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To make black bean brownies, blend one drained 15-ounce can of black beans with 3 eggs, ⅓ cup of oil and vanilla until completely smooth, then blend in ¾ cup of sugar, ½ cup of unsweetened cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Stir in chocolate chips, spread the batter in a lined 8-inch pan and bake at 350°F for 28 to 32 minutes. There is no flour at all: the beans give the brownies their body.
The trick is in the blender, not the oven: well-dried beans, processed long enough, disappear into a dense, fudgy chocolate square. Below are the recipe, a flax egg version, gluten-free tips and fixes for gummy batches.
Do black bean brownies taste like beans?
Not when they are made well. Black beans are mild and soft, so once blended smooth they act like flour rather than a vegetable. A bean taste comes from three things: unrinsed beans, a short blend that leaves bits of skin, or too little sugar and cocoa. This recipe uses a full ½ cup of cocoa, dessert-level sugar, espresso powder and salt, which all push the chocolate forward.
What do you need for black bean brownies?
Makes: 16 brownies (8-inch square pan) · Prep: 15 minutes · Bake: 30 minutes · Cool and chill: 1½ hours
- 1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained (about 1½ cups, 250 g)
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) neutral oil or melted coconut oil
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated or light brown sugar
- ½ cup (43 g) unsweetened cocoa or cacao powder
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder (optional)
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
- ½ cup (85 g) semisweet chocolate chips, divided
For the flax egg version
- 3 tablespoons (21 g) ground flaxseed
- 9 tablespoons (135 ml) water
How do you make black bean brownies?
- Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8-inch square pan with parchment, leaving an overhang on two sides, and grease it lightly.
- Rinse the beans in a colander until the water runs clear, drain well, then pat them dry with a clean kitchen towel.
- Put the beans, eggs, oil and vanilla in a food processor and blend for 2 full minutes, scraping the bowl once, until no bean skins are visible.
- Add the sugar, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking powder and salt. Blend 1 minute more, until the batter is glossy and thick, like pudding.
- Stir in about ⅓ cup of the chocolate chips by hand. Spread the batter in the pan and scatter the rest of the chips on top.
- Bake 28 to 32 minutes, until the top looks dry, the edges pull away slightly and a toothpick in the center shows moist crumbs but no wet batter.
- Cool in the pan on a rack for at least 1 hour, then chill 30 minutes. Lift out with the parchment and cut into 16 squares.
Be patient with the cooling: warm black bean brownies are sticky in the middle and firm up into a clean, fudgy slice as they cool.
How do you get fudgy black bean brownies?
Fudgy texture comes from low moisture, a smooth batter and a short bake. Pat the beans dry, because the liquid clinging to rinsed beans is enough to make the center gummy. Blend longer than feels necessary; a food processor needs about 2 minutes to break down every skin. A blender works too if you add the eggs and oil first and stop to scrape often. Pull the pan when the center no longer jiggles: a toothpick never comes out perfectly clean from these, and waiting for one dries the edges.
If you like a chewier, more cake-like square, swap ½ cup of the beans for ½ cup (45 g) of oat flour. For a classic flour-based version, see our cocoa powder brownies recipe, and for a holiday tray, try Christmas brownies.
Can you make black bean brownies without eggs?
Yes, with flax eggs. Stir the ground flaxseed into the water, let it sit 10 minutes until gel-like, and use it in place of the 3 eggs in step 3. Flax brownies are softer, so bake them 3 to 5 minutes longer and chill at least 1 hour before cutting. With dairy-free chocolate chips, the recipe is fully plant-based; cocoa itself is a single plant ingredient, as covered in is cocoa powder vegan.
Are black bean brownies gluten-free?
This recipe uses no wheat flour, and beans, eggs, oil, sugar and plain cocoa contain no gluten ingredients. If you bake for someone who avoids gluten strictly, choose chocolate chips, baking powder and espresso powder labeled gluten-free. For the oat flour variation, buy oats labeled gluten-free, because regular oats are often processed alongside wheat. Our guide on whether cocoa powder is gluten-free explains what to look for on a cocoa label.
Which cocoa powder is best for black bean brownies?
Both natural and Dutch-process cocoa work here, because the recipe rises with baking powder, which carries its own acid. Dutch-process cocoa gives a darker, mellower brownie; natural cocoa tastes brighter and more intensely chocolate, which helps cover the earthiness of the beans. Compare the two in natural cocoa powder and Dutch-process cocoa powder.
Grevista is a natural, non-alkalized, unsweetened cocoa made from single-origin Vietnamese Trinitario cacao grown in Đắk Lắk without synthetic pesticides or chemical fertilizers. Its fruity, deep chocolate flavor is a good match for a flourless brownie where cocoa carries the whole dessert. See sizes on the Grevista cocoa powder page.
Why are my black bean brownies gummy, dry or beany?
| Problem | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Gummy center | Wet beans or cut too warm | Pat beans dry; cool 1 hour, chill 30 minutes |
| Beany taste | Short blend or too little sugar | Blend 2 to 3 minutes; keep the full sugar and salt |
| Grainy texture | Bean skins left whole | Scrape the bowl and blend again |
| Dry, crumbly edges | Overbaked | Pull when the center stops jiggling |
| Sunken middle | Underbaked or old baking powder | Bake the full time; use fresh baking powder |
| Flat chocolate flavor | Mild cocoa, no salt | Use a full-flavored cocoa and the espresso |
How do you store black bean brownies?
Keep them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days; they are moist and contain eggs, and they taste extra fudgy cold. To freeze, wrap the squares individually for up to 3 months, then thaw 30 minutes at room temperature.
For a classic fudgy brownie with a glossy topping and sprinkles, see our cosmic brownies.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use home-cooked black beans?
Yes. Use 1½ cups (250 g) of cooked, unsalted beans, drained very well and cooled. Add an extra pinch of salt, since canned beans are usually salted.
How much fiber is in a black bean brownie?
Cooked black beans have about 8.7 grams of fiber per 100 grams, based on USDA values, so the 250 grams of beans in this pan add about 1.4 grams of fiber to each of the 16 squares, plus a little more from the cocoa.
Can I use less sugar?
You can go down to ½ cup (100 g). Below that, the brownies taste less like dessert and the bean flavor becomes easier to notice.
Can I double the recipe?
Yes. Bake a double batch in a 9 x 13-inch pan for 35 to 40 minutes, blending it in two rounds if your food processor is small.
Can I make black bean brownies with cacao powder?
Yes. In the U.S., unsweetened cacao powder and unsweetened cocoa powder are usually the same product sold under two names, so swap them 1:1. Keep the rest of the recipe as written; natural cacao gives these brownies a slightly lighter color and a fruitier chocolate note. More in cacao vs cocoa powder.
Sources
- USDA FoodData Central, Beans, black, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt (FDC ID 173735; 8.7 g fiber per 100 g, 1 cup = 172 g), checked October 29, 2026.
- University of Wisconsin–Madison Extension, La Crosse County, Black Bean Brownie Recipe (2020).
- King Arthur Baking, Dutch-process vs. natural cocoa (2020).
Written by the Grevista Editorial Team. Last updated November 8, 2026. How we check facts: Editorial Policy.
Chickpeas work in a chocolate snack, too: our chocolate hummus blends them with cocoa powder, maple syrup and tahini into a sweet dip for strawberries.