Black Bean Stout Brownies
Black Bean Stout Brownies sound like a prank until you taste them. They bake up dark, fudgy, and…
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Black Bean Stout Brownies sound like a prank until you taste them. They bake up dark, fudgy, and rich, with a deep chocolate flavor that reads classic brownie, not “healthy dessert.”
Black beans add body and moisture, stout beer adds roasted depth, and instant coffee sharpens the cocoa. You get a pan of egg-free black bean brownies that feel indulgent, slice clean, and stay soft for days.
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Why this Works
Black beans bring structure without making the brownies dry. When you blend or mash them well, they disappear into the batter and act like a moisture and texture builder. The result is dense and fudgy instead of cakey.
Stout beer and instant coffee amplify chocolate. Stout carries roasted malt notes that echo dark cocoa, and coffee makes chocolate taste more intense. Whole wheat flour adds a mild nutty backbone so the brownies taste grounded, not one-note.
Heather’s Recipe Notes
- Blend the black beans until smooth for the fudgiest texture and zero “bean” vibe.
- Use dark cocoa powder for the deepest color and flavor.
- Add instant coffee or espresso powder even if you hate coffee, it makes the chocolate pop.
- Stout matters, pick one with roasted notes, not a sour or fruit-forward stout.
- Nuts or semi-sweet chocolate chips give you contrast, crunch or pockets of melted chocolate.
The Maillard Reaction
Yes, it shows up here, mostly on the top and edges. As the brownies bake, heat triggers browning where proteins and sugars concentrate near the surface, especially around the rim of the pan. That browning creates toasted, caramel-like notes that balance the dark cocoa.
You also get Maillard support from the stout’s roasted malt character, which already contains browned flavors from the brewing process. In other words, the beer brings “baked” depth before the pan even hits the oven. Together, the baked crust plus stout gives these brownies a grown-up, bakery-style finish.
Subs & Variations
Beer swaps
- No stout: use a porter. Similar roast, slightly lighter body.
- No beer: use strong brewed coffee or espresso for the liquid. The flavor shifts more “mocha” and less “roasty malt.”
Flour swaps
- Whole wheat flour to all-purpose flour: softer wheat flavor, same bake time.
- For gluten-free, use a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend. Expect a slightly more fragile crumb.
Sweetener swaps
- You can use brown sugar for a deeper molasses note. It also keeps the brownies softer.
- If you cut sugar too much, the brownies lose shine, moisture, and that classic crackly top.
Mix-ins
- Chocolate chips: more gooey, more classic.
- Toasted walnuts or pecans: more crunch, more bitter balance.
- Add a pinch of flaky salt on top before baking for sharper flavor.
Flavor add-ins
- Cinnamon plus a tiny pinch of cayenne for a Mexican-chocolate vibe.
- A splash of vanilla if you keep it on hand.
The Process
- Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease a 9×13 baking dish.
- Puree rinsed black beans with 15 oz water until smooth.
- In a large bowl, whisk together whole wheat flour, sugar, cocoa powder, instant coffee, salt, and baking powder.
- Add the wet ingredients: pureed black beans, vanilla, and stout beer to the dry ingredients. Stir just until incorporated, don’t overmix.
- Pour into prepared baking dish and bake 25-30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. They should be almost firm in the center. Test by inserting a toothpick into the center and when it comes out clean or slightly wet, they are done.
People Also Ask
Not if you blend the beans smooth and use dark cocoa plus coffee. The flavor reads chocolate-forward, with a faint nutty depth.
Yes. Rinse and drain well to remove excess starch and canned flavor. This keeps the batter cleaner and the chocolate brighter.
Pick a dry stout or oatmeal stout with roasted notes. Avoid pastry stouts with heavy vanilla or maple unless you want those flavors in the final brownie.
Yes. Skip nuts and use chocolate chips, or leave mix-ins out entirely. If you need crunch, try toasted pumpkin seeds.
Yes. Look for stout beer that is vegan and does not use isinglass (a by-product of the fishing industry) during the beer making process.
