Fudgey Pumpkin Flourless Black Bean Brownies {Vegan and Gluten Free}
My love for all things sweet and chocolate is no secret. I never say no to dessert and always look forward to the last and *best* course. And that’s probably why most of the recipes of #CearasKitchen are sweet eats. I love dessert and am all for indulging in decadent and rich desserts once in awhile but the fact that I love desserts on the daily means that I need a seriously healthy but equally-as-good-fix. I have some comforting, warming, savory eats planned for the next couple weeks though and can’t wait to share the latest with you! 😀
And if baking brownies with black beans scares you. I get it. I was there. Until I made my White Bean Chocolate Cookie Cups and was sold off to the bean baking world for life. The beans are not detectable in these Flourless Black Bean Brownies whatsoever. I *tested* them on several unsuspecting people just in case my taste buds were somehow tricking me and everybody asked for more. So in the end, baking with beans gives you a protein-packed and healthy dessert you can have seconds of and feel great about. #yesplease
If you’re not convinced I swear this Flourless Black Bean Brownie Dough will convince you. I seriously considered just getting a spoon and not baking these when I tasted this decadent, edible brownie dough. #letsbehonest
Let’s talk about brownies. How do you feel about brownies? Brownies are a sensitive topic in the baking world. Some people swear by cakey brownies and others are all for the fudgey decadent kind. I am not too picky when it comes to brownies (*I never say no to chocolate*) but this week I was particularly craving a fudgey, thick and goooeey brownie. That’s where these Fudgey Pumpkin Flourless Black Bean Brownies come in.
These Fudgey Pumpkin Flourless Black Bean Brownies are:
Fudgey, Thick, Chocolatey, Gooey, Filed with melty chocolate chunks, Sport a wicked crinkly top AND are so healthy they can easily pass as a snack or dessert (or breakfast!). #love
I experimented with pumpkin to make these Fudgey Pumpkin Flourless Black Bean Brownies lower in fat and the results blew my mind. The results are a refined sugar free, butter free, egg free, dairy free, nut free, flour free aka gluten free, vegan and perfectly allergy friendly brownie that you can feel great about nomming down on on the regular. Unless you are allergic to chocolate and in that case I’m truly sorry and there are plenty of dessert recipes free of chocolate on the blog 😀
Happy Bean Baking!
Black Bean Pumpkin Brownies
- Total Time: 25 mins
- Yield: 12 1x
Description
These Black Bean Pumpkin Brownies are fudgey, thick, chocolatey, gooey and filled with with melty chocolate chunks and buttery walnuts. Nobody will guess these flour free brownies are made with black beans and are secretly healthy!
Ingredients
- 1 cup small flake, large flake or quick oats
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tbsp instant coffee (optional but recommended)
- 3 cups kidney or black beans (canned or cooked)
- 3 tsp vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup maple syrup, agave syrup or honey*
- 1/4 cup melted coconut oil*
- 1/4 cup pumpkin puree*
- 6 tbsp cocoa powder
Mix-Ins
- 1/4 cup walnuts, chopped*
- 1/4 cup dark chocolate chunks or chocolate chips*
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350F/180C and grease a 9×9 brownie pan with coconut oil or non-stick spray.
- Blend the oats until they form a “flour” consistency. Blend in the baking soda and sea salt.
- **Rinse the black beans very well and shake off the excess water** This step ensures your brownies do not taste like beans!! 🙂
- Add the instant coffee (optional), rinsed beans, vanilla extract, maple syrup, melted coconut oil, cocoa powder and pumpkin puree to a large mixing bowl or food processor (*see note).
- Blend until all the ingredients are creamy and smooth and the oats are undetectable in the batter.
- Mix in the chocolate chunks and chopped walnuts with a big spoon or spatula.
- Place in pan and spread out with the back of a slightly damp spoon. The batter is thick!
- Bake for 15-25 minutes and leave to cool for 5 minutes in the pan before slicing and serving – Make sure to not over-bake! (*Baking time will depend on your oven and altitude. My brownies are usually ready in about 18 minutes but some readers have commented that their brownies are ready after about 30 minutes. Adjust baking time based on your oven!)
