CHOCOLATE SPRINKLED BROWNIES made with BLACK BEANS and APPLESAUCE (healthy and low calorie!) that are easy to make! These homemade chocolate brownies are super fudgy and moist! My family considers this the BEST brownies recipe! The rainbow sprinkles on top make the brownies really pretty!
Right now I’m bean obsessed. We’ve been cooking our dry black beans we grew in the garden during the Summer on cold nights and it’s been such a treat to enjoy those grown with love beans during the Winter. I’ll be sharing a “How to Grow Black Beans” DIY soon because they’re so easy to grow and for me they’re one of the proudest garden accomplishments!
I mean seriously how cool is it to grow your own beans? So cool! What else is cool? Using black beans to make chocolate black bean brownies! Did I mention that they’re extra delicious too?
You might associate black beans with tacos, salsas and salads pretty easily, but hopefully I’m able to persuade you to try baking with them because they make delicious desserts too. In the past I’ve baked with black beans, kidney beans, red beans and have had yummy results so I wanted to use our black beans in a new super chocolaty brownie recipe.
This recipe calls for 1 15 oz can of black beans which you’ll add with the rest of your ingredients into a blender and pulse until smooth. Because I wanted to use my homegrown dry beans, I did a overnight soak of my beans and then cooked them to get my 15 oz can worth. It’s a little extra work with dry beans, but it’s worth it if you want to give it a try. If not, it’s totally ok, just make it easier for yourself by using canned beans!
Here’s my garden beans, dry and cooked.
Can we take a minute before we admire the brownies to admire how gorgeous these black beans are? Swoon! I can’t wait for Summer gardening!
Ok and time to admire these brownies…. Double Chocolate because of the cocoa powder and chocolate chips, but really Triple Chocolate if you add chocolate frosting on top like I did. Swoon!
I love this recipe because it’s so easy to make. Just throw all your brownie ingredients in a blender or food processor, pulse a few times, put into a 8×8 pan and bake. It’s that easy. Once it comes out of the oven you can enjoy as is, or you can add frosting. I love frosting so I had to add my favorite homemade frosting recipe on top and loads of rainbow sprinkles. Because these brownies have a cake like texture these make a great birthday treat!
I hope you give this recipe a taste! Enjoy!
Pin for later:
Chocolate Birthday Cake Black Bean Brownies
PrintIngredients
For the brownies
- 1 15 oz can of black beans - rinsed and drained
- 3 eggs
- 1/4 cup apple sauce
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup white sugar
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips
For the frosting
- 2 3/4 cups confectioners powdered sugar
- 6 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 5 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Additional
- Rainbow Sprinkles
Instructions
For the brownies
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Spray a 8x8 pan with nonstick spray.
- Add black beans, eggs, apple sauce, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, vanilla and sugar in a food processor (or blender) and pulse until smooth. Pour mixture into 8x8 prepared pan.
- Add chocolate chips into pan and stir around.
- Bake for 37-40 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool for 15 minutes. Spread frosting on top and then add sprinkles. Cut into individual brownie squares.
For the frosting
- In a bowl mix together powered sugar and cocoa.
- Add in butter, milk and vanilla and beat until frosting is fluffy.
Notes
Sarah says
If I wanted to use this recipe for a large sheet cake, how would I adapt it? Aside from doubling or tripling the amounts, what would the bake time change to? And would I need to adjust the temperature?
Deli posts says
These look absolutely perfect! i have got to try these, they sound incredible!!
Karen (Back Road Journal) says
The brownies are so you…fun, colorful and part of your garden is in them. 😀
Sandra Garth says
Wow, these look so good and I have a couple of cans of black beans in the pantry. They will do until I grow my own, thanks so much!
Leslie says
Your garden beans are just gorgeous! It makes me want to grow some bean plants this spring! Definitely pinning your recipe to try later, because i need desserts in my life, but my hips and heart definitely don’t need what’s in dessert! I would love it if you would share this recipe over at the Happy Now Link Up, where we like to share things that spread a little joy and happiness, one post at a time!
Cakespy says
YES PLEASE. You can put fruits, vegetables, beans, bacon, whatever, in brownies, and if they have sprinkles I will love them. Kidding! I have never actually tried bb brownies but hear that they’re incredibly moist and fudge-y. These look great!
angie church says
what a festive looking treat, the black beans offer so much good nutritional value
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Hena Tayeb says
mm looks great and healthy too
Jersey Girl Cooks says
So cute and I love that you get an extra boost of nutrition. Need to make these for my kids!
Cecile says
As the expression goes, ‘What’s not to like’? ; o )
And now I’m gonna go catch up a bit on all that gardening you guys did spring, summer & fall of 2016!
grace says
never would’ve guessed these were beany, baby! love the sprinkles too. 🙂
Sue says
I’ll try them! Did you use semi-sweet or milk chocolate chocolate chips?
Pamela says
Hey Sue! I used semi-sweet but you could use either with delicious results! Enjoy!
Sue says
Thanks! I did try them. They are great and get better the next day.
Pamela says
That makes me so happy to hear Sue!
[email protected]'s Recipes says
Homegrown black beans into heavenly brownies…double happiness, Pam. The sprinkles atop make these healthy desserts even more tempting!
Debra Eliotseats says
Is it just me, or do your home grown black beans look extra sparkly???? My mom makes a version of these that are delicious, too.
Pamela says
Hahaha, I’d like to think they sparkle because of all the love that went into growing them! 🙂