These moist and chewy white bean blondie bars are made with white beans, but you’d never know it by the taste! You get a burst of butterscotch and hints of maple in every bite, and some extra sweetness from the white chocolate drizzle.

DISCLOSURE: This post is in partnership with Cans Get You Cooking. I was compensated for my time developing this dessert recipe, but the recipe and all ideas, thoughts and opinions in this post are my own. This recipe turned out fantastic! I’m so excited to share it with you.

Blondie Bars made with white great northern beans.

Not everyone gets excited about bean-based desserts. I don’t blame you for being skeptical, but I really hope to change your mind!

Canned beans are a fantastic way to reduce the added fats needed in desserts, while adding a nutritional boost. The best part is you get those benefits without sacrificing flavor or texture.

Using Canned Beans To Make Brownies

Let me start by saying, I’m not one to recommend turning a delicious, decadent dessert into something low-fat. I’m a chocolate lover, and a firm believer in eating the real thing. Enjoying a few bites of your favorite foods is much more enjoyable than a having a larger portion of something that’s just ok. But, if you can find a substitution that adds nutrition without sacrificing texture or flavor, then I’m all about it. That’s the case when making brownies with canned beans.

White bean blondie bars

Beans are a highly nutritious food that just happen to work great as a substitute for quite a few ingredients. In the case of brownies, beans can be pureed and used as a substitute for added fats, like butter and oil. They can also take the place of the eggs and some of the dry ingredients, like flour and the cocoa powder used in traditional brownies. All of these substitutions can be made while keeping desserts moist, chewy and gooey – just like brownies should be.

Aside from reducing the calorie and fat content, using a bean puree adds loads of vitamins and minerals. They even contribute some plant-based protein and fiber. If you’ve never tried them, now is the time.

CHewy white bean blondie bars

The Benefits of Canned Beans

I enjoy using canned ingredients when making quick and easy comfort food. That’s because, canned foods are ready-to-eat, and don’t require a lot of preparation. Having a pantry stocked with canned foods, like beans, makes whipping up a delicious dessert quick and easy. That’s a comfortable feeling during stressful times. They cut down on the time spent meal prepping, resulting in less time in the kitchen. That’s a win-win for someone who doesn’t really like to cook, or simply wants a quick dessert.

I’m all about good nutrition and eating fresh foods. However, the idea that fresh is best is a not always the case. Keeping your pantry stocked with canned fruits and vegetables can help make it easier to eat the recommended 42 cups of fruits and vegetables a family of four needs each week. That’s important, since research shows that ~3/4 of the population isn’t eating the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables.

Studies show that, compared with those who don’t use canned foods, adults and kids who use canned fruits and vegetables get more energy, fiber, choline and potassium in their diets. That’s likely because using canned options is convenient and they last longer than fresh varieties.  You can buy them at your regular trip to the grocery store, then use them whenever you want, without having to worry about them going bad.

Chewy, Butterscotch and maple flavored white bean blondie bars

Are Canned Beans Nutritious?

The quick answer is, yes. They’re rich in low-glycemic complex carbohydrates, fiber, plant-based protein and a wide variety of vitamins and minerals. They are an excellent source of phosphorus, manganese, magnesium, folate, thiamin, riboflavin and vitamin B6. And, that’s not all. Beans are also rich in potassium and iron – two nutrients that many Americans don’t get enough of.

Canned beans are higher in sodium than dried varieties, though research shows canned fruits and vegetables do not contribute a high amount of sodium to the diet. I always suggest dumping your canned beans into a colander and rinsing them with cool, running water prior to using. Doing so can help to reduce the sodium.

How To Make White Bean Blondie Bars

That brings me to the recipe! These white bean blondie bars are made with great northern beans, though you could use a different white bean if you prefer. You’ll also need a food processor or high powdered blender to process the oats and make sure that the beans are completely pureed. Here’s how to make these white bean blondie bars.

Step #1

Start by pre-heating the oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8X8 pan with a sheet of Parchment paper, then spray with cooking spray. Make sure to use a piece of Parchment paper long enough that the edges lay over the side of the pan. That will make it easy to remove the cooked bars from the pan.

Step #2

Open the can of beans and dump them into a colander. Rinse them under cool running water, and allow them to drain completely. Set them aside.

Step one of making chewy white bean blondie bars

Step #3

Put the oats into a food processor and process into a powder. Once the oats are done, add the white beans. Blend on high until the beans are completely pureed.  The mixture will be thick.

Step 2 in making white bean blondie bars

Step #4

Add the sugar, maple syrup, vanilla extract, maple extract, baking powder and salt to the pureed beans and oats and mix until all ingredients are combined. At this point, the mixture should be the consistency of a smooth puree.

