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Remember my vegan and gluten-free black bean brownies and my chocolate and strawberry gluten-free black bean brownies? Remember how those were out-of-this-world scrumptiously good?
Well I’ve got news for you. These Black & White Black Bean Brownies may trump the previous two versions.
And I am not just saying that.
Then again, I may be biased about these little guys because they bring up quite a bit of nostalgia for me.
My aunt introduced us to these wonderful cupcakes that we would call black and white cupcakes. They were a rich and chocolaty cupcake that had a dollop of sweetened cream cheese mixed with chocolate chips right in the middle. They were a pure indulgence.
My memories of these black and white cupcakes weren’t always bright and sunny, though.
When I was a little girl my mom threw my uncle a birthday party. For the dessert she made, you guessed it, our family favorite black and white cupcakes. Just as my mom was lighting the birthday candles and dimming the lights in preparation for singing the “Happy Birthday” song, my uncle leaned over to me and said, “I am so excited to eat my black and white cupcakes, Emily! If you eat more than one I will staple your mouth shut.”
Now, my little imagination may have over-dramatized this memory, but I swear that my uncle grabbed the stapler out of the kitchen drawer that we happened to be standing next to and clicked it in the air.
I am sure that he probably laughed and patted me on the back and told me he was joking, but I have no memory of that. I just remember being really scared to have a second cupcake that night. Normally my uncle was very nice, but man was he possessive of those cupcakes.
As an adult I told my uncle this story and asked if he remembered it. Of course he has no recollection, but he has no doubts that he would have said something like that. Now he jokes that he probably caused me to have post-traumatic stress syndrome every time I eat a cupcake.
Maybe a little, but mostly I just enjoy scarfing down the chocolaty goodness.
So, when I decided I must share one of my favorite childhood desserts here on Robust Recipes, I knew I needed to give it a healthy spin. And I knew I needed it to be gluten-free since my dad can no longer digest gluten, because what fun is making a family favorite if your family can’t enjoy it?
What better way than to take my now-favorite brownies ever, my black bean brownies, and add a little cream cheese to them?
They may not exactly be a cake-y cupcake like I grew up with but I don’t miss the cake portion one bit.
These brownies are perfect, they’re: fudgy, rich chocolate-y, topped with velvety cream cheese, indulgent, satisfying, gluten-free, mostly guilt-free.
These brownies are the perfect way to satisfy your chocolate craving without feeling the need to eat 5 cupcakes. The black beans, which are undetectable, add tons of fiber and protein to this dessert making you feel fuller without the sugar crash.
A+ in my book.
Psssst, Psssst, guys, Valentine’s Day is coming up next week!
WHAAAT?!
Don’t panic, make these brownies for your loved one and I promise they won’t be disappointed.
Let me know when you make these brownies, Valentine’s Day and otherwise, so that I can invite myself over to your house to share. I promise not to staple your mouth shut.
Cheers!
Black & White Black Bean Brownies
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 35 mins
- Total Time: 45 mins
- Yield: 12 Brownies 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: Gluten-free, Brownies
Description
These black and white black bean brownies are the perfect way to satisfy your chocolate craving. The black beans add a lot of protein and fiber so that you don’t have that sugar crash. They are fudgy and indulgent, and the cream cheese adds a layer of velvety decadence.
Ingredients
- For the Brownies:
- 2 large flaxseed “eggs” (2.5 tablespoons flaxseed meal and 6 tablespoons water)
- 3 tablespoons unrefined coconut oil, melted
- 3/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 can (15 oz.) black beans, drained and rinsed well
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 3/4 cup honey, or more if desired
- For the Cream Cheese:
- 1 8 oz. package of organic cream cheese, softened
- 1 egg
- 3 tablespoons honey, or more if desired
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- For the brownies:
- In the bowl of a food processor add the flaxseed “eggs”. Pulse a few times to mix up evenly. Allow the flaxseed eggs to rest for 3 minutes.
- In the meantime prepare your muffin tins by greasing with oil (I used melted coconut oil and a pastry brush).
- Returning to your food processor, add the remaining ingredients. Process for 5 minutes, scraping down the sides as needed so the ingredients are well incorporated. The batter should be mostly smooth and thick, but not runny. Add a teaspoon of water if it needs to be thinned out.
- Fill each muffin tin container with about 1 tablespoon of the batter. Use your spoon or finger to smooth out the top.
- For the cream cheese:
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl add the cream cheese, egg, honey, and sea salt. Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer beat on low speed until mostly incorporated. Turn up the speed to high and mix until there are no lumps remaining and the cream cheese begins to form small peaks.
- Use a spatula to stir in the chocolate chips until well incorporated.
- Add a tablespoon-sized dollop on top of each brownie, using your spoon to gently flatten the cream cheese out.
- Bake in the oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the cream cheese has slightly browned and the edges are dry to the touch. The edges should begin to pull away from the side of the muffin tin.
- Allow the brownies to cool for 30 minutes before removing. Use a butter knife to carefully lift the brownies out. They are tender and delicate so be careful. The center of the brownies should be rich and fudgy.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature. Store in the refrigerator for up to a week, although I guarantee they won’t last that long.
Notes
Adapted from: my Chocolate Strawberry Gluten-Free Black Bean Brownies
Originally adapted from: Minimalist Baker
Can we substitute real eggs for flaxseed eggs?
Hi Sharon. Yes, You should be able to substitute the flax seed eggs for 2 real eggs. I am pretty confident it will still turn out but I haven’t tested it with real eggs, let me know how it goes. 🙂