A little update from me: I haven’t been able to give the blog the love it deserves. You may have noticed that I’ve been taking time off from doing my Friday Favorites because we’re launching a new healthy living website that’s been taking up most of my time. To top it all off I’ve been testing cookies for 4 days straight in preparation for an upcoming cookie week. YOU GUYS ARE GONNA FREAKING LOVE IT.
Before that happens though, we really need to discuss my new and improved dairy free and gluten free black bean brownies made with AVOCADO instead of butter, coconut sugar and a tiny bit of coconut oil.
Do any of you remember these bad boys? They are originally from the 2012 days of blogging when I told you I got “chocolate wasted” on them. Literally almost ate the entire pan in one night with my two Godkids. They were good then and they’re damn good now.
I wanted to bring you an updated version with a few simple small changes that take the brownies to the next level wholesome chocolate goodness. I used eggs with the yolk, a little extra coconut oil, less sugar and just a tiny bit less cocoa powder. The brownies are FREAKING FABULOUS.
There’s also an option to make these more cakey by adding an additional egg!
I hope you love these healthier black bean brownies. They’re a staple in my diet & packed with nutrition.
More flourless desserts to try:
Flourless Chocolate Chip Chickpea Blondies {vegan, gluten-free & healthy}
Healthier Flourless Monster Cookies
Flourless Paleo Chocolate Almond Butter Cookies
Flourless Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Grain Free Omega-3 Fudgy Walnut Skillet Brownies
If you make this recipe, be sure to leave a comment below and rate the recipe! You can also snap and picture and post it on Instagram using the hashtag #ambitiouskitchen. And of course be sure to follow Ambitious Kitchen on Instagram. xo!
Ambitious Kitchen
Cookbook
125 Ridiculously Good For You, Sometimes Indulgent, and Absolutely Never Boring Recipes for Every Meal of the Day
Healthy Avocado Black Bean Brownies + video!
Ingredients
- 1 (15 oz) can of black beans, rinsed and drained
- 2 eggs or flax eggs (add an additional egg if you like cakier brownies!)
- 1/2 of a large ripe avocado
- 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder plus 1 tablespoon
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup coconut sugar or sub brown sugar (or sub 1/2 cup pure maple syrup)
- 1/3 cup chocolate chips + 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 large brownies!
Recipe Notes
To make brownies more cake-like: Use 3 eggs instead of 2.
Nutrition
Recipe by: Monique Volz // Ambitious Kitchen | Photography by Sarah Fennel
Adapted from my original black bean brownie recipe.
i’ve been meaning to mess around with using avocado in my baking; it’s so creamy that i can only see good things happening! and love that you give different egg options for cakey/fudgy brownies (:
Those look so FUDGY!!!!!!!! Why don’t I bake with avacodo? I want those really badly in front of me! Awesome that they are gluten free. By the way, I love your recipes!
These are absolutely incredible looking!! Any way to incorporate regular chocolate into my life is OK with me :)!
Probably my favorite recipe of yours, hands down!! So freaking excited for The Healthy Glow to launch! 🙂
These look so fudgy! A brownie with no guilt? Gonna get on it next week
I made them last week and used three eggs…..ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS!! I was wondering if I can substitute honey for the brown sugar?
Did you try it with honey? Wondeirng the same.
Excellent, hope you love them.
Can I just say that for healthy brownies, these look ammaazzing! I have been wanting to try black bean brownies forever but been hesitant… But these totally make want to try it
What can I replace eggs with?
I’ve made both black bean brownies and avocado brownies, but neither has really hit the mark. Maybe I just needed to combine them! These look absolutely incredible…I will definitely be trying them soon 🙂
Avocado Brownies are good….I substitute stevia for sugar for a diabetes friendly dessert.
How much stevia per this recipe?
I made these for a Christmas party and everyone loved them. People were blown away when I told them it was made with beans and avocado!
I’ve been making black bean brownies for a few years now…I’m allergic to chocolate, just use carob instead.
Thanks for this recipe that adds avocado…will try next time. I just made my recipe today so need to wait until next baking time. I use sunflower seeds as my topping. I also use baking cups so no cutting. Just pack and store.
Freaking Fabulous? Absolutely!!!! I made them last week and my family ate them in a matter of minutes. I’m making a double batch next time
Just made these and was shocked that I could barely tell there were black beans in there (or avocado for that matter)! Such a good healthy version of one of my favorite desserts. Thanks for the awesome recipe–can’t wait to try some of your dinner recipes!
Thanks for this recipe, it has become a regular (like a few others from this site!). I make it two batches at a time, cut and freeze for a easy, healthy and peanut free lunch box treat for my kids. I haven’t actually eaten one of the frozen and thawed brownies, but the kids request this snack and it always gets eaten. Black beans and avocados for the lunch box WIN.
Can you replace the egg with egg white or egg beaters? or would that change the texture?
