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    Home » Recipe Index » Dessert

    Vegan Black Bean Brownies

    Published: Jun 20, 2020 · Modified: Mar 4, 2023 by Jessica

    JUMP TO RECIPE PIN SHARE

    These vegan black bean brownies are SO delicious you won't believe what's hiding in there. Packed with canned black bean, raw oats and sweetened with medjool dates, these flourless and gluten-free fudgy brownies are to be enjoyed without any guilt!

    Close up on a vegan black bean brownies that was just sliced into squares. There is a small white plate with 2 pieces of brownies.

    Sneaking healthy black bean in brownies is not what you would think of doing when you feel like a sweet treat.

    But, oh boy. These gooey, soft and extra chocolatey brownies are so good while being very nourishing. We cannot get enough of them.

    What's to love about these vegan black bean brownies?

    • Gluten-free, dairy-free, free of refined sugar and low in fat.
    • Perfect healthier alternative to the classic brownies.
    • Super easy to make!
    • Freezer friendly. Make more and hide them in your freezer for later.
    There are 2 squares of vegan black bean brownies on a small white plate with more brownies in the back, a coffee mug, a fork and a white and blue hand towel.

    What makes these vegan black bean brownies healthier?

    There is a whole can of black beans in these brownies! They help to reach the perfect texture when making dense and chewy brownies on top of providing essential protein, fiber and vitamins. And just like in these white bean matcha brownies, you won't taste the beans at all!

    There is no flour in these brownies, but instead lots of oats. The oats are crushed in a food processor, so in this case too, you won't realize they are hiding in there. They provide even more fiber and precious nutrients.

    And what makes these brownies even more delicious are the Medjool dates that provide the sweet flavor. They are also sticky, which helps hold the brownies together.

    There are a few small bowls containing raw oats, cacao powder, chocolate chips, salt, baking powder, dates, coconut oil, a can of black beans and chia seeds.

    Cacao vs cocoa?

    The deep chocolate flavor comes from the raw cacao powder. You can easily find it in any regular grocery stores. Try and look for cacao powder instead of cocoa powder. If not available in stores, you can also buy it online. I love the raw cacao powder from Navitas.

    Why choose cacao powder? Both comes from the cacao bean (seed) and are usually used to prepare chocolate products, but their health benefits are what sets them apart:

    - CACAO is the unprocessed version. This means that the beans are cracked out of their shells, ground and packaged. Its mostly used for vegan and unprocessed chocolate product. It contains a big load of antioxidants and is therefore the healthiest option.

    - COCOA is the processed version. The beans are removed from their shells, but then brought to a factory where the beans are roasted in high heat and processed, then ground into cocoa powder. The manipulation of the beans makes cocoa a less healthy option since lots of its health benefit (antioxidants) have been lost in the process.

    Close up on a vegan black bean brownies that was just sliced into squares.
    Close up on a piece of vegan brownies that's covered with some homemade peanut butter frosting. There is a silver knife covered with more frosting on the side and more brownies in the background.
    These brownies are amazing topped with a healthy peanut butter frosting

    How to make these vegan black bean brownies?

    1. Boil the dates in water for 5-10 minutes uncovered to soften them. Then, mash them to make a moist paste consistency. If the water evaporated too much, then add a tbsp or two to help mashing (see picture and video for the texture you are looking for).
    2. Add the mashed dates and the other ingredients (except for the chocolate chips) to a food processor and combine to form a uniform smooth dough.
    3. Add the chocolate chips to the food processor and pulse a few times just to incorporate them while keeping them mostly intact.
    4. Transfer the dough to a 8 x 8' or 9 x 9' square baking dish, sprinkle a few more chocolate chips on top, gently press on them and bake.
    Close up on a small sauce pan containing a paste made with dates and water.
    Showing inside a food processor containing black beans, coconut oil, cacao powder, chia seeds and a date paste.
    Showing inside a food processor containing a creamy chocolate mixture.
    Showing inside a food processor containing a creamy chocolate mixture and topped with chocolate chips.

    Watch how to make them

    YouTube video

    Variation to the recipe

    Instead of adding extra chocolate chips on top before baking, try adding any nuts, shredded coconut or peanut butter chips. These brownies are especially delicious with walnuts for an added crunch.

    Serving suggestion

    These brownies are also delicious eaten cold, which makes for a perfect dessert to make ahead and great for meal-prep.

    They are even better when served with a generous scoop of vegan ice cream, whipped cream and a glass of milk (try pairing with strawberry almond milk or chocolate cashew milk!). Also, topped with a date caramel, tahini caramel sauce or drizzled with melted chocolate. I also like them with a sprinkle of flake sea salt.

    But, the ultimate best way to serve them is by generously spreading a healthy peanut butter frosting over (see below). This frosting is made using only 4 ingredients and makes for a nourishing & healthier frosting recipe. I also love them with a simple vegan dark chocolate frosting.

    There are 2 vegan brownie squares on a white plate with one of them topped with a peanut butter frosting. There are more brownies as well as frosting on the side and a polka dots hand towel on the side.
    Close up on a vegan black bean brownies that was just sliced into squares.

    Storage

    These brownies can be stored in a air-tight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

    They also freeze beautifully. Just be sure to cut them before storing in the freezer so you can grab individual portions at the time.

    Close up on 2 squares of vegan black bean brownies on top of each other with a hand grabbing the top one.

