I was planning on giving you a recipe for hummus today, but after making these brownies I knew that I had to share them with you immediately! In fact after I ate half of the pan for dinner, I’m quite certain that these brownies are some of the best I’ve ever had.
I don’t even feel guilty about getting chocolate wasted with these bad boys.
I had heard about black bean brownies before, so I’ve been experimenting for a few weeks with various recipes and came up with this to surprise and delight you.
After baking these, I stood there smiling with chocolate all over my face because I had finally perfected a recipe for fudgy healthy brownies that taste AMAZING. Yeah, okay I know you’re doubting me right now. You might even think I’m super weird (which I totally am).
But can you just trust me on this one?
Seriously I made the brownies 2 hours ago and there’s only one left. It’s taking all of my willpower for that brownie not to say hello to my mouth. I’m still in awe; how can brownies made with black beans and avocado be THIS freaking good?!
I even tricked my Godkids into thinking they were the homemade fudgy, buttery brownies. When I told them they were made with black beans, and avocado, they stared at me and told me I was lying. I just laughed and showed them the empty can of black beans.
Bake these! I promise they’ll surprise you in a very good way.
Alright. I need to devour the last one.
More healthy bar and brownie recipes you’ll love:
Flourless Chocolate Chip Chickpea Blondies {vegan, gluten-free & healthy}
Grain Free Omega-3 Fudgy Walnut Skillet Brownies
Grain Free Hot Cocoa Brownie Bites
Grain Free Tahini Brownies (the best brownies I’ve ever eaten!)
Ambitious Kitchen
Cookbook
125 Ridiculously Good For You, Sometimes Indulgent, and Absolutely Never Boring Recipes for Every Meal of the Day
Black Bean Avocado Chocolate Chip Fudge Brownies {gluten-free & low-fat}
Ingredients
- 1 - 15 oz can of black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 egg
- 2 egg whites
- 1/2 of a large extra ripe avocado
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil
- 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (important to use a VERY good quality powder!)
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/3 cup chocolate chips of choice, plus 2 tablespoons for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 8x8 inch baking pan.
- Place all ingredients besides chocolate chips into blender or food processor. Process or puree until ingredients form a smooth batter. If the batter is WAY too thick and won't process then add in a teaspoon or two of water. This batter needs to be very thick in order to produce fudgy brownies.
- Add in 1/3 cup chocolate chips and fold into batter.
- Pour batter into prepared pan, sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of remaining chocolate chips. You can also fold in nuts or swirl in peanut butter. Bake for 25-35 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out somewhat clean and top of the brownies begin to crack.
- Cool pan completely on wire rack then cut into 12 delicious squares.
The avocado black bean brownies are amazing!!! I ate 3 small ones. Fabulous!!!
So glad you enjoyed!
If I would double the recipe and use a 13 x 9 pan, would that work! Do you think the middle would cook through or how long should I extend the bake time? I’m thinking of using this brownie as the base of an ice cream cake.
Making my second batch this week. Awesome recipe, a keeper in my book! Easy, quick and sooo tasty. I swirled a couple tablespoons of creamy peanut butter on top with choc chips. YUM!!
I have made these for years, and they are always a hit – not to mention a fun surprise for those who can’t believe these ingredients could make an amazing brownie!
So happy to hear that!
OMG! What beans?!? What avocado?!! How is this real?!! One of the most decadent desserts I have ever had. ❤️
Absolutely delicious
Glad you enjoyed!
Hi there! I was scrolling through my “Fav sweet treats” Pinterest folder & this was one of the first ones in there (tried & true). However at the time I wasn’t vegan. I noticed you mentioned to make this egg free we could use 1 flax egg (or was it 2??) and banana; my bananas are pretty green atm. Any other subs? Or could I increase the flax egg? Love these brownies so much! Thank you =).
Glad you love these! I would use two flax eggs. I wouldn’t use a banana if it’s green!