SO difficult to do with a blender! This would have been impossible with all the ingredients at once. I recommend blending the beans as much as possible first with the avacado and oil, then adding eggs which will make it easier to blend . Mix the dry ingredients separately then add the blended mixture to the bowl and hand mix until all blended together. I could really taste the black beans in the batter so we’ll see what happens after baking!
the black beans is much more subtle after baking and my husband had no idea!
Use a food processor.
SO difficult to do with a blender! This would have been impossible with all the ingredients at once. I recommend blending the beans as much as possible first with the avacado and oil, then adding eggs which will make it easier to blend . Mix the dry ingredients separately then add the blended mixture to the bowl and hand mix until all blended together. I could really taste the black beans in the batter so we’ll see what happens after baking!
I made this the other week and they were a hit! I’ve made other black bean brownies before and thought other recipes were decent for a black bean brownie. These were decent for a regular brownie! I used brown sugar instead of coconut sugar and reduced the quantity of the sugar and the chocolate chips. I drizzled peanut butter on top and swirled it in – I thought it was a great addition!
Just made these. They are fabulous! Hot out of the oven, no bean taste at all!
I made them in a mini-muffin pan, so I just cooked for 15 min. They are perfect! Definitely will be making again!
These turned out amazing and are perfect for my training
I was so hoping this recipe would cure my chocolate craving. I’ve tried TWO different avocado brownie recipes and I’m so sad to say they were both awful. I feel so bad posting about it. Now, I will say I didn’t follow your exact recipe, so that could have been my error. I used Pyure instead of sugar. And I used Stevia dark chocolate chips. The brownie on top looked SO burned and black. But, I had to continue baking it because the inside was underdone.
Has anyone used any of the baking sweeteners before with any success???
I was so sad t his didn’t turn out. I spent a lot of time and money on ingredients. HELP!!!!
Hey! Artificial sweeteners have a lower melting point compared to regular sugars so it is very easy for them to burn while the rest of the recipe is still cooking. Maybe using regular sugars for baking and then saving the artificial sweeteners for other times, such as in beverages, if you’re trying to limit sugar/calories. Hope that helps!
I made garbanzo bean brownies & sweet pea brownies & added more cacao so it’s dark choco. They were delish
These were amazing! Cannot taste the beans at all. I’ll admit I went very dark on the chocolate and I was generous with vanilla bean paste. I also added a bit of almond extract.
Do these need to be refrigerated? My thought was yes.
Yes they should be!
Hey..! What’s their shelf life in the fridge??
Hi! They should last around 4 days in the fridge 🙂
Hi Monique! I’ve made these brownies a BUNCH of times and they always turn out great! I was wondering if the brown sugar could be replaced with honey?
LOVE THIS RECIPE! Making it for the 4th time but this time I don’t have black beans but I have red. Would that work?
these were so good! I brought them to a party and even the ones who say ‘i hate black beans’ loved it! in fact, most people couldn’t tell these weren’t regular brownies…
thanks for sharing these delicious treats!!
These were delicious! I substitute the sugar for 1/4 cup maple syrup!
Very good recipe!
Hi, Is the carb count per brownie or for all 12?
Awesome, thank you!
Instead of coconut sugar, can I use 1/2 cup honey or maple syrup?
Yes I think that would work well!
I had to alter the recipe. The batter didnt taste like brownies, so I had to put a total of 1 cup of sugar instead of the 1/2 cup. 1 brownie is 190 calories, so it isn’t that much of a difference. I pureed the black beans by themselves. I also creamed the sugar with the oil and avocado. After I added the beans, then the other ingredients minus the whites. Then I whipped the whites till light and fluffy and folded them in. It made it so the brownies were not dense. With my adjustments I really liked them! I will make them again for sure.
I made these today as written, only I put the batter in mini muffin tins (made 17) and baked for 15 mins. I can’t get over the fact these have beans & avocado in them! And the batter tasted just like brownie batter (long time bowl licker here!). My avocado was on the small side, so I used it all (it measured 1/2 cup mashed). This recipe is going in the “favorites” binder! Can’t wait to “trick” some people at the next potluck, bwahahaha!
Also, I ran it through a calorie calculator, and for 17 servings, per serving it is: 77 calories, 2.3 g fat, 1.4 g sat fat, 13 g total carbs, 2 g fiber, 7.2 g sugar, and 3 g protein.
AMAZING! They’re a “sneaky” crowd pleaser 🙂 So cool that you baked them in a mini muffin tin!
Made these last night–AMAZING! Cannot believe theres a can of beans and a half of an avocado in this chocolatey masterpiece.
So glad you loved them!
i just came across your site and loving it! feel like I want to cook and bake everything, haha. will start with the brownies! i love your approach to food also – feels like we would get along 😉
Yay let me know how you like them!
Daaaaaaaang. Made mini brownie bites in my mini muffin pan and they were so light and chocolate-y! Definitely a keeper! Baked for 11 minutes was perfection.
Oh my gosh that sounds amazing!
