm concerned about using 3/4 cup of sugar. Gina, is there any other alternative to that? I can't wait to bake them using black beans!!
I also wanted to avoid the sugar so I used 1/3 cup raw honey and dropped the oven temperature to 325
Thank you so much for trying and sharing my black bean brownie recipe!! I'm so glad you love the brownies. After I started making them, I haven't gone back to regular flour brownies – I simply feel like there's no need! Thank you so much again and I hope your weekend is going well! 🙂 xoxo
My husband said the same thing! : )
I was just stopping by to see if I could find a brownie recipe to make for after dinner tonight…and here this was on your home page…must be a sign…
Made these…coffee grounds left from morning brew is what I used…used 1/2 splenda and 1/2 sugar…crumbly…not dry…but crumbly….not as dense as I thought they would be…delish…THANK YOU!
Im really curious about someone using chick peas. ??? cant imagine how that turned out.
Hi there! Yup, you can use chickpeas. I made super dense, fudgey brownies with chickpeas and posted the recipe a while back. Check it out: http://www.theroastedroot.net/garbanzo-bean-brownies/
Please post a clear answer because I'm still confused about the coffee. Do I use the already brewed coffee grounds from the filter OR the pre-brewed coffee grounds. I'm eager to try this recipe; the previous brownie recipes with black beans haven't tasted good. Thanks for sharing!
You use fresh ground coffee or instant coffee. You can use coffee you buy to put in your coffee maker.
I am confused also.
I'm guessing "fresh ground" would be pre-brewed. Since after-brewed grounds are typically thrown away (or composted) since they are no longer flavorful. Otherwise use instant coffee granules, no confusion for me there!!
I also am confused I think people are saying fresh ground which should really be fresh grinded coffee beans, because "grounds" generally refers to after it's brewed
Its fixed now…the ingredients to say freshly ground coffee
Could you use silken tofu instead of black beans? How much?
Can you replace sugar for coconut palm sugar or agave nectar?
I was wondering the same thing. I heard coconut sugar doesn't bake so well though, so I'm not sure. I was thinking if trying honey though.
Coconut sugar, yes (she uses it in the original Roasted Root recipe). Agave is liquid so it will affect the texture, so maybe not. Or you may have to adjust other ingredients.
I replaced the sugar with 2 tablespoons of honey and some Truvia. Worked wonderfully.
Delicious! Very moist and chocolatey. Saw this recipe today and made some tonight. I splurged and had a scoop of ice cream on top 🙂
Is it supposed to be unsweetened cocoa powder? or like hot cocoa powder?
unsweetened cocoa powder
the ingredient lists coffee grounds and in the directions it says coffee grinds? is it fresh ground coffee beans or is it the remaining grounds after brewing? thanks!
fresh coffee or instant coffee
Won't be Low carb because of the beans
any idea if this is low carb?
26 grams of carbs.
But it will be high in protein.
Definitely not low carb due to the sugar..beans are a good carb but definitely not white sugar…you could use agave or honey to be healthier or splenda to reduce the sugar carbs altogether..
If replacing white sugar with honey, or maple syrup, what would the conversion be?
So it's ground coffee, not coffee grounds?
I used ground coffee, Starbucks Verona Blend, and it came out great! Not sure if that’s what the recipe calls for but…
Is the vinegar for leavening?
Just made these… I had dark chocolate cocoa and used egg whites. They are amazing… almost sorry I tried them because now I'll be making them all the time! Delicious! Thanks Gina!
This recipe sounds amazing! Do you think the chocolate chips add most of the flavor to them? I don't tend to like chocolate chips in my brownies, but I also don't want to make them if they are an integral part of the chocolately-goodness 🙂
Just made these, I used erythritol for the sweetener, and they turned out terrific! Thank you for the great recipe!
I have "liquid stevia". Would you know how many drops to use to replace the sugar??
