Black Bean Brownies

I have a killer sweet tooth and I have to say these are pretty gosh darn good. I experimented a little and found that adding about a teaspoon of baking powder gives a little more cake-like brownie if you prefer that texture. I left out the coffee and I cannot taste any black bean flavor. Great recipe!

These are delicious!! I've made them many times over and have figured out how to make them perfectly. I bake them for 26 minutes instead of the full 30 that the recipe calls for, and they are perfectly done! I also use only Ghiradelli sweetened cocoa, and Ghiradelli 60% cocoa dark chocolate chips, as well as walnuts (since I prefer walnuts in my brownies). I also add 2-3 drops of almond extract along with the vanilla extract, and I blend all ingredients in a food processor. The end result is a very chocolaty and smooth brownie where you don't get any bean texture or taste- they are just awesome!

Delicious! I did, however, add, as one reviewer suggested, a small amount of baking powder to make the brownies more cake-like. They were very delicious and there is no apparent black bean flavor at all!

We are brownie conosuiers and my family absolutely LOVED these brownies!! I didn't have instant coffee so I substituted with 3 tsps of strong coffee. It definitely brought out the chocolate flavor and we couldn't taste the beans at all. A little different texture but very similar to fudgy brownies which we love. Will definitely make again!!

I liked these, but must admit to not loving them.. yet. I was hoping for a deeper richer chocolate taste and a bit more of a traditional chewy texture. I will play with this a bit and see what I can come up with.. perhaps more cocoa powder for the chocolate part and for texture? maybe a few nuts of soemthing.. it needs some THING in there just besides the brownie. Something crunchy or chewy... with a bite

I made these for my girlfriends and no one could guess that they contained black beans! Not the same taste as a high calorie double fudge brownie, but still, an amazing brownie considering the ingredients.

Who'd ever think of using black beans in brownies? My hubby and I are both watching our weight, and since we both love to eat sweets, I was looking for a healthier brownie recipe. I found it! This was surprisingly delicious! The only thing I miss is the flaky topping I'm used to seeing when I make brownies from a box. I followed this recipe exactly, it was moist and very tasty.

I've recently been trying to stay away from flour but I love my sweets and chocolate. I didn't have the coffee, but I have a feeling it would have taken the very mild hint of black bean flavor completely away. I used a lot of chocolate chips which I think helped as well. Great for a healthy twist on brownies.

My kids devoured these. I made them as written. They never noticed that they were "healthy" just slightly different than the box mixes. The second time I made them I attempted to "up" the nutritional benefits and used 1/3 applesauce instead of oil and added a tablespoon of ground flax meal. Also, instead of white sugar I used 1/2 raw turbinado sugar and 1/4 cup agave syrup.I preferred a little less coffee so decreased that to 1/2 tsp. and added extra 1/2 tsp vanilla. These were moister than the original. I am impressed with the idea of using black beans for flour. So many health benefits in this recipe. Thanks for posting!

Oh my god. I can't recommend this recipe enough. Seriously. Try it.

If you want a healthier lower-fat, high fiber, gluten & dairy free brownie, you'll have accept that you'll be making some taste and texture sacrifices. We had mixed reviews: one daughter loved them and the other said they are the worst ever but asked for more. These satisfied our brownie craving in a healthful way, but they DO have a subtle black bean flavor and they DO dissolve in your mouth. I did not opt for the optionals. Update: I made these again and doubled the cocoa powder and vanilla. I added a tsp of baking powder, and replaced the eggs with 3 T flax meal soaked in 6 T water. I replaced 1/4 cup of the white sugar with turbinado sugar. The bean flavor is much less noticable with the changes and the texture is improved. I will be making these again for my family, but I would not share them with others who are not receptive to "health food".

Surprisingly good! I added 1/2 tsp. baking soda and 1/2 tsp. baking powder and substituted 1/2 cup applesauce for the oil and Splenda for the sugar. I didn't add chocolate chips. Cutting out the oil, sugar and chocolate chips reduces the brownies to only 40 calories each. These are the best low-fat, low-calorie brownies I've ever eaten. They taste even better with a dollop of Cool Whip on top. NOTE: These need to be refrigerated. I had a few left over, which I left on the kitchen table for a few days, and they got moldy...yuck!

