When you want a sweet treat, but are avoiding sugar and processed flour, what options do you have? Did you ever think black beans would be a good base? Try these delicious black bean brownies!
On the homestead, growing your own wheat isn’t always an option. Many of us do not have the space or equipment to grow enough wheat to make it worthwhile. So, how do you get along without wheat flour when it comes to brownies?
You make them with easy to grow black beans! Add in homegrown honey from your own bees, eggs from your own chickens, and homemade butter, and you have a sweet treat that you can grow yourself!
Black beans can be a delicious brownie base. They are also useful for so many other recipes, too!
Other ways you can use black beans:
Why would you want to use black beans for brownies? Some reasons include:
- ability to grow and store most of, if not the entire recipe, yourself
- gluten free
- loaded with fiber and healthy omega-3s
- easily made into paleo (when you sub coconut oil for the butter)
- no processed ingredients
A simple treat that will be a hit for your entire family, at your next meal gathering and more, black bean brownies will also provide lots of fiber and easily digestible sugars. Let’s get started making them, shall we?
Black Bean Brownies
Ingredients
- 2 cans black beans drained or 4 cups precooked black beans
- 6 eggs
- 2/3 cup butter melted (you can use coconut oil, too)
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 1 cup honey
- 1/4 cup coconut flour optional, but it does give a better texture
- 1/2 cup Lilly’s sugar free chocolate chips optional, but will add another layer of chocolatey goodness
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F / 175 C.
- LIghtly grease a 9×13 pan with coconut oil.
- Add beans and melted butter to a high powered blender.
- Whir on high until beans start to break down and are mashed up. Whir for about 1 minute, or until the beans are all mashed up.
- Mix your wet and dry ingredients separately. This will help you make sure that all of the ingredients are mixed evenly. Add the black beans last, then continue mixing until all of the ingredients are combined and smooth.
- Spread batter into pan.
- Sprinkle with chocolate chips, if desired
- Bake for 25 minutes. The brownies should be visibly cooked at the edges and the center shouldn’t jiggle much. A toothpick will likely come out gooey, though, which is something that’s different than regular brownies. A gooey center is okay for these brownies, which are meant to have a bit more of a fudgy consistency. If you want firmer brownies, just cook them longer until the toothpick is clean.
- Allow to cool completely before serving.
Swaps To Make Black Bean Brownies Even Healthier
If you want to make these brownies even healthier, there are some swaps you can make.
Rather than butter or oil, you can use applesauce or avocado. While it doesn’t necessarily make it healthier, some people like to swap out half of the vanilla for almond oil for a richer, more unique flavor.
Feel free to use honey or maple syrup instead of sugar, although it might affect the texture of these brownies ever so slightly. Mashed bananas sometimes work too, but again, you’re going to have a very different texture with these.
Chia seeds mixed with water can even be used as an egg substitute – you’ll combine a tablespoon of chia with three tablespoons of water, let them thicken for fifteen minutes, and then add to the mix. This equals one egg.
Other Tips for Making Black Bean Brownies
There are several ways you can make these black bean brownies even more delicious.
One of my favorite things to do is to add some coffee grounds into the mix (instant coffee will work too). It adds a richer flavor and even more complexity and depth to these treats.
Do you like super thick, decadent brownies? If so, use a smaller pan so the batter is poured in more thickly and then add 15 to 20 minutes to the overall cooking time. For a more cake-like brownie, add a teaspoon of baking powder.
Another tip? You can use a blender for this recipe – that’s what I did. However, if you have access to a food processor, I can’t recommend that enough. The texture will be much better if you use a food processor.
You shouldn’t be able to taste the beans if you make this recipe according to the instructions above. If you do, though, try adding more vanilla or cocoa. It should mask the flavor quite nicely.
Don’t be afraid of adding other mix-ins or toppings, either. Some of my favorite options include walnuts, peanut butter, and crushed up peppermint. You can even frost them or bake them in muffin tins – the latter option will make them even more portable.
If you use one of the substitutions listed above for the butter (and use dairy-free chocolate chips) this recipe can even be dairy free. You can make it egg-free, too, if you’re concerned about allergies.
One final tip? If you’re serving these to your family, let them try the brownies first and then tell them what the secret ingredient is. They won’t believe it – but trust me, they’ll gobble them up faster than you can say “seconds!”
Have you ever made black bean brownies? Are you ready to try these yummy treats?
last update: January 27th 2021 by Rebekah Pierce
Heather’s homesteading journey started in 2006, with baby steps: first, she got a few raised beds, some chickens, and rabbits. Over the years, she amassed a wealth of homesteading knowledge, knowledge that you can find in the articles of this blog.
Learn more about Heather and the rest of the writers on this page.