I followed the recipe exactly and they came out looking delicious, but the taste not so much. I had really high hopes for these but they just didn’t do it for my family. At 141 calories I expected them to taste more like a brownie than baked black beans. We’ll just continue getting fiber one brownies, they are 90 calories a piece and at least satisfy the occasional chocolate cravings.
Those also have a bunch of crap ingredients in them
I’m making these tomorrow for a November birthday celebration for me (yes, I admit it!) and someone else. I am really worried about how they will turn out. Can you substitute a small amount of melted butter for the coconut oil? Coconut oil’s really hard at least for me to acquire due to its somewhat high cost. Also, if I use the “larger” (aka the iconic-size) chocolate chips, should I chop the lesser amount up and sprinkle them on top per the directions?
Hi Shelby! Butter should work just fine in here, as will the chopped up chocolate chips on top. Happy birthday!!
Coconut oil has more saturated fat than butter. I’m following the Forks Over Knives Diet. No animal products or oil so I’m making it with the avocado only and I expect it will be just as good.
I hope you liked these with the avocado!
Hi! I recently found out I am sensitive to avocado (Sob)- would some cooked squash or pumpkin be an okay sub? I know the fat content is important so could I just add in a little extra butter (I’m ok with grassfed dairy) Thank you!
Hi Lianna! Try these instead: https://www.ambitiouskitchen.com/2015/03/gluten-free-flourless-black-bean-brownie-muffins/ Enjoy!
If you are sensitive to avocado you may have a latex allergy or be allergic to birch. My daughter has oral allergy syndrome. Heat breaks down the allergy-inducing proteins so she can have the fruits and vegetables she’s allergic to as long as they are cooked. She can’t eat apples but apple pie is fine, etc. If you are seeing an allergist, you may want to check this out.
I made these brownies last night. I was skeptical because of all of the unique ingredients. Well, all I can say is WOW! These are fantastic! They were easy to make and they have that rich dark chocolate taste. I used 3 eggs because I wanted them to have a more cake-like texture. I also used maple syrup instead of the coconut sugar. I brought them into work for a few people to try and they got a “thumbs up” from everyone. I am going to make them again this weekend and this time I will add some unsweetened coconut and almond extract, instead of vanilla, just to vary the recipe a little. I have arthritis, so I no longer eat gluten or dairy because it’s inflammatory. Sugar is also very inflammatory, so having this very low sugar recipe is great. These brownies totally satisfy my need for chocolate. Thank you so much for this recipe.
I’m so happy to hear that, Laura! Such a great treat with sneaky healthy ingredients 🙂 Enjoy!
This has become a favorite in my house. Bonus is that no one knows they contain black beans and avocado – don’t feel too bad making it for them ;]
So happy to hear that! The sneaky healthy ingredients are the best 🙂
These are super delicious, especially when you know how good they are for you! I was tempted to leave out the chocolate chips, but glad I didn’t. They really add to the brownies!
Aren’t they awesome? Agreed – gotta have some bites of gooey chocolate, too 🙂 Glad you enjoyed!
This is one of my favourite recipes. You seriously cannot taste the avocado and black beans at all. My only drawback is how much sugar is in the recipe, however in saying that – it is a brownie recipe & is meant to be sweet. Next time I will freeze a portion of the brownies because I just ate them too fast!
Made these yesterday, except I made them into mini cupcakes to make the mixture go further – I got 28 little ‘bites’ out of them, and my friends LOVED them! Perfect wee bite size treats to kill a chocolate craving without killing my calorie budget!
I didn’t mix the chocolate chips through, instead I melted them down to drip on top and topped each with half a pistachio nut 🙂
Those sound amazing! I’m glad you and your friends enjoyed 🙂
I was incredibly skeptical but WOW! Delicious and very filling!
So happy you liked these! The ingredients can look a little “odd,” but they make for amazing brownies!
Hi Monique! Do you know if I can replace the coconut sugar with monk fruit sugar? I don’t have any coconut or brown sugar on hand. Thanks!
Hi Jennifer! I haven’t baked with monk fruit sugar so I’m not 100% sure how the sweetness will turn out. You can also use 1/2 cup of maple syrup!
These were the best brownies I’ve had in a long time! Very moist & fudgy. You can’t gell they have black beans or avocado in them at all. My husband ate 3 of them before I told them what was in them! He likes to put them in the refrigerator. The recipe was also very east – the hardest part was getting the batter out of the blender.
I’m so happy you both enjoyed these! They’re delicious straight from the fridge 🙂 And yes, they just need a scrape with a spatula.
I made these a little more Weight Watchers friendly with granulated Splenda. Turned out great. They remind me of Little Debbies with their denseness, but without the chemical taste. They seem even better after sitting a day or two.
Great! Yes – these have much more natural ingredients. They’re even delicious straight from the fridge! Glad you enjoyed!
How can these be Vegas if there are eggs in them?
I have an option for using flax eggs – super easy!
Have tried other recipes of yours with success. Unfortunately this is not a favorite. Very bitter and overdone top layer at 25 min. Had added a little almond milk when blending to get smooth.Put in fridge hoping it would be better but it was not.
