Healthy Black Bean Brownies (GF/DF/NF)

Yields: 9–12 brownies | Prep time: 10 mins | Bake time: 15-20 mins

The Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups black beans (1 standard 15-oz can, drained and rinsed very well)
• ½ cup quick oats (use certified gluten-free if necessary)
• 1/3 cup pure maple syrup, honey, or agave
• ¼ cup coconut oil (or butter)
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder (unsweetened)
• 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
• ½ tsp baking powder
• 2 eggs

The Instructions

1. Prep: Preheat your oven to 175°C. Grease an 8x8-inch square baking pan or line it with parchment paper for easy removal.
2. Blend: Place the rinsed beans, oats, eggs, sweetener, oil, cocoa powder, vanilla and baking powder into a food processor/blender. Blend until the mixture is completely smooth.
3. Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula.  Bake for 20 minutes.
4. The Secret Step (Cooling): The brownies will look underdone when you pull them out—this is normal! Let them cool in the pan for at least 10–15 minutes. For the best texture, refrigerate them overnight; they will firm up into a decadent, fudgy consistency that masks any hint of beans.

Pro-Tips for Success

• Rinse Well: The "bean taste" comes from the canning liquid. Rinse the beans in a colander until the water runs completely clear.

These are soooo good! Perfect for getting extra protein, fiber, iron and folate into the lunchbox. You could add chocolate chips to this recipe to make things more indulgent but it's honestly still good without! For kids and adults, you have to try the recipe!