Delicious, Flourless, Gluten Free Brownies!
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Decadent, rich, fudgy, and delicious – there’s nothing more satisfying than these amazing Gluten Free Brownies! They are super easy to make, are easily made vegan or dairy-free, and have a secret ingredient that makes them healthy too. This is an unforgettable brownie that you will want to make time and time again!
Super fudge-y, moist, chocolatey, and absolutely amazing: you won’t believe that these brownies are flourless, gluten-free, low-fat, low-sugar, all-natural, and less than 100 calories per brownie!
The secret ingredient will surprise you…
These brownies are made with black beans.
Yup. That’s right. BEANS.
You have to try it to believe it, but these don’t taste like beans at all, they just taste like brownies! I took these gluten-free brownies to a dinner party where there were a bunch of kids all under the age of 8, and they all gobbled them up just like they were regular brownies. We didn’t tell them they were healthy. (shhh 🙂 )
Most healthy brownie recipes I’ve tried in the past have been too dry, or too cakey, but not these guys. These gluten-free brownies prove that it’s possible to get a fantastic texture and taste without traditional flours. Plus, the beans are incredibly good for you. These brownies are an actual guilt-free treat.
The next time you are craving something sweet, rich, and filled with chocolate, then these gluten-free brownies are exactly what you need. There is no more guilt when it comes to eating brownies because these are much healthier than your typical boxed brownie mix.
How to Make The Best Gluten-Free Brownies
Tools and Equipment You’ll Need
Recipe Ingredients and Notes
- Black Beans: The black beans replace flour in this recipe, but you won’t taste them at all. Instead you’ll just find they add moisture and richness to the batter!
- Eggs: To make these gluten-free brownies vegan, you can use flax eggs instead
- Cocoa Powder: 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder is all you need.
- Sugar: You can use granulated sugar or coconut sugar if you want to make it slightly lower glycemic.
- Coffee: Critical to bringing out that rich chocolatey flavor from these brownies!
- Chocolate Chips: You can use semisweet or dark chocolate chips. For a vegan or dairy-free option, choose dairy-free chocolate chips. You can also use an 88% dark chocolate bar cut up into chunks to lower the sugar and increase the chocolate flavor in these brownies.
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a nonstick 9 x 9-inch square baking pan with baking spray and line with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on all sides.
Step 2: Blend the black beans, eggs, cocoa powder, sugar, oil, milk, balsamic, baking soda, baking powder and coffee in a food processor or blender until smooth. Pour your batter base into a bowl. Fold in half of the chocolate chips until combined.
Step 3: Pour the brownie batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips evenly over the top of the brownies.
Step 4: Bake the brownies until a toothpick comes out clean, about 30 to 32 minutes. Allow the brownies to cool completely before slicing them into squares.
What Makes These Brownies Healthy?
Of course, brownies should always be eaten in moderation because of the sugar content, but there are a few things that make these brownies healthier than most:
- Low Calorie and Low Fat: Most traditional brownies will run you about 150-180 Calories, 8 grams of fat, and will have about 16 grams of sugar in them. These brownies have under 100 calories, only 3 grams of fat, and only 10 grams of sugar per serving!
- Antioxidants: Black beans, cocoa powder, and chocolate are all valuable sources of antioxidants that help reduce harmful inflammation in your body.
- Vitamins and Minerals: Thanks to the black beans — copper, calcium, zinc, magnesium, and folate can all be found in these brownies.
Will Kids Enjoy These Gluten Free Brownies?
I recently served these brownies to a group of kids and they were literally gone within minutes. Kids will gobble up these brownies and won’t have a clue that they are actually eating a healthier brownie! Their irresistible flavor and gorgeous look is incredibly inviting to kids. Even with the black beans as an ingredient, they won’t even notice!
Recipe FAQs
Are Black Bean Brownies Actually Good?
Absolutely! These brownies are so rich and fudgy, no one will have any idea they have black beans in them. You’ll be amazed that these gluten-free brownies actually taste just as sweet and indulgent as regular brownies.
How Do You Cut Brownies So They Don’t Fall Apart?
There is nothing more frustrating than putting in the work to make a batch of brownies, and when you go to cut them, they fall apart. Here are some tips to make sure you get perfect brownie pieces when you go to cut them:
Be sure they have cooled all the way: Warm brownies tend to bunch up as you cut them, and they will fall apart.
Use a plastic knife: Plastic knifes will stick to the brownies less than metal knives or a butter knife. After each cut, you will need to wipe off the knife. This ensures that brownie crumbs don’t accumulate on the knife and you’ll get a cleaner cut. If you need to use a metal knife, try to use on that has Granton, or scalloping, on the sides of the blade. The scalloping helps reduce friction.
Use parchment paper in the pan: This will prevent the brownies from sticking to the pan and will be less likely to come apart when removing from the baking pan.
