Flourless Black Bean Brownies | Naturally Gluten Free

Black bean brownies are a particular sort of flourless gluten free brownie, and this superb recipe doesn’t style like beans at all. Tasting is believing.

Side image of chocolate chip black bean brownie squares

What makes these black bean brownies particular?

Excessive in protein and fiber, these black bean protein brownies are made solely with fundamental pantry components that nearly everybody has already. And all of the tools you want is a straightforward blender (in any other case, you may have entire black beans in your brownies!), a bowl and spoon, and a pan to bake all of it in.

I feel can agree that baking with beans largely means tasting beans. However it doesn’t must be that manner! I’m about to indicate you that generally you may bake with beans and never style them. As an alternative, you’ll simply style … brownies.

The one tools you want is any blender (each my high-speed blender and my mini, nonfancy blender that I acquired without spending a dime ages in the past work completely) or meals processor. Simply do not forget that the meals processor received’t puree the beans fairly as easily.

The one components are canned black beans, eggs, oil, cocoa powder, brown sugar, vanilla, a contact of baking soda, salt and a few brewed espresso (even decaf). Not like basic gluten free brownies, there isn’t a rice flour in any respect in these. They’re tender as could possibly be, plus wealthy and not-too-sweet.

overhead image of ingredients for black bean brownies in small bowls on light marble surface with names of ingredients in black bold type

What’s in it

Recipe components

The total recipe is beneath, however listed here are a couple of phrases about the important thing components in these brownies that I feel are useful to remember:

Semi candy chocolate chips – These are solely non-compulsory, however they add additional chocolate taste and a few good texture to an in any other case very moist, melt-in-your-mouth brownie.

Black beans – The spine of this recipe, use good high quality canned black beans, and make sure you drain and rinse them till the water runs clear, then let the water drip out solely.

Eggs – With out flour, eggs are the primary binder right here. Ensure yours are at room temperature so they do not make the oil type clumps.

Oil – A impartial oil is nice for baking with cocoa powder, since collectively they create a chocolate taste with the right easy texture.

Pure vanilla extract – This helps improve the chocolate flavors, so do not skip it!

Brewed espresso – The depth of taste in brewed espresso is preferable to hydrated immediate espresso granules; decaf is ok, because the espresso is barely used to carry out the flavour of the chocolate (you do not style the espresso itself)

Cocoa powder – For the deepest taste, use Dutch-processed cocoa powder, however since there’s baking soda within the batter, it is going to neutralize the acid of pure cocoa powder in order that’s high-quality, too.

Baking soda – To neutralize the acid in pure cocoa powder, and within the brown sugar, and supply a little bit of carry. There isn’t any want for baking powder on this recipe, since we do not need the brownies to rise greater than they already do.

Salt – Salt all the time enhances the opposite flavors in any dish, in cooking or baking. I bake with kosher salt, because it has bigger granules which are a lot tougher to overmeasure than high-quality desk salt.

Brown sugar – Gentle brown sugar provides depth of taste and moisture together with sweetness, after all.

Methods to make black bean brownies

Put together the moist components

Rinse and drain a can of black beans. Make certain you rinse them in addition to you may with out dropping any of the beans. They might break, however we’re going to mix them, so it doesn’t matter.
Place the beans, oil, eggs, vanilla, and occasional in a meals processor or a blender and switch that combination right into a puree. However even when your puree isn’t 100% easy, you nonetheless received’t style beans within the brownies.

oil, eggs with yellow yolks, vanilla extract and black beans in clear plastic blender canister

End making the brownie batter

Whisk collectively gentle brown sugar, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda in a big mixing bowl.
Add the blended or processed pureed bean combination, and blend to mix.
Combine in many of the chocolate chips, if you happen to’re utilizing them.
The combination will likely be fairly tender, and thinner than “common” brownies.

large round metal mixing bowl with light brown sugar, dark brown cocoa powder, and white baking soda and salt, unmixed

Bake the brownies

Switch the uncooked brownie combination to a sq. baking pan lined with parchment paper or greased or nonstick aluminum foil.
Bake at 325°F for about 25 minutes, or till the middle springs again when pressed gently along with your finger. While you shake the pan gently backward and forward, it does not jiggle in any respect.
Take away the pan from the oven and permit the brownies to chill in it till now not scorching to the contact (about half-hour).
For cleaner slices, place the pan within the fridge or freezer to sit back earlier than eradicating from the pan and slicing into 9 equal squares.

8-inch square metal baking pan lined with foil with dark brown raw brownie mixture with chocolate chips on top

Black bean brownies out of pan uncut on white paper

Do these brownies style like beans?

No! You do not style the beans in these brownies; all you style is deep, wealthy chocolate taste. The vanilla extract, cocoa powder, and a little bit of brewed espresso handle that (no, you do not style the espresso both—simply the chocolate!).

These naturally gluten free black bean brownies are actually flourless, however like all flourless baking, they want another base. As an alternative of melted chocolate, like in our basic flourless brownies, the bottom right here is the common-or-garden can of black beans. The beans present construction and tons of fiber with out including any bean taste.

The identical goes for my flourless black bean cookies, which additionally style wealthy and chocolatey, in no way like beans.

Despite the fact that they’r not chewy, these brownies additionally aren’t cake-like within the conventional sense. The look cakey, however they’re really actually easy in texture. They fairly actually soften in your mouth.

Black bean brownie batter in square pan with white paper liner

My Professional Tip

Knowledgeable suggestions

Use a blender for the smoothest texture

You possibly can mix the drained and rinsed can of beans in a meals processor if that is all you might have, however a blender will make the smoothest black bean puree. Which means the smoothest brownie texture.

