Black bean brownie recipe with mix is a way to add protein to your favorite dessert. Made with canned black beans makes it quick too. If you loved our 2 ingredient brownies with pumpkin, this is another unique twist you will love.
Ok so you love baking hacks for treats after dinner like I do. I have a new one you will love here!! Don’t want to feel as guilty enjoying a bite of chocolate goodness? Here is an easy way to add protein to brownies and nobody will ever know the difference. (affiliate links present)
Black Bean Brownies Recipe
There are only 2 ingredients you really need but we added chocolate chips to make them more ooey gooey. You could use any variety including semi-sweet, white, butterscotch or even peanut butter chips for a duo of flavors! (or leave out, but why?)
Below we share oven directions but you could use the same batter to make air fryer brownies too. Downside to that one is your pan has to be quite a bit smaller so you’d have to do two batches to make the whole thing.
What are black bean brownies made of?
To make black bean brownie batter you puree black beans with the liquid (NOT drained and rinsed) in the can, boxed brownie mix and chocolate chips make them way better.
without boxed mix
You can use boxed or our homemade brownie mix to make the base as well. From there of course you can include add ins like crushed nuts, M&Ms, semi-sweet chips or sprinkles to the top.
This is in fact vegan friendly too since there are no eggs included, or butter. If you have only made this treat following the instructions on the back of the box you are in for a real treat my friends. You will find that the bagged dry mix is a great base for so many other quick easy desserts you can make from now on like…..
You can make other baked goods out of this goodness. In the case that you want something easier to pick up we have made Brownie Mix Crinkle Cookies out of this too. That is most fun during the Christmas months where you can gift them to your neighbors since they are so cheap and pretty.
Can I use homemade black beans instead of canned?
You can, from scratch is always best if you have the time to do so. I like our pressure cooker black beans recipe since it is the fastest way to get them tender. In this case you could drain, leave about 1/4 cup liquid and use an immersion blender right in the pot before adding.
Go with what version you have time for y’all. Black bean brownies with brownie mix are just my quick way of tweaking the “ordinary” like we did with our cherry brownies everyone raves about too!!
How can you add protein to brownies
- Protein Powder like whey, casein, soy, or pea protein powders can be added to our brownie with black beans to enhance nutrition. Substitute 1/4 to 1/2 cup of flour with this for our other protein brownies.
- Greek Yogurt adds creaminess and protein to baked goods, especially in our brownie cake, muffins, and quick breads.
- Nut Flours like almond flour, peanut flour, or even chickpea flour are high-protein flour alternatives. They also add a pleasant nutty flavor.
- Eggs are naturally high in protein and are often already used in baking. Adding an extra to a recipe, will boost protein and make things like brownie cupcakes fudgier
- Cottage Cheese adds protein and creaminess to baked goods like cheesecake, muffins, or pancakes. Blend until smooth before adding.
Once you decide how you want to make these with the following options, another fun idea is to make Brookies with Brownie Mix and Cookie Dough with it.
Black Bean Brownie
Equipment
- 1 Bowl
- 1 9×9 pan
- 1 food processor or blender
Ingredients
- 1 box brownie mix
- 1 can black beans, 15 oz.
- 3/4 c chocolate chips, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9” baking pan with parchment paper or lightly spray with cooking spray.
- Pour the can of black beans, including the liquid, into a food processor and pulse on high for 2-3 minutes to make sure they are absolutely pureed and completely smooth, stopping to scrape bottom and sides of the food processor as to ensure a completely smooth puree.
- In a large bowl, place the brownie mix, pureed beans and the chocolate chips and stir to combine.
- Once mixed, pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 35-38 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out mostly cleanly with moist crumbs attached. Remove, leave in pan set on a cooling rack and allow to cool completely before slicing
Notes
How to tell when fudgy brownies are done
- If you want them to be fudgy you do not want to bake too long. The look of the top should have the edges all the way around cracking and slightly into the center. The middle should no longer look wet, but slightly underdone, slightly firm to the touch.
- Using a toothpick there should be wet crumbs attached but not wet batter.
- Allow to completely cool in the pan, set on a cooling rack before slicing for the ideal texture.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
One square if sliced into 9 pieces is about 350 calories which isn’t bad since you get 6 grams of protein in there too. This is using brownie mix as the base and depending on the brand that may vary a bit but typically this is what you’re looking at.