Sad that I wasted so many ingredients for something that tasted nothing like a brownie. Followed the recipe exactly as well. So disappointed.
Sorry to hear that you didn’t like these! A lot of people really enjoy them 🙂 Maybe these brownies would be more your style: https://www.ambitiouskitchen.com/grain-free-tahini-brownies-the-best-brownies-ive-ever-eaten/
So delicious!
Absolutely!
Really good!
Glad you liked them!
For a “healthy” alternative, these black bean & avocado brownies are good!
I’m so glad you enjoyed them!
Made these tonight for preschool treats tomorrow and they are awesome. I doubled the recipe and used two full eggs and one white in the second half of the double (had to make in batches since I don’t have a food processor and had to use my magic bullet instead). I used Hersey cocoa and milk chocolate chips and they were great even though those aren’t considered “high quality”. The brownies turned out fudgey and cakey. I had my dad try one without telling him how they were made and he loved them. I’ve already passed this recipe on to several mom friends!
I’m so glad these were a hit! The sneaky healthiness is such a fun surprise, too 🙂
I have a question, how do I know if I have a “very good quality” cocoa? The one I used today just has one ingredient, cocoa. I don’t think it cost very much though… What am I looking for when buying the right cocoa? Is there a link to buy one online perhaps? I didn’t mind the brownies, they do taste beany and a bit too bitter for my taste though. Thanks
Basically anything other than something like Hershey’s would work well. I like Ghriradelli or Divine Cocoa powder. Unsweetened, of course. Also, if you find them too bitter, try adding a few tablespoons more sweetener.
I have to admit, there are no gluten/dairy allergies in this family, but I know a few people who have them, so I have been stepping outside my box in order to be able to share food with those who do have those allergies. I actually served them tonight and they went over great! I tried this recipe twice, and I have to say, the texture is awesome. The first time the avocado flavor was too strong, but I had to try them again. So (after reading a ton of comments), I used sweet potato, half brown sugar and half honey, and upped the coconut oil to a full tablespoon. I think I might have added some extra chocolate chips – I didn’t really measure. 🙂 They were awesome! I’m going to try them again with even less sugar, leaning more towards a darker chocolate taste, to balance out the sweetness of the chocolate chips. Thanks for sharing! Now I can splurge without feeling too guilty. 😀
Could you give more detail on your changes to the recipe please? I tried them today and am looking to improve them. Did you substitute something with the sweet potato? Also how much did you add? Did you cook the sweet potato first? Thanks!!
Wow! This recipe is absolutely PERFECT! The only two variances for me were: 1) added a tsp. of chocolate chili spice; and 2) used 1/3 cup coconut sugar + 1/3 cup Swerve. Thank you, Monique!
Amazing and so easy. I’m basically lazy so added regular size chocolate chips in the food processor with everything else. Worked like a charm!
Just made these and added half of tbs of cayenne to the batter and some extra chocolate chips for a strange new adaptation of my annual “firework” brownies for the Fourth. The batter was oh so good- can’t wait for the finished result!!!
Can you sub the sugar for pure maple syrup? If so what would the quantity be?
Wow ! Just made the recipe
Very good brownies…and a nice and healthy treat toi.
Definitely a keeper !
I’ve made these brownies 3 times in 2 days and it’s now my favourite recipe! My kids brag to their friends and teacher about how tasty and healthy the brownies are. They taste much better after using 1/2 cup cocoa powder and 3/4 cups brown sugar. On my 2nd try I subsituted black beans with chick peas and they turned out even more fudgy. On my 3rd try I went back to black beans and added 1 small, ripe banana which added moisture and sweetness. This is a very versatile recipe. Try changing it up to your liking! Thank you!!!
Just made them and feeling a bit disappointed. I followed the recipe to a T and although the brownies were moist and had a good texture, they were a tad bitter. It might be because I used dark cocoa powder – I use it in chocolate cake/cupcakes that call for regular cocoa powder and never had issues. I’m willing to give this recipe another try by decreasing the cocoa powder to 1/2 cup and increasing the brown sugar to 3/4 cup.
