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Fudgy Black Bean Collagen Brownies

8×8-inch metal pan · Bake 350°F, 21–25 min · Chill 1–2 hr before slicing

Batch
0/0 done

Flourless, blender-made brownies built around 239 g of drained black beans, with collagen peptides for protein and enough butter and maple to offset the cocoa. Pulled from the oven while the center still jiggles so they stay fudgy.

Ingredients, in the order you'll use them
Blender · Stage 1
  • 239 g black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 3 large eggs (about 150 g without shells)
Blender · Stage 2
  • 57 g butter, melted and slightly cooled
  • 80 g maple syrup, honey, or a combination of both
  • 6 g vanilla extract (about 1½ tsp)
Dry · mix together first
  • 50 g unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 25 g collagen peptides
  • 3 g baking powder
  • 1.5 g fine salt
Fold in
  • 90 g chocolate chunks (optionally reserve about 20 g to sprinkle on top)

Blend the beans and eggs completely smooth before anything else goes in — no visible skins or pieces.

Method
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line an 8×8-inch (20×20 cm) metal pan with parchment paper.
  2. Melt the butter and let it cool 2–3 minutes — it should be warm, not hot.
  3. Blend stage 1: put the 239 g black beans and 3 eggs in the blender and blend 60–90 seconds. Scrape the sides, then blend again until completely smooth — no visible bean skins or pieces.
  4. Blend stage 2: add the 57 g melted butter, 80 g maple syrup or honey, and 6 g vanilla. Blend 15–20 seconds.
  5. In a small bowl, combine the 50 g cocoa powder, 25 g collagen peptides, 3 g baking powder, and 1.5 g salt thoroughly, so the baking powder is evenly distributed.
  6. Add the dry mixture to the blender and blend only 10–20 seconds, just until incorporated — do not overblend. The batter should look like thick brownie batter. If the blender struggles, scrape once and pulse a few more times.
  7. Pour the batter into a bowl and fold in the 90 g chocolate chunks by hand. Do not blend the chocolate.
  8. Spread evenly into the prepared pan and, if using, sprinkle the reserved chunks over the top.
  9. Bake at 350°F (175°C). Start checking at 20 minutes; most ovens finish between 21 and 25 minutes. They're done when the edges are set, the center still has a slight jiggle, and a toothpick inserted away from a chocolate chunk comes out with moist crumbs — not wet batter, not completely clean. Do not overbake; they keep cooking in the hot pan.
  10. Cool in the pan 30–45 minutes. For the best fudgy texture, refrigerate 1–2 hours before slicing.
Why the amounts are what they are
  • 3 g baking powder gives enough lift without turning the brownies cakey.
  • 1.5 g salt sharpens the chocolate flavor.
  • 25 g collagen adds protein without noticeably changing the texture.
  • Chocolate chunks beat chips — they leave pockets of melted chocolate and a richer brownie.
  • There's enough fat here to offset the cocoa and the collagen, which is what keeps a bean-based brownie from drying out.
The one thing that decides fudgy

Pulling them slightly early, while the center still has moist crumbs. Overbaking is the usual failure mode for black bean brownies.