Serious question, I thought vegan brownies were always cakey, but a new recipe changed my mind.

I avoided vegan brownie recipes because they never seemed fudgy like the ones I remember. Then I tried a version with black beans and avocado oil, and it was rich and dense. What convinced me was the gooey center that didn't need butter or eggs. Now I'm curious if other bean-based desserts can work this well. I'm still figuring out the right sugar balance for less sweetness.

4 comments

4 Comments

colec803mo ago

Try blending red lentils into a brownie batter next, they break down super smooth. You get that same fudgy texture without any bean taste at all.

the_gavin3mo ago

My chickpea blondies last week used a full can of beans and maple syrup. They were dense and moist, no eggs needed. The texture was spot on, not cakey at all. I blended the beans until they were completely smooth. For less sweetness, I used only a quarter cup of sugar and extra vanilla. Bean based desserts are a game changer when done right.

grace891mo ago

Bean based desserts are a game changer" is exactly right, @the_gavin, and I feel like this whole bean-in-desserts thing is part of a bigger pattern where we're all learning that simple swaps can totally change how we cook. For years we just followed recipes exactly, but now people are realizing you can throw beans, avocado, or even zucchini into sweets and get something way better than the original, not just healthier. I tried black bean brownies once and it blew my mind how fudgy they were, and it made me wonder what else we've been missing out on because of old habits. Your point about cutting sugar to a quarter cup and using extra vanilla is smart too because it shows you don't need tons of sweetener when the beans give that dense, satisfying base. It's like we're finally figuring out that a lot of those old "rules" about baking were just guidelines and you can break them for a better result.

emery_perez883mo ago

You used a full can of chickpeas in blondies? That's wild, I can't imagine they don't taste like beans lol. Blending them until smooth must take forever, my cheap blender would leave chunks everywhere. Only a quarter cup of sugar seems way too low for dessert, but if the texture is good maybe I'm wrong.