These heart healthy brownies are oh-so-fudgy and come together FAST! They’re a rich-tasting, chocolatey treat that just so happens to be packed with healthy benefits!
They’re high in fibre and protein, thanks to this very special ingredient—black beans! Cleverly hidden with tons of delicious chocolate flavour, no one will ever guess the main ingredient is beans! These fudgy healthy brownies are gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, and refined-sugar-free.
Skip Ahead | Table Of Contents
- Can Brownies Be Heart Healthy?
- Nutrition Facts
- Healthy Ingredients
- Step-By-Step Instructions
- Variations
- Serving Ideas
- Meal Prep & Storage Tips
- Expert Tips
- FAQs
- Recipe Card
Can Brownies Be Heart Healthy?!
It all comes down to the ingredients. And this heart healthy brownie recipe has you covered! Here’s why…
- They help lower blood pressure! Cacao and cocoa powder contain flavanols. These flavanols help to lower blood pressure, by widening the inside of your blood vessels. When your blood vessels widen, blood can move more easily through the body, with less strain on your heart. Medically, this is referred to as vasodilation. Eating foods that contain cocoa, like these brownies and this magnesium chocolate bark recipe, can help increase vasodilation in the body in as little as a few weeks!
- They keep you feeling fuller for longer! Overindulging in baked treats can lead to obesity and metabolic conditions like type 2 diabetes. Both of which can increase your risk of developing heart disease. Just one of these heart healthy brownies will leave you feeling satiated, thanks to the healthy fats, protein and fibre in it!
- They contain antioxidants! Black beans and cocoa powder are both high in antioxidants, which help to lower inflammation in the body and slow down aging and the progression of different heart diseases.
- They help lower LDL (aka bad cholesterol) levels! Beans contain dietary fibre, which helps you ‘carry out’ and eliminate broken-down LDL from your body. These brownies are also low in cholesterol. The only added cholesterol comes from the eggs, which have HDL (good) cholesterol and help lower LDL levels. Keep reading to find out how this works!
4 Cholesterol Fun Facts
- HDL (aka good cholesterol) is your HERO cholesterol. This is because it helps your body to get rid of LDL (bad cholesterol). It does this by grabbing on and carrying LDL out of your arteries and taking it to your liver, where it gets broken down and ready for removal.
- Your body NEEDS cholesterol to make hormones, bile and the outer layer of your cells.
- Your body makes the cholesterol it needs to keep you healthy!
- There’s no cholesterol in plants like veggies, fruits, beans, nuts and seeds.
Nutrition Facts
These fudgy gluten-free brownies have less than half of the sugar of traditional brownies. They also have more than double the fibre and protein, helping to prevent a post-dessert sugar crash!
Each brownie has:
- 5g of protein
- 10g of healthy fats
- 4g of fibre
- 18g of net carbs
- 11g of unrefined sugar
- 194 calories
Heart Healthy Brownies Ingredients
- Black Beans: Beans, beans, they’re good for the heart! They also help these flourless, gluten-free brownies keep their shape. Plus, they’re packed with plant-based protein, dietary fibre, iron, zinc, and antioxidants.
- Cocoa Powder: A superfood rich in fibre, heart healthy flavanols and many essential minerals like iron, zinc and magnesium! It’s high in antioxidants and has been shown to reduce anxiety and promote happiness when eaten. It’s important to note that natural cocoa powder is more nutritious than Dutch-processed. For more information about the differences between these two cocoa powders, check out the FAQ section here.
- Dandy Blend: This popular instant herbal coffee replacement is 100% decaf, gluten-free and supports liver health, amongst other things. Adding coffee to any chocolate-flavoured recipe will enhance its flavour twice-fold without leaving any coffee flavour behind.
- Eggs: A complete protein that rounds out the incomplete protein in the black beans. Combining an incomplete protein (like beans) with a complete protein source (like eggs) fills the gaps of the incomplete source, making it whole and ready for your body to use.
- Maple Syrup: My go-to healthy sweetener! It contains minerals and antioxidants, and the flavour works exceptionally well in chocolatey treats.
