Low Glycemic Black Bean Brownies

A healthy, low-glycemic diet can satisfy your sweet tooth without spiking your blood sugar or sending you into a calorie-heavy food coma. In this brownie recipe, we are replacing flour with black beans and sugar with a monk fruit/xylitol blend, but leaving the eggs, oil, chocolate, and all the fudgy decadence right where it belongs.  

Black beans are the perfect ingredient to add structure for dessert, as they have a glucose index (GI) value of 30 (very low) versus white flour which has a very high GI value of about 73. [1] They are full of complex carbohydrates for the cakey texture we need, but they’re also full of fiber and protein, which slow their digestion and reduce their GI. Although your iron status is not directly related to our theme of blood glucose, black beans are also an awesome source of iron.  

While most chocolate treats are loaded with sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder alone is very low glycemic (GI value 24). [1] We are going to add some semi-sweet chocolate chips to this recipe, so these brownies are not 100% sugar-free, but that small amount of added sugar is balanced by a lot of protein and some healthy fat. Feel free to leave the chips out if you’re avoiding sugar completely. 

Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease your baking dish of choice. We used a 7 x 11 inch heat-resistant pan, but a 9 x 9 inch would work just as well. 8 x 8 inches would make thicker brownies and may take a little longer to bake. 

Open your can of black beans and drain and rinse them well in a colander shaking them well to dry. Your beans are replacing the flour in this recipe, so removing as much liquid as possible is important. Pulse the beans in a food processor until they qualify as a thick puree (try not to liquefy them completely).  

Add vanilla, your scoop of coconut oil, and all three eggs into the puree. Pulse the wet ingredients together until they are evenly incorporated.    

In a small bowl, stir together the cocoa powder, sugar substitute, salt, baking powder, and instant coffee powder (again, optional, but encouraged). Pour these dry ingredients into the food processor with the wet ingredients and pulse again until just incorporated. Note: if you choose to skip the second bowl and add each of the dry ingredients individually, you risk uneven baking powder incorporation and an uneven rise. 

Pour the complete mixture from the food processor into your greased baking dish and top with the chocolate chips.  

Bake for 35 minutes. If the brownies are done, a clean knife will still look clean after poking into the center of the dish. If the knife doesn’t come out clean, give them a few more minutes and check again. 

Let the brownies cool completely before slicing and serving (they will not hold their shape otherwise). Of course, if you want to eat them hot, with a spoon, directly from the pan, that’s cool too. Your secret is safe with us. 

Disclaimer:
The information provided is for educational purposes only. Consult your physician or healthcare practitioner if you have specific questions before instituting any changes in your daily lifestyle including changes in diet, exercise, and supplement use.

Laura Lewis is a clinical researcher and science communicator with a Master of Science degree and a background in nutrition science and integrative health. She brings a decade of experience translating complex clinical data into accessible insights for healthcare practitioners and patients alike.

Laura has contributed to educational programming and strategic content development across the integrative and functional medicine space. Her strengths lie in evidence synthesis, practitioner engagement, and crafting communications that bridge the gap between scientific rigor and real-world application. At ARG, Laura supports clinical content development and educational initiatives that elevate practitioner confidence and product credibility.