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  • Prep-time: / Ready In:
  • Makes 16 brownies

Black beans are the secret ingredient that make this plant-based twist on a classic recipe extra moist and chewy. Don’t worry about the bean flavor: It’s masked by the delicious combination of dark cocoa, dried cherries, and shredded coconut. A touch of cinnamon adds extra depth and warmth to this decadent dessert (make it gluten-free by using certified gluten-free flour). Simple to make and even easier to devour, whip up a batch of these brownies when your sweet tooth is craving a goodie that’s also good for you! 

From plants-rule.com

Ingredients

  • 1 cup pitted dates
  • ¾ cup whole wheat pastry flour
  • ½ cup unsweetened dark cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon regular or sodium-free baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained (1½ cups)
  • ¾ cup mashed ripe banana
  • ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 1 tablespoon flaxseed meal
  • 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ½ cup unsweetened dried cherries
  • ¼ cup unsweetened coconut flakes

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper. In a bowl combine dates and ½ cup warm water; let stand at least 5 minutes to soften dates.
  2. In a large bowl sift together the next five ingredients (through salt). In a food processor or blender combine dates with soaking liquid and the next five ingredients (through vanilla). Process until smooth.
  3. Add bean mixture and the dried cherries to flour mixture. Stir to combine. Spread batter in prepared pan. Sprinkle coconut over top.
  4. Bake 50 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and top starts to crack. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into 16 brownies. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 1 week or freezer up to 1 month.

Comments (13)

(4.6 from 5 votes)
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Ray3 weeks ago
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Should these be stored in the refrigerator?

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Hi Ray,

Great question. We checked with the recipe developer, Katie Simmons. This was her response: “I always recommend storing in the fridge for any baked goods. Without any preservatives, brownies and muffins tend to only really last a couple of days at room temperature. They also freeze really well.”

We’ve updated the instructions to recommend storing in the refrigerator. Thank you!

Courtney
Editor, Forks Over Knives

Joyce5 months ago
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Loved it! Made them 2 days ago. Will make again. Used oat flour instead of whole wheat. Added a pinch of espresso to bring out the chocolate flavor. And used dried cranberries instead of cherries as another commenter mentioned.

Katseer5 months ago
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For a coconut allergy, what would you recommend for a replacement?
Thank you
Recipe looks great!

Bhakti Karla Sikora1 year ago
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I’ve used oat flour in a recipe very similar to this one to make it GF. xxoo

Kristen1 year ago
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The beans go into this whole?

Noemi1 year ago
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You process them in a food processor, or a blender.

Fish1 year ago
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What if I can’t find dried cherries what can I substitute it with

Luvanimls1 year ago
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I made these with dried cranberries and chopped walnuts. They turned out great.

dstonekloth1 year ago
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For people who are used to this WOE, I can see these brownies being decadent. But, for people like me who are starting out, to call these “brownies” is a stretch. They are more like unsweetened bean fudge. I might try the recipe again but add some chopped walnuts and a more open mindset.

To the person who wants nutritional information, FOK is not going to provide that because they want you to eat more plants and not worry about calories and serving sizes. However, you can copy the URL for this recipe and paste it into the MyFitnessPal app or many other websites to calculate that information for you.

Brandi1 year ago
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I agree! I have been WFPB for a long while but my husband has taken baby steps and it definitely takes a while for your palate to adjust from all of the processed stuff. Try chocolatecoveredkatie.com for lots of delish recipes that are kind of bridges to completely WFPB. It has worked with my husband and now he enjoys the black bean brownies!

Heather K1 year ago
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Can you please show the nutrition information including serving size and calories? Thank you.

Valeria1 year ago
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Tried the brownies today, they turned out great and my whole family enjoyed them! Thank you for the recipe!

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Headshot of Katie Simmons
about the author

Katie Simmons

Chef Katie Simmons is a personal chef based in Chicago. She specializes in creating delicious, healthy recipes for those with special concerns including gluten-free, oil-free, plant-based, and low-residue diets. Outside of the kitchen, she is a fitness instructor for Equinox, with over 13 years experience in the fitness industry. Learn more at her Plants-Rule website, and follow her on Instagram and Facebook for updates.

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