Sorry to hear that Cali! I’ve made these many times with success. I would double check your ingredients + consistency with the video!
Roughly how much avocado? 1/2C? 1/4? My avo is tiny.
I’d say roughly 1/2 cup!
So good! Thanks for this recipe! Where were all these healthy recipes when I was raising my boys 20 years ago?!❤️
You bet! You’ll have to bake some for them now 🙂
Pleasantly surprised by how good these brownies are ! I will for sure make it again.
They’re sneaky healthy and delicious! Glad you enjoyed 🙂
First of all, I never leave comments for recipes. But these were SO GOOD I had to. I’ve been wanting to try black bean brownies forever, but wasn’t convinced. I finally tried these and OMG. My husband even loved them (he even said “I don’t understand why normal brownies aren’t just made this way!”)
Highly recommend. My only question is how to store them/ and how long they stay good?
That’s amazing!! So glad you both love these. I like to store these in the fridge for about 3-4 days – they’re delicious chilled or you can serve them at room temp!
I, personally, don’t like breads, cakes or brownies but my husband and kids love them and my husband has a gluten intolerance so finding recipes to replace his favorite flour based foods is difficult to say the least. I found this recipe and made two batches of these brownies last night. (Used organic maple syrup as the sweetener) One regular batch and one with peanutbutter. Both are AMAZING!!! My husband and kids love them! I even like them!! I will say that the cooling period is crucial to the flavor and they taste even better cold out of the fride. I will be making these again and again, Thanks!!!
Yesss love to hear that! I’m definitely trying these with peanut butter next 🙂
So I just made these and am in love! However…I didn’t have black beans on hand, so I used organic chickpeas, which offers better nutrition than black beans anyways… And I was surprised at how yum they turned out! Thanks for sharing!!
I followed the recipe and I’m feeling badly as if maybe I’m missing something. First bites taste exactly like black beans and avocado… I waited for them to cool a little more and they still taste very savory. I have checked the recipe over and I followed it. I used coconut sugar. Maybe this blend just isn’t for me.
Sorry to hear that, Alana! I’ve found that these are perfectly sweet with the chocolate chips, cocoa powder + coconut sugar. Try these brownies next 🙂
I’m sorry, but I think you should take the word “healthy” out of the title. Sugar is sugar; it doesn’t matter if it came from a coconut of from a sugar cane plant. I made these (with the extra egg) and they are delicious. But I checked my blood sugar after eating them and it was quite high, over my sugar targets. :'( These brownies are by no means healthy just because they involve half an avocado and don’t have flour. Black beans are still mostly carbohydrates and the amount of sugar in the recipe is quite high.
Whenever I make desserts I try to use as many natural, real ingredients as possible, but they are still a “treat!” These have much better ingredients than most traditional brownies, which is why I consider them a healthy treat. Everyone’s definition is different!
Hello! I am from Spain and yesterday I tried this recipe, but when I was blending the black beans it was just so difficult! And now i have just watched the video another time and I have two questions:
1. The black beans are cooked? Or only soaked in water overnight and then drained? This is what I did and it was very difficult to blend as I said before.
2. Because in Spain we work with kilograms or instead cups I converted the 15 oz and it has given me 425 gr of black beans but watching the video I think that you use less amount of black beans. Is it possible that I did it wrong?
Instead of these little problems the recipe is genius! Absolutely delicious and free of blame.
Thank you!
Hi Beatriz! The black beans I use are from the can, so they’re already cooked and are soft enough to blend. 425 grams sounds correct to be! Sorry you had trouble – I’m glad you enjoyed this one anyway!
These are truly YUMMY! I will make these over & over & over again. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING!!
I used dark chocolate chips & added those plus walnuts into the food processor, right at the very end – worked well.
You’re so welcome!! I’m glad you found this yummy recipe 🙂 Love the dark chocolate!
OOPS! forgot to rate it…
Can you give a more definitive measurement than 1/2 a large avocado? Thanks.
It’s about 1/2 cup heaping mashed avocado 🙂
Could I substitute banana for the beans? I’m doing a whole30 and this looks amazing except I can’t have legumes.
Can this be made without the chocolate chips, as I don’t have any at home? Or will it not be sweet enough?
I’d recommend keeping the chocolate chips in to make them super fudgy, but they’ll still be good without them!
Made these a few days ago at my son’s family home. EVERYONE loved them, including my six year old granddaughter (who is quite finicky, I might add)! Making them in a couple days as part of a heart healthy meal for a friend and her husband. So, so good!
Amazing! I’m so happy everyone loved them. The perfect healthy treat!
These are so good! I made mine using Hershey’s Special Dark 100% cacao powder, and they had an amazing dark chocolate flavor! Even my avocado-hating boyfriend loved them. 🙂
Amazing! Glad your boyfriend loved them too 🙂
Mine came out dry! Still tasty! Could it be that I added the nuts? Should I have added more liquid? Thoughts?