WOW! I am so happy I made these. I seriously TRIED to taste the black beans, but couldn't. I don't even own a blender to make it smooth, just mashed everything up in a bowl using a potato masher and it worked wonderfully. Absolutely zero black bean taste or aftertaste. Hubby really likes them too so he took the rest(5 lol) to work to share. My tweaks: used 3 eggs but took out 1 yolk, applesauce instead of oil, 1/3 cup Hershey's cocoa powder, 3 tsp vanilla, 1/3 cup + 10 tsp. white sugar(about half what the recipe calls for!), and 1 tsp. brewed coffee. I also sprinkled chocolate chips and walnuts on top. Checked at 25 min., still liquid in a spot or two, so I let it go to 30 min. and they came out PERFECT. I've always made boxed brownies, NEVER AGAIN!! I can't wait to make more and share them with everyone!! I registered just to leave this feedback...I'm so freakin' impressed. Brownies with fiber, couldn't be more perfect. THANK YOU!!!

I was very pleased with how easy these brownies are to make. My family is very picky and loved these brownies. They were shocked to learn what they were made with. We made a second batch and added 1/4 cup of coconut and they tasted just like an almond joy bar. This recipe is an absolute keeper in our house.

This is one of the BEST brownie recipes I have! I have made them several times! I put 1 1/2 t. baking powder and about 1/2 c. milk chocolate chips in the blender also. They have been requested instead of cake for a birthday- Warm topped with Breyers Natural Vanilla Ice Cream! MMM MMM Good!! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! Turn you eyes upon JESUS!!!

I've made this countless times - so freaking good. But don't eat too many....it's made of beans after all....

Beany. Next time I want more chocolate flavor. I think I'll increase the coffee and cocoa.

Very good alternative to a traditional brownie; provides a somewhat guilt free chocolate indulgence for those of trying to watch what we eat. I took the suggestion from many previous reviews to use applesauce (3/4c) instead of oil, add baking soda (1 tbs), to use more cocoa (1/4 c +) and more vanilla extract (2 tsp). I did forget to add the instant coffee, but it still turned out great. The brownie was moist and fluffy, almost cake like (which I prefer) and you can taste the black bean, but it is not overwhelming and the chocolate taste is upfront. My GF, who has affliction for chocolate and sweets absolutely was in love with these brownies. I plan on making this recipe again and am interested to see what the coffee will do for this recipe. I also plan on using less sugar and substitute ingredients, but for now I don't want to mess up a good thing. Enjoy!

This was an awesome alternative to brownies. I did make some changes to increase the flavor and make it a bit healthier: 1/2 c applesauce instead of the oil, 1/2 c cocoa powder, 3 t vanilla extract, 1/2 c splenda, 1/4 c brown sugar, 2 t instant coffee. I meant to add a tsp of baking powder, but forgot. They were very thin, but still good. I don't know why everyone's complaining about the texture. I didn't find anything wrong with it; it's like a cake-brownie. And no matter how hard I tried, I could NOT taste the beans. My 9 year old step-son despises beans, and he ate the whole pan within 24 hours, even knowing what was in it. Definitely give it a try if you're looking for something healthy to fix a chocolate craving!!

As wierd as the recipe sounds, these are surprisingly good and satisfying! I used 4 oz of applesauce and 1 tablespoon of coconut oil in lieu of the vegetable oil. I also used stevia in place of sugar, and dark chocolat chips. I had some chopped walnuts on hand, so topped the pan with them. Super good. I will definitely make these often. Mine had no bean taste whatsoever! :)

To make it lower fat I followed advice from previous reviewer and added 1/3 cup of applesauce in place of oil. I'd imagine adding the same amount of banana puree would work too. Sugar I replaced with 1/3 cup agave nectar which gave the perfect level of sweetness for me. I wanted it to be very chocolatey so I increased cocoa powder to 1/3 cup. Next time I'll increase even more to 1/2 cup and reduce the chocolate chips to 1/4 cup (to reduce fat). I also sprinked 1/4 cup of chopped pecans before baking. This was delicious! I ate 1/4 of the cake right out of the oven, yum! This is supposed to be better the next day?! I can't wait to eat it again tomorrow. Will definitely make again! Thanks for the recipe!

