Fudgy Black Bean Brownies
These brownies are fudgy, decadent and soooo good for you! Seriously. All you need is a blender and 5 ingredients to get these on your plate. You’re going to be baking them on repeat, trust me.
Flavor Notes
Dark Chocolate | Caramel | Fudge
Pairing Suggestions
Messy Bun | Fresh Fruit | Rainy Days
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Why you’ll love these brownies
This is the wholesome, nourishing brownie recipe you didn’t know you needed. I’m always looking for ways to make my favorite recipes healthier. Healthier – in this case – means both nutrient-packed and low in calories. I want to eat three brownies and not feel guilty for a second. And guys, I think I found the perfect hack. For this recipe, we’re relying on two humble superfoods. Black beans and dates are naturally low-fat, fiber rich ingredients and they’re bringing all the volume to the batter.
Ingredients for Fudgy Black Bean Brownies
Black beans: we’re using the whole can of no-salt-added black beans. Yes – that means the liquids, too! The liquids will function similarly to aquafaba from canned chickpeas.
Medjool dates: usually you only need to soak your dates if they’re dry and un-squishable. For this recipe, we actually reserve some of the soaking water in the brownie batter, so the soaking step shouldn’t be skipped! The dates do need to be medjool, though, don’t substitute another variety. Medjool dates are where the caramel-like sweetness comes from, plus they add a significant amount of fiber to bulk up the recipe! Here is a link to one of my favorite brands for soft, delicious medjool dates!
Cocoa powder: I use natural, unprocessed cocoa powder for this recipe. Dutch-processed cocoa powder is less acidic, which means the baking soda will have nothing to react with while baking. Use natural unsweetened cocoa powder or raw cacao powder for the best results.
Baking soda: we need to lift this sticky batter somehow!
Flax seeds: freshly ground is best for optimizing their super omega-3 rich nutrient profile. No need create the traditional flax “egg” in this recipe, just toss the ground seeds directly into the blender along with a bit of the date soaking water.
Water: to thin out the dough if it’s too thick. Bonus points for repurposing the water you used to soak the dates!
Chocolate chips: these are optional but highly recommended! I love Trader Joe’s 72% dark chocolate chunks. For me, they’re just the right size and sweetness, plus they’re secretly vegan!
Steps to Make These Brownies
Step 1: soak the dates
Step 2: add all ingredients to the blender
Step 3: spread into a lined baking pan
Step 4: bake at 350
Step 5: cool, slice, and enjoy!
I only recently became a brownie fan. Growing up, I had brownies at least once a year, and I was disappointed every. single. time. They taste like play-dough! That’s the honest review I always gave. I loved chocolate and hated brownies. It didn’t make sense for the longest time.
Now that I’m older and know better, I have come to realize that I absolutely love brownies – if they’re made from scratch. I must have only ever tried the box mix brownies as a kid. These days, I can call out a box mix brownie almost immediately. Whenever I see recipes trying to recreate box mix brownies, I gawk – why recreate something so icky? It may take more time to go homemade, but there’s a huge flavor and texture payoff. In the end, homemade is exactly how brownies are supposed to be made – with a lot of love, fresh ingredients, and, of course, with a big, beautiful mess.
Expert Tips
- Smooth Batter – use a food processor rather than a blender for the best results. In a pinch, a blender will work, but it will require much more patience on your end 🙂
- Crackled Tops – smoothing out the tops is key here. You only get the iconic crackle-topped look by starting with an even top layer. Use a spatula to make the tops as smooth and even as possible.
- Freshly ground flax – this is moreso for optimizing the nutrition benefits than for any technical baking reason. Fresh ground flax will have more bioavailable nutrients than flax that was ground and stored for a long time.
- Storage – these brownies keep well in the fridge. Make them last as long as possible by covering refrigerating for up to a week.
FAQ
Fudgy Black Bean Brownies
Ingredients
- 1 can black beans, no salt added
- 16 medjool dates (soaked in warm water)
- ⅓ cup cocoa powder, unsweetened
- 1 TBSP flax seeds, ground
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2-3 TBSP water (leftover from soaking dates)
Instructions
- Soak the dates in warm water while you start on the next two steps.
- Preheat the oven to 350
- Use parchment paper to line a 8 x 8 baking dish. No need to grease the dish.
- Into a food processor or blender, add the black beans (do not rinse!) and soaked, dried dates. Blend until a smooth batter forms, pausing to scrape down the sides as needed.
- To the same food processor, add the cocoa powder, baking soda, flax seeds, and water. Blend to combine, about 30-60 seconds.
- Spread the brownie batter into an even layer on the baking dish. Smooth the top with a spatula or knife.
- Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. The tops will start to crackle towards the end. The key is not to overbake, otherwise you’ll be left with dry, crumbly tops!
- Let cool in the pan, then transfer to the fridge to cool completely before slicing.
- Optional: dust with cocoa powder for garnish
Notes
Nutrition Profile
