Flourless Mocha Brownies
These healthier, Flourless Mocha Brownies have a secret ingredient. Adding beans helped boost the protein without compromising flavor.
I think it was about a year ago when I jotted down a recipe for the garbanzo bean brownies my sister had made and raved about. I was dubious. I humored her. I lost that scrap of paper with the recipe. No biggie as I knew I’d find a healthy brownie recipe to bake.
Flourless Mocha Brownies with Beans
When the blog theme of “Beantastic” came up, guess what came to mind? Yes, I was ready to make a dessert with beans. Though I was not sure the family would be on board! I was going to keep it secret so they’d at least take a bite.
How to Make a Healthy Brownie Recipe
I need to be very cautious about adding coffee to any of my chocolate desserts. I can get away with Kahlua, a coffee liqueur, but the hubby takes umbrage when I’m heavy-handed with the espresso powder. PRO-Tip: The addition of coffee is ideal for accentuating the flavor of chocolate. I knew these bean brownies might need a little boost in that department. You can add as much as 2 tablespoons of instant coffee for a bold mocha flavor, but 2 teaspoons will offer a subtle, yet satisfying coffee undertone.
I packed some goodies in my suitcase on a recent trip to Denver, including these bean brownies. I knew my sister, Katie, loved them (she’s a yoga instructor, crunchy granola type), but would my youngest sister give her approval? Yup, Maddy was definitely a fan. The gang at home sampled but I got the feeling they like my beanless brownies a tad better.
The texture is dense and fudgy, maybe a touch different from your classic brownie, but without any clue that there was a can of beans used instead of flour. There is one caveat. I found them difficult to slice as they have a thin crumbly crust over the dense center.
If you’re looking for a healthier way to get your chocolate fix, you’ll definitely want to make a batch of these Flourless Mocha Brownies. We’ll be back to our regularly scheduled high calorie, decadence tomorrow.
More Healthy Desserts:
- Healthy Carrot Cake Oatmeal Cookies from Diethood
- Poached Peaches
- Poached Apples
Flourless Mocha Brownies
A healthier brownie recipe with a surprise ingredient
Ingredients
- 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
- 1 15-ounce can of garbanzo beans (chickpeas), rinsed and drained
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons instant coffee (may increase for stronger mocha flavor)
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Line 9x9 baking pan with non-stick foil or spray with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 350º.
- Gently microwave chocolate till melted and smooth. Cool slightly.
- Add beans, eggs, instant coffee, oil and vanilla to food processor. Process till smooth.
- Add brown sugar, baking powder and salt and process till combined, scraping down sides as needed. Blend in chocolate.
- Scrape batter into prepared pan and smooth the surface with an offset spatula. Bake 30-35 minutes or till toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs. Don't overbake. Cool completely, then cut and serve.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
16Serving Size:
1 brownieAmount Per Serving: Calories: 159Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 23mgSodium: 95mgCarbohydrates: 22gFiber: 3gSugar: 15gProtein: 4g
42 Comments on “Flourless Mocha Brownies”
I wouldn’t tell anyone in my family that these had beans in them. When they rave about them I will smile and say thank you!