These brownies were pretty darn good. I made them twice. The second time I made a few changes and thought they were better. I replaced the oil with apple sauce, increased the cocoa powder (this covered up the flavor of the beans better) and added walnuts. I also added a little more sugar. These changes made them taste more like regular brownies to me. I will definitely make these again. They are also by far the easiest "from scratch" brownies I've ever made.

These were so yummy! No one can guess they have black beans in them. I love the texture! The only changes I would make would be to add an extra tablespoon of cocoa and only 1/2 teaspoon of coffee. Thanks for this recipe!

These are really good! Like the other reviewers, I added an extra 1/4 c. sugar and 1/4 c. extra cocoa powder. I didn't have any vanilla so I used amaretto liqueur instead. I got a bit crazy with the liqueur and ended up adding 1/4 cup o_O but the slight nutty sweet taste was awesome. I made these at the same time that I made "normal" brownies from scratch and conducted a blind taste test on my husband. Not only did he prefer these brownies to the "normal" brownies, but he actually though they WERE the "normal" brownies. I used dried beans instead of canned, and I wonder if canned beans are the culprit in the "bean" taste others report (they have a lot of sodium, even unsalted). I soaked the dried beans for 24 hours in the fridge, rinsing every now and then. Then I covered them with water and cooked them on the stove until they were mushy (a bit "overdone" than what you'd want for any other dish). I blended the beans until they were completely liquified, added in the sugar and other ingredients, and baked. Eating through the pan, even I'M surprised they were made with beans as there is not a single ounce of "bean" flavor, and the texture is almost like rich chocolate cake. (see photo #45 with the 2 strawberries)

lets just say these were not our thing -- I give my family a lot of credit for trying them but just, no.

SO GOOD. I melted two-ounces of semi-sweet baking chocolate squares an put in an extra teaspoon of cocoa powder. Instead of white sugar, I used sucanant (dehytrated sugar cane). I put a teaspoon of baking powder in as well. The brownies came out fudgy and melted in my mouth. Couldn't taste the beans at all! I made sure to puree the mixture to eliminate any texture. Tasted exactly like boxed brownies... only healthier! If your batter seems a little runny, add 2 tsp. of flour (any kind) to help soak up the extra liquid. It helps make the brownies more cake-like. I also tried garbanzo beans as well and they were still tasty! Best recipe for brownies ever!

I met with my personal trainer Monday and we discussed two things: my sweet tooth and the need to incorporate more protein in my diet. Yay, this sweet treat does both! I upped the cocoa to 1/3 cup as others suggested and I added chopped walnuts to the top. There's still plenty of sugar in this brownie, but it tasted great and takes care of the sweet craving while providing more nutritional value than a typical brownie! Thanks for the recipe. My three kids love them, also!

This was good. My husband actually quite liked it but it certainly didn't fulfill my chocolate cravings. I followed reviewer suggestions and substituted 1/2 cup applesauce for the oil and added a tsp of baking powder. It was quite mousse like and I didn't taste any beans or coffee. I'll maybe make it for the hubby but definitely not for me when I'm craving something chocolaty!

I wanted to like these - and they were a little chocolately but had a gritty texture, dry, and not that great. Thanks, but no thanks.

I love healthy baking, and I am used to things tasting a little funky now and then. I had high hopes, but this recipe, sadly, was terrible. It tasted like re-fried beans.