- Reheat later for 30 seconds in the microwave for a warm brownie treat!
Notes
1) This recipe can be made in a bowl with an immersion blender (recommended) or in a regular blender (but the batter is very thick so make sure your blender is strong!).
2) Reheat in the microwave for 20-30 seconds for a warm brownie later in the week.
3) Brownies can be frozen in a sealed container for up to a month or covered and kept in the fridge for up to a week.
4) If you are using home cooked beans make sure that they are well-cooked like canned beans and soft.
*Honey is not for strict vegans
*Replace pumpkin puree with equal parts coconut oil.
*Leave walnuts out for a nut-free recipe
**Update: I ran out of liquid sweetener while baking this the other day and subbed 1/3 cup of the liquid sweetener for 1/2 cup brown cane sugar + 1 tbsp more coconut oil (so 1/3 cup maple syrup + 1/2 cup brown cane sugar + 1 extra tbsp coconut oil)! The results were perfect!
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 202
- Sugar: 9g
- Sodium: 308mg
- Fat: 9g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 27g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
If you do try these Pumpkin Black Bean Brownies any other recipes of mine, I love hearing about it! Insta or Tweet it to me (@cearaskitchen with hashtag #cearaskitchen) or Facebook it to me via the Ceara’s Kitchen Facebook Page! 
Easy to make and also tasty. Loved it. My daughter who is very picky about unconventional ingredients like beans in brownies, agreed that it is tasting good.
★★★★★
I see you can use red kidney beans instead. That’s all I have in my cabinet now. I didn’t read any posts that tried them that way. Is it the same?
If leaving out the coffee do I need to sub with a liquid? What is the purpose of it in the recipe? I just hope it won’t be awful without it as I don’t consume coffee.
Approximately 3 cups whole cooked beans equals how much coarse ground beans? 1 cup of oats equals approximately how much ground to powder oats ? Thank you for time and website
Would it still turn out if I added a scoop or two of protein powder? Would I just add some liquid?
This recipe is phenomenal. We use them as breakfast bars in my house and it’s a great way to get protein and fiber into my, er, selective nine year old and my wheat & dairy free husband. My daughter watched me make them, noting that she had low hopes because she (gasp) doesn’t like black beans, only to taste them, ask, “are you sure these have black beans in them?” and then ask for seconds. We’ve made batches and batches since then and tricked at least 5 different guests who couldn’t name any ingredients other than cocoa. Not one could detect beans (or oats, or pumpkin). We like them a bit underbaked an in our oven, 25 minutes hits that mark perfectly.
I can’t wait to try this. Be advised this page seems to be very spammy. Every time I tried to print the recipe and every time I tried to comment I had to fight off pop ups and secondary pages redirecting me to sites my computer said were suspicious.. You might want to look into that.
Hi April,
I am sooo sorry that you were experiencing trouble with my site. I was having technical difficulties with it which have now been resolved. Phew! Thank you for letting me know.
Enjoy the brownies! <3 🙂
Ceara
Wow, these turned out great! Made them in a food processor and used an 8×8 pan. Took about 30 min to cook and they were still pretty soft/fudgey but done. Love that they aren’t sugary at all, but still quite chocolatey!
★★★★
I absolutely love these brownies. I could eat them everyday. I have made them per your recipe. I’ve also subbed 1/3 cup of banana for 1/3 cup of the maple syrup to cut some of the sweetener. Still delicious with a hint of banana. I love that these are a healthier indulgence. I’ve tried a few other black bean brownie recipes but none come close to yours. 🙂
★★★★★
I wanted to like them… I love all the ingredients… but not together in this form. It tastes like sweet black beans to me. I made them per instructions and took extra time to rinse the beans really well. I will be keeping them and eating them for a protien pick-me-up from the freezer one by one, but will not be making these again 🙁 Just don’t like my black beans sweet. ( I have a sensitive nose that makes my taste more sensitive, but I did not tell one family member what was in the brownies and not one of them will eat them so I am not convinced it is just me). It is healthy, but I usually put less sugar in things and even with this quantity could not get past the thought that I had added sugar to my burrito 🙂
★
Hi Rachel! Thank you for your feedback but I am not sure why yours turned out tasting burrito-like!?! These should be sweet and the black bean taste undetectable. I’ve made these countless time and friends and family always gobble them up. I am not sure went wrong with your batch – PM me if I can be of any help!