Check out the printable recipe card for exact measurements.
How To Make Heart Healthy Brownies
STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS
STEP 1: Preheat your oven to 350F and line a 9 x 9 or 11 x 7 baking pan with parchment paper.
STEP 2: Add the black beans, maple syrup, oil, vanilla, both powders and salt to a food processor. Blend until smooth, scraping down the sides halfway through.
STEP 3: Crack your eggs into a bowl and mix just enough to break up the yolks. Transfer your chocolate mixture to the bowl and mix it with the eggs until fully incorporated. Doing this step by hand rather than in the food processor will prevent the eggs from getting overmixed.
STEP 4: Add your chocolate chips or chunks to the brownie mixture and fold in.
STEP 5: Transfer your brownie mixture to your parchment-lined pan. (OPTIONAL STEP: Add more chocolate or chopped walnuts to the top!)
STEP 6: Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the top is mostly firm. Allow to cool completely in the pan, before lifting out (using the corners of your parchment paper) and slicing. Refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Variations
Here are a few ideas for how to change up the flavour of these classic fudgy brownies.
- Chocolate Nut Butter Brownies: Add a 1/2 to 3/4 cup of almond or peanut butter to the top of your raw brownies and swirl it in before baking.
- Mint-Chocolate Brownies: Add a 1/4 to 1/2 tsp of mint extract to your brownie batter. Mint extract is very strong, so start with a little and adjust to taste.
- Chocolate Walnut Brownies: Stir a 1/3 cup of chopped walnuts into the batter and sprinkle 2 tablespoons over the top before baking.
Serving Ideas
serving FROM FROZEN
These healthy brownies freeze and thaw beautifully! Here are a few ways to enjoy conveniently pre-cut brownies from the freezer.
- Warmed up. Thaw and warm your brownie in the microwave for 30 to 45 seconds.
- At room temperature. They take around 20 minutes to thaw on the counter.
- Frozen, as is – like my husband always does!
AS A SCHOOL-SAFE TREAT
Since this recipe is nut-free and much lower in sugar than traditional brownies, it makes the perfect school lunch treat! It also costs way less than store-bought, school-safe, gluten-free brownies, which contain some pretty questionable ingredients.
Because one full brownie is a bit too large for my daughters’ lunch boxes and very filling, I’ll give them half of a brownie each or a healthy two-bite brownie instead.
Go here for how to turn this recipe into a healthy two-bite brownie recipe!
TASTY TOPPING SUggesTIONS
These healthy gluten-free brownies are delicious on their own, but topping them with a little whipped coconut cream will take them to the next level!
They also make the perfect base for a nutritious, fudgy chocolate brownie sundae: Cut one brownie in half and add both halves to a shallow dish. Then top with some dairy-free vanilla cashew ice cream (recipe coming soon), healthy dark chocolate sauce (recipe coming soon), and your favourite roasted nuts!
Meal Prep & Storage Tips
MEAL PREP
Most food processors are large enough to make a double batch of these heart healthy brownies! Because they freeze and thaw so well, I highly recommend doubling this recipe and freezing a batch of pre-cut brownies for your future snacking enjoyment.
Even better, make one batch as traditional brownies and the second as healthy two-bite-brownies. It’s an excellent way to maximize your meal prep efforts! Go here for instructions on how to transform this recipe into a healthy two-bite brownie recipe easily!
FREEZER AND FRIDGE STORAGE
Your brownies will stay fresh for up to five days in the fridge and three months in the freezer.
PRO TIP: Pre-cut your brownies before freezing! This will help with portion control and make them as convenient as a pre-packed snack.
After cutting, store them in a resealable freezer container between layers of parchment paper. Or freeze them in a single layer in a resealable freezer bag. This will prevent them from sticking together and make single-serving snacking much easier!
Tips For Making Perfect Heart Healthy Brownies
USE room temperature ingredients
Using room-temperature beans and eggs will help to make a more even and smoother brownie batter. It also prevents the melted coconut oil from solidifying, which can cause uneven distribution of fat in your brownies.