Did you overbake?? Next time, you can always try and add in a few tablespoons of milk or a tablespoon more of oil.
WOW what a great recipe! Had a craving for brownies today and stumbled upon your recipe when looking for a healthier version. Can not believe this is made with black beans… After pouring the batter into the pan, I licked the spatula and said out loud to myself “Holy S***” because I couldn’t believe how tasty it was! I made it using the recommended 2 flax eggs and subbing the sugar for maple syrup. I also omitted the chocolate chips entirely (didn’t have any!) but I added 2 tbsp all-natural peanut butter to amp up the “richness” factor. Baked for 25 mins and they are nice and fudgy in the centre. Absolutely fantastic, will 100% make these again!!!
So glad you found this recipe! Love the idea of adding PB 🙂 Enjoy!!
These hit the spot but I added 3rd egg and brownies are just too fudgy for me maybe a 1/2 cup of almond flour to the recipe might have made them better.
These brownies are meant to be pretty fudgy – glad they hit the spot anyway!
Can I substitute some of the sugar with Stevia, my husband is diabetic?
I’m not sure how much to use, but let me know if you try it!
So good!!! Best brownie recipe! Thanks!
Glad you loved them!
These are the BOMB! Made them for someone else after my top seal of approval and found out later that she hates black beans and avocados (Is she nuts?!?!?!?), but tried them anyway and she absolutely LOVED them! I have to hide them from my hubby if I want to eat any and he could care less about healthy food!
That’s amazing! Glad she (and your husband) love them 🙂
Wow! Just Wow! I made this once following the recipe (using date sugar) and could not give some for people to try often enough. No one really caught on that this is mainly black beans.
Today I tried them once more with the extra egg to get more of a cakey structure (so true, it does make it less dense) and I replaced half of the date sugar with sweetener (Splenda).
It works just beautifully.
Cut them into 9 pieces and what a treat.
For those on WW – 5 points!!!
Great! I’m glad those swaps work out (and that everyone loves them!)
So I made these last night and they were delicious! Like others comments noted, you couldn’t taste the black beans! My 2 1/2 year old devoured his first piece and asked for more. I’ll def be making these again. Thank you for another great recipe :).
Amazing! So happy to hear that <3
I made these in heart shapes for my toddler’s valentines party. My husband just tried one and said it’s good, but you can’t call it a brownie. He said it tastes more like a healthy version of fudge. So I changed my rsvp note to say I’m bringing “Healthy Hearts Fudge Bites.” I figure beans are heart healthy, plus they’re shaped like hearts. Thank you for the recipe. We’ll see what the toddlers (and parents) think!!
These are pretty fudgy! Love the name 🙂 Hope everyone liked them.
Just pulled these brownies out of the oven and all I can say is YUM!! I used a nutribullet and blended the rinsed black beans and the three eggs (I added an additional egg) and then blended the avocado. After I poured the mix into a bowl and mixed in the rest with a hand mixer. It worked wonderful! Using the third egg gave it a cakey texture, but they still melt in your mouth! What a fun recipe! Thank you Monique!
Great!! Glad those steps worked out well 🙂 the perfect treat.
These are wonderful! I was a bit reluctant to try yet another brownie recipe using black beans because I must have tried six different recipes throughout the years and all were terrible. These are incredible. Can’t taste the beans at all. I used dark cocoa and they came out just like fudgy brownies should.
This recipe is a keeper. Thanks!
Dang!!! Best brownies ever! Thank you!!
So glad you loved them!!
Just made these and they are amazing! I don’t think I’ll ever make “normal” brownies again. Even my boyfriend loves them and he’s a picky one. Plus the kiddos love them. My daughter said, “we’ve got to hide these from dad!” Haha
So happy to hear that!! Love when treats are sneaky healthy 🙂 You’ll have to give these blondies a try, too!
Made the vegan version last night and I am in love! They are so darn chocolate-y. I used the maple syrup (less than 1/2 cup) instead of sugar and couldn’t taste a difference. I had to hold off on eating brownies for breakfast so I’m counting down the minutes until lunch time. Thanks for bringing these into my life!
So happy to hear that! I’m glad that adjustment worked out for you, too. The perfect treat 🙂
Hi Monique!
This brownie recipe is a staple in my house. I make a batch every couple weeks and freeze them. I put these in my daughters lunch and she loves them! I opt to use 3 eggs and I cut the cocoa to 1/2 cup. These are amazing and I can’t thank you enough for creating such great recipes.
Hi Shannon! Amazing – glad those little swaps work out for you. Perfect lunch box treat!
Just made these last night and my family flipped for them! Perfectly fudgey. l substituted half honey for half the brown sugar and will try to go full honey next time. Amazing; thank you!
Love that! So glad they all enjoyed 🙂
Just had to leave a comment since it’s the sixth or seventh time I’m doing this recipe!! Best brownies!!
Amazing!! I’m so glad you love these. Thanks for the note!
