I’m all about easy, yummy recipes with extra nutrition, and these brownie bites totally fill the bill. I’ve made them a few times recently with my girls and they love pressing the button on the food processor and covering the kitchen with sprinkles. They think it’s so interesting that we can add beans to brownies and can’t really taste them. Though full disclosure: My girls love black beans in almost any form, so they may be predisposed to loving these! You can use canned beans or beans that you’ve cooked from scratch. When mixed with a few other pantry staples, you get an easy dessert or snack that stores so well. I am partial to storing healthy brownies in the fridge so they are super-duper cold. And I like to use a mini muffin pan, rather than a baking pan, to make bite-size brownies. They’re fun and bake up quickly. (You may also like Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins, No-Bake Snacks, Baby Cookies, and Salmon Bites.)
Ingredients You Need
To make this easy black bean brownie recipe, you’ll need the following ingredients on hand. Most can be stored in the pantry so you can keep them on hand to make this whenever the mood strikes. Sign up for our email updates to get tips and ideas sent to your inbox.
Coconut oil: I usually use coconut oil (refined or unrefined both work) and it’s an easy dairy-free option, or you can use melted unsalted butter. Chocolate chips: I use semi-sweet, but dark chocolate chips would also work. Having these in the mix helps to balance the black bean flavor. Maple syrup: Pure maple syrup is my sweetener of choice in this recipe, though you can also trade in honey if you prefer for kids over age 1 or agave nectar. Vanilla extract: This adds flavor and balances out the cocoa powder for that classic brownie flavor you expect. Black beans: If you use canned black beans, rinse and drain them before adding them to the recipe. This will remove the liquid from the can (which sometimes includes salt.) Cocoa powder: I typically use Hershey’s Special Dark or SACO brand cocoa powder as I like their flavor. Baking powder: A little baking powder helps the brownie recipe rise just enough. Whole wheat flour
TIP: To make these gluten-free, use cup for cup gluten-free flour. If you can’t find flour, you can use oat flour.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Here’s a look at the simple process involved in making these black bean brownies so you know what to expect. Scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full recipe. TIP: Sprinkles are optional but my kids love them!
What’s the texture of these healthy brownies like?
These are fudgy and moist rather than cakey. They hold together well even though they don’t have eggs! (And no, you totally can’t taste the beans.) We love them so much when served cold straight out of the fridge.
How to Store
I like to store these black bean brownies in the fridge and we prefer to eat them cold. Store in an airtight container or bag in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can freeze in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Let cool fully first. To thaw, place in the fridge overnight or thaw at room temperature.
Best Tips for Success
These black bean brownies are not crazy sweet, so stir in an extra ¼ cup chocolate chips before baking if desired. Sprinkles are optional but recommended. To make these gluten-free, use cup for cup gluten-free flour. You can use canned black beans, just drain them and rinse them first, or beans that you cook at home from dry. The batter is fairly thick, so press it down a little when you portion out the batter into the muffin tin. Let cool fully before eating if you can.
Please comment below if you try the recipe, as I’d love to hear your feedback!
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Healthy Chocolate Cake
Favorite Chocolate Balls (No-Bake)
This post was first published April 2020.
