These black bean brownies with sweet potato frosting are for the chocolate lover in all of us! They’re perfectly moist and fudgy with a touch of cakiness. They taste ultra chocolatey and so decadent, no one will guess the secretly healthy ingredients! This recipe is vegan, nut-free, and can easily be made gluten-free.

I’ve had chocolate on the brain lately (can you blame me?) and was craving a healthier frosted brownie. One that is moist and fudgy but not overly dense. I also like my brownies to be tall enough to sink your teeth into. Bite marks are definitely a requirement! And, of course, a brownie must be ultra chocolatey and perfectly sweetened. This is a pretty tall order but, being the dedicated food blogger that I am, munched my way through half a dozen recipe tests to bring you the best black bean brownies with sweet potato chocolate frosting on the block!

Why you’ll love this recipe:

Healthier ingredients-

While brownies are not exactly a health food, the added protein and fiber from black beans and sweet potato bumps them out of the “junk food” category. They also have omega-3-rich ground flax seed and coconut oil instead of butter.

Made in a food processor-

Both the brownies and the frosting are made in a food processor, (not a blender) saving you from washing extra dishes.

Two recipes in one-

These brownies are uber decadent with frosting or without. But, I promise, once you make the easy sweet potato chocolate frosting, you’ll want to spread it on everything in your life! It behaves similarly to buttercream frosting and works beautifully on layer cakes, cupcakes, muffins, and more!

Very very delicious-

Vegan black bean brownie recipes can be hit or miss. Some are overly dense and flat while others taste like a health food and not a decadent dessert. These brownies are the perfect combination of scrumptious taste and texture. Even vegan skeptics will love them!

Ingredients and substitutions:

I’ve got the full list of the ingredients with specific amounts for you below and in the recipe card. But, let’s take a closer look at a few key ingredients and chat about some substitutions as well.

Black beans- An essential ingredient in black bean brownies! I use canned beans in this recipe but dried beans cooked until soft, will work beautifully. Make sure you check the amount in the can and measure out 1½ cups.

Refined coconut oil- Solid at room temperature, this oil needs to be melted in the microwave or on the stovetop before using. It’s important to choose refined coconut oil which has only a hint of coconut flavor.

Aquafaba- This is the liquid from the can of beans. It is used as an egg substitute in this recipe.

All-purpose flour- A little flour (¾ cup) is needed for cakey texture. To make this recipe gluten-free, swap out the all-purpose flour for 1 to 1 gluten-free baking flour.

Dutch cocoa powder- Dutch cocoa is alkalized which tastes less bitter and more chocolatey than natural cocoa powder. However, natural cocoa powder is less expensive than Dutch and very easy to find. So go with what works best for you.

Ground flax seed- This superfood, also know as flax meal, is used as a binding ingredient in place of eggs.

Semi-sweet chocolate chips- For perfectly sweet but not cloyingly sweet brownies, use semi-sweet chocolate chips. I tested this recipe with dark chocolate chips which was still delicious but slightly under-sweet.

Sweet potato- There are several common varieties of sweet potato. For smooth and creamy frosting, use jewel or orange-fleshed sweet potato.

Tips for making perfect black bean brownies with sweet potato frosting:

Brownies are fairly straight forward as far as baked desserts go but here’s a few tips I’d like to share from my journey to brownie heaven.

Measure your black beans-
The amount of beans and aquafaba in a can of black beans will vary from brand to brand. For example, Field Day Black Beans has 1¼ cups of beans and ¾ cup of aquafaba per can. S&W Organic Black Beans has almost 2 cups of beans and only 2 tablespoons of aquafaba per can. To get the correct amount for this recipe, measure out 1½ cups of beans. If the can is short on aquafaba, make up the difference with water. My favorite brand is Eden foods Organic Black Beans which has exactly 1½ cups of beans and plenty of aquafaba.
Use refined coconut oil-
All coconut oil is made by machine-pressing coconut meat. The difference between refined and unrefined coconut oil is that refined undergoes additional processing which removes the pronounced coconut flavor. A hint of flavor remains but it won’t overwhelm your brownies.
Use semi-sweet chocolate chips-
The type of chocolate chips you use will determine how sweet your brownies and frosting will be. Semi-sweet chips will be sweeter than dark chocolate chips. Since the flavor of the frosting comes from chocolate chips, choose ones you really love.
Cook your sweet potato until squeezabley soft-
An uncooked center of the sweet potato will make tiny little lumps in the frosting so be sure to cook it until the flesh is soft. It also needs to be quite warm to melt the chocolate chips. So, use kitchen gloves to protect your hands, if needed, when peeling it.
Using the microwave is okay!
Many recipes for sweet potato frosting insist that you bake the sweet potato instead of cooking it in the microwave for fear of runny frosting. The lazy cook in me put this to the test and have concluded that you can whip up perfectly creamy luscious frosting in a fraction of the time by using your microwave.
Frost cooled brownies-
Hot brownies will melt the frosting. So wait to frost until they’re cool to the touch. You can speed this process up by placing the brownies (once out of pan) in the refrigerator.
Spread the frosting before it sets-
The frosting will look and feel spreadably soft right after blending but stiffens up as it cools down. So, spread the frosting on your cooled brownies before it has a chance to set.
Slice your brownies using a warm clean knife-
Once the frosting is set, run a sharp knife under hot tap water. Then dry it off. Make a single slice. The warm knife will easily cut through the frosting and brownie without any tearing. Then repeat this step with a warm clean knife for each slice.

