Vegan Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Swirl brownies

Some years ago, I discovered black bean brownies. Since then, I’ve been dreaming up new ways to make them. This one’s been in the works for a while. Presenting: Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies! You heard me right, vegan AND gluten-free! Whoop, whoop.

All of it starts with a delicious batter, which is made in your food processor. That’s right. You don’t need to mix or beat by hand. Dump and whirl. This is as simple as it gets.

After you’ve dropped it, swirl it and whirl it into the oven. The time will differ depending on whether you are using an 8×8 pan or muffin tins. The important part is that the edges are pulled away, so there’s no jiggle. We want the insides to be fudgy, but we don’t like jiggle.

Hubba hubba. These little gems are easy to make! Make these brownies for Valentine’s Day or any other special occasion. Make these brownies. These brownies are a MUST in your life. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• One 15-ounce can of black beans (well drained and rinsed // one can yield about 1 3/4 cups).
• 2 Tbsp flaxseed meal (to make flax eggs)
• Use 5 tbsp of water to make a flax egg
• Coconut oil melted (or substitute other oil): 3 Tbsp
• Cocoa powder: 3/4 cup (the better the quality, the more you will pay).
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• Use 1/4 cup maple or agave syrup (or honey if you’re not vegan).
• Raw sugar, 1/4 cup (finely ground or sub-granulated).
• 1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
• 1 tsp of baking soda
• 1/4 cup smooth or creamy salted peanut butter
• Powdered sugar, 2 Tbsp
• Add more chocolate chips for topping if you like.

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Grease an 8×8 baking dish or a standard 12-slot muffin pan. (This is not the mini // original recipe as written; adjust the batch size).
• In the bowl of your food processing, combine flaxseed and water. Pulse the flaxseed meal a few times, and then allow it to rest for a short time.
• Scrape down the sides as necessary. Add the remaining ingredients, using baking soda, and puree for about 3 minutes. You want to make it as smooth as possible.
• Add a tablespoon or two of water if the batter seems too thick. Pulse again. The batter should be slightly thinner than chocolate frosting but not runny. Stir in almost all the chocolate chips.
• Distribute the batter evenly into the 8×8 tins or muffin pans, and smooth out the tops using a spoon or finger.
• Add powdered sugar to peanut butter and mix.
• Add dots of the powdered peanut butter-sugar mixture to the brownie pan and swirl it with a knife or toothpick. Sprinkle the top with more chocolate chips or shaved dark chocolate.
• If you are using an 8×8 dish, bake for 35-45 mins. The top should be dry, and the edges should start to separate from the sides. When shaken, it shouldn’t jiggle.
• Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 30 minutes before serving. Remove them gently using a fork or spatula. They’ll be soft. They can be frozen if they are too soft. Don’t worry if the insides seem a bit moist; that’s what they’re supposed to be. They’re vegan, so it’s not a big deal.
• Keep in an airtight jar for up to several days. Refrigerate for longer storage.