If you forget to take your eggs out of the fridge an hour or so before baking – no problem! Just let them sit in a bowl of warm water while you assemble your remaining ingredients!
LINE YOUR BAKING PAN WITH PARCHMENT PAPER
Whether you’re making brownies, bars or quick bread, lining your baking pan with parchment paper makes cutting and serving your delicious baked goods easier.
This is because you can lift and cut them out of the pan instead of trying to (awkwardly) cut them in the pan. It also prevents your baked goods from sticking and eliminates the need to grease or spray your baking pan!
HOW TO MAKE HEALTHY TWO-BITE-BROWNIES
With very little effort, you can turn this recipe into a two-bite brownie recipe.
To do this, prepare the brownie batter as is, but instead of pouring it into a baking pan, portion it out into a mini muffin pan lined with mini muffin liners using a 1 1/2-inch mini ice cream scoop.
Bake at 350F for 15 to 18 minutes or until the tops are mostly firm.
Questions About This Recipe?
Still have questions? Check out these Frequently Asked Questions, or write a comment below!
FAQs
The main differences between natural cocoa and Dutch-processed cocoa are their acidity, colour, and nutrition. Dutch-processed cocoa has been processed with an alkaline solution to reduce its acidity. This processing, however, reduces its health benefits. Natural cocoa powder has a more complex, traditional chocolate flavour. It also has a higher concentration of heart-healthy flavanols.
Adding instant coffee to chocolate recipes is a not-so-secret baker’s trick for taking their flavour to the next level. If you stick with the amount in the recipe, your brownies or baked goods will not taste like coffee. If you want to give them a more mocha-like flavour, you’ll need to add more.
It’s a healthy and DELICIOUS instant decaf coffee replacement made from dandelion. It’s 100% gluten-free and kid-friendly and has been shown to support liver health, amongst other things. It can be used to enhance the flavour in any chocolate-based recipe, making it a healthy and valuable pantry staple.
No, it won’t. The enhanced chocolate flavour of these brownies disguises any coconut flavour the oil has. However, if you’d prefer to eliminate any chance of tasting coconut, you can use avocado or refined coconut oil. Refined coconut oil has been processed so that it can withstand higher cooking temperatures and has a neutral flavour.
Avocado oil is a light-tasting, heart-healthy oil. It’s a popular choice amongst healthy-baking enthusiasts because it can withstand heat up to 450F and leaves little to no flavour behind.
Recipe Card
EASY Heart Healthy Brownies (Gluten-Free & Fudgy)
Equipment
- Food Processor
Ingredients
- 15 oz can of black beans or 1 2/3 cups cooked black beans
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1/3 cup melted coconut oil or avocado oil
- 1/2 cup natural cocoa or cacao powder
- 1/4 cup Dandy Blend or 3 tbsp instant coffee powder
- 1 tbsp vanilla
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips of choice or dark chocolate chunks (plus more for the top – this is optional but encouraged!)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F and line a 9 x 9 or 11 x 7 baking pan with parchment paper.
- Add the black beans, maple syrup, oil, vanilla, cocoa, Dandy Blend (or instant coffee) and salt to a food processor. Blend until smooth, scraping down the sides halfway through.
- Crack your eggs into a bowl and mix just enough to break up the yolks. Transfer your chocolate mixture to the bowl and mix it with the eggs until fully incorporated. Doing this step by hand rather than in the food processor will prevent the eggs from getting overmixed.
- Add your chocolate chips or chunks to the brownie mixture and fold in.
- Transfer your brownie mixture to your parchment-lined pan. Sprinkle some extra chocolate chips on top if desired.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until the top is mostly firm. Allow to cool completely in the pan, before lifting out (using the corners of your parchment paper) and slicing. Refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Notes
Nutrition
Let’s Keep In Touch!
I can’t wait to hear all about your healthy eating journey and what you’ve been cooking! Please comment below or share your successes with me on Instagram @nourashnutrition so that I can celebrate you and your healthy eating milestones!
Until next time…
Sending you 🤎 & ✨!
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