I read with interest many of the reviews prior to making these brownies. Some complained they were to dry, others too wet, others claimed these were perfect. I am a very novice baker, and wasn't sure what to expect. I have to say I nailed it first try. How they are too dry or too wet - from "experienced" bakers is beyond me. The texture is somewhat fudgey. I could not taste the beans at all. Using the optional coffee probably is the reason there was no bean taste. I was so proud of my accomplishment, I brought them into work for others to sample. They all loved them - and not because they are all polite people and I am so nice... the compliments were sincere & it was recommended I bring in more for an up coming bake sale - they were the first to sell out and people asked for the recipe - of course I would not give the recipe out (I am not that nice). If anyone has any doubts, do not worry... make these brownies. I did mine completely in a blender... and now add more chocolate chips or sometimes carob. This is a proven winning recipe.

Had to try these and they were surprisingly good! Even my 2 chocoholics liked them. Very moist and can't taste the beans. Based on suggestions, I made a few minor changes. I used applesauce instead of the oil, added more cocoa powder and 1 tsp baking powder. I used 1/2 cup white sugar and 1/4 brown sugar, and semi-sweet chocolate chips. Loved mixing it all in the blender, then just pouring it in the pan! Will likely make again.

Bleh tastes like beans and we didn't care for the texture.

I subsituted splenda for sugar and applesauce for oil. It turned out with the perfect texture and taste.

Well. I love the idea of using black beans in brownies. But this recipe just didn't work well for me. I made no changes save omitting the chocolate chips, but I should've taken the advice to add baking powder as the texture was NOT COOL. I don't mind moist brownies if it's a fudgy-type moist, but this texture was just weird. The flavour was okay, not quite as chocolatey as it couldve been and a slight bean taste (not much). If I were to make again, I would add 1tsp baking powder, extra cocoa, and the chocolate chips, and work from there.

Thought these brownies were really good, but I decided to tweak it a little bit to give it more chocolate aroma & flavor as well as extra protein. I added 5 teaspoons of vanilla instead of the recommended, 2 teaspoons of baking powder, 1/2 cup of cocoa powder & instead of oil I used a 6oz container of Yoplait Honey Vanilla Greek yogurt.

Not really a good substitute for brownies. Maybe if you've never had any other kind of brownie these would be great. But I don't think they're really good, they are edible though. Its not the taste of the black beans for me its the texture I think. My husband didn't like them and neither did my twins.

If you want the brownies more on the chewy side, I recommend adding 1/2 cup of oats. I used 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce instead of the oil, 2/3 cup egg whites instead of 3 whole eggs, and I added 1/4 cup reduced fat peanut butter because I love peanut butter. Also added 1/2 cup chopped walnuts. Voila! Brownies that are GOOD for you.

OMG -- I'm amazed. These are so good! I'm shocked. I used dry kidney beans cooked in the crock pot and substituted apple sauce for the oil. Worked like a charm. Two thumbs up -- you have to try this recipe to believe it.

WOW!!!!! I am soo amazed at this recipe. I had this in my box and hadn't made it until, someone dared me....well glad I did. I follow the recipe to the T, but for the optional milk chocolate chips I used the Mint & Dark Chocolate chips instead and did add the coffee. OH WE LOVED!!! It was moist, rich, and delishious. My kids approved knowing full well their were beans in it. I will so keep this recipe in my box and make plenty again. Thanks!

I exchanged the oil for butter,used brown sugar not white and added half a teaspoon of baking powder.... It was great!

Added 1 tsp baking powder. The coffee was the magic ingredient! I made these (as I am gluten free) for a party and they were gone before the regular brownies were. Delicious!

I like it but do I love it? Ummm....well.... I will say that you really can't get a better brownie that's not made the traditional way. It has lots of fiber and protein in it. Use an alternate sweetner (like Agave) if you want to take out all the "white". Add 1 1/2 tsp baking powder to lighten it up and make it soft and cake-like. This will be saved in my recipe box for sure. I feel less guilty eating these. Thanks for the recipe!

I use this recipe often! Minor changes, I like fudger brownies so I use only two eggs. I also grease pan with coconut oil (and use it in recipe instead of vegetable oil when its summer since its a liquid then) Only problem is I will eat them all! Baking soda does give a caker brownie with 3 eggs so if you like that go for it.

