Nut-Free Black Bean Brownies

A stack of black bean brownie squares with caramel in front of a blue background.

4.88 from 8 votes

Rich and fudgy, these nut-free black bean brownies are a delicious school-lunchbox-safe treat. Made flourless with sunflower seed meal and packed with wholesome plant protein, they feature a gorgeous, marbled tahini caramel swirl that perfectly balances the deep cocoa flavor. Completely nut-free, gluten-free, and dairy-free, these vegan brownies deliver a decadent, melt-in-your-mouth brownie that freezes beautifully and leaves zero bean taste behind.

Prep Time12

Cook Time33

Course: Baking, Dessert

Cuisine: Chocolate

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan

Servings:

Calories: 280kcal

Author: Amanda Logan

Equipment

food processor
Blender
brownie pan

Ingredients

Black Bean Brownie

155 grams sunflower seeds (1 cup + 2 tbsp)
80 grams cocoa (¾ cup) sifted
200 grams raw sugar (1 cup)
10 grams baking powder (2 tsp) gluten free if required
400 gram cooked black beans rinsed and drained
125 ml dairy-free milk (½ cup) nut-free if required
60 ml apple sauce (¼ cup)
1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
80 ml coconut oil or neutral flavoured oil (⅓ cup) melted & cooled (See Note 1.)
90 grams chocolate chips (½ cup) vegan
a good pinch of sea salt

Tahini Caramel

2 tablespoon tahini 40ml
2½ tbsp maple syrup 50ml
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

AUS Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 175 degrees C (350 degrees F).
Line a baking pan (27.9 cm x 17.8cm) with baking paper.
Process raw sunflower seeds in your food processor until they achieve a fine, sandy texture resembling almond meal. Combine the sunflower meal, cocoa, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl.
Combine all the wet ingredients, other than the oil, in a blender and blend until smooth.
Add the oil and blend until combined.
Stir the wet ingredients into the dry.
Add the chocolate buttons and fold through.
Pour the brownie batter in the pan and level it out.
To make the tahini caramel, whisk the ingredients together in a bowl.
To create the swirls, spoon dollops of the caramel on top of the brownie mixture a few centimetres apart from each other. I spooned two dollops wide and four dollops long.
Using the end of a teaspoon or better yet, a chopstick, run a line from the first caramel dollop lengthways down to the last dollop on its line. Repeat with the second line. Each line should look like a row of hearts.
Swirl the spoon diagonally from one corner of the brownie pan to the other. You should get some nice swirls but be careful not to overdo it or you will loose the light/dark effect.
Bake the brownie for around 33-35 minutes or until cooked around the edge with a slight wobble in the centre. (See Note 2.)
Remove the brownie from the oven to cool completely. For best results, refrigerate after cooling for at least two hours. Overnight is better.
Cut in to squares to serve.

Notes

Note 1. Coconut oil is a saturated fat and to be honest, I don't cook with it much but it works well in this recipe. You can swap it for a neutral flavoured oil.

Note 2. If the brownie is still moist in the middle, but cooked on the edges after baking, popping it in the fridge overnight will set the whole brownie without overcooking it.

Nutrition