Other Recipes to Try
- Easy Stout Shepherd’s Pie
- Chocolate Cherry Brownies
- Grilled Cod Tacos
- Roasted Celery Soup
- Easy Mushroom Quiche
Black Bean Stout Brownies
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Ingredients
- 15 oz can black beans, rinsed and filled with new water
- 1 ½ cups whole wheat flour, or all purpose
- 2 ¼ cups raw sugar
- 1 ¼ cup dark cocoa powder
- 4 tsp instant coffee powder
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup stout beer, such as Guinness (or water)
- 1 cup nuts, or chocolate chips, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350º F degrees.
- Drain a can of black beans and rinse thoroughly until the water runs clear. Return the black beans back to the can and fill with water. Puree the beans and water. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix flour, sugar, cocoa powder, coffee power, salt and baking powder. Add the black bean puree, vanilla and stout to the dry ingredients and stir just until incorporated. Don’t over mix.
- Pour batter into a greased 9×13 pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes, rotating the pan around halfway through. They should be almost firm in the center.
- Let brownies cool completely then cut into 24 squares.
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Notes
Nutrition
* Nutritional information is not guaranteed to be accurate.
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Co-Founder at Spiceology | More About Heather…
Heather is a recipe developer and content creator living in Vancouver, Washington. She started Farmgirl Gourmet in 2006, almost 20 years ago, as a way to share recipes with friends and family. Heather is also the co-founder of Spiceology , a unique spice company, which she started in 2013. She shares family friendly recipes for easy everyday meals with a gourmet twist.
I really love this recipe and hope you will too!
Made these 5/7/15 10:30am. Amazing! Don’t be scared, so delish!! Used an Alaskan Pumpkin porter, and (4tsp)fresh coffee ground to espresso grind, giradeli unsweetened cocoa. Can hardly wait for the hubs to get home and have one!!!
Sorry. You lost me with the coffee. Upsets my stomach badly.
This is a great recipe! I just discovered a Coffee Oatmeal Stout by The Good People Brewing Company that I would like to use in this recipe. Not sure if it’s vegan or not though.
There are plenty of vegan-friendly beer out there. Barnivore.com has an extensive list, including the ever delicious Samuel Smith Organic Chocolate Stout.
You can also try Boatswain Chocolate Stout which is vegan-friendly:
I’ve seen Boatswain Chocolate Stout at Trader Joe’s. I’ve also used Young’s Double Chocolate Stout as well with great results though I’m not sure if Young’s is vegan-friendly
Brooklyn brand dry irish stout is vegan-friendly, they don’t use isinglass as a fining agent and instead they use a product called Biofine Clear as a fining agent. Only problem is that it seems to be available only seasonally.
The taste of these are amazing. However, the texture is like a rubbery sponge.
I just made them for a potluck and mine came out like rich, gooey, and oh so delicious candy shop fudge….in fact they were so rich I could only eat 2 of them before getting almost full LOL
Love these! Have made them 2x and shared recipe w/many choc lovers. I cut the sugar to less than 2 c, but have frosted, with chocolate to get a good chocolate flavor. One of the batches I broke up a bar of Ikea dk choc (surprisingly not bad for the price), spaced them out on ‘fresh from the oven’ brownies, then spread–tooooo ez!
I just made your brownies and I love them. I didn’t have instant coffee, so I substituted a cup of coffee leftover from this morning for the stout. I do want to warn those who might be thinking of making these brownies as a substitute for “regular” brownies: my husband was so excited for brownies the entire time they were in the oven and couldn’t wait for them to be done, then eagerly cut a piece out as soon as they came out, popped it into his mouth, made a disappointed face, and said, “Oh…they’re different….sugar free or something.” Like I said, I love them and they totally satisfy my chocolate craving, but people who aren’t into eating healthy food might not think as highly of them.
You are a genius! These were so good – thank you! I posted about them on my blog 🙂
MMM this recipe gave me chills! I love the fudgy consistency of black-bean based brownies and the bittersweet taste of Guinness. I am definetely pinning this!
Hi Heather,
Just stopping by to let you know I’ve included your brownies in my 100 chocolate recipes round-up.
That’s awesome!! Thank you so much! I have been meaning to make those brownies lately. 🙂 I’m off to check out your roundup!! Thanks again. xo ~Heather