Here’s everything you need to make this recipe:

Black Bean Brownies

Ingredients for Black Bean Brownies

Makes 16 (2x2”) brownies

1½ cups (15 oz / 425 g can) of black beans, drained and rinsed with liquid saved
½ cup (118 ml) of refined coconut oil, melted
¼ cup (60 ml) of aquafaba (liquid from the can of beans)
¼ cup (60 ml) of water
1 cup (200 g) of granulated sugar
¾ cup (90 g) of all-purpose flour (use 1 to 1 gluten-free flour, if needed)
½ cup (40 g) of Dutch cocoa powder
2 tablespoons (15 g) of ground flax seed (flax meal)
2 teaspoons of vanilla
1½ teaspoons of baking powder
½ teaspoon of fine sea salt
¾ cup (130 g) of semi-sweet vegan chocolate chips

Instructions for Black Bean Brownies

1.Prepare your baking pan- Preheat oven to 350°F / 177°C. Grease an 8x8” baking pan with oil. Then cut a 6½” wide strip of parchment paper and form it to the bottom and 2 sides of the pan. Fold down the extra parchment that’s sticking up, making handles. This allows you to easily remove the cooked and cooled brownies from the pan.

2. Blend the beans and liquid ingredients- Add the beans, coconut oil, aquafaba, and water to the work bowl of a food processor (not a blender), fitted with the “S” blade. Blend until you have a creamy puree, 20-30 seconds.

3. Add the dry ingredients and vanilla- Pour in the sugar, all-purpose flour (use gluten-free if needed), cocoa powder, ground flax seed, vanilla, baking powder, and salt. Blend until completely smooth, 20 seconds. It will look like thick cake batter.

4. Add the chocolate chips- Tumble in the chocolate chips and pulse until they are well mixed. Some of them will get chopped up and that’s okay.

5. Fill your baking pan- Scoop the batter into your prepared baking pan and spread it evenly, reaching into the corners. Then, smooth out the top.

6. Bake the brownies- Bake at 350°F / 177°C for 50 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the brownies look slightly poofy and cracked on top. They will settle as they cool in the pan.

7. Frost the brownies- Remove cooled brownies from the pan using the parchment paper flaps as handles. Then generously spread the top with Sweet Potato Frosting. Let the frosting set and slice into 16 brownies with a warm, clean knife for each cut!

Sweet Potato Chocolate Frosting

Ingredients for Sweet Potato Chocolate Frosting

Makes 1½ cups of frosting

1 cup (225 g / 8 oz) packed cooked sweet potato flesh, still very warm (1 medium orange-fleshed sweet potato)
1 cup (170 g / 6 oz) of semi-sweet vegan chocolate chips
2-3 tablespoons of almond milk (use oat milk for nut-free)
1 teaspoon of vanilla
1/8 teaspoon of fine sea salt

How to make Sweet Potato Chocolate Frosting

black bean brownies with sweet potato frosting-8.jpg

black bean brownies with sweet potato frosting-10.jpg

1.Cook the sweet potato- Poke a few holes in your sweet potato with a fork and wrap it in a paper towel. Then cook it in the microwave for 5 minutes until squeezably soft. Cook for 30-second intervals longer if needed. (Or it wrap in foil and bake in the oven at 375°F / 190°C for 1 hour until squeezably soft.) Let cool for a few minutes, or don kitchen gloves, so you can handle it safely.

2. Blend your ingredients into frosting- Use a spoon to carefully scoop the warm flesh from the skin. Measure out 1 cup and plop it into the work bowl of a food processor. Pour the chocolate chips, vanilla, and salt on top. Blend until the sweet potato has melted the chocolate chips and your frosting is completely creamy.

3. Add the almond milk- Then pour in the almond milk and blend again until smooth and silky. Use 2 tablespoons of milk if you are going to serve the brownies right away. Use 3 tablespoons of milk if you have a baked sweet potato or if you are going to serve them later. This frosting will thicken as it cools.

Notes: This makes enough frosting to *generously* frost 1 recipe of brownies. Store any leftovers in the fridge. Or stand at the kitchen counter, like me, and eat it with a spoon.

black bean brownies with sweet potato frosting on a plate

We’ve been eating these brownies non-stop around here and I can’t wait to make another batch for Mother’s Day! If you’ve had chocolate on the brain too, try these scrumptious vegan & gluten-free chocolate desserts:

Chocolate Chia Pudding

Peppermint Chocolate Vegan Mug Cake

Vegan Avocado Chocolate Mousse

Vegan Mini Chocolate Bundt Cakes

Classic Vegan and Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

Vegan Dark Chocolate Tart

From my heart to your kitchen,

X,o,

Carol