Black Bean Hazelnut Brownies


When I first discovered a black bean brownie recipe, I was incredibly skeptical. I couldn't imagine how beans could make a dessert, but I've now developed two black bean brownie recipes. Who knows I might even create some more as time goes on. It's not as sweet as a typical brownie and has more of a dark chocolate flavor. The hazelnut butters nods a bit toward Nutella, at least to me.




Black Bean Hazelnut Brownies

2 cups cooked and drained black beans (reserving ½ cup liquid)*
2 tablespoon ground flax seeds
2 tablespoons hot water
1 cup hazelnut butter
¼ cup date sugar
2-4 tablespoons molasses**
¼ cup cooking liquid from bean
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ cup cacao powder
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon***
¼ teaspoon cardamom****
1 teaspoon matcha powder, optional
¼ cup cacao nibs or vegan mini chocolate chips, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix flax seeds and water. Set aside to thicken slightly.

Place all ingredients except cacao nibs in a food processor. Process until smooth. If mixture is too thick and stiff, add remaining reserved cooking liquid one tablespoon at a time until desired smoothness is met. Mixture will be quite thick.

Add cacao nibs or chocolate chips and pulse 4-6 times until incorporated into mixture.

Cover bottom of square baking pan (8 x 8 or 9x9) with parchment paper. Spread mixture in pan.

Bake 18-20 minutes until set. Be careful to not overbake.

Allow to cool in pan until completely cool, at least 20 minutes.

*You can use canned beans if you don't want to cook your own beans. I prefer to cook them myself because it gives me more control over what's in them and allows me to avoid excess salt in my diet.

** I use 2 tablespoons of molasses, but if that's not sweet enough for you, you can add up to 2 more. Or you can substitute maple syrup for the molasses. Just be aware molasses has more nutritional value than maple syrup.

*** I like to use Ceylon Cinnamon and grind my own sticks because it has a fresher, more robust flavor.

**** I like to use cardamom pods and grind them myself because they have a fresher, more intense flavor.

NOTE: I use organic ingredients whenever possible, so I rarely use the word in my ingredients list.

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