Hello! First of all I need to tell how much I’m enjoying your blog. I love to cook healthy meals and trick people with recipes like this, when that little “forbidden fruit” is super healthy and very tasty.
However I have a question, can I substitute the pumpkin puree for another? Like apple or banana?
Thank you very much.
So happy to hear you are enjoying the recipes! Thank you for your kind words – I love tricking picking with secretly healthy recipes too 🙂
I have never tried subbing the pumpkin for anther fruit puree. I am not sure if it would work because pumpkin puree is very moist and “wet”. You can sub the pumpkin puree for equal parts coconut oil though! Happy Baking!
Hi Ceara, I have made these so many times and have used various substitutions and all with great success. I made them again tonight and used 1/2 can of pumpkin, xylitol for the sweeter. I never add the coconut oil and they always come out delicious and fudgy.
I normally use 1/2 cup of applesauce with no pumpkin and it works fine too. At times you just have to adjust the amount of time you bake them depending on the substitutions. Any where from 15-30 minutes. Tonights was 15 minutes.
I also make blondies with this recipe and use garbanzo beans or white beans in place of the black beans and omit the powdered chocolate and instant coffee and they come out perfect. I think I like the garbanzo beans better though. And again, I use the 1/2 cup of applesauce, xylitol for sweetner and no coconut oil.
I love eating beans for dessert! 🙂 I feel like I’ve splurged in a healthy way! Thanks again for such a delicious recipe!
Hi Laina,
Thank you for your lovely feedback!! I am so happy you enjoy the brownies – your variations sound delicious too!
All the best,
Ceara xo
Is it possible to substitute the cocoa powder with raw cacao powder? I’m not sure how much difference there is, but that is what I have here at home.
Thanks in advance!
Molly
I think subbing the cocoa powder for raw cacao powder would work just fine 🙂 Happy Baking!! Come back to share your results when you bake them!
WOW… I made these despite being a little skeptical about the amount of beans but my God they are good. No nuts for me just a few extra choc chips sprinkled on the top. Thank you for this recipe, it’s definitely a keeper 🙂
Hi Ceara,,,,..Don’t know I happened across your blog, but am so glad I did! Decided to try your black bean brownies . And once again, so glad I did! I’ve made other recipes and every time am disappointed. I guess all the wonderful reviews convinced me to try ONE
more time. The only change I made was in the sweetner ….was out of the other.( Used stevia and some xylitol ) So I took them out of the oven ( after 20 min.), let them cool 5 minutes and gave them the taste test. Mmmm, texture spot on , taste….no bean flavor whatsoever. Just could have been sweeter for my taste. And so I tossed on some vegan semi sweet choc chips and while they were melting, toasted some chopped walnuts that I sprinkled on top (after spreading the chips). Again the taste test…..perfect! This will be on my “make again list” Thanks….
★★★★★
Hi! Thank you so much for the recipe! It was very refreshing to find a vegan bean brownie recipe WITHOUT any vegetable oils, sugar or similar ingredients that I wish to avoid.
These brownies were great, but they were even better with a spoonful of PEANUT BUTTER that I added to the second batch I made. Yum!
★★★★★
SO happy you enjoyed them!! The spoonful of peanut butter sounds delicious!
I’ve made these twice now, both times using organic date syrup as the sweetener. I have tried several different black bean brownie recipes and I must say—-these have, by far, the best texture and flavor!