Gina, these were absolutely amazing! Thank you so much for this recipe! You can't taste the beans one bit. I have only had one other experience making black bean brownies and they were completely awful. Not the case with these! These will be the only brownies I make from now on! 🙂
Aren't they great!! So glad you made them 🙂
The ground coffee is generally used to bring out the chocolate flavor. I have always used instant coffee or powdered espresso….not coffee grounds (the aftermath of brewed coffee).
These are cooling on the counter right now! i didn't have black beans, so I used chickpeas. The batter I snuck tasted AMAZING, I can't wait to try them!
Let me know how they turned out. I have extra chickpeas.
Hi, thought i had black beans but could only find a can of white beans. Otherwise, followed the recipe….turned out fantastic!!! my only error was not waiting until the squares cooled to cut them…ended up smashing vs slicing. i would suggest following the procedures closely for the best product, thanks for a great recipe!!!!
I just popped these in the oven. After trying just the batter, you cannot taste the coffee or the vinegar. They must be in there for a reason though. I can't wait to try them. I've not had good luck with black bean brownies in the past, but I'm thinking this will be great.
Lori, if you see this, report back. I'm very interested to know how these turned out from someone who tried the recipe as is.
They're really good as is! I followed the recipe and surprised my colleagues (who usually love the less healthy stuff), there wasn't a crumb left!
Do you HAVE to add the coffee grounds? I don't like or drink coffee…
I've seen coffee added to many other chocolate recipes; the small amount isn't really enough to make it taste like coffee, it just deepens the chocolate flavor. You could probably leave it out, but I think it is worth it!
It's more that I don't have any grounds to put in, really. I suppose I could bring home a spoonful from work and thoroughly weird out my coworkers…
I have a small jar of instant decaf espresso coffee on hand that I use in recipes like this. It enhances chocolate flavor without adding additional caffeine. I will definitely try this recipe!
If you want to bake good chocolate things Lisa you should get yourself a bag of coffee or bottle of instant, it enhances the flavor of chocolate and you don't taste the coffee
easy to say you won't taste the coffee flavor if you're a person who likes coffee. for those of us who really dislike coffee flavor, it will probably be noticed . i've had that problem in the past.
I made it without the coffee at all and they were fine
I left the coffee out and they were still delish
Are we sure that doesn't mean instant coffee ?
Coffe grounds are what are left in the coffee filter after you make coffee in your coffee maker. Can't wait to try these!
She notes "fresh" in the recipe. My guess is you'll just want to use freshly ground coffee to get the most flavor.
I have made a similar brownie with black beans before, but they were a little dry and crumbly Your recipe sounds pretty good, although the vinegar and coffee grounds surprise me more than the black beans. The second best thing about brownies like these is that they are so easy, just put everything in the food processor. Oh, and I use xylitol instead of sugar. Have not had good luck baking with Stevia.
Stevia does not bake well at all. I use either splenda or a combo of splenda and aquavae nectar.
I am interested in xylitol as a sugar substitute…is it a 1:1 ratio? When used in baked good does it have any after taste (metallic or otherwise)?
Anyone using xylitol, please be aware that it is extremely toxic to dogs! As little as 3 grams can kill a 65 pound dog. So if you bake with xylitol and have a dog, please be extra careful!
Thanks for the warning Dog geek – I'll remind everyone that chocolate and coffee grounds are also toxic to dogs, though 3 grams of either wouldn't be as bad as the xylitol. Yikes!
I have baked a lot with Truvia before and it comes out well. (haven't tried this recipe yet though).
Thank you so much for the dog warning! I had no idea and use xylitol a lot. You probably just saved my dog's life.
Coconut crystals are the most amazing thing to bake with. The mineral and amino acid content almost makes the brownies like a big vitamin.
I replaced the 3/4 cup sugar with 1/2 cup coconut sugar and used
1/2 mini chocolate chips in the brownies(none on top) to cut down on
the sugar. Still perfection!
