This Sweet Potato Brownie recipe produces moist, slightly dense, fudgy brownies with a little crunch of walnut. They satisfy a chocolate craving in the nicest way! While the brownies are very tasty on their own, creamy chocolate-nut butter frosting takes them to the next level!
I'm always happy when I can sneak vegetables into dessert! You really don't taste the sweet potatoes and wouldn't know they're in here, but they add a beautiful moistness and natural sweetness to these gluten free brownies. As I've mentioned previously, sweetening with whole foods that retain their natural fibre is a good idea. Fibre slows down the absorption of sugar into our bloodstreams.
Because these are sweet potato brownies with eggs, there are 6 grams of protein in each one!
If you want dairy free brownies, use dairy free chocolate chips or omit the frosting altogether.
What You'll Need
- Sweet Potatoes - Cook the sweet potatoes first by scrubbing or peeling, chopping, and boiling or steaming them. Or, you could roast them with the skin on and peel it off after they're cool enough to handle. You'll need more than you think, so cook a little extra.
- Sugar - I use either coconut sugar or organic, raw cane sugar to make these brownies.
- Quinoa Flour - You may substitute this with white rice flour.
- Chocolate Chips - The ingredients in chocolate chips can vary quite a bit, so check them to make sure that they suit your dietary requirements.
- Nut Butter - I've made the frosting with either almond butter or peanut butter with equally great results.
- Baking Powder - This makes your brownies rise during baking. Make sure that yours is gluten free, if necessary.
How to Make The Sweet Potato Brownie Recipe
Combine sweet potatoes, eggs, coconut oil, sugar, and vanilla in a food processor.
Puree until smooth.
Add the flours, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Give it a buzz until it's smoothly combined.
Remove the blade, and stir in the walnuts by hand.
Spread the batter into a prepared pan.
Bake it until a fork poked into the centre comes out clean and warm.
As the oven cools, melt chocolate chips for the frosting. Then stir in some nut butter.
Once your brownies have cooled, spread frosting over the top.
Sprinkle with some more chopped walnuts, if you wish. Cut into squares and enjoy!
Recipe FAQ's and Tips
You can still make these without a food processor. If you don't have one, mash your cooked sweet potatoes well by hand, whisk your eggs before adding them, and stir your batter thoroughly.
If it's important to you that your gluten free brownies be dairy free, be sure to use dairy free chocolate chips for the frosting.
Yes, sweet potato brownies freeze very well for up to six months in an airtight container.
Loving sweet potatoes?
- Sweet Potato Bread with Pecans
- Quinoa Breakfast Bowl with Sweet Potatoes and Sausage
- Creamy Sweet Potato Salad with Bacon
- Sweet Potato Frittata
- Ground Beef Skillet with Sweet Potatoes and Kale
- Creamy Roasted Sweet Potato Soup
Recipe
Sweet Potato Brownies
Equipment
- Cuisinart Food Processor
- Pyrex Square Baking Dish
- Pyrex Two-cup Measure
- Measuring Spoons
Ingredients
Brownies
- 1 ½ cups (492 g) sweet potatoes peeled, cooked, and slightly mashed to measure (about 2 medium)
- ⅓ cup (79 ml) coconut oil
- 3 eggs
- ½ cup (125 g) organic raw sugar OR coconut sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoon (8 ml) pure vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup (55 g) cocoa powder
- ¼ cup (40 g) white rice flour OR quinoa flour (for grain free)
- ¼ cup (30 g) tapioca flour
- 1 tablespoons (8 g) coconut flour
- 1 teaspoon (4 g) baking powder (gluten free, if necessary)
- ½ teaspoon (3 g) fine sea salt
- ¾ cup (63 g) chopped walnut pieces
Frosting
- ¾ cup (128 g) chocolate chips (dairy free if necessary)
- ½ cup (120 g) almond butter OR peanut butter
- extra chopped walnuts to sprinkle on top, optional
Instructions
Brownies
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease or line with parchment paper a 8-inch X 8-inch (20- X 20-cm) pan. (I used a pyrex pan.)
- In a food processor, combine cooked sweet potatoes, coconut oil, eggs, sugar, and vanilla. (Make sure that the sweet potatoes have cooled sufficiently before adding eggs, so they don't get cooked on contact.) Process until the mixture is smooth and blended.
- Add cocoa powder, flours, baking powder, and salt. Process until smooth, scraping down the sides if necessary.
- Remove blade from food processor, and stir in ¾ cup walnut pieces by hand.
- Spread the batter into a prepared pan. Bake for 35 minutes or until the centre tests done when poked with a fork. Set on a rack to cool.
Frosting
- After removing the brownies from oven and turning the heat off. Set the chocolate chips in an oven-proof container into the cooling oven. When they have melted just enough to stir smooth, stir in the almond butter.
- Frost cooled brownies with prepared frosting. Sprinkle with additional walnut pieces, if desired.
Video
Notes
- A food processor is the perfect tool to make this recipe easily. Remove the blade before adding the nuts, so they don't get chopped too finely.
- Allow the brownies to cool before applying the frosting.
Leslie-Anne says
I have got to try to make these! I love your options for grain-free, although I wonder if I could sub a almond flour for a paleo option? I'll let you know when I try them! Lovely photos, too!
Cathy says
I would love to hear how they turn out with almond flour! I think that would be good.