Whenever I see gluten-free and vegan baked good recipes floating around the internet, I wonder just how good they can really be. No flour? No sugar? How can it be a real treat?! Turns out I am wrong, and boy am I glad. These black bean gluten-free vegan brownies effectively disprove my theory that desserts HAVE to have refined sugars and flour in them to be delicious.
What's in these black bean gluten-free vegan brownies?
Honestly, these brownies are the best thing to happen to me since froyo. But better, because they are packed full of healthy ingredients and no refined sugars—like, I contemplated feeding them to my children for dinner considering the ingredients.
- 1 15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
- cocoa powder
- flaxseed meal
- pure maple syrup
- coconut oil
- vanilla extract
- baking powder
It's basically a 125 calorie meal all mashed into a decadent, bite-sized treat with chocolate on top. And isn't good food the beaning of life? 😉 Seriously, though. They are SO gooey and rich. If you like an ooey-gooey brownie, you've hit the jackpot with this one. (Thanks for the recipe, Becca!)
A useful tip for gluten-free baking
Make sure you use a good mixture of flours and grains to bind together your batter. Some of my favorite gluten-free flours are:
- almond flour
- almond meal
- coconut flour
- oat flour
- tapioca flour
- rice flour
Honestly, there are so many on the market these days, and with a little recipe testing, you can learn how to make your favorite baked goods without all the gluten.
Good egg substitutes for vegan baking
Since we are on the topic of healthier baking alternatives, here is what I like to use...
- flax egg (1 egg = 2 tablespoons water, 1 tablespoon ground flax seed
- chia seed egg (1 egg = 2 tablespoons water, 1 tablespoon ground chia seed)
Okay, enough of me blabbering. Make these black bean gluten-free vegan brownies this weekend, okay? And don't skimp on the chocolate chips—that's the key! Grab the recipe below and enjoy!
📖 Recipe
Black Bean Gluten-Free Vegan Brownies
Ingredients
- 15 oz canned black beans rinsed and drained
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- ½ cup flaxseed meal
- ½ cup pure maple syrup
- ¼ cup coconut oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Combine all the ingredients, except chocolate chips, and blend them in a food processor or blender until you have smooth batter. Pour into a greased 8x8 pan, and completely cover the batter with the chocolate chips. (This part is the trick to getting them nice and chocolatey, so liberally spread the chocolate chips!)
- Bake for 30 minutes, and enjoy with a big glass of almond milk!
Nutrition
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Hannah @ The Homesteady says
What the whaa?? I have been trying extra hard to cut processed sugar out of my diet (at least as much as possible) but I really miss chocolate. I feel like this is the kind of recipe that, if I just randomly saw it on Pinterest, I'd pin it but never actually make it. But coming with your recommendation? These are happening. This. Weekend. Thanks Abbey!!
The Butter Half says
I am so glad you made them and LOVED them! We were in AZ this last week with family and I made them for everyone... Half the people thought they were totally weird, while the other half was obsessed. I think they are amazing considering how healthy they are. Keep it up on the eating better!