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    Home » Dessert » Mini Matcha Brownies with White Beans

    Mini Matcha Brownies with White Beans

    Published: Jun 17, 2021 · Modified: Mar 4, 2023 by Jessica

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    These extra fudgy mini matcha brownies are a perfect combo between the earthiness from the green tea powder and the sweetness from the dark chocolate. They are easy to make, just sweet enough, filled with wholesome ingredients and, what a striking beautiful green color!

    Showing is an overhead view on a few mini matcha brownies that are pilled in a shallow large bowl that was previously covered with some parchment paper. The brownie are layer with a bottom dark chocolate brownie and topped with a bright green match layer. The cups are also topped with a few chocolate chips. Beside, you can see 2 cups of tea, some more chocolate chips in a bowl and a mini sifter that's on a plate that also contains some matcha powder.

    I have to say that the matcha flavor is growing on me pretty fast. I think that green tea is one of these unusual flavors like coffee or spicy food that doesn't seem very pleasant at first. But with time, just turns into straight obsession. I mean, the more you drizzle spicy buffalo sauce on your food, the more spicy buffalo sauce you need. Right?

    Sooooooo. The weirdly-addictive-bitterness-and-just-teeny-sweet flavor from the matcha is definitively here to stay. I might not swap my old morning friend cup of coffee for a matcha latte quite yet, but I'm starting to feel like matcha-ing just about everything.

    And these matcha brownies are such a great way to slowly get yourself more familiar with the matcha flavor. Just like in this matcha oatmeal recipe, the dark chocolate helps balance the earthiness from the matcha, so you don't get the grassy flavor from the green tea at all. You will only be able to enjoy its smooth delicious nuttiness.

    Oh, and before I let you jump to the recipe, let's just acknowledge here that these mini brownies are filled with white beans.

    Healthy fiber-rich canned white beans.

    If you tried my black bean brownies or pumpkin brownies, then you might think that I can't make brownies without using beans. Fair enough. But guys, mashed beans make baked goods so much more creamy, soft and gooey!

    Ok now. I will let you enjoy these healthy yet so delicious brownies. Hope you like them too!

    Front view on 2 mini matcha brownies that are pilled on top of each other. You can nicely see their bottom dark layer and top bright green layer. These 2 brownies are on a white plate and the top mini brownie has a bite taken off. You can see more of them in a bowl in the background. You can see the matcha sifter that's sifting some green tea powder over the brownies.

    What are matcha brownies

    Typical brownies are made with cacao powder, chocolate chips and have a dark color. Matcha brownies are often made by swapping the cacao powder by green tea powder and using white chocolate chips instead of dark chocolate chips.

    Vegan white chocolate chips are hard to find + more expensive. I also was not completely ready to give up on the dark chocolate flavor. So, here come some brownies that has the best of both world: a white-green vanilla batter with deep dark chocolate flavor.

    Why you will love these mini matcha brownies

    • Soft and chewy with crispy edges
    • Not too sweet with a matcha flavor that's just enough
    • Vibrant beautiful green color
    • Extra chocolatey
    • Healthy: filled with fiber and rich in antiooxidant
    • Cute mini 3 bite brownies! Who can resist mini shaped desserts?
    Showing is an overhead view on a few mini matcha brownies that are pilled in a shallow large bowl that was previously covered with some parchment paper. The brownies are layered with a bottom dark chocolate brownie and topped with a bright green match layer. The cups are also topped with a few chocolate chips. Beside, you can see a mini sifter that's on a plate that also contains some matcha powder.

    Ingredients you will need to make the BEST matcha brownies

    • Flour: I like to use white whole wheat flour when baking, but regular all-purpose flour works just the same.
    • Green tea matcha powder: I use this culinary grade matcha powder from Jade Leaf when baking. It is easy to get online. You can also use a higher quality ceremonial grade matcha powder, but I usually keep this one when making lattes as it is more expensive. A higher quality powder will help reach a brighter green color too.
    • Raw cacao powder: try to use minimally processed raw cacao powder instead of cocoa, but if you only have cocoa powder, it will work great too. I use the fair trade cacao powder from Navita that I easily get online on amazon.
    • Chocolate chips: I used vegan semi-sweet dark chocolate chips from Enjoy Life.
    • Canned white beans: I used cannelini beans, but Navy beans works too. I used a full can of 15 oz (my sister in Canada tested with the 14 oz cans and it worked too).
    • Flax seeds: you will need ground flax seeds to make a flax egg. I grind mine in a high speed blender, but you can also buy flax seeds that are already ground online.
    • Coconut oil: try to use a refined coconut oil so you avoid the coconut flavor, although both kind work great.
    • Maple syrup: to sweeten up the brownies.
    • Walnuts: they add a good crunch to the chocolate layered brownies.
    • Baking powder + Vanilla extract
    Ingredients needed to make this recipe: you can see the different ingredients on a table in separate bowls. There are flour, ground flax seeds, a bag of matcha green tea powder, coconut oil, maple syrup, a can of cannelini beans, raw cacao powder, vanilla extract, baking powder, walnuts and chocolate chips.
    Front view on 2 mini matcha brownies that are pilled on top of each other. You can nicely see their bottom dark layer and top bright green layer. These 2 brownies are on a white plate and the top mini brownie has a bite taken off. You can see more of them in a bowl in the background. Also in the background, there are 2 cups of tea and a matcha sifter with some powder inside that's on a plate.

