• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Joy the Baker
Joy the Baker
  • Cookies
  • Bread
  • Cakes
  • Pies
  • Recipes
    • All Recipes
    • Cookies
    • Birthday Cake Recipes
    • Biscuits
    • Muffins
    • Cupcakes
    • Drinks
    • Breakfast
    • Lunch
    • Dinner
    • Fruit
    • Nuts
    • Buttermilk
    • Chocolate
    • Vanilla
    • Holiday
    • Healthy
    • Gluten-Free
    • Vegan
  • Blog
    • Baking 101
    • Tips
    • Beyond the Kitchen
    • Let It Be Sunday!
    • New Orleans
  • Shop

Triple Chocolate Black Bean Brownies

January 6, 2012 by Joy the Baker 174 Comments

IMG_2488

I was skeptical.  Sure… I’ve heard people talk about beans in brownies, but really!?  Must we really put beans in our brownies?  Isn’t that just like having a CNN news break right in the middle of Teen Mom 2?  Kind of a bummer.

I was skeptical and I was dang wrong.  Beans in brownies is totally not CNN!  (When was the last time you typed ‘totally not CNN’?) Beans in brownies is a trick that knocks down the fat and boost up the protein (even if just slightly).  Sea salt and big walnut chunks are also highly advised….so advised, that you may find yourself indulging at breakfast.  Like I did.  This very morning.

black bean brownies

IMG_2426

Three different kinds of chocolate make these brownies worth their salt.

Semi-sweet chocolate rounds, unsweetened chocolate chunks, and cocoa powder.

Black beans get pureed smooth and you’re well on your way to delicious brownies!

IMG_2435

Just look at that.  Not a black bean in sight… but they’re in there!

black bean brownies

A 9-inch square pan is buttered, papered, buttered again, and floured.  It may seem like a lot of work, but this trick is wonderfully helpful when it comes time to remove the brownies from the pan.  Just lift the paper and ease ’em out!

IMG_2456

Whole walnuts left over from the holidays.  These beautiful nuts look like brains… I’m all about it.  I leave the chunky and almost whole to top the brownies.  A sprinkling of coarse sea salt is also ideal.

IMG_2473

See the tiny specks of sea salt?  That’s where delicious lives.  Black beans disguised by chocolate and sugar, beauty indeed.

black bean brownies

The nut-studded, dry and crackled top.  These brownies are undeniably delicious.   So good you’ll want to share them with friends and show off what you can do with beans.

I like to just slightly under-bake these brownies.  Twenty five minutes is pretty golden, and if the center is still slightly moist, it will firm up and cook just a bit as it cools.  Dry brownies are a mild tragedy.

Triple Chocolate Black Bean Brownie

makes 9-12 brownies

recipe from Martha Stewart’s Everyday Food

Print this Recipe!

1/4 cup (half a stick) unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the pan

3 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped (about 1/2 cup)

2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped (about 1/3 cup)

1/4 cup black beans, rinsed, drained, and pureed until smooth in a food processor

1 1/3 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs plus 1 large egg white

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

walnut chunks and coarse sea salt for topping (optional)

Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Butter a 9-inch square baking pan and line with parchment paper, leaving 2-inches of overhang on all sides.  Butter and flour the parchment paper as well.

Fill a medium sauce pan with 2 inches of water.  Bring the water to a simmer.  Place butter, semi-sweet, and unsweetened chocolate in the bowl.  Place the bowl over simmering water and stir until chocolate and butter are melted and combined.  Remove the bowl from the simmering saucepan (the bowl might be hot!).

Allow the melted chocolate mixture to cool for a few moments.  Whisk in the eggs and white, one at a time, until mixture is glossy. Whisk in the sugar.  Whisk in the bean puree and vanilla extract.

In a small bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and sea salt.  Add the dry ingredients, all at once, to the chocolate mixture.  Use a spatula and fold to incorporate.  Once thoroughly combined, pour the batter into the prepared pan.  Top with walnuts and sea salt, if using.

Bake brownies for 25-28 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out with just a few chocolate crumbs on it.  The center may seem undercooked, but it will cook further as it cools.  Brownies are better slightly underdone than overdone.

Let cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes.  Use the overhanging parchment paper to remove the brownies from the pan and slice.

Cut brownies into 9 or 12 generous pieces.  Store brownies, wrapped individually, at room temperature for up to 4 days.  