Thanks for this recipe, it will help keep my family on the healthy lifestyle journey! 🙂
★★★★★
Thanks for the lovely feedback, Barb! SO happy you and your family enjoyed the brownies 🙂
I made these an hour ago but made some changes to them to make them lower carb. I used kerrigold butter instead of coconut oil, and for the sweetener I used 1/3 cup organic maple syrup and 1 cup powdered erythritol and 1/4 cup powdered xylitol. I purged the beans in my food processor with the butter and vanilla into a smooth paste. Then put everything in the stand up mixer and mixed all until well blended. i ground the oatmeal into what was almost oat flour but resembled corn meal. It made it feel like there were finely chopped nuts in it. I put one teaspoon of water in a glass and microwaved for 20 seconds, then dissolved 1/2 teaspoon oh decaf instant coffee in the hot water, let it cool , then added to the mix and blended in well.I did not put any nuts in the batter. I greased the 9×9 pan with coconut oil. Baked for 20 minutes. I think that overnight, the oat flour will absorb some of the moisture so 20 minutes cook time will probably be perfect. I used a dark metal brownie pan that has the seperater so you get 9 perfect brownies. I have made about 25 different low carb, grain free, sugar free, nut free, brownie recipes , and think these had the best taste and texture. Next time I will use all maple syrup because I think they would taste even better, and the carbs would be worth it. I have a 2 year old Whirlpool Gold oven.i think that anyone that can’t have eggs or dairy would love the original recipe and honestly I think I will make with the coconut oil next time. This was a REALLY GOOD treat for me, who doesn’t eat granulated sugar and wants a great brownie that tastes decadent! Thank you so much! Can’t wait to have one tomorrow with some whipped cream! One more thing.. The texture is almost perfect!😀😇😍
The reason I will use coconut oil instead of butter is because the sides of the brownies had some coconut oil on them from when I greased the pan and it tasted super good! I will caution you that both cocoa powder and coconut oil up your metabolism and eating some of these past 6pm might make it difficult to fall asleep, however, eating for breakfast would be a really good idea!!!
Thank you for your lovely and detailed response, Sugarbaby!!! I am so happy that you enjoyed these brownies 🙂 I love eating them for breakfast as well!!
Hi! Just took mine out of the baking dish and they are SO good. They took a lot more time to cook, and I actually thoughy they were ready after 20 min, so in the end I had to put them again in the oven for more 15 min. Weird, but maybe it’s the combination of my oven and the baking plate I’ve used.
They are perfect nevertheless. I will freeze some to keep myself from eating the entire batch!
★★★★★
SO happy you enjoyed the brownies, M! Thank you for the wonderful feedback 🙂 The baking time might have differed because of the size of your pan and oven as you said! I like to freeze a few of these as well when I bake them to make sure I’ll have some for later! 😀
I love these brownies. I have a sweet tooth, and they totally trick them. I eat them with breakfast, and any time of the day when I feel like snacking on something sweet! Thank you so much for making an amazing recipe!
★★★★★
Yay!! So happy you’ve been enjoying the brownies, Syndney!! 🙂 Thank you for the wonderful feedback!
Thank you for sharing this wonderful brownie recipe.
I will be honest I was reluctant but as I gave the batter a taste I was instantly surprised. I could have eaten it straight out of the bowl!
They were easy to make, smelt wonderful and tasted AWESOME.
The next day I added berries and Greek yogurt for a decadent treat.
Thank you again!
Thank you so much for the wonderful feedback, Andrea! I am so happy that you enjoyed these brownies 🙂 Your snack with yogurt, berries + these brownies sound completely delicious!! 🙂
This recipe was awesome! My kids and husband loved them too! (And they are all very hard to please) lol. The only thing I did different was I added one egg. We are not vegan, just looking for some healthier choices. When I saw that some reviewers were having trouble getting them to set up I figured it can’t hurt to add an egg. They look exactly like your picture. Thank you for a great recipe!!
★★★★★
Yay! I am so happy that you and your family enjoyed the brownies, Theresa 🙂 They always disappear very quickly whenever I bake them here. Thank you so much for the positive feedback!
I made these brownies last night and they were so good!! I think I like the batter better than the cooked because I feel ZERO guilt about eating. My 3 daughter all loved them but I had to warn them that I cut back sugar because brownies have so much and I wanted to try with Honey instead. They totally took the bait and asked for a brownie in their lunch! Thanks for the awesome recipe!!