Recipe Variations
There are always some fun things you can add to brownies to make them extra special. Here are some of my must-try variations.
- Nuts: Adding nuts gives you a fantastic crunch but also adds some flavor too. Any nuts will do too. Pecans, walnuts, and hazelnuts are my favorites.
- Almond Extract: If you want a super rich brownie that has a little extra pizzazz, add 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract. It’s so fun and tasty. You can even try 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract to switch things up! If you’re adding almond extract you can add a small amount of chopped dried cherries for even more flavor.
- Cayenne Pepper or Cinnamon: I know it might sound a little crazy, but if you haven’t tried brownies with a dash of cayenne or cinnamon, now is the time. It’s a great way to bring out even more sweetness in the brownies, and the spice is nice too.
- Make Them Vegan: Substitute flax eggs for the regular eggs and almond milk for the 1% milk and you’ll end up with brownies that are both gluten-free and vegan!
Top Tips For Making Gluten-Free Brownies
- It’s essential to use a blender or food processor for the batter. If you try to make them by hand the beans won’t get mixed as well, and you may end up with chunks. Because you are trying to hide the beans, getting them blended in all the way is a must.
- Don’t overbake the brownies. They won’t be as fudgy if you bake them too long. Take them out when they’re just barely set – as soon as a toothpick comes out clean, they are done.
- Be sure to measure all the ingredients properly. While with other recipes you can guess how much you add, when it comes to baking it needs to be more exact.
- If you can, use a glass baking pan instead of a metal one – the heat distribution will be more even in a glass pan.
Check Out These Divine Dessert Recipes!
- Chocolate Ganache Tart
- Matcha Brownies
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- Beet Brownies
- Vegan Rice Krispie Treats with Pumpkin Spice
- Vegan Oatmeal Cookies with Chocolate Chips
- Cherry Crumb Pie
- Healthy Layered Pumpkin Brownies
- 30 Low Sugar Desserts
If you have tried these Gluten Free Brownies or any other recipe on my blog, then please rate it and let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM, and PINTEREST to see more delicious, healthy, family friendly food!
Delicious Flourless, Gluten Free Brownies!
There is nothing more decadent, fudgy, and delicious than these Gluten Free Brownies. They are made with simple ingredients and yield an unforgettable brownie that you will want to make time and time again.
Servings: 20 brownies
Calories: 91kcal
Ingredients
- 15 oz black beans, rinsed and drained 1 can
- 2 large eggs Note: To make these vegan, you can use flax eggs instead
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup coconut sugar or coconut sugar, if you want to make it slightly lower glycemic
- 1/2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon 1% milk
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground coffee or instant coffee
- 3/4 cup mini semisweet or dark chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a nonstick 8×8 or 9×9-inch square baking pan with baking spray and line with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on all sides.
- Blend the black beans, eggs, cocoa powder, sugar, oil, milk, balsamic, baking soda, baking powder and coffee in a food processor or blender until smooth and pour into a bowl. Fold in half of the chocolate chips until combined.
- Pour the brownie batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips evenly over the top of the brownies.
- Bake the brownies until a toothpick comes out clean, about 30 to 32 minutes. Allow the brownies to cool completely before slicing them into squares.
Notes
Gluten Free Brownies Variations
- Nuts: Adding nuts gives you a fantastic crunch but also adds some flavor too. Any nuts will do too. Pecans, walnuts, and hazelnuts are my favorites.
- Almond Extract: If you want a super rich brownie that has a little extra pizzazz, add 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract. It’s so fun and tasty. You can even try 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract to switch things up!
- Cayenne Pepper or Cinnamon: I know it might sound a little crazy, but if you haven’t tried brownies with a dash of cayenne or cinnamon, now is the time. It’s a great way to bring out even more sweetness in the brownies, and the spice is nice too.
- Make Them Vegan: Substitute flax eggs for the regular eggs and almond milk for the 1% milk and you’ll end up with brownies that are both gluten free and vegan!
- It’s essential to use a blender or food processor for the batter. If you try to make them by hand the beans won’t get mixed as well, and you may end up with chunks. Because you are trying to hide the beans, getting them blended in all the way is a must.
- Don’t overbake the brownies. They won’t be as fudgy if you bake them too long. Take them out when they’re just barely set – as soon as a toothpick comes out clean, they are done.
- Be sure to measure all the ingredients properly. While with other recipes you can guestimate how much you add, when it comes to baking it needs to be more exact.
- If you can, use a glass baking pan instead of a metal one – the heat distribution will be more even in a glass pan.
Nutrition
Serving: 1brownie | Calories: 91kcal | Carbohydrates: 14.7g | Protein: 2.2g | Fat: 3.4g | Saturated Fat: 1.9g | Sodium: 7.7mg | Fiber: 1.8g | Sugar: 10g
I was skeptical but these turned out great! Hubby is avoiding carbs and sugar. So I used 1/4 C Monk Fruit Sweetener instead. Phenomenal!