    How to make them

    Start by making the basic white batter, then separate in 2 bowls to incorporate either some dark chocolate or matcha flavor.

    Make the basic batter

    • Start by preparing the flax egg by combining ground flax seeds with water. Set aside to forms a gel.
    • In a food processor, process the coconut oil, white beans, maple syrup and flax egg until uniform.
    • Then, add the flour and baking powder and process until just combined.
    • Transfer the mixture to 2 medium size bowls.
    • In process picture: overhead view on a food processor that contains cannelini beans, coconut oil, maple syrup and a flax egg.
    • In process picture: overhead view on a food processor that contains a creamy mixture that's topped with flour and baking powder.

    Make the chocolate layer

    • To one of the bowls, add the cacao powder and stir until combined. Then, add the walnuts and chocolate chips.

    Make the matcha layer

    • In the second bowl, add the matcha powder + vanilla extract and stir to combine.
    • In process picture: you can see 2 white bowls that contains a pale batter
    • In process picture: you can see 2 bowls being hold by 2 hand. One contains a chocolate mixture and the other one a bright green mixture.

    Build the mini brownies

    • Line a muffin tin with 9 paper liners. Divide the dark chocolate mixture in between the 9 muffins. Using a spoon, smooth their surface as evenly as you can.
    • Then, divide the matcha mixture over and smooth the surface too. You can also add extra chocolate chips on the matcha layer if you want.

    Bake in the oven.

    • In process picture: you can see a muffin pan that has 9 muffin paper tins containing a chocolatey batter mixture.
    • In process picture: you can see 2 hands smoothing the top green layer over a cake batter in a muffin pan.

    Watch how to make them

    Secret to extra fudgy mini matcha brownies

    We all know that the best brownies are the fudgiest! These matcha brownies are moist and soft because:

    • They have lots of chocolate, which, especially when melted, creates a texture super rich and soft.
    • They are baked long enough to be cooked through, but also slightly under baked to keep them moist.
    • Made with white beans, they help keep their texture creamy and soft. And the leading matcha + chocolate flavors make sure you won't even know they are there!
    • Also, they are softer when slightly warm, so make sure to heat them up for a few seconds after storing them.
    Front angle view on a few mini matcha cups that are pilled in a large white bowl that was also first covered with white parchment paper. You can see that the mini cups are layered with a bottom dark chocolate classic brownies then topped with a bright green matcha brownie topping. The cups are also topped with a few chocolate chips. There is a cup of tea in the background.

    Tips when making mini matcha brownies

    • I usually feel like I don't have to, but you can try sifting both the cacao powder and matcha powder before adding them to the batter. This will help avoid clumps (static tends to clumps these fine powders).
    • You will have to stir for about a minute when adding the cacao powder to the batter. The cacao is super dry and you have to work a bit to incorporate it to the batter. You want to avoid any clumps. Because of this, I recommend to first combine the cacao, and only after it is uniform, you can incorporate the chocolate chips and walnuts.
    • Make sure to use regular sized muffin tin (not the mini ones). And make sure to use paper liners so they unmold easily.

    Serving suggestions

    Obviously, these brownies are excellent, just like that. I recommend to warm them up after storing so they get nice and gooey.

    If you are looking for a total treat, then add a scoop of ice cream (over warmed up brownies, so it melts just a little, whoa) and sprinkle extra matcha powder over (use a sifter for better sprinkling effect). I love enjoying them with a cup of warm tea as an afternoon snack too.

    I love to top the matcha layer with a few chocolate chips before baking them, but you can also use other garnishes if you prefer, like shredded coconut, sea salt, nuts, white chocolate, etc.

    Close up on 2 mini matcha brownies that are pilled on top of each other with a bite taken off on the top brownies.

    Storage tips

    Once they are completely cooled down, store them in a air-tight container so they don't dry. You can keep them at room temperature for a day or two, but for longer storage, keep them in the fridge for up to 5-7 days. Don't forget to warm them up a bit before eating for best texture.