I think that this is a love it or hate it recipe, I was really hoping to love it and excited to make it, but no. The texture of these is gritty, grainy, not right. Plus, you can taste the beans, the only good part of these were the chocolate chips on top!

These brownies were okay, but a little strange. I made them with Splenda and there was as little bit of after taster with them. I dont know if using sugar would have helped with this. I did not tell my wife that they were made of beans and she spit it out asfter tasting it. This of course hurt my feelings. It looked really pretty once it was cooked. A nice smooth top and bits of chocolate chips.

Wow!!!!!! Who would have thought that black beans could be added to brownies and that they could be THIS good?! I did not use coffee in mine. I used semi-sweet chocolate chips and did not change anything else in the recipe. My kids are 6 and 3 and they can't stand healthy food - or anything where they can taste anything "different" that I try to sneak in. With these, the kids had no idea that they were anything different from regular brownies and both asked for seconds. The brownies were out of the oven less than a half hour ago and already, half of them are gone. Finally a recipe that is husband approved and kid approved. I'll definitely be making this again.

These were surprisingly good! All of my children liked them and asked for seconds. (Of course, I didn't tell them there was anything unusual about the recipe.) I added 1 Tbs of brewed coffee in place of the instant and 1/2 tsp of baking powder and they turned out great. I will be making them again!

Delicious! I left out the instant coffee and added 1 t baking powder because I like more cake-like brownies. Also added walnuts.

Pretty good for a "healthy" brownie. Best when still warm. I added about 2 tbsp hazelnuts and a few more chocolate chips. I also used Hershey's special dark cocoa.

After reading the reviews, I was optimistic about this recipe, but I was very disappointed with my own results. It was not near chocolatey enough and the texture was terrible. It really needs some cheweyness to make it bearable.. as it is, I won't be making it again!!

These are GREAT! I used a little more than a tablespoon of espresso because I didn't have instant coffee and a teaspoon of baking powder like a few others suggested. I baked them, then went to the store while they were cooling. I was a bit skeptical when I got home and my whole kitchen smelled like beans but as soon as I tasted them I was impressed! Even my 21 month old keeps saying "more? more?" lol Definitely a keeper!

Not like a brownie at all. more like crumbly fudge or something. if you want a lower calorie chocolate fix then this will help but not much more than that.

I have made this several times - i use spenda instead of the suger and use less than suggested and increase the caco to make it more of the chocolate bitter not sweet taste and my family loves it - i can eat a sweet "treat" that is good for my body

Didn't taste like chocolate at all. Good idea though

If you like wet mush which taste like water and cocoa, thn this is for you. Unsalvageable. Worst recipe I've used from this site.

i made these as is and they were ok. so i made them again adding 1/3 cup honey instead of sugar and 1/2 cup cocoa powder and reduced the egg to 2. I really enjoyed these much better. i like the taste of dark chocolate and the recipe as is is way to lite chocolate for me. i didnt taste any black bean in them. i asked my husband to try and he said they were good but too cakey tasting for his brownie liking. i didnt tell them him the base of the recipe was black bean. i blended my black beans in the vita mix. if you dont have just make sure you blend up very well and i am sure you wont have the black bean taste at all!

I was hopeful with this recipe since overall it got 4 stars. However, these brownies were not good at all. The consistency was good. I'm really sorry, but all you could taste was black beans. I checked the recipe several times to make sure I followed it correctly. I am an experienced baker, so know that this review is coming from someone with a lot of experience in the kitchen.

This had the texture of weird cake and tasted a lot like beans even though I had a 15 oz. can instead of a 15.5 oz. can. Luckily my icing made it O.K.

Don't waste your time making there brownies, there are much better uses for beans than these. The texture was way too spongey, they taste like black beans, and leave an awful after taste. Very artificial. If you are looking for a brownie just eat a brownie.