Hello there! I would like to make this tonight but I don’t have coconut oil. What other oil can I use and how much should I use? Thanks in advance!
Hi! I would recommend using melted butter or ghee as a substitute.
I enjoy substituting avocado for butter and this the perfect recipe to do just that.
I absolutely LOVE these brownies! Thank you for the recipe.
I’m so glad! Perfect treat 🙂
Hi I would like to make them into muffins. Will they work? What changes do I need make?
Hi! Try this recipe instead 🙂
Me and my lover made these after a romantic dinner and these did NOT set the mood. Upon biting into one of these brownies, you are immediately greeted with a mouth full of bean crust that layered the top of the brownies. As we dove deeper into the dish, we started to notice large bean chunks. If you do not have a food processor DO NOT ATTEMPT
Sorry you had trouble with these! I would definitely recommend a high-powered blender or food processor for these to ensure that they are blended up well.
Oh my gosh, these were the best brownies I’ve ever had! I justified eating half the pan by reminding myself how much healthier these are than ‘normal’ brownies. I also added in half a banana which made the batter a little creamier and tastier (imo).
I’m glad you loved them! Such a great treat 🙂
I was skeptical when trying out this recipe. It turns out they’re great! They are a little less sweet than regular brownies, but they are very soft and chocolatey. If you are trying to eat better or are a chocoholic like me, I would 10/10 recommend these. They are the closest healthy brownie recipe I have found that are like regular brownies.
The ingredients sound a bit strange but they come out delicious! So glad you liked them 🙂
I’ve made these brownies a bunch of times and they are my go-to for satisfying a sweet tooth while on a health kick! I’ve also subbed sugar for date puree to make it super healthy, which works (although it does make it less sweet, which works for me, but sub at your own risk). Definitely one of my favourite recipes!!
Glad you love these and that the date puree works well for you!
Can I sub cacao nibs for the chocolate chips?
They definitely won’t be as sweet so I wouldn’t recommend, but if you want to try it out feel free to!
Looks so good! I have a bunch of mini avos. What do you think the measurement on the avocado is?
Probably 1/2 cup mashed. Enjoy!
These were AMAZING! Better than I expected. The fam loved them (and they are usually skeptical of the things I make!). I used 3 eggs, cut sugar down to half a cup, added a bunch of walnuts and sprinkled just a few mini chocolate chips on top. Baked them for 25 minutes at 350. I thought the texture would be the biggest issue but it wasn’t bad at all. They were crumbly and moist, but not too gooey/fudgey. Great with ice cream and strawberries on top. 😉
So glad everyone loved them! Delicious with ice cream + strawberries 🙂
Once again, Monique did not disappoint with this IN-EFFIN-CREDIBLE recipe! As someone with a crazy sweet tooth, especially during quarantine, I am constantly on the hunt for healthier versions of my favorite sweet treats. I also added swirls of almond butter & folded in coconut flakes into the batter, and added sea salt on top after I baked it. Fudgey PERFECTION!
Amazing! So happy you found these!
Great recipe and healthy alternative to brownies! Guiltless pleasure. I used a flax egg and wonder if this can stay raw and refrigerate instead of baking. I really enjoyed the batter and taste slightly changed after it was baked (I refrigerated after baking and taste was much better next day).
Delicious! And sure – this would be a delicious edible brownie batter 🙂 you won’t need to add the baking soda/powder either if you’re not baking it!
Delicious indeed! The batter is amazing! I just refrigerated instead of baking and what a wonderful and healthy treat!
Thanks Monique for the awesome recipe!
Perfect! Glad you enjoyed!
This is the third time I made these. The first two attempts were a failure. I had trouble with the measurement because canned black beans are quite hard to find in my country, so I had to cook them first, plus I believe our local avocados are bigger compared to yours. This time I made them with around 250 grams cooked black soybeans (which are more widely available in my country), used around 100 grams of avocados, and baked them in 7X7 pan instead of 8X8. They turned out great. Everyone in my family loved them. Definitely will make them again 🙂
Sorry you had trouble with the measurements the first time around! I’m glad they worked out well with those new ones 🙂
These avocado black bean brownies are to die for! If you enjoy making Outstanding chocolate-ie, chewy, yummy deliciousness this is the recipe for YOU. Every person that ate a brownie, had at least 2 more brownies. So very tasty!
So delicious! Glad everyone enjoyed!
These were delicious!! Better than I expected. Will definitely share and make again!
So happy you liked them!
This is my go to brownie recipe, you honestly can’t even tell they’re made with black beans. I usually use the maple syrup as the sweetener and they turn out perfectly every time. The best part, they’re kind of healthy!!!
Love it! So happy to hear that 🙂
The black bean brownies was so 👏 awesome. I’m a 64 yr old man with high cholesterol and this recipe fits in so well what I can have. I want to thank you and your husband (supporting you) for what you do. I adapted the recipe to be made in the air fryer.Thank you for a healthy dessert.