Yay!! I’m so happy to hear that Natalie – thanks for letting me know! 🙂
Oh my, these are so decadent and delicious! I love that they’re gluten free too so everyone can enjoy them in my family.
Thanks so much Bintu!
Now these are my kind of brownies! They look so delicious 🙂
Yay! I’m sure you’ll love this recipe Chris!
These brownies look so fudgey and delicious. I can’t wait to try them.
Thanks Dannii!! Enjoy!!
Thanks. Your recipe is amazing. This is so healthy and I love the combination of healthy ingredients. Cant wait to check this out.
Thank you so much Veena! You will love it!
Wow – the texture on these is terrific! And, I love the added nutritional ooomph of black beans added into them. Gosh – I could do some serious damage to a batch of these!
Haha I know right?? They are super addicting!! Enjoy!
I can just sit looking at these brownies and dream of happily flying in the paradise and when I finally take a bite I will probably explode in ecstasy.
Now seriously, I will have to make these and I’m sure my experience will be very close to what I wrote above. Not to mention the added benefit of the brownies being gluten free, which unfortunately is becoming an epidemic in recent years. I’m pretty sure the reason for this is the crops are being heavily modified genetically and chemically. This in addition to few other factors explains why gluten intolerance is on the rise. And they are not even hiding this GMO altering of our food anymore. You can easily find information about that online and in other places, where they mention this fact like it’s something completely normal. Just a few decades ago there was almost no gluten intolerance in the US and even less so worldwide.
If one is concerned about being healthy and happy, should always search and consume food that is as natural and closest to nature as possible.
Thank you so much Anjali, for showing us what exceptionally healthy and delicious food can be prepared with natural products.
Best wishes and happy holidays!
Thank you so much Jenny! I’m sure you will love these brownies when you make them! Hope you have a great holiday season as well!
I made this last night for a 9 and a 4 year old, both very picky eaters, they gobbled them up! Love love this recipe. I’ve already shared it with a few friends. Thanks for sharing!!
Woohooo!! So so happy to hear that Meredith! 🙂 🙂
Is there something that could be subbed for milk or could it be omitted?
Hi Violet! If you’re trying to go dairy free then you can use almond milk and it should work just fine in this recipe! Hope that helps!
Hi Anjali your recipes are wonderful and creative. Keep up the good work
Thanks Hadi! I’m sure you will love these brownies if you try them!
Hi Anjali , it’s looks so yummy thanks you for sharing this . I have a question can we use red kidney beans in the place of black beans . Thanks
Hi! Thanks so much! To your question — I wouldn’t recommend replacing the black beans with red kidney beans — they have a different flavor and a slightly different texture than black beans, so I can’t guarantee that they would bake the same (or taste the same) in these brownies! Hope that helps, let me know if you have any other questions!
Will the brownies have a coffee taste?? I tend to not like coffee flavor in chocolate recipes. Could it be left out?
Thanks!
Hi Brittany! The brownies actually have zero coffee taste — the instant coffee just brings out the flavor of the chocolate even more without having to add too much sugar!! Hope that helps, I’d definitely recommend keeping the coffee in the recipe if you can!
Wow what a unique recipe! I will definitely try this!
You’ll love these brownies Mayuri!
Thank you for sharing this amazing recipe with us. Thank god it is gluten free. I have been surfing the net extensively in search of gluten free recipes. I’m lucky I bumped into your blog. I can’t wait to try this recipe this weekend. It will be the perfect dessert for saturday night dinner.
Hi Eshika! Aw I’m so glad you came across my blog too!! This recipe is the perfect gluten free dessert – because it isn’t grainy or dense at all – this recipe makes the perfect cakey fudgey brownies and they taste amazing. I’m sure you will love it when you try it!
This recipe looks absolutely delicious! Thank you for all the inspiration.
Of course!! I’m sure you will love these brownies Kirsten! They are perfectly moist and chocolatey – one of my favs 🙂
Every time I look at this blog, I am so pleased. The layout is beautiful, the ads are subtle and unobtrusive. Everything is so tastefully done. And the recipes are wonderful and creative. Thank you!
Thank you so much for your kind words Laura!! I’m so happy to hear you’ve been enjoying my recipe and my blog! 🙂
Yumm! Love how unique this recipe is – looks so good.
Thanks Gautam! Enjoy!
Awesome! looks delicious..i will try it out
I’m sure you will love these brownies Elsie!
the brownie looks awesome, gonna try this today! I found your site from the “Top 68 Food Blogs You Need To Follow Right Now” post published in “chew the world” and I’m glad I did. Will definitely try this.
Yay!! I know you’ll absolutely love these brownies when you make them – enjoy! 🙂