I made these today and they were amazing! My boyfriend and I loved them! I didn’t change anything, just added some chopped pecans. They weren’t bean-y at all! A while ago we tried a different bean brownie recipe (from someone else) and they weren’t so great so I was a bit skeptical about these but I always trust your recipes Monique!! Both savory and sweet are always so good. By the way, I used Ghirardelli 100% unsweetened cocoa. Using the good stuff really does make a difference!
These are less sweet than traditional brownies, but they hit the spot when I was craving some chocolate!
These are an awesome treat!! I love adding instant coffee too.
Loved the recipe! My mom was making these before, but now that she’s not home, I’m so glad I stumbled across your recipe. I adapted it and subbed the sugar for dates (a healthier option). I love searching for healthy desserts and already love black bean cookies. This was such a delicious recipe, I couldn’t even tell that it was made of black beans 🙂 I posted it on my website, but definitely mentioned you. I look forward to trying out your other recipes!
Thank you!! These were a huge hit in my house! Chocolatey, gooey and delicious. I have 3 very picky boys who would not usually go near a bean or avocado…what an awesome way to get them to eat something healthy! I will be making a double batch of these again tonight…in secret of course.
Mine came out dry and chalky.
I”m sorry to hear that Dawn. Did you follow the recipe exactly? These are one of my most popular and a lot of people really enjoy them!
This is the first healthy substitute recipe that I’d pass off as sinfully bad to naysayers!!! It’ll be hard not to eat the whole dish myself. Seriously, the best brownies I’ve ever made. I used Ghirardelli cocoa and chips (milk chocolate chips). So easy too!
I made these brownies tonight. They were really good. As I was making them, I told my boyfriend to stay out of the kitchen because I didn’t want him to see what they’re made out of (he’s kind of a picky eater). When I served him a piece, he said he was going to need more – he loved it! After I told him what they were made out of, he was really surprised. That didn’t stop him from keeping eating haha. Plus he said it was a bonus for him – more protein! As far as the consistency of my brownies – they were not gooey/fudgy at all. I used a banana instead of an a avocado because three grocery stores did not have a ripe avocado! Added more coconut oil since I didn’t have the oil from the avocado. But still not fudgy. I also used agave instead of sugar – just to make it a tad healthier.
With all that being said – do you know what it is that makes the brownies to have that gooey/fudgy consistency??
All in all, great recipe and thank you for sharing! Will make these from now and on instead of buying the box ones!
Ps: I tried to rate the recipe but it didn’t let me select the stars! I give it 4.5!
I made these last night because I had all the ingredients on hand and these brownies turned out so great!! They are super moist, fudgy, chocolaty, etc.. Just like this post says! However, I did make several alterations to make the recipe vegan. I traded in all of the eggs for ONE flax egg (1tbsp ground flax seed + 2 1/2 tbsp water), I traded in all of the brown sugar for 1/4 cup of agave nectar + 1/4 ripe banana, and I used almond extract instead of vanilla. Everything worked beautifully, and the only change I would make next time would be to lower the amount of extract to 1 tsp and cut the agave nectar back a smidge, just because the brownies actually turned out to be a little too sweet! I didn’t think it was possible! Thanks for the recipe!
I want to try these but I’m curious if you can use regular sugar or honey instead of dark brown sugar?
I made these as muffins for a portion control treat. The first time I made them I grabbed spicy black beans by mistake. If you like Mexican chocolate the mistake works. I prefer the regular.
I must say I have tried a couple bean recipes before only to be had by bad texture and not ever trusted to bake again lol 😉 I will not stop trying to find delicious & healthy sweets so I will be trying these tonight! Thanks for your wonderful blog & recipes!
I went to the cupboard and the can I thought I had of black beans was baked beans. I rinsed them well and used apricot pieces, raw white chocolate, added nutmeg, cinnamon, allergic to cocoa powder so I used carob. These are the most amazing brownies ever. Gluten free and my stomach is happy!!! Thank you. Endless variations.