★★★★★
Yay!! I am so happy that you enjoyed the brownies, Leah!! Thank you SO much for your lovely feedback! 🙂 I love snacking on the batter too – it’s so incredibly delicious!! So happy your daughter enjoyed them too – it’s always a good sign when the kiddies love the “secretly healthy” baked goods!
Hi Ceara,
I made these tonight and they really do taste great, but I must admit, I taste the black beans faintly, even after rinsing them really well. But it’s not a turn off for me.
Also, I had to bake mine for 30 minutes for them to set. I was really careful to measure everything perfectly and make sure the beans were completely drained because of the previous comments.
My guess is the culprit might be the earth balance which I used instead of coconut oil. The coconut oil might solidify more than earth balance. Did you try baking these with earth balance?
I’m very pleased with the results and will make them again. I doubled the walnuts and chocolate chips and I’m glad I did. :). Thanks so much for a delicious recipe!
Hi Laina!
Thank you so much for your feedback. I’m so happy that you enjoyed the black bean brownies – they are a favorite around here. Doubling the chocolate chips and walnuts sounds delicious!!
I am not exactly sure why the black bean flavor was more pronounced in your brownies – I’ve shared these brownies with many unsuspecting people and they’ve never suspected beans as the secret ingredient. You might just be right that the culprit was the earth balance? I have only ever baked these with coconut oil so I can’t tell you for sure. I would try baking these again with coconut oil and see if the flavor is less pronounced for you! I’d love to know your feedback if you do! Happy Baking!
Hi Ceara,
I made these again today. This time I substituted with apple sauce instead of the earth balance and I liked them even more. I also realized that my pan is an 8×8 and not the 9×9 you recommended. So that would be the reason it takes longer to bake. Also, this time I used raw honey instead of maple syrup and I think I like this better also.
The first time I baked these my DH was on a business trip. Tonight, I decided to give him a bite thinking he wouldn’t like the brownies, but he did!!!
I so love these I ate two of them after supper. I need to freeze them to make it more difficult to eat.
★★★★★
Thank you for the feedback, Laina! I was very happy to read your comment this morning because I was thinking of making these this weekend subbing applesauce for the coconut oil to make them oil free! I am so happy to hear you liked them even more that way! 🙂 These brownies are certainly hard to resist – they never seem to last long around here 😉 So happy you are enjoying them!
I am in LOVE with these Black Bean Brownies! I make them at least once a week. I eat them for breakfast over some oatmeal, for dessert, for a snack, I am in LOVE! Thanks for sharing this recipe! I swirl in almond butter, and they turn out quite beautiful and tasty 😉
I am SO happy that you’ve been enjoying these brownies, Amanda!! <3 🙂 Thank you so much for the wonderful feedback! I have to try them with almond butter swirled on top next time I make them! Sounds delicious!
These were very good! I only had 1 1/2c black beans so I subbed white beans for the other half otherwise followed exactly and baked for 18 minutes – perfect (I like mine less gooey and 18 minutes made them just perfect- bit cakier) they would have been truly amazing if I’d had some chocolate chips but I only had walnuts but still great! Thank you for a great recipe will be making frequently
I’m so happy that you enjoyed the brownies, Char!! I am sure that you’ll love them even more with the chocolate chips/dark chocolate chunks – they are like the icing on the cake.. or in this case, brownie!! 🙂
I’ve been hunting the internet for a good vegan, gluten free black bean brownie recipe that won’t require me to go out and purchase ten million expensive ingredients. and this one looks fantastic. I already have a big tub of Earth Balance in the fridge, so I’ll probably use that instead of buying a container of coconut oil. My question is, is the pumpkin flavor very detectable in these? I want to make this and top it off with a vegan strawberry creme, and I’m not sure if the pumpkin will stand out and create a weird flavor profile with the strawberries. Another user suggested sweet potato, do you think that would be better in my case or will it not make too much of a difference, taste-wise? Thanks!!!