So glad you enjoyed, Ron! Such a great, healthy treat 🙂
I was really skeptical, and admittedly a little grossed out before I mixed, but wow! These brownies really are fabulous and don’t taste “healthy.” I really liked them and bonus, they are husband and best friend approved!
I’m glad you gave them a try! The ingredients seem strange, but end up so delicious 🙂
I have made at least 8 batches of these in the last two weeks. They are an awesome way to satisfy a chocolate / brownie craving while still being nutrient-dense and not making me feel sluggish. I’ve made them with both eggs and flax eggs and both are delicious – would just say to bake a couple of minutes longer with the flax eggs. I also have been using a combination of date sugar and coconut sugar 🙂
Perfect! So glad you love these (and great tip on the flax eggs!)
These are delicious! Thank you!
So glad you enjoyed!
Monique, I can’t express enough how thankful I am for this amazing recipe!! I’ve searched so long for a good black bean brownie recipe only to end up with ones that are way too heavy on oils, nut butters and sugars, or ones that taste too dry or grainy. I love how the avocado makes these so velvety smooth while the beans make them so fudgy. It was so hard to put the batter in the oven once I got a taste of it. They’re amazing baked, but I could probably eat the batter straight up as a dessert next time too.
Hi Jessica! So glad you found these ones. Such a great, nutritious dessert!
I had serious doubts after tasting the batter by itself but after adding the chocolate chips and baking I was pleasantly surprised. I used cheap sugar free pancake syrup but I know these must be really good with all natural maple syrup/coconut sugar/ brown sugar.
I’m glad they still turned out well! Let me know if you give it a try with another sweetener 🙂
These brownies are truly unreal and delicious.
So glad you loved them!
I made these tonight, and added an extra egg for the cake-like texture. These brownies are so delicious and lightweight. The kids said these were the best brownies they’ve had! (Of course I won’t be sharing what they’re actually made of 😉 Thank you for a healthy alternative that really is yummy!
Amazing! So happy to hear that 🙂
i made these without the sugar or chocolate chips and they are great! I sprinkled some seat salt on top and honestly they are perfect for me (although others might complain they are not sweet enough). Also, the consistency was fine without the sugar-just a little crumbly but still really cakey and like a brownie. Thank you for this healthy recipe!
I’m glad that worked out well! Perfect treat.
Very good! I added some chopped hazelnuts on top as well as the chocolate chunks, and opted for 3 eggs. I really recommend adding 3 eggs as it might be too gooey without. These don’t ‘taste healthy’ and filled us up, I could even do these without the chocolate chunks, the brownie is great as it is!
I’m glad that worked out well!
flavor is fine but mine were super wet and wouldn’t firm up (baked for like 20 extra minutes). not sure if that’s my ingredients or what. weird…i think i have to stick to nut butter based brownies, thats what works best for me. maybe bc i used maple syrup instead of sugar
The maple syrup is likely what changed the consistency as it adds liquid to the batter. I would try again as-written or try out my tahini brownies or almond butter brownies!
I made these brownies out of hopes to have a more nutrient dense option, since I LOVE brownies so much. Every regular brownie recipe I was trying made them too cakey, so I tried this one since I love black beans and avocado. They are AMAZING. I could literally eat the whole pan in a sitting. Perfect with peanut butter and ice cream.
I made my first pan last week, and when I finished I had to make some more for this week. I ended up making a double batch, and honestly I think they turned out even better the second time. You can’t go wrong with this recipe!
That’s amazing to hear!! So happy you’re loving these 🙂
Nice Delicious Dessert Recipe.
Glad you’re a fan 🙂
I just made these today and these are the absolute most delicious black bean and avocado brownies that I ever had. I tried a black bean brownies recipe before and it did not taste good but these ones are delicious
Oh, YAY, I’m so happy to hear that, Kia! So glad you loved them 🙂
This is my family’s favorite brownies. We are gluten and dairy free, and we love how chocolates and soft it is in the middle.
Yay!! So glad to hear you guys love these 🙂
For this recipe, what is the closest measure for the large avocado? One cup?
Sorry to say I haven’t measured it but even with plus or minus a tablespoon or two, it should be fine!
When I’m sad or frustrated, this is my go-to feel happy dessert. I swirl in plain peanut butter, mix in TJs salted caramel chips (they’re also GF) with TJs dark chocolate chips, and tell myself this is actually a healthy meal of good fats and protein. YUM! Thank you for making me happy!!
Omg that sounds AMAZING!! Such a great pick-me-up 🙂
These are super moist and decadent! And I used an entire medium avocado.
1/3 of our little extended family is on Weight Watchers, so I chose to make these brownies as the lowest point brownie option I could find. I subbed the coconut oil for applesauce and the coconut sugar for half the amount of monkfruit. Only 3 points per servings! (a typical brownie would be 7-17 points). Texture was good, but it wasn’t quite sweet enough. If I try again, I’ll probably do a higher ratio of monkfruit.
