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
My kids love brownies after trying this recipe. They say that they love the smell of all ingredients in the brownies. Thanks Arman!
Does it matter how the sweet potatoes are cooked? Do they need to be boiled or can the be roasted?
Either works 🙂
This recipe is full-proof and has exceptional good taste. I followed the recipe exactly, making for a a truly well thought out brownie. The ingredients all go together perfectly, without tasting one particular flavor over another. Served with mint chocolate chip ice cream makes it even more sensational.
YES!!! Another mint chocolate chip ice cream fan (I get so much flack for loving it!)
I made these with pumpkin instead of sweet potatoe and used almond flour for the butter (one cup) & half the sugar.
DELICIOUS!
Love that!
Just made this with the peanut butter option and it was delicious! A big hit with my book club, and I’m always glad to add another GF recipe to my repertoire when the occasion calls for it. Plus they’re basically “healthy” brownies so…guilt-free, right?
That is what I like to hear! 🙂
As always, these look delicious! Super moist and I’m loving the addition of the sweet potato.
Fantastic!
I prepared as usual but topped with chocolate chips they are a great substitution for traditional brownies.
Thank you for the feedback, Carmen!
Made these yesterday because I had some sweet potato lying around that needed using up. I used a little less maple syrup and increased the cocoa powder because I like my brownies VERY chocolaty. 😁
They turned out amazing (albeit pretty mushy – but that’s probably because I added some extra liquid).
Thank you for this recipe, so easy to make and so delicious! 😋
😀 Thank you for the feedback, Lucie!
Love this recipe! So easy and quick. I will defo add choc chips next time for that extra deliciousness. Thanks for he recipe!
I made these brownies and my family never knew they contained sweet potatoes and they loved them.
Love it!
Made these in an 8×6 glass greased pan. Took 35 minutes to be “done”. The brownies taste amazing. I will likely freeze or place in the fridge what is left to keep the treat going.
How can I substitute nut butter in your recipe? Thanks
You can use sunflower seed butter or tahini
I just made these and they are so darn good! I used Japanese sweet potatoes so I did have to add a little plant milk because I think they are not as wet as orange sweet potatoes but sweeter and milder. Added a little pink salt and vanilla too. Thank you for this healthy delicious treat.
That sounds like fantastic additions 🙂
I made these yesterday with a few proportion adjustments (more sweet potato, less almond butter) based on what I had on hand, and they were absolutely delicious! Super smooth and decadent, and I love how simple the ingredient list is. It took serious self-control not to eat all the batter straight from my food processor. I think the batter would make a fabulous chocolate frosting on its own! Thanks for the great recipe! 😊
My go-to dessert for the fam! I’ve made these many times and we loooove them! I use a beater to mix the batter so the potatoes get fully mashed and everything gets incorporated. I find almond butter MUCH better than peanut butter in this recipe. These are amazing when cold and disgusting when warm, so keep in the fridge and make sure they’re cold before you try them! I always top mine with coconut cream icing (coconut cream, cocoa, maple syrup and vanilla).
These are VERY fudgy! If you are waiting for your testing knife to come out clean, you will be baking these forever! I usually double or 1 1/2 times this recipe and bake about 30-35 minutes.
The whole household is pumped when these are being made!
Love it! 😀