These Vegan Black Bean Brownies are so incredibly fudgy, dense and chocolate-y, yet they are made from nothing but healthy, wholesome ingredients! Serve them at your next party and don't say a thing: I can guarantee you that not a single soul will be able to tell...
Preheat your oven to 350°F; grease a 9 x 9 baking dish with coconut oil and line it with parchment paper, leaving a bit of an overhang on either side for easier removal of the finished brownies.
Make your flax eggs (see notes) and while they are resting, prepare, measure and weigh all the wet and dry ingredients and place them in the bowl of your food processor.
When the flax eggs are ready, add them to the rest of the ingredients in the food processor and process for 2 to 3 minutes, scraping the sides once or twice, until the ingredients are reduced to a thick, uniform puree, with few tiny lumps of beans still visible.
Remove the s-blade and stir in the walnuts and chocolate chips with a large spoon or rubber spatula.
Transfer the batter to the prepared baking dish and spread evenly all the way to the sides into the baking dish.
Bake for 22-24 minutes or until the the top is nicely set and the edges start to pull away. The brownies will still feel really soft to the touch. Do not overbake!
Remove the pan from the oven and let the brownies cool completely before frosting them.
To make the frosting, simply add all the ingredients to a small food processor and process until nice and creamy and smooth and velvety. If you feel frosting is too firm, add a little bit of milk, a few drops at a time, and process well between each addition, until desired consistency is achieved.
Dump the frosting on top of the cooled brownies and spread evenly all the way to the edge. If desired, make pretty patterns in the frosting with a comb, and sprinkle with a little bit of chopped walnuts.
Place in the fridge for at least an hour, for easier cutting, then cut into 16 squares.
Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to a week.
Notes
*Make the flax eggs by combining 2 tablespoons of ground flax and 6 tablespoons of water. Put into the refrigerator for 10 minutes to thicken.