These tasted as good as any other brownies... In fact no one new the difference. The backshot is gas.... LOL

Not bad for a healthy alternative. But if you are expecting this to replace brownies, be warned. The texture is more grainy, less fudgey, and flat. But, with a glass of cold milk, it will surely satisfy that sweet tooth

Really good! Not totally like brownie, but my family loved them. Considering the extra protein/fiber etc, I think this is a great recipe. I used a tsp baking powder as suggested by other reviewers, subbed 1/4 real sugar and 1/4 sun crystals for the 3/4 sugar and topped with peanut butter chips. I used my food processor instead of a blender and it was just surprisingly good, not to mention super quick to make - just dump everything in and puree!

Seriously, everyone who cares about their health MUST try this. Reading all the comments, I used 4T of unsweetened applesauce, 1/3C sugar, 2T honey, 1 tsp of baking powder, 1/2C of cocoa, about 1/3 of chopped walnuts. Try not to omit the coffee since it brings out the flavour. (We like our brownies with strong cocoa flavour and not as sweet.) They turned out so delicious and quite "fudgey"! Served with frozen raspberries and I'm sure fresh whipped cream would have made it a lot better. With or without the toppings I would still enjoy, and I am definitely making them again and again. If I really want to indulge, I would add chocolate chips (I omitted the chips because I wanted to see how it would turn out to be). Oh and I had to bake at least 10 minutes more than stated but that might be because I added extra cocoa and additional honey for part of sugar. Just keep checking until your tester comes out clean.

I do aqua exercise, and took these and Dr. Oz's black bean brownies to the pool for everyone to do a taste test. These won!. I made a few changes to make them healthier. I used 2 egg whites and one whole egg, 3 Tbl coconut oil instead of veg oil, 1/2 cup cocoa pdr as some reviewers did(it was perfect), 1/4 cup granulated fruitose & 1/2 cup Stevia in the Raw instead of sugar, and used a glaze & mini choc chips on top. I baked them in mini muffin tins for 14 minutes. They were a big hit. I will be making them again.

I really did not care for this recipe whatsoever. While it would be nice for a person who canot have certain ingrediants, it was not especially tasty. The texture was of and the taste of the beans was prelevant. I would not recomend this recipe.

An amazing alternative for wheat intolerant people. I took the advice of others and added more cocoa and a bit of baking powder; much fluffier and richer. The no fuss blender method is what really sells the recipe though. The only drawback is a slight bean-like texture at the end, but overall the best no-flour brownie I've ever had.

Yum! These are my new addiction! Two tips: 1) if they taste like beans you probably didn't rinse the beans enough. Rinse until the water runs clear (3 min?) 2). If the texture is "mouse like" they needed to be blended longer so the eggs whipped OR they needed to be cooked longer. I baked these in a muffin pan for 25 min. Perfect! Oh and I adjusted the cocoa, sugar, and vanilla up. I like strong flavors

I didn't have chocolate chips to add to this and I did substitute apple sauce for the oil. So based on that I am giving it 4 stars. I used what was on hand and I liked it but family was so so . I thini it's a great alternative to the white flour version!

Wow, these are wonderful! I followed the recipe to the "T". This is a recipe made in heaven if you have to live on a gluten free diet. It is so much cheaper than those boxed mixes but has more taste, so moist, and really compares to regular brownies. I'm sure if you can eat wheat, regular brownies taste better but if you can't, give these a try, you won't be disapointed. Thanks so much for the recipe.

These were so easy to make. I added a teaspoon of cinnamon instead of the coffee and got a mexican chocolate tasting brownie. This recipe is a keeper!

The brownies were very good. The texture is a big different then a regular brownie. The taste was good and you would never know that black beans were the main ingredient.

Ok, I have no idea what I expected, but I never expected what I got. These, to me, taste nothing like brownies. They remind me of tofu, not sure why. I made these tonight and I kind of liked them. (I ate 3 already). My husband hated them. If you're cutting calories, TRY them! I'll probably make them again because I have a HUGE sweet tooth and find it difficult to stick to my diet because of it. I only wish I had some applesauce so I could have cut out the oil. Definitely an interesting dessert.

