Name: Black Bean Chocolate Cookies
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Ingredients: 2 (15 oz. cans) black beans, drained and rinsed; 2 eggs; 2/3 cup cocoa powder; 1/3 cup maple syrup; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1 cup dark chocolate chips (60 % or higher); course sea salt (optional)

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When you NEED a cookie, but don’t want all of the added sugar and calories, make a batch of these fudgy black bean chocolate cookies. Your cookie cravings will be sated!

I’m not sure when I discovered the genius of black bean chocolate cookies, but I have been making different versions of them over the last several years. Packed with fiber from black beans, and naturally gluten-free because they are flourless, black bean cookies satisfy my chocolate cravings and keep me feeling satisfied.

I often eat these cookies for breakfast when I need something sweet but don’t want anything too sugary. Because of the lack of flour, they are super rich and fudgy. Sometimes I forget how healthy they are – I eat them just because they taste so good! I also like to vary the flavor every so often by adding coconut, walnuts, etc. (see “variations” section below for ideas). What’s more, you simply throw all of the ingredients into a food processor to combine, and bake for 15 minutes. No fuss, and ALL of the flavor.

three black bean chocolate cookies stacked with more cookies in the background

Expert Tips for Success

Always drain and rinse canned black beans. You want to rinse off all of the liquid.
Store these black bean chocolate cookies in the refrigerator for ultimate fudginess. They can be stored for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Blend cookie batter in the food processor for several minutes. Stop and scrape down sides of bowl and repeat for another minute. This will ensure a smooth and well-combined cookie batter.

white hand pressing a fork into cookies on a baking sheet

Five Easy Steps to Delicious and Healthy Cookies!

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
To a food processor, add black beans, eggs, cocoa powder, maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt. Blend until well combined and smooth.
Transfer cookie mixture to a medium-sized bowl. Using a rubber spatula, add chocolate chips and mix well.
Using a 1″ cookie scoop or teaspoon, place scoops of batter onto baking sheet. Use back of spoon to flatten cookies. If using coarse sea salt, sprinkle a small pinch on top of each cookie.
Bake for 15 minutes. Cool cookies on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

Variations & Substitutions

Make a vegan-friendly batch by substituting one avocado for the eggs, and use vegan dark chocolate chips. My favorite vegan brand of dark chocolate chips is Guittard.

Make a healthy version of Almond Joy cookies by omitting the cinnamon and adding 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes! And if you eat nuts, add 1/3 cup chopped almonds!

Add 1/3 cup of chopped hazelnuts when you add the chocolate chips (and leave out the cinnamon); they will taste like Nutella cookies!

Create a Mexican chocolate cookie by adding 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper.

black bean chocolate cookies arranged on a blue plate

More Cookie Recipe Ideas!

Enjoy your week, and feel free to drop me a line in the comments – I would love to hear if you try this recipe! Or tag me on Instagram @maryannehoekstra to let me know how it turned out! Also, if you are enjoying my blog, please consider recommending it to your friends. They can subscribe here.