Hi Sam! I’m so happy that you came across these brownies and hope you love them – the addition of vegan strawberry creme sounds delicious 🙂 The pumpkin is totally undetectable in these brownies and basically acts as a replacement for oil! Happy Baking and let us know how they turn out 😀
I have to be honest here….This recipe was AWFUL. I followed the recipe and didn’t make changes. After the recommended baking time, it was still RAW so I added extra time and it never set up. I picked some cooked pieces off the top and it tasted like BEANS…sweet chocolatey beans. I am most upset about wasting really expensive ingredients like nice maple syrup, high quality cocoa and coconut oil.
Hi Angie, thank you so much for your feedback and for stopping by. It’s the worst when a recipe doesn’t work out – especially after using expensive ingredients like coconut oil, maple syrup and cocoa powder! Since reading your comment I’ve been trying to figure out what went wrong with these brownies. I’ve made them countless times and have never tasted the beans or had a problem with them not baking. Did you make sure to rinse the beans first? Was the batter very thick before adding it to the pan? I would be happy to answer any questions or help you further to try and figure out what exactly went wrong! Feel free to PM me for further help! All the best, Ceara
Thanks for your reply! The Hubs washed the beans in a colander for several minutes and yes the batter was crazy thick. I am just guessing that many of you are strict vegans and maybe just eat differently than myself. I cook from scratch, don’t eat red meat and stay away from chemicals but I do eat dairy, eggs, chocolate, etc so maybe I was just expecting something different. Again, I do appreciate your reply 🙂
Thank goodness someone else shared my experience! Mine turned out abysmally as well. I followed the recipe pretty closely and even added extra sweetner. I am pretty turned off black beans in general now, and loved them before. Now idea what went wrong, or how a kid could have enjoyed what madness I made.
Hi Alex,
Thanks so much for your feedback. I am not sure exactly what went wrong because these brownies always turn out perfectly when I bake them here. If you PM me I could maybe help figure out what exactly went wrong.
These were delicious, I look forward to making them again. Thank you!
★★★★★
I am so happy you enjoyed them, Angela!! 🙂 Thanks for letting me know!! Happy Baking!
I just made this and it is so good! My only issue is I can’t get it to set. It is just staying in this super yummy gooey brownie batter. Did I read right bake at 350 for 15-18 min? I put it in for 15 min because you said to not over bake and tested it. I ended up eating a big spoonful it is so good. Then I cooked it for another 10 minutes. And did the same thing. It is still gooey batter. Honestly it’s so good anyway but I would like it to be a bit more firm so I am putting it in for another 10 minutes. I followed your directions exactly so I am not sure what is going wrong.
I’m so happy that you enjoyed them Debra! I’ve been racking my brain on why your brownies didn’t set because I’ve never had this problem before. All ovens are a bit different – did they end up setting after you baked them for an additional 10 minutes? Please let us know and thank you for your feedback 🙂
These look yummy!! We can’t use the coconut though. I saw the recommendations for alternates but thought I’d see what you thought…..canola oil or just straight melted butter?
I would try straight melted butter or margarine over coconut oil! Let us know how they turn out! Hope you enjoy them!
A few stupid questions…Do you use the instant coffee powder by itself, or do you dissolve it in water first? Where do you add it in the recipe? Do you measure the coconut oil before or after melting it? Thanks!!
Not stupid at all, Rachel! 🙂 I add the instant coffee powder in with the melted coconut oil and it dissolves while blending the ingredients together. I measure the coconut oil after it is melted as well! Hope you love them!
Thanks!!! I can’t wait to make these.
Finally had the chance to make these. They are AWESOME!
★★★★★
SO happy you enjoyed them, Rachel!! Thank you for letting us know!!
I just made these for the second time and realized that I forgot to add the cocoa powder last time. Lol. That means they are going to be even better this time!
So happy that you enjoyed them! 🙂 Let us know the results with the cocoa powder!!
These were delicious! Thanks for making them for me Ceara!
My pleasure! <3 xo!
These look amazing Ceara, I can’t wait to try them! 🙂
Ok, these were awesome Ceara! With my super sensitive sweet tooth, I only used 1/4 cup honey, plus a tablespoon of coconut milk, and they were perfect for me! Thanks for the recipe girl! xo
Sorry, 1/2 cup honey, plus a few tablespoons of coconut milk. Ok, bye and thanks!
