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You know what makes you feel like a rockstar mom?

Handing your kid a brownie for breakfast and watching their face light up with confused, but unfettered joy.

With this sugar-free black bean brownie recipe, you can be that rockstar mom… and not have to deal with a sugar high (and subsequent crash) at 9am.

Black Bean Brownies Recipe

Ella and I have gotten into a bit of a late-night baking kick, and a little while ago she became fixated on the idea of making brownies – we started off with our 3-ingredient brownies, and we’ve even used our favourite boxed brownie mix.

However, while I want to give Ella freedom with her food choices, I would prefer that our late night baking escapades were a little bit healthier – so I can actually let her eat her creations before bed, or as soon as she wakes up, without worrying about all of that sugar!

I had tried a black bean brownie recipe before, and was pleasantly surprised at the results, but every recipe that I knew of still had refined sugar as a main ingredient (or relied on artificial sweeteners). No. Thank. You.

So, we set out to make a great-tasting, sugar-free black bean brownie recipe with whole foods (that wouldn’t taste like we made a sugar-free black bean brownie with whole foods).

Of course, if you’re making these for grown-ups you may want to add some real chocolate chips. While no child that I’ve ever served these to has ever thought twice, I can still taste the beans slightly.

This is the perfect recipe to make with kids, because this recipe is so forgiving, and the food processor does most of the work. Kids still get the fun of measuring ingredients, and cracking eggs, without having to handle a mixer or worry about stirring the batter enough.

(And, the burning question – yes, you can fool people into thinking that these are real, sugar-laden brownies! I’ve fed them to my twenty-year old, junk food-loving brothers, and neither suspected a thing! It’s not a replacement for a super-chocolatey, indulgent brownie – you’re simply not going to get that without a ton of chocolate and sugar. But it still tastes like a brownie.)

These brownies are even fudgier the next day, so if possible, resist the temptation to try them until the next day if you’re a fan of super fudgey brownies. I also recommend allowing these brownies to cool down before digging in, as the sweet and chocolatey flavors in this recipe will become stronger as they set.

You can customize these brownies in so many ways! If you love peanut butter and chocolate, you can add some peanut butter powder to it. Or if you like a hint of coffee, you can add some instant espresso powder (this is the one I use).

Why add beans to brownies? Not only do beans help create the rich, chewy texture of this brownie recipe, they also (obviously) add a bevy of health benefits.

What are the health benefits of black beans? At 15g protein per 1 cup, beans also provide lots of soluble and insoluble fibre, which helps you stay fuller longer and helps decrease the risk of many chronic diseases. Black beans are also associated with lowering LDL cholesterol levels (reducing your risk of heart disease), the magnesium aids in bone health, and the potassium can lower blood pressure. Many of us lack enough dietary fibre and magnesium, so this is a great way to add those into your diet in a fun way.

How to make brownies sugar-free: The Medjool dates are an essential ingredient in this recipe! We have occasionally had to use raisins when we don’t have dates on hand (as shown in the video) but the dates add a more caramelized sweetness and really help develop that fudgy texture. They also add even more protein, vitamins and minerals to these brownies. Read more about the health benefits of Medjool dates here.

Are these brownies gluten-free? Yes, this recipe contains no flour and as long as all of your other ingredients are labeled gluten-free, you’re in the clear!

Can you freeze black bean brownies? Yes! Be sure to wrap the brownies tightly with foil or plastic wrap, then place in an airtight freezer container or freezer bag. Store for up to 2 months.

Can I swap the applesauce for mashed bananas? While this should work as the applesauce serves to add moisture and replace oil, I have not tried this substitution yet.

Check out the video to see how easy it is to make these sugar-free black bean brownies and then don’t forget to scroll down to grab our free printable recipe below:

Ingredients to Make Black Bean Brownies

• Black beans – if you opt for dry beans, make sure to cook or soak adequately beforehand
• Medjool dates
• Eggs
• Natural applesauce – this replaces the need for oils or butter in this recipe and adds to the moisture content (I have not tried substituting mashed banana but this may work)
• Pure vanilla extract, or scrapings from one pod
• Cocoa powder – make sure to use baking cocoa not sweetened cocoa mix meant for drinks
• Baking soda
• Good-quality salt– no need to use the really gourmet stuff, but I avoid iodinized table salt

Scroll down to the printable recipe card for full measurements.

Tip: you can use a muffin pan to portion out the brownie batter into single-serve portions.

Kitchen Tools You May Find Useful:

• Food processor <– absolutely ESSENTIAL to this recipe achieving a fudgy texture (also in pureeing the beans and dates)
• Measuring cups and spoons
• 8″ x 8″ baking pan
• Offset spatula

How to Make Healthy Black Bean Brownies

Preheat oven to 350F.

Stir the cocoa powder, soda, and salt in a small bowl until fully blended. Set aside.

Place the beans, dates, eggs, applesauce, and vanilla in a food processor. Puree until a nice paste forms and you cannot see individual beans or dates.

Add the dry ingredients, and blend fully.

Scrape the batter into a prepared 9×9-inch pan and smooth it down with a spatula. (You can oil and flour a pan, or line it with parchment paper.)

Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes until set and a toothpick inserted comes out with crumbs but no wetness.

Pin this delicious sugar-free black bean brownie recipe:

Grab your free printable recipe card for our sugar-free black bean brownie recipe here:

These sugar free black bean brownies are crumbly, fudgy, and all of the good things that brownies should be. We’ve made these twice now, and next time I’m going to be adding in some good-quality chocolate chips… to my half of the pan anyways.

For more delicious sugar-free baking ideas, check out our Sugar-free Banana Bread recipe or our Chickpea Peanut Butter Blondies.

Check out our other Vegetable Recipes here:

Original picture from 2013: