Name: Red Bean Brownies
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Cuisine: Vegan
Ingredients: 1 15-oz can Eden Foods Aduki Beans, drained and rinsed; ⅔ cup almond, peanut, or sunflower seed butter; 1/4 cup raw cacao powder; ½ cup pure maple syrup; ½ cup vegan dark chocolate chips; ½ cup chopped walnuts for topping

Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

Flourless vegan brownies made with aduki beans, nut butter, and naturally sweetened with maple syrup and dark chocolate chips.

Hi, friends.

How are you holding up this year so far?

For the second time this year, I was forced to take time off work due to germs.

Being sick is already a small business owner’s worst nightmare, but not being able to eat as a food blogger really takes the cake.

Maybe it was the flu, maybe it was a stomach bug, but whatever it was, *nothing* sounded good to me last week.

Correction: Nothing I normally eat sounded good to me.

Let me introduce you to my sick week menu.

I lived on applesauce, frozen bagels with vegan cream cheese, plain oatmeal, plain rice and curry, copious sweet potato fries, and many scoops of vegan ice cream.

If you had passed me a vegetable to eat last week, I would have thrown it back at you.

We replaced cooking together on Valentine’s Day with raiding the fridge of anything plain Lauren could digest.

But I am excited to report that my stomach is back to itself, craving veggies and creating recipes (but still eating vegan ice cream because, because).

However, I think M and I deserve a re-do on Valentine’s Day, starting with a nutritious and delicious dessert.

These flourless vegan brownies are made with aduki beans, nut butter, and naturally sweetened with maple syrup and dark chocolate chips.

They’re packed with protein and fiber and still manage to taste like decadent dessert!

What You Need to Make Red Bean Brownies

You might have everything you need to make these red bean brownies just sitting in your pantry.

Here’s what you need:

Eden Foods Aduki Beans, drained and rinsed
almond, peanut, or sunflower seed butter
raw cacao powder
pure maple syrup
vegan dark chocolate chips
chopped walnuts

That’s it!

How to Make Red Bean Brownies

Preheat the oven to 350°F and line an 8 x 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper.

The first step to getting a smooth texture is to make a purée with red beans and maple syrup.

Add the Aduki beans and maple syrup to a high speed blender and food processor and blend until you have a thick smooth paste.

Transfer this sweet bean-y mixture to a large mixing bowl.

Next, add in the nut butter and cacao powder and mix everything well with a spatula until no clumps are remaining.

The batter should be thick and sticky.

Next, fold in the chocolate chips and mix well with a spatula so they’re evenly distributed.

Add the batter to the prepared pan and use a spatula to spread the batter into a thin even layer.

Top the batter with a generous amount of chopped walnuts.

The nuts are totally optional, but I love them on top as opposed to inside the batter for easier slicing!

Bake the red bean brownies for 25 to 30 minutes, or until they’re slightly firm to the touch and the edges pull away from the pan.

Brand Notes

Did you know that the Aduki Bean is the most popular bean in Japan?

It’s traditionally served on New Year’s to bring good fortune.

Now, I know our new years has come and gone, but it’s always a good time to try a new bean.

I’ve never met one I didn’t like!

These slightly sweet red beans are good for anything and packed with antioxidants, fiber, and protein.

I was inspired to incorporate Eden Foods Aduki Beans into brownies after seeing so many Japanese style red bean based dessert online.

These beans add a rich and fudge-y texture to these brownies without any added flour!

Swaps and Substitutions

You can adjust the sweetness of this recipe by adding more or less maple syrup.

If you LOVE chocolate chips, you can add more of them, too!

You can also add chopped walnuts here, for a little texture and crunch.

I haven’t tested these brownies with any other beans, but it should work with another bean, too.

Pick any nut or seed butter that you have on hand, but I love sunflower seed butter or almond butter for a neutral flavor.

How to Serve Red Bean Brownies

Allow the brownies to cool completely before slicing them into small squares.

These red bean brownies are delicious for a protein-packed dessert that tastes like a decadent treat.

Store any leftover brownies in the refrigerator for one week and freeze them for long-term storage!

I love to bake a pan and enjoy squares for dessert after dinner.

Because these brownies are packed with protein and fiber, they’re suitable for breakfast and snacks, too!

Enjoy!

More Vegan Brownies

I Want to Hear From You

If you make this Red Bean Brownies recipe, let me know!

Be sure to leave me a comment, rating, and review so I can use your feedback to create more yums.

Give me a shout on Instagram and use #floraandvino to show me your creations.

Check out my Pinterest page to pin more recipes like this one to make later.

Love this post and want more? Go to my homepage and subscribe to get updates delivered right to your inbox!

XO Lauren