These Vegan Black Bean Brownies are seriously fudgy, rich and indulgent and are the best secretly healthy dessert - you definitely won't notice the black beans! They're packed full of protein and fibre and are perfect for satisfying sweet cravings. They're super easy to make, requiring just one bowl (food processor) to make and are ready in 30 minutes! They're also gluten-free, grain-free, oil-free, refined sugar free and date-sweetened.
How to make this recipe
Scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full recipe.
- Place the black beans, soaked and drained dates, cocoa powder, almond butter, salt and plant-based milk in a food processor or blender.
- Once you've whizzed that all up until it's completely smooth, add the ground almonds (almond meal) and baking powder.
- And blend again briefly to combine.
- Transfer the batter to a square baking tin.
Tip: Line the tin with greased baking paper to make it easier to remove the brownies after.
- Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes - be very careful not to over-bake them!
- Leave to cool slightly before cutting into squares!
Substitutions you can make
- You can use any type of nut or seed butter - almond butter, peanut butter, cashew butter, sunflower seed butter, tahini etc.
- You can use any type of plant-based milk - almond milk, cashew milk, soy milk, rice milk, oat milk etc.
- You can replace the ground almonds with ground hazelnuts or ground walnuts.
How long do these Black Bean Brownies keep for?
These Black Bean Brownies keep covered in the fridge for up to a few days - the taste or texture remains unchanged which means they're great for meal prep and making ahead for entertaining.
More vegan chocolate recipes
- Chocolate Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches (also made with black beans!)
- Mississippi Mud Pie
- Chocolate Truffle Cake
- Chocolate Baked Donuts
- Chocolate Truffles
- Avocado Brownies
- Beetroot Brownies
If you try out this recipe or anything else from my blog, I'd really love to hear any feedback! Please give it a rating, leave a comment, or tag a photo @rhiansrecipes #rhiansrecipes on Instagram! Thank you.
Watch how to make this recipe
Vegan Black Bean Brownies (Gluten-Free)
Ingredients
- 170 g (¾ cup) pitted dates soaked overnight in cold water or 10 minutes in boiling water
- 400 g (14 oz) tin of black beans , drained and rinsed
- 35 g (⅓ cup) cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons smooth almond butter (or sub peanut butter)
- 175 ml (¾ cup) unsweetened almond milk (or sub any other plant-based milk)
- Pinch salt to taste
- 135 g (1 ⅓ cup) ground almonds (almond meal) (or sub ground hazelnuts or walnuts)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder (ensure gluten-free if necessary)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit).
- Drain away the water from the soaked dates and all to a food processor or blender with the black beans, cocoa powder, almond butter, almond milk and salt.
- Blend until completely smooth, mixing it around a couple of times if necessary.
- And the ground almonds and baking powder and blend briefly just to combine.
- Transfer the mixture into a square or rectangular baking tin lined with greased baking paper - I used a 23cm/9inch square baking tin.
- Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes. They should be slightly cracked at the top and slightly firm inside but still quite gooey - be careful not to overcook!
- Leave to cool before cutting into squares.
- Keeps covered in the fridge for up to a few days.
Video
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Montse Sarrión
Hi!
I'm just wondering, why did you put baking powder and bicarbonate if there is not any flour in the dough, nothing is going to raise, do I'm wrong?
Thank you.
Rhian Williams
Hi! The baking powder and bicarbonate help to keep the mixture light and it will rise slightly whilst baking. However as there is no flour involved, the recipe will still work if you omit these. Hope that helps!
Suzanne
Can the dates be substituted by monk fruit or erythritol? Thanks.
Rhian Williams
Really sorry I haven’t ever cooked with either...would love to hear how you get on if you try anything though. Thank you!
Leslie LaCava
I notice that many of your recipes are in metric measurements. But then they also contain some American measurements. Is it possible that you can publish a conversion chart or begin to include both measurements in one recipe?
Rhian Williams
Hi - you can switch between US and metric measurements if you click the buttons at the bottom of the ingredients list that let you switch between the two. I'm currently going through and updating all my recipes so that readers can switch between metric and US measurements using the buttons rather than having them both on one row. Hope that helps and sorry it was unclear!
Moby
Some of the moistest vegan brownies I have ever made!
Rhian Williams
Thank you so much!
ROKENIA WELLS
Hey ..I made these the other day and they were amazing. My son who isn't gluten free nor vegan loved it also. Keep the recipes coming.
Rhian Williams
Aw yay thank you so much, so happy to hear that!