Previous PostNext Post

Filed Under: Chocolate, Recipes, Snacks

Previous Post: « Ten Pictures in TwoThousandEleven
Next Post: Roasted and Shredded Beef Sandwiches »

Reader Interactions

All Comments
I Made This
Questions
  1. Antoinette

    June 15, 2012 at 12:55 pm

    I tried these and made a few change…I used almond meal instead of flour..I used less sugar and used less chocolate but rich dark chocolate and i used some agarve nectar instead of the sugar and they tasted divine …I also used less butter and used a tin of the beans…I took them as a treat for work people were so surprised they tasted so good… cant wait to try more of your recipes here in Rome Italy

    Reply
  2. Mindy

    June 7, 2012 at 11:18 am

    Havent tried these yet, 1/4c beans hardly qualifies these as “bean brownies.” what, essentially, are the beans replacing? And have you tried using more w/ altering the taste? BTW, beets are another good addition to chocolate baked goods.

    Reply
  3. RealMommyChron

    June 7, 2012 at 11:06 am

    We have been on a bean kick lately…and I am always on a chocolate kick…soooooo… PERFECT!

    Thanks!

    Reply
« Older Comments
Newer Comments »

Trackbacks

  1. Pantry Challenge Week 4: Gliding Into Home Base « Don't Waste the Crumbs!Don't Waste the Crumbs! says:
    August 20, 2012 at 4:14 am

    […] Black Bean Brownies – We made a slight deviation from the original recipe since we didn’t use black beans, but the brownies themselves were AWESOME.  Very rich, chewy and chocolaty – exactly what  a brownie should be! […]

    Reply
  2. Four Ideas for Black Bean RecipesDon't Waste the Crumbs! says:
    August 14, 2012 at 4:10 am

    […] Triple Chocolate Black Bean Brownies […]

    Reply
  3. Pantry Challenge Week 3: Less Drama, More Camping « Don't Waste the Crumbs! says:
    August 12, 2012 at 4:10 am

    […] Black Bean Brownies – if I eat any more black beans, I may turn into a bean myself, so I’m increasing the amount called for in the recipe to 2 cups (approx 1 can).  A greater nutritional result and keeping Mr. Crumbs from buying another box of mix are bonuses. […]

    Reply
  4. Black Bean Chai Brownies | says:
    July 13, 2012 at 8:45 pm

    […] adapted from Joy the Baker […]

    Reply
  5. Earthy Brownies | Messy Nessy says:
    June 28, 2012 at 12:45 pm

    […] husband loves sweets that are not so sweet so when I found Joy the Baker‘s adaptation of Martha Stewart’s Every Day Food’s Triple Chocolate Black Bean […]

    Reply
  6. AHO Menu June 25 – July 1, 2012 | De Ma Cuisine says:
    June 22, 2012 at 4:28 pm

    […] Dessert: Triple Chocolate Black Bean Brownies […]

    Reply
  7. Joy the Baker – Ginger Walnut Chocolate Blondies says:
    June 7, 2012 at 10:37 pm

    […] It was always Brunette (brownie) for life. […]

    Reply
  8. Triple Chocolate (Black Bean) Brownies | A Seat at the Table says:
    May 4, 2012 at 7:11 am

    […] Adapted from Joy the Baker […]

    Reply
  9. Random Life « The Mom and the Minister says:
    May 3, 2012 at 8:09 am

    […] hair cut and E took her DVD player. I also made cookies and brownies. The brownie recipe came from Joy the Baker and are so delicious, they secretly had Black Beans in them . And E likes to tell me she […]

    Reply
  10. 6 « the smart cookie says:
    May 1, 2012 at 7:15 pm

    […] Eu fiz um bolo com feijões dentro. Eu tenho uma mania doida de colocar feijões nas coisas. Black Bean Brownies! Absurdo. Já é um dos preferidos pra […]

    Reply
  11. Simple Edamame Toast — Joy the Baker says:
    April 29, 2012 at 10:21 am

    […]  Something warm and tender is awesome for dinner.  Chocolate is dessert… even if it has black beans in […]

    Reply
  12. Joy the Baker’s Brooklyn cookbook signing | Oven Lovin' says:
    April 2, 2012 at 8:25 pm

    […] over by the police and meeting boyfriends’ parents. And then you get a solid, comforting, sometimes weird, but totally delicious recipe at the end of the story. Who doesn’t want a friend like […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

RELATED POSTS IN Chocolate

a stack of white chocolate macadamia nut cookies with a bite taken out of the top one with milk
Classic White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

Get ready to indulge in the ultimate sweet, salty, nutty treat with these irresistible white chocolate macadamia nut cookies! Made with butter and brown sugar, and loaded with chunks of creamy white chocolate and roasted macadamia nuts, these cookies are perfect for satisfying your sweet tooth cravings (with a hint of salt for balance). Whether…

Read More

completed recipe close up shot of a blondie so the toasted almonds, chocolate chips, and sea salt can be seen
My Best Classic Blondie Recipe

Don’t think of blondies as brownies without the chocolate – these chewy little squares are sweet like butterscotch and studded with toasted walnuts and melty dark chocolate pockets. I add a generous sprinkle of flaky sea salt to balance the sweetness of the brown sugar, making these bars the best classic blondie recipe to come…

Read More

Chocolate basque cheesecake topped with fruit.
Mini Burnt Chocolate Basque Cheesecake

This refined recipe for chocolate Basque cheesecake is SO SIMPLE with the most impressive results.  Find a detailed step-by-step with tips and tricks below or skip right to the recipe and get baking! This cheesecake does not miss. I’ve always felt like making a cheesecake, at home, from scratch was rather unreasonable.  You mean to…

Read More

Primary Sidebar

Fresh baked emails, delivered to your inbox

Jump to Recipe

Receive recipes from Joy the Baker and updates on events at The Bakehouse.

