Fudgy Sweet Potato Black Bean Brownies
The recipe and photography for this post was provided by Carolyn Hodges of The Dinner Shift.
Have you ever made black bean brownies? Every time I do, people are always surprised that I managed to incorporate an entire can of beans into a decadent, delicious treat. But no tricks here!
In this version I’m also using sweet potato, which lends natural sweetness so I can cut back on the added sugar used in traditional brownie recipes. You won’t taste the black beans or sweet potato, but both ingredients form the base of this flourless batter and yield an ultra-fudgy, super moist brownie. After testing a number of black bean brownie recipes in my lifetime, I find it’s worth it to use a higher quality cocoa powder, if possible. My favorites are Guittard or Ghirardelli cocoa powders.
Fudgy Sweet Potato Black Bean Brownies
Servings: 12 Brownies
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups sweet potato, peeled and diced
- 1 15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed well
- ⅔ cup good quality unsweetened cocoa powder (recommend: Guittard or Ghirardelli)
- ⅔ cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- ½ tsp. sea salt
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup + 2 Tbsp. mini semisweet chocolate chips, divided
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350˚F. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper.
- Place the diced sweet potato in a microwave-safe dish. Add enough water to cover the bottom by ¼-inch, then cover tightly with plastic wrap. Microwave on high for 4 minutes, or until sweet potatoes are very soft and “mashable”. Drain well and set aside to cool slightly.
- In a food processor, add the cooled sweet potato, black beans, cocoa powder, brown sugar, vanilla, baking powder and salt. Puree until very smooth. Scrape down the sides and add in the eggs. Blend for another 30 seconds. Add ½ cup of the mini chocolate chips and pulse a few times to incorporate.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, using a spatula to spread in an even later. Top with the remaining 2 Tbsp. chocolate chips. Bake in preheated oven for 28-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean with a few crumbs. Allow to cool in the pan for at least 30 minutes (refrigerate for quicker cooling!) before lifting out of the pan to cut and serve. These are easiest to cut cleanly when chilled.
- Store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Interested in making this recipe? Order the ingredients online for Curbside Grocery Pickup or Delivery.
Easy to make and delicious!
I froze half after baking because I knew we wouldn’t eat them all in 5 days. They defrosted perfectly, but I would recommend cutting before freezing. They are a rock when frozen!