I just tried the recipe with the Truvia sugar blend (not straight Truvia!!) and it came out great. The conversion for 3/4 cup of sugar is 1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons of the Truvia sugar blend. It was great and cut down the sugar/carbs/calories a lot.
I use Truvia (stevia-erythritol blend) in baking…the conversion from regular sugar is 1-1/4 c. sugar = a little over 1/2 c. Truvia. You have to experiment a little.
Would Splenda work OK??
Try using Truvia, seems to work much better than Stevia for baking!!
I did the exact same thing only I over baked mine just a bit so they were a little crumbly. It's a great recipe for the kids.
Can anyone recommend a good balsamic vinegar? The ones I have tried from the grocery store have not tasted good to me.
i really like the balsamic from trader joe's.
My hands-down favorite balsamic vinegar….
http://www.oliviersandco.com/premium-balsamic-vinegar-of-modena.html
Sweet, thick, and delicious!! You will never use any other again.
the Costco Kirkland balsamic is the best!!!
My favorite is from Costco
The thing that intrigues me the most about this recipe is the Balsamic Vinegar! I'm Gluten free so I will be making these ASAP!! Thanks
vinegar is a leavening agent! apple cider vinegar works well too.
awesome I have ACV going to try it now!
Do mean ground coffee or coffee grounds? These have two meanings to me. Either way, I'm intrigued by this recipe because of the black beans.
can you substitute the eggs for something else? TIA
maybe try ground flax and water?
I use ground chia seeds and water in place of eggs. It would be 1tblsp. Of ground seeds to 3tblsp of water and let it sit for about 15 min. For each egg.
how did they eggless version turn out?
I assume that meant coffee grounds.
yes, I just corrected
Sorry, but I'm getting confused. I have freshly ground beans that i put in filter to bee coffee. am I using that or after the coffee is brewed, the stuff that is left over in the filter
Can espresso powder be substituted?
The brewed coffee, the stuff people drink, is what you use, not the grounds.
Is the 1/2 teaspoon coffee grinds instant coffee?? Or just regular coffee beans ground fine??
Fresh ground coffee, or instant would work as well.
Is there an alternative for the coffee grounds? Not a coffee drinker and don't keep it on hand (hate the taste of it in fact), so I'm curious what I can use instead or if it is ok to just omit it.
Can't taste the coffee in the finished product. I don't drink coffee either and I cannot notice it. The brownies were awesome!
Mallika, I used Pero when I tried this recipe, and I thought it made a pretty good substitute.
The coffee just brings out/enhances the chocolate flavor! You cannot taste it in the finished brownies.
Mallika- They sell single cup little packets of instant coffee. So you can buy those and have them in your cabinet for a year or more.
coffee brings out the taste of chocolate! I have made cakes in the past with a cup of coffee. You can't taste it at all
Freshly ground coffee sounds like a !/2 teaspoon of liquid for a slight flavor, like vanilla.
adding espresso to chocolate enhances the flavor of the chocolate (I use instant espresso powder in all my chocolate baked goods–and I HATE coffee).
Mallika, just as any coffee house if you can have their coffee grounds. Most will give it to you for free. And I agree with Sofiasmomma..you really can't taste it.
What is Pero?
I usually use espresso powder when I make chocolate cake/brownies, and certain ice creams. This brand is great http://www.amazon.com/Ferrara-Instant-Espresso-Coffee/dp/B000NL514Q
I do what Mallika said. I don't drink coffee either, but just buy the little packets of instant coffee.
Can you please explain exactly what coffee grinds are? TIA!
If you buy coffee that is not in bean form, it is already ground, and that is what you will use.
they are used to make coffee, you know the drink
Just use the instant coffee it will blend better
Could you use Stevia and egg whites to reduce the points even further?
I used flax meal and they came out fine.
I made this with granulated stevia and it was awsome !
I calculated it and it's 85 calories per brownie.
I would,,,,why not???
I use Truvia and Flax eggs (flax meal and water), so my version of this recipe is vegan and gluten free.
How about Splenda and Eggbeaters??