I am SO happy that you loved them, Lauren!! The addition of coconut milk sounds absolutely delicious! Happy Holidays 🙂
Me either…I can NEVER SAY NO to desserts, especially desserts I don’t make, ahha, I would eat anything quickly as long as it has something gooey on it! I made GF brownies earlier using a local GF brownie mix with apple sauce, they were pretty interesting and good! I’ve had black bean brownies before – they were pretty good esp with some avocado frosting! Darn, the pumpkin-based brownies sound even better and lovely! MIam miam!
I love black bean brownies. Thanks for the recipe!
What a delicious sounding combination! I would have never thought to throw some pumpkin into my brownies. They look soo moist and amazing!!
I am still to experiment with beans in sweet bakes but I think you just twisted my arm these look awesome!!!
What will making this with 1/4 cup sweet potatoes instead of pumpkin do to the recipe taste and texture wise?
I think sweet potato would make a great sub for the pumpkin! Let me know if you try it!
Oh gosh Ceara, these brownies sure do look amazing!! I actually have on my list to create some black bean brownies because EVERY single one I’ve tried has been a major dissapointment. All I ever taste is beans and to me a dessert has to taste LIKE dessert, otherwise the health factor is pointless to me. I’m getting swayed by your pictures though here girl, they look so good! I’m so picky about tasting off tastes or weird tastes in dessert….I can’t stand avocado in dessert either, haha! I just may have to try yours!!
Thanks!! I know what you mean (I tried avocado choc. chip cookies once and was not a fan). I think the trick here is to REALLY rinse and blend the beans well! In between all the cocoa and maple syrup goodness the bean taste is literally undetectable! Let me know if you try them – hope they can win you over to the bean baking world 😀
Wow., these brownies look perfect!
Thanks Richa!!
oh my gosh I was so skeptical about black bean brownies at first too – but they are so yummy! adding pumpkin is the best idea everrrr….yum!
Thanks Kate 😀 I was a black bean brownie skeptic once too until I tried these 😉
I am so loving these brownies, Ceara!! I haven’t used black beans for sweets yet, but I am going to make these this week because they look amazing! I’ve also been loving tricking my husband into eating things with secret ingredients, so these will be great! These seriously look so fudgy and amazing!
Thanks Izzy! Let me know if you try them and if you are able to trick your husband with them! I do the same with my boyfriend with secretly healthy treats! 😀
Hi,
I just discover your website yesterday, saw this recipe and decided to give it a try.
Just made them an hour ago.
OMG!!!!
Really!!!! Just OMG!!!!!!
They taste soooooooo good!!!!
Thank you for sharing it!
A new fan
Thank you so much for your kind words Isabelle 🙂 I am so happy that you loved the brownies!!
These look amazing!! Seriously!! I have to have to HAVE TO make them!! SO yummy!! They look chewy and oh-so delicious! I hear ya on wanting to satisfy my sweet tooth!! I love dark chocolate!
Thanks Cailee! LMK if you try ’em 🙂
Amazing! I have this whole new appreciation for creating or finding gluten free and vegan recipes! If you’re ever recruiting more “tasters” you know who to ask 😉 haha
Using black beans is such a terrific idea! Brownies are normally a twice a year treat for me… which is so sad. But I mean… if they’re made with black beans… I think this calls for more frequent occasions to eat brownies! 🙂
Hehe! I would love to send you some to test Nicole 🙂 I think these healthy brownies do call for an occasion to have moooore brownies 😀
I love the look & consistency of these. The appear moist & dense & rich. Mmmmm. Black beans make them extra special. Thanks for sharing. :] // itsCarmen.com ☼ ☯
Thanks Carmen!! 🙂
the brownies look so fudgy! Can’t believe these are actually healthy! I’m gonna try black beans in my baking for sure, thanks for the motivation Ceara!
Thanks Manali! I hope you like baking with black beans as much as I do! 🙂
I love the addition of pumpkin puree – yum! Looks fantastic!
Thanks Alessandra!
Omg, the fudginess of these brownies looks just mindblowing! I’m totally on board with beans in my brownies. 😀 NEED these!