HI! I’M JOY!

Jump to Recipe

Welcome! This has been my little corner of the internet since 2008!

I’m a baker, photographer, cookbook author and teacher.  I live laugh love in New Orleans. 

MORE ABOUT JOY AND THE TEAM

BOOKS + Magazines

Jump to Recipe

JOY THE BAKER 2022 SUMMER MAGAZINE

JOY THE BAKER 2021 HOLIDAY MAGAZINE

JOY THE BAKER 2020 HOLIDAY MAGAZINE

HOMEMADE DECADENCE

OVER EASY: SWEET AND SAVORY RECIPES FOR LEISURELY DAYS COOKBOOK

JOY THE BAKER COOKBOOK

Jump to Recipe
joy the baker on facebook joy the baker on twitter pinterest-social instagram-socialbloglovin-social

JOY @ WILLIAMS SONOMA

Jump to Recipe

SHOP THE CAKE LINE OF CAKE MIXES!

DRAKE ON CAKE

Jump to Recipe

Passionate from miles away since 2015.

Check it out on Instagram

Drake on cake instagram.

 

BREADS YOU’LL LOVE

jambalaya buttermilk biscuits in a row

Smoked Sausage Jambalaya Buttermilk Biscuits

inside of warm cinnamon roll on plate

How To Make The Best Single Serve Cinnamon Roll

Orange roll on a plate with a fork.

Christmas Morning Orange Rolls

LET’S MAKE COOKIES!

a stack of white chocolate macadamia nut cookies with a bite taken out of the top one with milk

Classic White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

wider shot of lemon bars stacked on a plate with a bite taken out of one lemon bar

My Favorite Classic Lemon Bars Recipe

completed recipe close up shot of a blondie so the toasted almonds, chocolate chips, and sea salt can be seen

My Best Classic Blondie Recipe

Footer

Instagram

joythebaker

📚Baker and author of books and magazines
🎂Creator @drakeoncake
💁🏻‍♀️Classes with me @thebakehousenola
🍰 Products with @williamssonoma

joythebaker
Almost 🌀🌀 about everything on the March to-d Almost 🌀🌀 about everything on the March to-do list that didn’t get done but here’s proof of all the living a list can’t really touch.
Do you know my friend @ellenmariebennett of @hedle Do you know my friend @ellenmariebennett of @hedleyandbennett? She’s a 💎 of a friend and here’s what our quick visit last week looked like! Lots of cheese and chats, with help from Mr. Nico and Olive Oyl the chicken. 💙#apronsquad #cheeseboard #losangeles
🍓🌼 Pan Dulce is the best way to bake spring! 🍓🌼 Pan Dulce is the best way to bake spring! Full recipe linked in the @joythebaker bio! Xo
Second coffee: the perfect way to re-start the day Second coffee: the perfect way to re-start the day. 
✨Beignet Café au Lait✨⁣
⁣1/3 cup sweetened condensed milk⁣⁣
Splash of vanilla extract⁣⁣
½ cup heavy cream, whipped to stiff peaks⁣⁣
2 cups fresh brewed strong coffee⁣⁣
½ cup toasted cinnamon cereal, lightly crushed⁣⁣
Powdered sugar for topping⁣⁣
⁣⁣
Place sweetened condensed milk and vanilla in a small bowl. Add half of the whipped cream and fold to combine.  Add the remaining half and fold until you have a fluffy sweet cream. ⁣⁣
⁣⁣
Divide brewed coffee between two mugs. Spoon dream on top.  Sprinkle cinnamon cereal between the cups.  Dust with powdered sugar and enjoy immediately.
Life Skill No. 458: How to Make 1️⃣2️⃣ Cup Life Skill No. 458: How to Make 1️⃣2️⃣ Cupcakes with just 1️⃣ Stick of Butter⁣
⁣
Full recipe linked in my bio! xo
Someone call @foodnetwork because Dad and I need a Someone call @foodnetwork because Dad and I need a baking show stat. Here’s our very best chocolate chip cookies and all the little tips that make them perfection. ✨🍪 Find the full recipe linked in the profile!
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Copyright © 2023 · Joy the Baker
All rights reserved. Violators will be whupped and sent to bed with no dessert · Privacy Policy

Scroll Up