Pureed white beans and oats for white bean blondie bars

Step #5

Once the batter is well combined, add 2 tablespoons of white chocolate chips and 2 tablespoons of butterscotch chips to the mixture. Pulse just enough to allow the chips to be evenly distributed throughout the batter.

Step #6

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread until evenly distributed. Then, bake in the oven for ~25-30 minutes, or the edges begin to brown. The inside of these bars should have a chewy, moist texture. Be careful not to over-cook.

The step by step instructions to make white bean blondie bars - spreading in the pan

Step #7

Once cooked, remove from the oven. Gently lift the parchment paper out of the pan and set on the counter or a cooling rack. Do not cut the bars, yet.

Step #8

Put the remaining 1 tablespoon of white chocolate chips in a small bowl with ½ tsp of coconut oil, and the 1 tablespoon of butterscotch chips in a separate bowl with the other ½ tsp coconut oil.  Melt in the microwave, then drizzle over the cooked bars. The coconut oil helps to thin the chocolate so that it melts evenly and is easier to drizzle over the bars. Do not cut the bars.

The step by step instructions to make white bean blondie bars - adding the chocolate drizzle

Step #9

Once cooled, cut into 9 even bars. Store the bars in a sealed container in the refrigerator or the freezer until ready-to-eat. To prevent the bars from sticking together, I suggest layering a piece of Parchment paper between them.

White Bean Blondie Bars Cooked with Chocolate Drizzle (close-up)

Nutrition Information for White Bean Blondie Bars

The white chocolate and butterscotch drizzle adds extra sweetness for those of you that love sweets. The nutrition facts below include the drizzle, but you can absolutely leave it off if you choose. I love chocolate, so I couldn’t resist.

This recipe makes 9 bars. Each bar contains 180 calories, 31 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of fiber, 5 grams of protein, 4.5 grams of fat, 3.5 grams of saturated fat and 0 mg of cholesterol. They also have 280 mg of sodium, and provide 4% of the daily value for calcium, 6% of the daily value for iron and 4% of the daily value for potassium.

Chewy and flavor filled white bean blondie bars

If you love sweet, gooey and chewy desserts, you’ll love these white bean blondie bars. Give them a try and let me know what you think.

White Bean Blondie Bar Recipe
Print Recipe
5 from 2 votes

White Bean Blondie Bars

These moist and chewy blondie bars are made with white beans, but you’d never know it by the taste! You get a burst of butterscotch and hints of maple in every bite, and some extra sweetness from the white chocolate drizzle.
Author: Heather Mangieri, RDN

Ingredients

  • 1 can (15.5 0z) great northern beans
  • 3/4 cup oats, dry
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp maple extract
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp white chocolate chips
  • 2 tbsp butterscotch chips
  • 1 tsp coconut oil (for the drizzle)
  • 2 tbsp white chocolate chips (for the drizzle)
  • 2 tbsp butterscotch chips (for the drizzle)

Instructions

  • Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8x8 pan with cooking spray
  • In a food processor, process the oats into a powder. Then, add the beans and blend until they are completely pureed into a smooth consistency. The mixture will be thick
  • Add the sugar, maple syrup, vanilla extract, maple extract, baking powder and salt to the pureed beans and oats and mix until all ingredients are combined and the mixture is a smooth puree.
  • Once the batter is well combined, add 2 tbsp white chocolate chips and 2 tbsp butterscotch chips to the mixture. Pulse just enough to allow the chips to be evenly distributed throughout the batter.
  • Pour batter into the prepared pan and spread until evenly distributed.
  • Bake in the oven for ~25-30 minutes. Make sure not to overcook.
  • Gently lift the parchment paper out of the pan and set on the counter or a cooling rack. Do not cut the bars until they are completely cool. 
  • Put the remaining 1 tbsp of white chocolate chips in a small bowl with ½ tsp of coconut oil, and the 1 tbsp butterscotch chips in a separate bowl with the other ½ tsp coconut oil.  Melt in microwave, then drizzle over the cooked bars. 
  • Cut into 9 even bars, then store in the refrigerator or the freezer until ready-to-eat.

Notes

  • Recipe Makes: 9 Bars
  • Serving Size: 1 Blondie Bar
  • Servings Per Container: 9
  • Nutrition Facts: 180 calories, 31 g carbohydrates, 3 g fiber, 5 g protein, 4.5 g fat, 3.5 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 280 mg sodium, 4% DV calcium, 6% DV iron, 4% DV potassium.
 
  • Meal Planning Servings: 2 CHO; 1 PRO; 1 FAT

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?  Tag @heathermangieri  on Instagram and hashtag it #HeatherMangieriNutrition to all recipes. Or, Pin it on Pinterest for later!

 

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