    You can also freeze them in a sealed container for up to 3 months.

    Other chocolate recipes you might like

    • Chocolate avocado pudding
    • Strawberry chocolate baked oatmeal
    • Black bean brownies
    • Matcha chocolate oatmeal
    • Strawberry chocolate bars
    • Beet and chocolate muffins
    • Oatmeal chocolate chips cookies
    • Chocolate banana milkshake
    • Vegan blondies
    • Vegan mug brownie
    • Vegan banana brownies

    More matcha recipes

    • No bake matcha coconut balls
    • Matcha chocolate oatmeal
    • Vanilla matcha latte with oat milk
    • Matcha white chocolate cookies
    • Blueberry matcha latte
    • Matcha chai latte

    I hope you enjoy these mini matcha brownies as much as we do! If you try them, please leave a comment below and rate the recipe to let me know how they were. Your feedback is so helpful!

    Let's stay in touch with Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook. Also, don't forget to subscribe to my newsletter to be sure not to miss anything.

    *THANKS TO MY SISTER SONIA WHO HELPED DEVELOP AND TEST THIS RECIPE*

    Front view on 2 mini matcha brownies that are pilled on top of each other. You can nicely see their bottom dark layer and top bright green layer. These 2 brownies are on a white plate and the top mini brownie has a bite taken off. You can see more of them in a bowl in the background. Also in the background, there are 2 cups of tea and a matcha sifter with some powder inside that's on a plate.

    Mini Matcha Brownies with White Beans

    These extra fudgy mini matcha brownies are a perfect combo between the earthiness from the green tea powder and the sweetness from the dark chocolate. They are easy to make, just sweet enough, filled with wholesome ingredients and, what a striking beautiful green color!
    PRINT RECIPE PIN RECIPE
    Prep Time15 mins
    Cook Time19 mins
    Total Time34 mins
    Servings 9 brownies
    Author Jessica Laroche

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 tbsp ground flax seeds - + 2 tbsp water
    • 15.5 oz canned cannelini beans (or navy beans) - drained and rinsed
    • ½ cup maple syrup
    • ⅓ cup coconut oil - hard, room temperature
    • ½ cup flour - I use white whole wheat flour, but all purpose flour works too
    • 1 tsp baking powder
    • 2 tbsp raw cacao powder - cocoa powder works too
    • ½ cup dark chocolate chips - plus more for topping, if desired
    • ½ cup walnut - roughly chopped
    • 2 tsp matcha powder
    • 1 tsp vanilla extract

    Instructions
     

    • Pre-heat the oven to 350º. Cover 9 regular size muffin tins with paper liners.
    • Start by combining the 1 tbsp of flax seed with the 2 tbsp of water in a small bowl and set aside for 5-10 minutes.
    • In a food processor, process the white beans, maple syrup, coconut oil and flax egg together until uniform. Then, add the flour and baking powder and process until just combined (do not over process)
    • Divide the dough in between 2 medium bowls (about 1 cup in each bowl)
    • In one of the bowl, add the cacao powder over the batter and stir until well combined. You want to stir until you see no cacao powder clumps (you can also sift the powder over the batter). Then, add the walnuts and chocolate chips and combine. In the other bowl, add the matcha powder (also sift if you want) and vanilla extract and stir to combine.
    • Divide the chocolate batter in between the 9 muffins in the bottom of the cups. Use a spoon to even their surface as much as you can. Then, top with the matcha batter and also smooth the surface. Add a few extra chocolate chips over the matcha layer, if desired.
    • Cook for 19 minutes, then let the mini brownies cool down for a few minutes in the muffin pan before removing. Enjoy!

    Video

    Notes

    • Choose for a refined coconut oil to avoid a coconut flavor, although both kinds works great.
    • I choose a culinary grade matcha from Jade Leaf to make them.
    • Once cooled down, store the mini brownies in a air-tight container so they don't dry. You can leave them at room temperature for 1-2 days, but then transfer in the fridge. You can also freeze them for up to 3 months.
    • After they were stored, I recommend to slightly warm them up in the microwave, just for a few seconds, so they get nice and gooey.
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    ABOUT JESS


    Profile picture for Plant Based Jess in the kitchen.

    Hi there! I’m Jessica, a pasta obsessed French Canadian now living in beautiful Maine. I’m a mom of two, experienced foodie and ninja meal planner. I believe everyone can make stress-free plant-based meals with wholesome ingredients that your family and friends will love. 

    Join me in my kitchen to discover fun and creative recipes or click to find out more. Welcome!

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