Sweet Potato Brownies
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Fudgy, rich, and perfectly sweetened, it doesn’t get better than sweet potato brownies! Made with no added sugar or flour, I can’t get over how decadent they are!
I’ve made my friends, partner, and family eat some pretty wild things over the years. Out of every oddball flavor combo I’ve tested, though, nothing’s been as big a hit as these sweet potato brownies.
They’re naturally sweetened with- you guessed it- sweet potatoes, which gives them that perfect fudgy texture without loads of sugar or oil. I didn’t reinvent the wheel, though. I adapted my pumpkin brownies, adding extra maple syrup for sweetness and moisture. These turn out dense and gooey, and taste every bit as rich as the classic kind. My picky partner didn’t even know they had sweet potatoes in them… and now he doesn’t trust any of my desserts!
Table of Contents
Recipe highlights
- 4 ingredients. Aside from the sweet potatoes, everything else is simple baking staples.
- A healthy treat. Without even trying, these brownies are dairy-free, gluten-free, grain-free, and sugar-free. Plus, sweet potatoes add tons of antioxidants and fiber.
- Bake for 20 minutes. That’s half the time of traditional brownies!
What readers are saying
★★★★★ – “Made these as directed (minus chocolate chips) and they were perfect for a late-night sugar craving. Next batch, I’ll try with vanilla extract and maybe a few walnuts.” – Joanna
Key Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make my healthy sweet potato brownies, plus some kitchen notes. The complete list with measurements is in the recipe card.
- Sweet Potato. Mashed with a fork until smooth, then cooled completely. This will give the brownies a starchy base and replace the eggs. Save time and make either my microwave sweet potato or air fryer baked sweet potato. It’s quicker than oven roasting!
- Maple Syrup. My favorite sticky sweetener, especially for pairing with sweet potatoes. I used 100% pure maple syrup.
- Almond Butter. Drippy, smooth almond butter gives the brownies the richness butter or oil provides, while complementing the chocolate flavor.
- Cocoa Powder. I typically use unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder. Avoid using cacao powder, which is much more pungent and bitter. I have had success with dark or black cocoa powder, too.
- Chocolate chips. Optional, but I like to fold through some chocolate chips for extra chocolate goodness.
- Frosting. Optional, but I love a generous lathering of either my dairy free frosting or healthy frosting.
How to make sweet potato brownies
Step 1- Mix. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl or blender and mix/blend until smooth.
Step 2- Fold through chocolate chips or any mix-ins.
Step 3- Assemble. Transfer the batter into the greased pan.
Step 4– Bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before slicing.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Canned sweet potato puree. Use store-bought sweet potato puree instead (I like the Del Monte canned variety- it only has sweet potato).
- If I don’t have enough sweet potato puree for the recipe, I’ll fold in a little pumpkin puree. It’s not cheating if it works!
- Swap the almond butter. Any type of nut butter will work, like peanut butter or cashew butter. For nut-free brownies, use tahini or sunflower seed butter instead.
- Adjust the consistency. When I tested this recipe, sometimes I noticed the brownie batter turned out quite thin and liquid. If you notice this, add a tablespoon or two of coconut flour or oat flour to thicken it back up. It should be the consistency of traditional brownies.
- Add flavor. Fold in 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract, or top the brownies with sea salt for an extra boost of flavor.
Storage instructions
To store. Place cooled brownies in a sealed container and keep them in the fridge. Brownies refrigerated will keep fresh for up to 1 week.
To freeze. Wrap brownies individually in parchment paper and place them in a ziplock bag. Brownies kept in the freezer will keep fresh for up to 6 months.
More sweet potato recipes
- Sweet potato muffins
- Sweet potato chocolate cake
- Sweet potato pancakes
- Healthy sweet potato casserole
✅ Nutrition reviewed
Nutrition information has been reviewed by registered dietitian Felicia Newell, MScAHN, RD, CPT.
Sweet Potato Brownies
Video
Ingredients
- 1 cup cooked sweet potato mashed
- 1/2 cup almond butter can sub for any nut or seed butter of choice
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips Optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F and grease a loaf pan and set aside.
