Healthy Avocado Brownies – With Black Beans

These are the best healthy avocado brownies that are going to become your new favorite! They are perfectly fudgy and decadent, flourless, and loaded with fiber! Made with hearty black beans, avocado, coconut sugar, and eggs, this is one brownie recipe you MUST TRY!

Avocado brownies may seem strange to some people but if you have ever baked with avocado then you know it really is an incredible secret ingredient.

This avocado brownie recipe uses a combination of avocado mixed with blended black beans, coconut oil, coconut sugar, eggs, and vanilla to create the most delicious fudgy, decadent brownies you will ever have!

Now, if you have tried my healthy brownies then you know I am a huge fan of a fudgy brownie, and this brownie recipe 100% fits that profile. If you prefer a cakier brownie then you may like these sweet potato brownies.

Why you’ll love this healthy brownie recipe

• Super fudgy and decadent – everything you want in a brownie.
• The best flourless brownies – this recipe uses no flour at all!
• Perfectly sweetened – these brownies have the perfect balance of sweetness.
• No taste of the avocado or black beans whatsoever! My kids ate these up and loved them! I have never been so happy about them eating a brownie! Ha ha!
• Straightforward recipe – Only a few simple steps and ingredients to make them!

Health benefits of avocado

Avocado is a healthy fat that makes a wonderful replacement for butter and oil in baked goods. Especially due to it’s mild flavor and creamy texture. Here are some of the health benefits of avocado:

• Cholesterol free!
• Contain healthy fats – unsaturated (monounsaturated)
• High in Fiber – 1 medium avocado contains 11 grams of fiber!
• Filling and delicious – making them a great food for weight loss!

Why avocado works well in baked goods

Avocado is a smooth, lower cholesterol healthy fat that makes a great replacement for butter in baked goods like these brownies. It has a mild flavor so it pretty much cannot be detected when combined with cocoa powder, coconut sugar, coconut oil, and chocolate chips. 

The fact that it is a much healthier alternative to butter makes these brownies a slam-dunk healthy treat!

Exoert tip: If you are worried about having a ripe avocado on hand, then you can freeze your avocados once they are ripe and then deforst them and use them in this recipe or other recipes like avocado ranch dressing.

Ingredients needed for avocado brownies

• Avocado – ripe avocado, about ⅓ cup mashed. Used in place of butter in this recipe.
• Black beans – to give this recipe even more protein and fiber plus that rich, decadent flavor we all love in a good healthy brownie recipe!
• Eggs – just 3 large eggs. 
• Coconut oil – to add even more healthy fat and to help make the brownies nice and rich. 
• Coconut sugar + dark brown sugar – for that perfect hint of sweetness. 
• Cocoa powder – unsweetened cocoa powder to give the brownies that nice deep rich chocolate flavor. 
• Vanilla extract – pure vanilla extract is best!
• Baking powder
• Salt
• Chocolate chips – any chocolate chips will work in this recipe. 

How to make avocado brownies with black beans

*Get the complete list of recipe ingredients and instructions in the recipe card located at the bottom of this post.

1. Puree the black beans in a food processor or blender.
2. Add in the avocado + eggs + oil + vanilla and blend on high.
3. Add in the sugars +cocoa powder + baking powder + salt and blend to combine into a chocolatey batter.
4. Fold in the chocolate chips.
5. Pour the brownie batter into a prepared 8×8 baking pan, top with more chocolate chips, and bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with slightly wet crumbs.
6. Let cool for at least 30 minutes, slice, and serve.

Can you taste the avocado?

I didn’t think that you could taste it and my kids certainly couldn’t. Some people are very sensitive to the taste of avocado so it may take a couple of bites for the noticeable flavor to disappear.

Tips For Success

• Use a food processor. I tried this recipe using a blender and although it worked, the brownies did not come out as fudgy. I am not sure why, but I think that the smoother blended batter in the food processor was the reason.
• Blend the black beans with about 1 teaspoon of water to break them down and help them get nice and smooth in literally seconds.
• Line the pan with parchment paper – this will make it much easier to remove the brownies from the pan after they have cooled completely.
• Use a ripe avocado – this is so important since ripe avocados are much creamier and blend way better than unripe avocados.
• Let the brownies cool – these brownies will continue to cook as they cool so it is very important to let them cool for at least 30 minutes in the pan before you remove and cut them.

Recipe substitutions and variations

• Black beans – this recipe was created using black beans in place of flour to reduce the calories, keep them gluten-free, and add some healthy protein and fiber to this recipe, so black beans must be used.
• Avocado – these are avocado brownies so avocados are best used in this recipe. If you are not a fan of avocado, TRUST ME, you cannot taste it. You can use melted butter or nut butter in place of the avocado if you prefer.
• Brown sugar – I used a little bit of brown sugar to give these brownies the perfect balance of sweetness. You can use more coconut sugar or some maple syrup if you prefer to instead of brown sugar.
• Coconut oil – olive oil, or avocado oil can be used in place of the coconut oil in this recipe.
• Dairy-free brownies – this recipe is already dairy-free, as written.

How to store Avocado brownies

Storing brownies is easy. You can store these black bean brownies for a few days or freeze them for up to 2 months!

• Storing – Place them in an airtight container, layered with parchment paper, and store them in a cool dry place for up to 3 days!
• Freezing – After they have cooled completely, wrap each brownie in plastic wrap, then parchment paper, and store them in a freezer-friendly container in your freezer for up to 2 months. To defrost, leave them in the fridge overnight or on the counter for about 20 minutes.

More Healthy dessert recipes

Here are some of my absolute favorite healthy desserts that you can make and enjoy more often without any guilt.

• The Best Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Simple Gluten Free Buckeye Balls
• Healthy Chewy chocolate Chip Cookies
• Protein Cookie Dough Bites

I hope you love these avocado brownies as much as my family and I did! If you try them, then please leave a comment and rating below. I would love to hear how yours turned out!

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