Use a smaller, gentle coloured pan

Since these brownies are so tender and don’t have any actual flour alternative, they seem to be a bit extra fragile—so I wish to make them in an 8-inch sq. pan for that additional thickness. Make certain you are utilizing a light-colored steel pan or your brownies could burn earlier than they bake throughout!

Some readers have mentioned that they’ve efficiently made these brownies in lined muffin tins. Attempt lining the wells of a typical 12-cup muffin tin, filling them about 2/3 of the way in which full, and baking for about 18 minutes. Like within the unique recipe, they’re carried out when the highest springs again when pressed gently within the middle along with your finger. Cool fully.

Do not overbake (however bake absolutely)

For a firmer, extra cake-like brownie, cease baking as quickly as they’re set within the middle and do not jiggle when moved aspect to aspect. They’re going to be actually fudgy, although, so stick the cooled tin of brownies within the freezer or fridge for a couple of minutes for clear slicing. Watch out to not underbake them, although, or they will not maintain collectively even after they cool.

Allow them to cool fully for clear slicing

Irrespective of how lengthy you bake your black bean brownies, they will have to be cool, or your knife will drag by way of and choose up items of brownie alongside the way in which. For the cleanest slice, place the cooled pan of brownies within the fridge for half-hour or the freezer for 10 minutes earlier than slicing—and clear your knife after every reduce.

What to serve with these brownies

For the reason that style is wealthy chocolate, identical to you’d count on, you actually can serve them any manner you’ll a basic gf brownie. Listed here are a couple of serving solutions, however after all they’re good on their very own:

Prime with a scoop of marshmallow ice cream for the final word easy and creamy addition
A dollop of whipped cream and some recent berries make a good looking presentation
Drizzle some heat peanut butter on prime for a peanut butter-chocolate deal with

make forward/leftovers

Storage directions

You possibly can retailer any leftover brownies at room temperature in a sealed container for two to three days. You may as well retailer them that manner for as much as per week within the fridge.

The feel and style of those brownies do very well within the freezer. Place them in a single layer on a lined baking sheet, and watch out with them as you load them into the freezer, although, because it’s onerous to keep away from breaking off some moist crumbs.

They by no means really freeze stable, so you do not even really want to defrost them until you like them at room temperature. In that case, allow them to sit on the counter at room temperature for about half-hour earlier than serving them after freezing them.

Side image of black bean brownies with identifying words

substitutions

Recipe substitutions

Dairy free

These brownies are already dairy-free when the recipe is made precisely as written. Simply make sure you use dairy-free chocolate chips and you will be all set.

Egg free

If you cannot have eggs, you may attempt utilizing a boiled flax eggs instead of every of the 2 eggs. These want extra construction than “chia” eggs can present.

Sugar free

I’m pretty sure that these brownies would work with coconut palm sugar instead of brown sugar, though I have not tried it. For a sugar-free alternative, attempt Swerve brown sugar alternative or Lankato model brown sugar alternative.

Various sugars have a tendency to depart baked items a bit dryer than regular. I like to recommend including an additional tablespoon or two of brewed espresso to get the batter to the right consistency.

Espresso

Should you do not just like the style of espresso, relaxation assured the couple tablespoons of espresso solely improve the chocolate taste. The brownies do not style like espresso in any respect. You should use decaffeinated espresso, if you happen to do not wish to add extra caffeine than is already within the cocoa powder.

You may as well change the espresso with an equal quantity of milk or water. For added taste and sweetness, attempt changing the espresso with 1 1/2 tablespoons (32 grams) pure maple syrup.

Selecting an oil

A neutral-tasting oil is all that you simply want right here, so you might have a number of choices. I often use grapeseed or canola oil, since I all the time have these in my pantry. You may as well attempt peanut oil, however nothing with greater than a really delicate taste, like avocado oil. Keep away from olive oil, since we do not need a competing taste.

Recipe FAQs

Are black bean brownies gluten free?

Some are! Some black bean brownie recipes are made utilizing black beans instead of some components, however embody flour and most different basic brownie components. This recipe is really flourless, so it is safely and naturally gluten free.

Are black bean brownies more healthy than common brownies?

Sure! I’ve included (estimated) dietary info within the recipe card beneath, so you may see how a lot fiber and protein you may discover in these brownies—and the way little fats in comparison with a basic brownie recipe. They nonetheless have sugar, although, and oil, so they don’t seem to be actually well being meals.

Can I make these brownies chewy in texture?

No, this recipe does not have the construction to prove chewy, it doesn’t matter what you do. We’ve a separate recipe for traditional chewy gluten free brownies that is perhaps what you are in search of.

Can I make these simple black bean brownies with out espresso?

Certain! The brewed espresso is barely added to reinforce the chocolate taste from the cocoa powder, and you do not style it. You should use decaf espresso, or simply change the liquid with any form of milk, and even water. The chocolate style will likely be a bit bit extra delicate.

Can I take advantage of recent beans on this black bean brownie recipe?

You should use dried black beans that you’ve got cooked absolutely at residence, however provided that you cooked them in plain water alone. In the event that they’re made with inventory, stick to the plain black beans from a can.

How will you inform that these black bean chocolate brownies are carried out baking?

The cake tester/toothpick take a look at is not dependable on this recipe, since it is going to come out almost moist even when the brownies are carried out baking. Proceed to bake your brownies till the highest is about and it springs again when pressed gently within the middle along with your forefinger. And if you shake the pan gently backward and forward, it does not jiggle in any respect.
Should you’re undecided that your brownies are carried out baking, decrease the oven temperature to 300°F and proceed to bake for an additional 3 to five minutes.

Black bean brownies in a pile in a metal baking pan

Black bean brownies are a special kind of flourless gluten free brownie, and this amazing recipe doesn’t taste at ALL like beans. Really!

Black Bean Brownies raw in pan, baked in pan, and cut into squares

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