Loved this!! I am always looking for healthier dessert recipes & this was a winner! I made these for my boyfriend for Valentines day! He loved them! I made it in a heart shaped pan with red & pink smarties on the top. I made a few changes to make it "healthier". I used 1/2 cup applesauce (in place of the oil), 1 1/2 tsp. Vanilla, 1 1/2tsp coffee, a bit under 1/8 cup of Stevia (in place of the sugar), dark chocolate chunks for in the batter. Turned out amazing!!

The flavor is excellent. The consistency is a little strange. But you definitely could not taste the black beans. Only changes I made were to add 3/4 tsp baking powder and I used semisweet chips.

WOW!!!!!!! I made this for my fiance, as he loves black beans, I told him I was making him something special. He didn't even know there were black beans in there! They are a bit different in texture, but not too much. I'm going to try to make them a little more gooey...but awesome nonetheless! Thanks.

Very very impressive. I was not sure how this would turn out, but I actually enjoyed it. It did taste a bit different from what you're used to in a brownie and that's why I deducted a star. But for a healthy treat, this is INCREDIBLE! Thanks Elizabeth for this wonderful recipe.

These are really good! I did use melted margarine instead of oil and used instant espresso. I also topped with about 1/4 cup of chopped walnuts

Everyone loved them! They had no clue that black beans were in it. I did add about a teaspoon of baking powder as another reviewer suggested and it had a more cake like texture. I also added pecans and a few chocolate chips in the mix. They were great.

I was paranoid that these were going to taste like beans so I added an extra tablespoon of cocoa powder and an extra teaspoon of coffee. These were very good and you could not taste the beans AT ALL. That being said, I think both optional ingredients are very important and wouldn't leave either of them out. The texture is a bit different from a normal brownie, but that's to be expected given the ingredients. Next time I'm going to try using applesauce instead of the oil to make them even healthier. Thanks for the (almost) guilt-free dessert recipe!

Delicious. I was skeptical. This is the BEST recipe and so easy. The only thing different that I did was substitute brown sugar for the white sugar. I also didn't use coffee because I didn't have any. I can see how it would cut down that bean flavor. I also used semi sweet chocolate chips because I don't care for milk chocolate.If I didn't make them I wouldn't really even notice that slight beany flavor. It didn't bother me though. My advice is NOT to skip out on the chocolate chips. It really makes them seem richer.

Excellent! I didn't have coffee, so did add a little extra cocoa. I really liked the velvety texture! I also sprinkled some pecans on top with the chocolate chips. Delish!

I thought these were actually outstanding! My motivation was to bring some unexpected fiber and protein into my 8 year old's menu, while still having a chocolate treat. She even helped me make them and knew there were beans in them from the start. My 44 year old BF really enjoyed them, too! Substitutions: 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce + 1 tsp coconut oil in place of oil. 1 tsp baking powder. 1 cup organic dark chocolate chips sprinkled on top - 1/2 cup just didn't look like enough in my 9" square pan. Cut baking time down to 25 minutes due to larger pan. Perfection! BE SURE TO BUY BEANS THAT DON'T HAVE ANY SPICES ADDED, OR SOAK DRIED BEANS OVERNIGHT. Eat warm, then refrigerate after cooking, and zap in the nuke for 10 seconds to re-warm. So easy, and so YUMMO!

These are fantastic! I used a 19 oz can of beans, 3 tbsp of apple sauce instead of oil, 1/4 cup dark brown sugar, 1/4 cup honey and about 2 Tbsp pure maple syrup. Next time I'll omit the chocolate chips as I really don't think it added much, and probably just use 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup maple syrup as they're still very sweet (and I happen to LOVE sweet...!) Also added 1 tsp of almond extract. Very impressed with these... they taste like chocolate almond fudge. Will definitely make again and again. Thanks for the recipe!

I did not like the texture of these brownies. They fell apart very easily and did not taste very brownie-like. I'm not sure if I did something wrong based on the other reviews, but following this as is did not work for me.

