Healthy Chocolate Chunk Flourless Brownie Bites
This is one of the easiest brownie recipes you’ll ever find! They’re really rich and extremely fudgy, thanks to the ample amount of cocoa powder and flour replacer. The brownie bites will keep for at least four days (if not closer to a week or more!) if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Ingredients
- 1 (15oz) can reduced sodium black beans, drained and thoroughly rinsed
- 3 large egg whites (room temperature)
- ½ cup (40g) unsweetened cocoa powder (measured like this)
- ½ cup (120mL) pure maple syrup
- ¼ cup (60mL) unsweetened cashew milk
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp (28g) finely chopped dark chocolate
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300°F. Line 24 mini muffin cups with paper liners, and coat with nonstick cooking spray.
- Add all of the ingredients except the finely chopped dark chocolate to a blender or food processor in the order that they’re listed. Blend until completely smooth and no large pieces of beans remain.
- Divide the batter between the prepared muffin cups. Evenly sprinkle the dark chocolate between the muffin cups, and use the tip of a butter knife to swirl them into the batter. Bake at 300°F for 14-18 minutes, or until they no longer jiggle when lightly shaken. (The centers should still look glossy and slightly underdone!) Cool completely to room temperature in the pan; then let them sit for an additional 3 hours for the fudgiest texture.
Notes
IMPORTANT MEASURING NOTE – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: It's extremely important to measure the cocoa powder correctly, like this or with a kitchen scale. Too much cocoa powder will make the brownie bites taste bitter.
IMPORTANT BAKING NOTES – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: The brownie bites are ready to come out of the oven when the edges look firm but the centers still look glossy and underdone! The heat from the pan continues to cook the centers while they cool.
If you’re too impatient to wait for 3+ hours once your brownie bites are at room temperature, then you can stick the pan in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours after they’ve reached room temperature to speed up the process. (The brownie bites turn fudgier the longer they're allowed to rest. If you eat them sooner, they'll be more cakey than fugdy.)
IMPORTANT FLAVOR NOTES – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: These brownie bites have a rich flavor that's similar to 70% dark chocolate. I promise they do NOT taste like beans! That bean flavor bakes off while the brownie bites are in the oven, so they just taste extra rich and chocolaty once they’ve cooled.
CANNED BLACK BEANS ALTERNATIVE: If you prefer to cook your own black beans, you’ll need 1 ½ cup + 2 tablespoons of cooked black beans. You’ll also need to add about ¼ teaspoon of salt to the brownie batter.
EGG WHITES ALTERNATIVE: If you prefer to use whole eggs, then use 3 large eggs, and reduce the milk by 1 ½ tablespoons to compensate for the added volume from the yolks.
COCOA POWDER NOTES: I don’t recommend using Dutched or special dark cocoa powder. These have a different acidity level, which can change the taste and texture of your brownie bites. The brownies already taste very rich and dark chocolaty without using either of these!
SWEETENER ALTERNATIVES: Honey or agave may be substituted for the pure maple syrup. Alternatively, ½ cup (96g) coconut sugar or brown sugar + ¼ cup (60mL) milk may be substituted instead.
MILK ALTERNATIVES: Any milk may be substituted for the unsweetened cashew milk.
DARK CHOCOLATE NOTES + ALTERNATIVE: I recommend 70-76% dark chocolate. Ghirardelli and Lindt are two of my favorites. Make sure you cut the dark chocolate to be no larger than the size of miniature chocolate chips to ensure the brownie bites bake evenly. If you prefer, miniature chocolate chips may be substituted for the finely chopped dark chocolate.
NUT-FREE OPTION: Substitute your preferred nut-free milk in place of the unsweetened cashew milk.
HOW TO STORE: Store leftover brownie bites in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They should keep for at least four days (if not closer to a week or more!).
{gluten-free, dairy-free, clean eating, low fat, nut-free option}
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?I'd love to hear what you think of it in a comment below! If you take a picture, tag @amys.healthy.baking on Instagram or use the hashtag #amyshealthybaking.