- In a high-speed blender, food processor, or mixing bowl, add the mashed sweet potato, almond butter, maple syrup, and cocoa powder. Blend or mix until smooth. Fold through chocolate chips, if using them. If the batter is too thick, add a little milk or water to thin it out.
- Transfer the batter into the greased pan and bake for around 20 minutes or until cooked through. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely. If desired, add frosting, then slice.
Notes
- For frosting, try my 2 ingredient chocolate frosting or healthy frosting (pictured).
- Leftovers: Keep in the fridge for one week or the freezer for 6 months.
Nutrition
Originally published 2015
Yummy recipe, thanks! I omitted the chocolate chips, used peanut butter for the nut butter of choice, and used date paste instead of maple syrup, to make it sugar-free. Haha, I didn’t even bake it–I was too impatient to eat, so I scarfed down the dough plain!
Hahahaha I love that.
the beauty of no flour and no eggs.
Stay safe, Heather!
Can you replace the maple syrup for agave as the sweetener ?
I just made these and the taste is great, but it’s so mushy and sticky, even though I cooked it an extra 5 minutes :'(
I’m going to refrigerate them and see if that will improve the texture…
Refrigerating them gives them an amazing texture!
Easy, tasty and satisfies my chocolate cravings!
I know I’m way late to the game on this recipe, but I have some friends who challenge me to bake things they have never had before, especially when they are healthy alternatives to their favorite treats.
So here’s my question- I know you say to bake this in a loaf pan to make amazing fudgy brownies. I’m wondering if it’s possible to maybe quadruple the recipe to make it in a 13×9 so they are still thick and make them for a crowd who has challenged me yet again;)
I know you probably haven’t tried it, but do you think it would work? Or am i better off making a bunch of loaf pan batches?
OMG!! i wanna thank you for this brownie recipe!! it was absolutely delish, and healthy. i’m a sweet lover but i’m cutting my sweets, sooo grateful i check out your blog.. MORE healthy desserts please!!
You are so welcome, Pen! 🙂
Would this work using a food processor instead of a mixer? I’m currently without a hand mixer for a while, but craving brownies…
Hi Alexandra! Absolutely! 🙂 Just between us, I even use my mixing bowl and spoon…
What can I use if I am nut and oil free ?
You can use sunflower seed butter or soy nut butter 🙂 Enjoy!
So for a truly dark chocolate treat misread the directions. Here’s what I did and I am loving the heck out of it. One large white sweet potato, 1/4 C EACH black cocoa and regular cocoa powders, 2 Tbsp Lucuma powder (just because) and 2 Tbsp of collagen powder (ditto). Bake at 325 for 25 minutes in loaf pan.
I sliced an entire end off and I think I’ve consumed enough chocolate for the month.
So, if you’re a fan of deep, dark cocoa go for it.
And, thanks for the recipe even if I am an idiot who can’t follow instructions.
I would love to use this for a “cake”. Any idea what I could use sub the coco powder with as son cannot have any legumes (and I think coco powder is in that category)
Hi Angela! You can make this recipe- https://thebigmansworld.com/2015/11/08/three-ingredient-flourless-sweet-potato-blondies/
I was curious if it was possible to leave out the maple sugar and them still taste amazing (that would also include the chocolate chips, no sugar here!). Also with the banana protein ones and leave out the protein powder?
Hi Monika! Here are protein-powder less brownies- https://thebigmansworld.com/2015/10/05/healthy-3-ingredient-flourless-brownies/
You can try it without, I prefer it for some added sweetness 🙂
Thanks very much for these! Made them with a slight tweak—crunchy almond butter in the place of smooth, and chopped toasted almonds instead of chocolate chips, since I didn’t have any on hand. A very respectable substitute for traditional brownies.
OH wow, those substitutions sound absolutely delicious- I LOVE crunchy pieces in brownies!
Hi. May I ask you what type of oil/butter do you use for the oven/pan? Thank you so much.
Hi there! I always spray coconut oil 🙂
Thank you for prompt reply. Could you elaborate what is so special about pure maple syrup? Benefits and is heat stable? Why is it used in cooking. Could it be substituted with anything? Thank you!
Are you supposed to cook the sweet potato first, so it’s soft?
Hi Jenny! That is correct- It needs to be pre-cooked!