    More chocolate recipes you might like

    • Chocolate banana milkshake
    • 3 ingredient chocolate pudding
    • Kiwi Chia Pudding
    • Cashew chocolate milk
    • Strawberry and chocolate baked oatmeal
    • Vegan blondies
    • Vegan pumpkin brownies
    • Vegan mug brownie
    • Vegan banana brownies

    I hope you will love these vegan brownies as much as we do! If you try them, please leave a comment below and rate the recipe to let me know how it was.

    Stay in touch with Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest and sign up for my Newsletter to be sure not to miss anything!

    📖 Recipe

    There are 2 squares of vegan black bean brownies on a small white plate with more brownies in the back, a coffee mug, a fork and a white and blue hand towel.

    Vegan Black Bean Brownies

    5 from 5 votes
    These deliciously rich vegan brownies are made out of black beans, oats and dates. They make for a perfect healthy alternative to the classic brownies. It's easy to make, so chocolaty and you won't even notice how good they are for you!
    PRINT RECIPE PIN RECIPE
    Prep Time15 minutes mins
    Cook Time30 minutes mins
    Total Time45 minutes mins
    Servings 16 squares
    Author Jessica Laroche

    Equipment

    • Food processor

    Ingredients
      

    • 10 large Medjool dates - pitted
    • 15 oz canned black beans - rinsed and drained very well
    • 1 cup rolled oats
    • ¼ cup raw cacao powder + 2 tbsp
    • 3 tbsp coconut oil
    • 2 tbsp chia seeds
    • ¼ tsp pinch of salt
    • 1 tsp baking powder
    • ¾ cup vegan dark chocolate chips - plus more for topping

    Instructions
     

    • Pre-heat the oven at 325°. Line an 8 x 8 or 9 x 9 baking dish with parchment paper.
    • In a small sauce pot, combine the medjool dates with 1 cup of water and bring to a boil. Keep on boiling for about 7 minutes, uncovered, then mash the dates to form a paste. You want to remove from the heat and mash the dates when there is just a little water at the bottom of the sauce pot so you can create a moist creamy date mixture (see picture in the blog).
    • In a food processor, combine the date paste, drained black beans, oats, cacao powder, coconut oil, chia seeds, baking powder and salt. Process until smooth.
    • Then, add the chocolate chips and pulse a few times, just to incorporate them, but trying to keep some chocolate intact.
    • Transfer the brownie batter to the prepared baking dish, press gently with a spoon to even the dough and sprinkle with a few extra chocolate chips pressing with your hands to sink them in the dough slightly.
    • Cook uncovered in the oven for 30 minutes. Let sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes before cutting in squares (cut in 9 or 16 squares).

    Video

    YouTube video

    Notes

    • Store the brownies in the fridge for up to 5 days or up to 3 months in the freezer (cut in squares before freezing for easy single portion sweet treats).
    • Nutrition: please note that the nutritional information is an estimate per serving provided for informational purposes only (calculated by software) and accuracy is not guaranteed. Consult with your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian if you need precise nutrition calculations for health reasons.

    NUTRITION

    Calories: 160kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Trans Fat: 0.002g | Sodium: 130mg | Potassium: 231mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 24IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 58mg | Iron: 2mg
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Joanie says

      May 15, 2024 at 9:21 pm

      5 stars
      Merci pour la recette, Jess! C'est délicieux et vu que c'est santé, j'ai décidé que c'était adéquat pour déjeuner...ou à toutes heures de la journée!

      Reply
      • Jessica says

        May 16, 2024 at 10:04 am

        Allo Joanie!!! ❤️ Je suis contente que tu l'aime! Merci pour ton commentaire!! 😊

        Reply
    2. Linda says

      July 24, 2020 at 9:30 am

      5 stars
      I made these for a small party with some friends and they were such a hit! I love that they are moist and chewy just the way a brownie should be - I couldn't taste the black beans at all but knowing they were there made me feel so much better knowing I was enjoying a healthy treat. My friends loved these too and I directed them to your blog! The peanut butter frosting was so good. Thanks for another great recipe Jessica!

      Reply
      • plantbasedjess says

        July 24, 2020 at 9:27 pm

        I'm happy they were a hit Linda! Thanks for your message!

        Reply
    3. Nancy says

      July 05, 2020 at 8:50 am

      5 stars
      These are soooo good. I couldn't believe how creamy the frosting is and it didn't take much stirring. They are easy to make too!

      Reply
      • plantbasedjess says

        July 05, 2020 at 8:54 am

        I love how easy they are to make too! I'm happy you loved them, thanks for your comment!

        Reply
    4. Sonia says

      June 28, 2020 at 7:02 pm

      5 stars
      Délicieux !!
      Pas capable de finir de le couper sans avoir des vautours qui me volent des morceaux 🙂

      Reply
      • plantbasedjess says

        June 30, 2020 at 1:33 am

        oh wow! Je suis contente que ce soit un succès!

        Reply
        • Jill says

          July 14, 2020 at 9:10 pm

          5 stars
          I love these Jess! Linda made them but I helped by eating some. I’m good like that. Your recipes are an inspiration. xo

          Reply
          • plantbasedjess says

            July 14, 2020 at 9:16 pm

            Oh great Jill! I'm glad you loved them!! 🙂

            Reply

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    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. 

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