Remember when black bean brownies were all the rage?
Maybe that’s a teeny exaggeration… my friends still thought they were weird.
Flourless Pinto Bean Brownies are where it’s at.  These cocoa-laced treats are flourless, fudge-y, and delicious!  They are also low sugar and can be made vegan with flax eggs.
I know, I know… putting pinto beans in brownies sounds weird. I SWEAR you can’t taste them. Â Both Vegas and my baby sister ate them and didn’t detect a trace of bean… and they know I usually try to sneak something healthy into their food.
Flourless chocolate treats are some of my favorites. Â Not because I’m scared of flour, but because I love that creamy, decadent texture. Â The beans in these brownies only make the texture that much better.
Plus, you get to sing that song about beans that we all know and love. Beans, beans, musical fruit…
I’m a big fan of the rich dark chocolate that cocoa powder gives baked goods. Â That combined with a hint of peanut butter makes these basically my ideal dessert. Â Add a few chocolate chips and I’ve reached dessert nirvana.
Oh, and they’re sugar-free.  This hardly even counts as a dessert… so you should just go ahead and pair it with red wine.  😉
[Tweet “Healthy Flourless Pinto Bean Brownies… but they’re so good your family will never know!”]
Flourless Pinto Bean Brownies
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 20-25 mins
Keywords: bake blender dessert gluten-free sugar-free vegan vegetarian low-sodium coconut oil eggs peanut butter cocoa brownie healthy
Ingredients (12 servings)
- 2 C pinto beans, cooked
- 2 whole eggs
- 2 T coconut oil, melted
- 3 T peanut butter
- 1 T vanilla
- 2 T VitaFiber syrup (can use honey or agave)
- 1/2 C xylitol (or other granulated sugar)
- 1/3 C cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 C dark chocolate chips (optional)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9×9 Pyrex dish and set aside.
Place all ingredients, except the chocolate chips, in a food processor and process until smooth. You may need to stop and scrape down the sides periodically.
Fold in chocolate chips, then transfer batter to prepared dish.
Bake for 20-25 mins until the edges start to crisp up and pull away from the sides. A toothpick will come out *mostly* clean. Bean brownies are meant to a bit fudge-y.
Allow to cool for 15 – 20 minutes before cutting into squares.
Approximate nutrition: 129 calories, 6.7 g fat, 142 mg sodium, 15.5 g carbs, 4.3 g fiber, 1.4 g sugar, 4.3g protein
***
I was going to have these for Thanksgiving… but they’re gone. Â Oops.
Do you sneak veggies into your family’s meals?
Have you ever made bean brownies?
How creative! Wow, never would have thought to use pinto beans in a brownie recipe. Good one, Laura! 🙂
Thanks! They’re just as good as the black bean version… and I think the color is a little better (not so tar-like).
These look rich and fantastic. I’ve never used beans in baking before- always great to learn something new. Nice work!!
Thank you Scott! They’re a fun experiment – you really can’t taste them!
Wow! I just made a batch of pinto beans yesterday! Trying these when I get home tonight.
Yay! I’d love to know how you like them!
This is one of those things that I’d have to eat before knowing exactly what was in it. I’m with Vegas haha
It passed her test. I swear you’d like them. Really.
I want to make these and just see what happens. I’m sure my husband would know something is up…we shall see 🙂
You MUST report back! I snuck them past my whole family at Thanksgiving!
My problem? I already eat so many freaking veggies that there is no point in trying to sneak some to me…
Who doesn’t want MORE musical fruit?! 😉
I have not tried to make bean brownies myself I wonder if I could trick my fam into eating them?!
I can all but guarantee they’d pass the test… I slipped it past my pickiest eaters!
So fudgey and dense! YUM!
I know all about beans in brownies, but confession: I’ve never tried it! Although, I don’t make brownies all that often anyway, so maybe that’s the excuse?
I can’t believe how many people have said that! They were so big a couple of years ago… it’s worth a try, I swear!
Interesting, I’ve never tried pinto bean brownies before! I’ve definitely made black bean brownies, and it really is great how you can’t even taste the beans. I love tricking loved ones with healthy ingredients snuck into baked goods 🙂
You should just come over and have some here! 😉
I would love to try these! However beans usually do not agree with me. I wonder if these would do the same? I guess I will just have to try and see!
I’ve heard that if they’re blended they’re easier to digest… maybe less work on your stomach? Let me know if you try them!
Now I’m picturing you, Vegas, and your sis around the table at every meal like “OKAY Laura what did you sneak in here!?” You’re too funny. Also thank you for creating a delicious gf brownie recipe without protein powder!! I feel like all the brownie recipes I see have it..and I just like these ingredients so much better. Can’t wait to try
They really do that!!! HAHAHA!
i love beans and baking! i mean together. LOL! did you use Farmers direct? Wonder if their lentils would work. Hmmmm
Ummmm… duh! LOL! Lentils are a great idea too. We need a collaboration post!
Flourless? Pinto Beans? Only you can get me excited about a recipe like this Laura 🙂 If it’s Vegas approved I’m usually down to try it. I’m pretty obsessed with brownies and am always looking for a healthy version that taste magically delicious. It’s all about texture, and these look pretty fantastic.
Haha! I’ll take that as a compliment. 😉
I read this comment to Vegas and she loved it. She promised she really did approve.
And now I am craving brownies.
Bean brownies can be SO FUDGY. I’m thankful for God’s gift of beans today because they can be used for so many different things.
They are truly amazing in their versatility!
I know the exact texture you’re talking about when you mention flourless…so rich and fudgey. I make a flourless chocolate espresso cake from Bon Appetite that is amazing. I wouldn’t kick these brownies out of bed either.
Yassssss… I know that cake too. There was one at my favorite spot in Atlanta that was topped with sea salt and a drizzle of olive oil. To die for.