I made these yesterday and was very happy with how they turned out – and I am saying this as a person who doesn’t normally make GF recipes, I was just looking for a way to use up some overripe avocado, lol! I don’t have a food processor so I used a hand blender, worked well for me. Thanks for the great recipe!
OMG…amazingly as close to a good ole ooey gooey unhealthy brownie as you are going to get without all the ingredients that are bad for you. I could have eaten the whole bowl of raw batter. I enjoyed them both warm and cold. Amazingly shocking how good to the real brownie we all know. Thanks for sharing Monique.
For the non-health food eaters: as healthy chocolate bars, these are good! They are not typical brownies – if I hadn’t expected them to taste like brownies, I think I would have been happier with the final product!
When I make them again, I will purée the beans first (my brownies have little flakes of bean skin in them) and maybe add some coconut or peanut butter. To me, these taste best when paired with something else (e.g. placed under ice cream, topped with peanut butter)
These brownies were actually not good at all, even with following the recipe exactly….between me, my boyfriend, and my roommate, the overall consensus was that these tasted like bland bean paste. They were dry, flat, and had an odd spongy texture. The chocolate chips we put on top made them bearable.
I’m sorry you didn’t care for them. Yes, they aren’t like your average brownie but this happens to be one of my most popular recipes. I guess it may be a matter of taste preference.
Thank you for bringing these into my life! I made them tonight, following the recipe exactly (except I used a whole bag of chocolate chips) and they’re as great as I had hoped and even better than I expected. I have never made these types of substitutions before, but I will likely make more of them. Delicious!!
I subbed Walden farms pancake syrup for honey after realizing I had no honey…turned out fantastic, which is pretty exciting considering it cuts the carbs and sugar down significantly. I have no idea if it’s vegan, and I know some people don’t like the idea of it in general, but it worked great!
These are addicting to say the least! What kind of cocoa powder do you normally use?
I followed the recipe exactly, with the exception that I used a low-quality, store brand cocoa powder. I’m sad to say that the brownies came up quite unappetizing 🙁 Even after adding some more sugar, peanut butter, and chocolate chips, it still just tasted like bean and avocado mush with cocoa on top.
Sorry you didn’t care for it Leesa!
These were awful they had a chalk taste to them! My husband and daughter couldn’t finish one, they didn’t like them at all. Il just stick to Melissa D Arabian black bean brownies which taste exactly like brownies
Oh no, so sorry to hear that Kristen. You can try using less cocoa powder next time (1/2 cup is fine).
First off, whatever you are doing, stop immediately AND MAKE THESE RIGHT NOW! YES, NOW! GO!!! I made these last night and they were off the charts amazing!! I used 1/2 cup hershey’s special dark cocoa powder, plus 1/2 cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips instead of what the recipe mentions (mainly because I was afraid they would be too bitter), and they were fantastic. My mom watched me make them and then was convinced I “switched them out” when she wasn’t looking. The real test will be when my boyfriend tries them out later today, as he is super picky and religiously says to me “can’t you make things with normal ingredients?!?” Lol, No, I can’t. Anyways, trust Monique on this one and MAKE THEM TODAY!!!
I was very hesitant when I read beans and avocado, I was like no way! Anyways, I tried these and they were very good the texture and all. The only thing is that they are extremely bitter. I’ve noticed in your other brownie recipes others commenting on the same thing when using Hershey’s cocoa powder, which is what I used. It reminds me of very dark chocolate probably 100%. I’m very disappointed in the bitterness because aside from that they are so good! I will probably try again, with either half the amount of chocolate or changing the cocoa brand. Thank you for the recipe!
Can you make these as cupcakes?
Amazing, my hubby devoured them! Try adding 1 tablespoon of instant coffee,it intesifies the chocolate flavor. I also cut the amount of sugar in half and used organic coconut sugar( looks and taste like brown sugar.