This unique variety of brownie is one of the best guilt-free brownie recipes you can make. Black bean brownies taste fudgy, moist, and creamy like a normal brownie does. However, thanks to the black beans you infuse into them, they are also high in important carbohydrates and nutrients.
The black beans do not take away from the taste of brownies at all, and this recipe works excellent as a breakfast side, midday snack, or healthy dessert. Not to mention, it’s also one of the most fun and easy brownie recipes out there.
Benefits Of Eating Black Bean Brownies
These brownies are mixed with black beans, which are high in both fiber and protein, but low in fat. It is one of the cheapest, healthiest, and most reliable legumes out there (although all legumes are quite cheap).
There are many health benefits to eating black beans, and the following benefits are only some of them. Beans are legumes, and the legume family has a reputation for being outstanding foods in many diets.
Black beans have an inverse relationship between their cost and nutritional value. This means that they are one of the rare foods people can buy that are both incredibly cheap, yet still provide lots of vitamins and minerals. Even better, you can grow them on a farm and gradually create lots of black beans for free, since they are easy to grow. They are an easy source of protein and fiber for vegans.
They are high in molybdenum, which is an important mineral that helps the body create enzymes. These enzymes help the body transport other important minerals like iron, and also aid in overall metabolism.
Black beans contain lots of soluble fibers and omega-3s. Fiber helps you stay full for longer which is great for weight loss. Omega-3 fatty acids are lipids that are mainly found in fish and have been shown to have a positive effect on brain and skin health.
They also contain a solid amount of other important vitamins and minerals. Iron, magnesium, potassium, vitamins K and B9, and calcium are just some of the nutrients present in black beans.
Black beans are great for infusing into brownies. Not only are they dark, which is great for maintaining your brownies’ aesthetic appeal, but it also removes a lot of the guilt associated with eating brownies. Black beans do not have much taste, so you can be glad that your brownies will still taste as awesome as they normally do.
Additional information on black beans and their nutrition can be found here.
Ingredients Required For Black Bean Brownies
Brownies can be made in multiple ways, but for this recipe, it is easiest to use a blender or food processor. This is because the brownies taste smoother and creamier when the black beans have been blended instead of mashed. Thankfully, this recipe doesn’t use too many hard ingredients, so even if your blender is not very strong, the ingredients will be easy to blend.
- Black beans. Make sure to rinse them in warm water before starting. Drain as much water out as possible afterward.
- 2 large eggs. One of the most important ingredients in baking, eggs help your brownie batter stay consistent during baking.
- Honey. This will be our natural sweetener, it goes great with brownies.
- Melted coconut oil. This is the main fat source for this recipe and adds unbeatable richness to your brownies. If you’re not vegan, unsalted melted butter also works just as great.
- Cocoa powder. How do you have a brownie recipe without rich chocolate?
- Coconut sugar. This sugar type is healthier and less processed than granulated sugar. This recipe is low in sugar, so you don’t really have to add more sugar unless you want to.
- Baking powder. This helps the brownies rise during baking.
- Sea salt. This helps make your brownies stay fresh for much longer than normal. It also strengthens the batter a bit.
- Vanilla extract. Helps enhance all the other flavors.
- Optional toppings/mix-ins. I personally love to mix in chopped walnuts to make the recipe more gourmet-like. Chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, and other chopped nuts are also effective mix-ins, although none of these are 100% necessary. Mix them in at the end of the blending process or put them on your batter as a topping right before baking. Or do a combo of both.
Very simple and relatively fast to make, here is the recipe for vegan black bean brownies!
Vegan Low-Sugar Black Bean Brownies
Equipment
- 1 blender/food processor
- 1 spatula/butter knife for both mixing in optional toppings and cutting baked brownies
- 1 ramekin used to hold melted coconut oil or melted butter
Ingredients
- 1 whole can of black beans (15 oz.) rinsed with warm water and strained
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup honey
- 3 tbsp melted coconut oil or melted unsalted butter
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- ⅛ cup coconut sugar or white granulated sugar
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- optional mix-ins/toppings chocolate chips, chopped nuts, etc.
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (176°C). Grab a baking sheet at least 8×8 inches long and grease it with non-stick cooking spray, or line it with parchment paper and set it aside.
- Drop your black beans, melted coconut oil/butter, sugar, and honey into your blender/food processor. Blend until fine and smooth.
- Put in cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, and vanilla. Blend again until smooth.
- Add in the eggs, and blend everything together until you have a nice, rich brownie batter.
- Add optional mix-ins at this point, but do not blend. Instead, mix them in manually using a butter knife, small spatula, or spoon.
- Pour batter onto your baking sheet. Top it off with chocolate chips, chocolate frosting, or peanut butter for additional flavor.
- Place the pan in your preheated oven and bake for about 25 minutes. Use the toothpick test to determine if the brownies are ready or not. If not, bake them for an additional 5 minutes.
- After they are done, let them cool off and cut them any way you prefer, then serve!
How To Store Your Brownies
Brownies are very easy to store. I recommend only taking slices out from your baking sheet so that you can use the baking sheet as a container when storing your brownies.
For chilling, wrap your brownies over the top with plastic wrap, and store it in the fridge. They can last up to one week this way before they start getting a little soggy.
For freezing, I recommend covering the whole pan tightly in aluminum foil and placing it in your freezer. It may last up to 2 months this way.