Thanks for the kind words Sarah! 😀
This looks incredibily tasty Ceara. Healthy nutritious and full of goodness- pumpkin, black beans and on top of all chocolatey. I am dying for a piece!
Thanks Hadia 😀 Sending one your way!!
These brownies look so fudgy and amazing, Ceara! Love that you added pumpkin to make them even more healthy and delicious! I’ve always wanted to try making brownies with beans and these sound awesome!
Thanks Kelly! Pumpkin is somehow sneaking its way into all my recipes this time of year! 🙂
I’ve tried black bean chocolate cake and it was amazing! I’m sure these brownies are as well, especially with the addition of pumpkin! I You have some wonderful creative ideas Ceara!
Black bean chocolate cake was actually one of the first “bean” recipes I tried as well 🙂 Thanks for the sweet words MIra!
These brownies are absolutely gorgeous!! cant believe you used black beans in this recipe.. love how fudgy they look.. Love all the ingredients in this brownie.. Yumm!
Thanks Arpita 😀
Hi Ceara,
These looks so incredible. I just had to share them on facebook, pinterest, and twitter. I’m so impressed by the ingredients and most of all how delicious they look! Just stuck a big sticky note on my fridge reminding me that I need to make this tomorrow. Brilliant recipe 😀
Thank you so much Vanessa for all the shares and your kind words! 🙂 Let me know if you try them! I hope you family enjoys them as much as we did!
Thank you so much Vanessa for all the shares and your kind words! 🙂 Let me know if you try them!! I hope you love them as much as our family does!
Oh my goodness, my mouth is watering. Pumpkin and chocolate is one of my favorite combinations. Love this recipe!
Thanks Linda! Chocolate and Pumpkin are one of my fav’s as well! 🙂
I’ve always wanted to try brownies made with black beans but i’ve just been to chicken i guess… but these look delicious and super fudgy yummy love that they are GF and Vegan! pinning these 😉
Thank for the pin, Michele!!
Oh hello crazy amounts of antioxidants!!
Yep!! 😀
Fudgy healthy brownies #forthewin! This looks awesome Ceara! I want to eat that whole pan!
Love it – Healthy Brownies #FTW! 😀
OMG these brownies look divine!!!
Thanks <3
There is no way to break a diet with these brownies! They look so thick moist and rich! I love all the chocolate I bet they taste so good! I love you added pumpkin to them oh gosh the best 🙂
Hehe, I love brownies that don’t break the diet! Thanks for the kind words Shundara!
I tried making black bean brownies a while back and they were TERRIBLE! I feel like adding pumpkin would moisten them up just perfectly. Plus, I didn’t use oats, which I think would add a nice texture! NEED to try these!
I have had the same experience in the past until I tried these 🙂 Let me know if you try them!!
Love sneakin in veggies in desserts. I once made black beans brownies and loved it, added pumpkin I see made them super moist, I am going to try this next time I make brownies.
Oh my goodness, Ceara, no. Why would you post this today when there’s not a box of them in my kitchen, with a little note “<3 Ceara"?! I mean come on now! I guess I'll have to make a run to the store here soon.. because I can't get how good these look! The addition of pumpkin?! Girl, just no. How did you know I had a bit leftover that I just *neeeeeed* to use on something sweet?!
I'm pretty mad at you right now. Just saying. But I bet I won't be after I make these 🙂
Hehe!! Wish I could send you a whole batch Cheryl! Maybe in exchange for that delicious chili you posted? YUM! Let me know if you tried them! 😀
I must admit, I’m a little hesitant to try baking with black beans, though I’ve heard such great things about them! These brownies sound fantastic, Ceara! You are definitely changing my mind about black beans.I love how rich and decadent these cuties look! And even better that they’re gluten-free too! Pinned!
Hehe, I totally understand Gayle! I was hesitant at first too! Until I tried these yummy brownies 😉
I once read there are two things women can’t resist in their diet….cheese & chocolate. I’m in. Total agreement. Brownies are such a weakness. But I love how yours are infused with black beans and am eager to try!
I could not agree with you more Laura!! I am a big sucker for all things chocolate 🙂 Let me know if you try them!