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These Mocha Black Bean Brownie Hearts are fudgy and moist, packed with healthy plant protein and fiber, and super easy to make. They’re naturally gluten-free and no one will suspect they are made with beans!
Fudgy. Mocha. Brownies. Need I say more?
What Valentine’s Day would be complete without a little chocolate? And how about a little chocolate you can actually feel good about eating?
These super rich fudgy Mocha Black Bean Brownie Hearts are full of protein and fiber and are 100% FREE of dairy, gluten and refined sugar.
They are also kid approved.
I PROMISE you will NOT know there are black beans in here!
If you thought there was no such thing as a healthy brownie, now you know differently!
Black beans are high in folate, fiber, copper, manganese, vitamin B1, phosphorus, magnesium, protein and iron.
A dessert that’s good for you! And with the addition of espresso, they are practically a breakfast food. (That’s what I’m telling myself anyway.)
Even with all that nutrition from the black beans, let me assure you that you will not know they are in here.
These brownies are everything you would want them to be – chocolatey, fudgy, soft, rich, delicious! Perfect for your sweetie (or yourself) on Valentine’s Day.
Of course, if you don’t have heart cookie cutters or just don’t want to take the time to cut them out, these would be divine in bar form as well. And a little sprinkling of organic powdered sugar never hurt anyone, right?
Here’s a great tip for you: I LOVE using a Mesh Tea Ball Infuser
for sprinkling powdered sugar. The sugar comes out slowly if you gently tap the side. Perfection.
I almost forgot to tell you the best part…the batter comes together completely in the bowl of a food processor. Super easy and super fast.
And don’t forget to taste the batter….because it’s egg free and you can (maybe that’s actually the best part?!)
More vegan dessert bars
I hope you love this recipe as much as we do! If you tried it, please use the rating system in the recipe card and leave a comment below with your feedback.
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For even more easy family recipes, be sure to check out my cookbook, The Meatless Monday Family Cookbook!
Fudgy Mocha Black Bean Brownie Hearts
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked black beans
- 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup pure maple syrup
- ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
- 2 tablespoons instant espresso powder
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons flax meal
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup dairy free chocolate chips
- organic powdered sugar optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In the bowl of a food processor blend black beans, vanilla, maple syrup, and applesauce until smooth. This might take several minutes to get the beans all ground up. Scrape down the sides as necessary.
- Add the espresso powder, cocoa powder, flax meal, baking powder and salt and process until combined and smooth. Scrape down the sides as necessary.
- Remove the blade and set aside. Add the chocolate chips to the batter and gently stir to incorporate.
- Pour batter into an 8×8 baking pan lined with parchment paper. (Overhang the parchment paper on both ends by a few inches. This is very important as the brownies will still be very soft when they come out of the oven and the parchment paper will allow you to take the whole square of brownies out of the pan with ease.)
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes. The top should be set, but the center will still be soft. A toothpick will not (and should not) come out clean.
- Let cool in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes. Carefully lift them out of the pan by holding onto the parchment paper overhang. They will probably still be soft and "bend" a little. This is ok, just be careful not to pull up on the sides too hard and break them.
- Let cool on a wire rack for another 20 to 30 minutes. The brownies should be firmer now, but still soft and fudgy. Carefully cut out into heart shapes or into bars.
- Sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired.
J says
Can i replace the flax meal with something lese? Eggs maybe? If yes how many please?
Jenn S. says
You can try using an egg, but I make no guarantees to the outcome as I haven’t tried it myself. Let me know if you try it.
Abby Balkus says
I love these brownies! Do they need to be refrigerated though? I make big batches to always have some!
Jenn S. says
Thank you, Abby! So glad to hear that! And, yes, I would refrigerate any leftovers. Enjoy!
Katarina says
Hi, thank you for delightful recipes! Can i skip dairy free chocolate chips? Or can i use something else?
Thank you!
Kind regards Katarina
Jenn S. says
Hi, Katarina. You can just skip them if you don’t have them. Let me know how they turn out. Enjoy!
Vanessa Powell says
Hi Jenn,
Do you think I could leave out the apple sauce?
Jenn S. says
Hi, Vanessa! If you leave out the applesauce, you will need more liquid. I would recommend using the liquid from the can of beans! That is actually my favorite go-to egg replacer now. 3 tbsp might be enough, but maybe 4. Let me know how they turn out!
Claire says
Do you think I can skip the coffee? Not sure my kids would like them!
Jenn S. says
Hi, Claire. Yes! Absolutley, you can skip the coffee. I’ve actually had quite a few people comment about leaving out the coffee because of the kids and they turned out great and loved them! Please let me know how they turn out for you!
Anna of Stuffedveggies says
Thanks for a wonderfully amazing recipe! I wanted to try these as soon as I saw your post (they look delicious!) but knew that if I made them for myself, I’d probably eat the whole pan. So, I waited & made them for a party last weekend, where I knew several GF friends would be. One particular 3-year-old was VERY delighted when I answered “Yes” to her question, “Are these Gluten Free?” She ate several – and was quite enthusiastic about them – as was I. (I did tweak them a tad – including omitting the coffee – because, well, coffee and preschoolers . . . ; )
Jenn S. says
Anna, thanks so much for sharing this with me. I’m so glad everyone liked them!
Cecilia says
OMG! I have to try this recipe. Just perfect for Valentines Day. I put the ingredients on my shopping list …
Jenn S. says
Let me know how you like them. I’m planning on making another batch for Valentine’s Day too, since we already ate all of ours!
Jen @ Driftwood Gardens says
You had me at mocha. I can’t wait to try this recipe – thanks for sharing!
Jenn S. says
I know, right? Chocolate and coffee? Divine!