(FYI for others on WW: Recipe as is would be 6 points, assuming you get either avocado free or beans free. I tried tried experimenting in the app now, and apparently I could have actually used the coconut oil with no change in points – it’s the coconut sugar that makes all the difference!)
Thanks so much for sharing, Melinda! Happy the texture was good, and hope it’s even better with the additional monkfruit 🙂
I finally made these and they are so fudgy, chocolatey and delicious. I think they’re the best black bean brownies I’ve made to date! I used avocado oil instead of coconut oil and you can’t taste it at all.
YUM!!!! I am not a particularly religious person, but eating one of these brownies is a Celestial experience! I did not modify any ingredients and used the options for regular eggs and brown sugar rather than flax eggs and coconut sugar. My avocado worked out to be 70 grams once peeled and pitted. Has anyone successfully added in some protein powder?
Thanks for this amazing recipe!! I love it!
Omg best review ever 😅 SO glad you loved them!! I haven’t tried protein powder but let me know if you do!
These brownies totally satisfied the chocolate craving I have been having today! And I love that they are made with black beans and avocados! I would have never thought you could makes brownies with them! I used maple syrup as my sweetener so I love how you provided different options!! I used 2 eggs and that was perfect! I have kind of been of a black bean kick this weekend since I made your vegan black bean burgers last night which were also amazing! You have the best recipes!! Thank you so much for sharing them with us!
Amazing!! I’m so glad they came out amazing and satisfied your cravings 🙂 Thanks so much for the review, Sarah!
I made this recipe, and it turned out marvelously scrumptious and delightfully wonderfully delicious. Thank you for sharing it! I was wondering if I could make these brownies in my little 2-quart crock pot and, if so, how long should they cook?
So happy they came out amazing! Thanks for commenting 🙂 I haven’t tried that so not totally sure. I’d recommend keeping a close eye on them and taking them out of the oven when a knife inserted in center comes out somewhat clean.
These were freakin delicious!!! I made them with three eggs for guests that came over, PLUS I made regular brownies and they could barely tell the difference! Also, I’m pretty sure I ate like half the batch while nobody was looking!!! The only thing I would say, its very good FOR an avocado black bean brownie. It’s SUPER rich and dark, so it’s not hard-core American brownie, but it’s WAY better than I was expecting, which is why I couldn’t stop eating them. Plus, it’s super nice to know that they’re practically good for you! Thanks for another fun recipe, Monique!
AH YAY! I am SO glad that you are loving this recipe. I totally agree, it is perfectly rich and so so good!
Our family LOVES these! They are our go-to weekday dessert. So easy to make and doesn’t create a huge mess! I add hempseeds and collagen powder to give them an extra boost of nutrition.
Opting for the maple syrup, this whizzed up effortlessly in the Vitamix. The machine will get warm enough to cook eggs, so I mixed those in at the end with the chocolate chips. So fast, tasty, and this recipe doesn’t dirty up a sinkful of dishes!
Bonus: adding the eggs straight into the baking dish to stir in at the end made the blender remnants safe to consume when I “rinsed out” my Vitamix with milk and drank the yummy results.
Parent hack: tell your kids there are beans and avocados — they will turn up their noses before even trying the fudgy goodness, leaving the whole pan for you!
You’re welcome, LOL 😉
Ahh this is the BEST! Thank you so much for your comment. I am so glad that you are loving these brownies and yes, anything to keep the whole pan to yourself 😉
I’ve made these several times and they are delicious. I always add an extra egg because I do like them cakier. I was wondering if you’re able to freeze these brownies?
Oops! I forgot to rate them.
So glad you love them! And yes, they’re freezer-friendly!
Delicious!! Best Black Bean Recipe EVER!! very easy to make with ingredients that are staples in the pantry, The texture was perfect!
Will make these again and again!
How do you store these and how long do they keep?
Feel free to store them in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 day, then store them in the fridge for 3-4 more days. They get super fudgy straight from the fridge but you can also let them come to room temp or heat them up!
I hadn’t made these in years, but they popped into my head this evening and I had all the ingredients on hand (except for choc. chips…bummer!) and they were just as delicious as I remembered. Thanks for the healthier treat option Monique!
Amazing! An oldie but a goodie 🙂
These were so tasty! I think next time I will line the pan with parchment paper to make them easier to remove. Any tips if we are interested in decreasing the amount of sugar?
Perfect! I’ve only made these as is, so I’m not 100% sure how they’ll turn out taste and texture-wise when reducing the sugar.
I’ve now made these 3 times and really like what’s going on. We like Garbanzos in place of Black beans, a blend of Dutch and natural cocoas, a little more baking powder and salt, and 2x choc chips. Be sure to find dairy-free choc chips if you’re going to market your brownies as dairy-free 😉
Perfect! Glad you enjoyed!
Obsessed with these- I make them all the time!! My kid love them too.
I absolutely love this recipe. It’s been my go to since I gave up refined sugar a couple months ago ago. I leave out the chocolate chips and will top with slivered almonds and or toasted coconut. Thank you, thank you thank you thank you.
So happy to hear that!