Love these. I eat pretty healthy put have a sweet tooth so I feel these are a nice compromise with the added protein and fiber. I've made them a bunch of times now. I like to add double the instant coffee (hazelnut is my fav) and the vanilla. I only use 2 Tbl. of oil and they turned out perfect. You can also substitute coconut oil for the olive oil and add chopped nuts on top with the choc. chips. Make sure to rinse and drain the beans really well! Also, for easy clean up I line my pan with foil then spray with cooking spray.

Tastes like black beans.

I am so impressed! This was really good. I topped it with strawberries and some cream. Even without the topping you couldn't tell it was made out of beans. What a great idea, expecially for the add'l protein and for anyone looking for a gluten free alternative. Thanks for the recipe! Update: Made these again using 1/3 c cocoa and replacing white sugar with brown sugar. This improved richness. Next time I'll replace the oil with butter and see what that gets me. Really like this recipe!

Given that they contain an entire can of beans and no flour or butter, these were surprisingly good. They are definitely lacking something, though. The picky child in the house loves them, so they will be made again. I will try adding baking powder and stirring chocolate chips into the batter next time.

Tip 1: Make sure to use the beans. water, salt kind cans. Do not use refried or cans that have garlic and other flavorings - do not create a good-tasting product. Just read the lable. Tip 2: Drain AND rinse beans thoroughly Tip 3: Flourless baked product will have a different texture. Be prepared for that. Tip 4: Use your blender for much longer than you think necessary to create a smooth-pouring batter. These were delicious as made to recipe as brownies. I doubled the recipe and added 2 tsp. baking powder. Baked in 10 inch round springform pan about 50 min - till pick came out clean. Made it into a black forest type cake with cherry pie filling inside and topped with whipped cream and with more cherry filling. Everyone loved it at my 22nd anniversary party! A definite keeper! Many thanks!

Several people I know would never consider giving these a 5-star rating, just because of the black beans. I did not use instant coffee and was able to taste a hint of black beans. For me, the health-woman, I found them to be the best brownies EVER. I loved the texture. Other people, those who would give an honest opinion, said "these are weird, why does it have this texture?" As for me-- my new favorite brownie. Update: people love these! It tends to be the people who enjoy being healthy & like the taste of "healthy." I don't think I'll ever make brownies with flour again!

If you need a brownie, please, go for the real thing!

Excellent recipe! This is not like "regular" brownies, but if you want a healthier alternative, then this is definately a happy medium. I would rate this 5 stars, but my family did not like it (psshh, they eat all the fatty sweets and never gain a pound, so if you are used to/expecting sugary, fattiness, then this isn't for you) for us watching the girlish figure, its great!

Better the 2nd day. I also add 1tsp baking powder. :) yummy!

This was quite interesting. I like the idea of packing more beans into my diet and making a healthier junk food. This said, I could definitely taste the beans but it really wasn't a bad flavor. I loaded the top with powdered sugar because it needed more sugar for my sweet tooth. I will try to add more sugar to the recipe next time but as is, just frost it and enjoy! Thanks for a great recipe!

Soooo good - I made them once and they were bad, so I checked the ingredients on the can of beans and it had stuff like onion powder and garlic, so I tried it again with a can of beans that had none of the other flavorings in it and they were awesome! I guess even after rinsing the beans, the onion/garlic flavor sticks around...

I was gonna give these 3 stars because neither my husband or I liked them. But then my two daughters came home from school and scrarfed them down and raved about them. Both girls HATE beans. So, 4 stars for getting my kids to eat beans.

Our daughter was just diagnosed with celiac disease, so tomorrow we tell her. She has a Grandfather struggling to stay gluten free and at 8 years old she realizes that there are many treats she will have to give up. I made these tonight, not telling a soul they were gluten free. They were dense, rich and yummy with only a slight grainyness that no one mentioned. Tomorrow amidst the tears I hope these brownies give just a little ray of hope that not all is lost and that we can still enjoy treats. Thanks for a simple, good, no fancy flours recipe.

While I really did like the flavor, I see why so many others complained about texture; it has the consistency of Jello that's 'not quite set yet'.