Sweet Potato Brownies
This post may include affiliate links. Thank you for your support.
These healthy sweet potato brownies are naturally sweetened and easy to make. They’re so rich and fudgy no one will be able to tell that they’re made with veggies!
As you may know, I’m a fan of sneaking veggies into my recipes whenever I can. I’ve shared zucchini overnight oats, cauliflower oatmeal and butternut squash pancakes, but these brownies might just be my favorite way to sneak veggies into my diet (plus, my kids love them!).
Table of Contents
Why I Love This Recipe
- Healthy – These brownies taste just as fudgy and decadent as your store-bought box brownies, but these ones are naturally sweetened with maple syrup and made with sweet potato to replace some of the oil and coconut flour to keep these brownies gluten-free and grain-free. One brownie has only 11 grams of sugar and 154 calories!
- Fudgy – The sweet potato makes these brownies extra soft and the chocolate chips add that extra fudginess. It’s that melt-in-your-mouth texture you want in a brownie!
- Easy – You only need 10 simple ingredients and one bowl to whip up these brownies. Yay for less dishes!
Ingredients Needed
- sweet potato – the sweet potatoes help to add moisture to the brownies without a ton of oil. Plus, they pack a nutritional punch! We’re baking the potato in the oven then mashing it, but you can always steam the potato or used canned sweet potato instead.
- eggs – these are needed to help bind the ingredients and add structure to the brownies.
- pure maple syrup – I love using maple syrup because it’s a natural sweetener. Just look for pure maple syrup, not pancake syrup that’s loaded with corn syrup and artificial ingredients!
- coconut oil – this replaces butter and adds moisture to the brownies. Make sure you’re measuring the oil in its melted state.
- coconut flour – I haven’t tested this recipe with another flour and I don’t recommend swapping it as coconut flour can’t be subbed 1:1 with other flours.
- cocoa powder – a much-needed ingredient for that rich chocolatey flavor! Make sure to use unsweetened powder. Cacao powder works for this recipe as well.
- dark chocolate chips – I’ve been loving Lily’s chocolate chips for a sugar-free option, but Enjoy Life is also a great option if you need dairy-free chips.
Find the full ingredient list with measurements in the recipe card below.
Recipe Substitutions
- Make them vegan: The original recipe for these sweet potato brownies was made with 2 flax eggs, so you can definitely swap the eggs with flaxseed eggs to make the brownies vegan.
- Don’t have coconut flour? I haven’t tested this recipe with a different flour and I don’t recommend subbing the coconut flour. Coconut flour soaks up way more liquid than other flours and can’t be subbed 1:1. If you want you could make my pumpkin brownies or avocado brownies and swap the pumpkin or avocado for sweet potato instead. You can also try my oat flour brownies instead.
- Swap the sweetener: You can use honey, agave syrup or monk fruit maple syrup as a replacement.
- Use a different mix-in: Feel free to skip the chocolate chips or swap them with a different mix-in like chopped nuts.
How to Make
Step 1: First preheat the oven. Then pierce sweet potato with a fork in 2-3 spots. Wrap in foil and roast until tender, about 30 minutes.
Step 2: Let the sweet potato cool, then peel and mash with a fork until smooth. Measure out 1 cup for the recipe.
Step 3: Combine the mashed sweet potato with the rest of the wet ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Stir to combine.
Step 4: Add the dry ingredients to the bowl with the wet ingredients. Mix to fully combine.
Step 5: Stir in the chocolate chips to the sweet potato brownie batter.
Step 6: Add the batter to a square pan, top with additional chocolate chips and bake for about 45 minutes. Let cool, then enjoy!
Brittany’s Tip!
Since these brownies are fudgy, it can be tricky to tell when they’re done. Use a toothpick to check the center—if it comes out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs, they’re ready to go. Don’t wait for the toothpick to come out completely dry or you might overbake them.
How to Serve Sweet Potato Brownies
These brownies are delicious on their own, especially when warm from the oven, but here are a few ideas to elevate them even more:
- Vanilla ice cream: A scoop of vanilla ice cream on top of a warm brownie is the ultimate treat. The cold ice cream with the fudgy brownie is such a good combo! You could also keep things dairy-free with my easy banana ice cream.
- Coconut whip: A scoop of coconut whip cream would be so delicious on top of these sweet potato brownies.
- Greek yogurt: If you want to keep things on the lighter side, serve the brownies with a spoonful of plain Greek yogurt for some extra protein and creaminess.
- Nut butter: A drizzle of your favorite nut butter would not only taste great but add some extra protein to your brownie. You can’t go wrong with almond butter, especially if it’s homemade. Other great options are cashew butter, peanut butter or tahini. This pumpkin almond butter would also be delicious for a touch of fall.
- With a ganache topping: For more chocolatey goodness you could make a chocolate ganache topping by melting 1/4 cup chocolate chips in the microwave. Once melted, add 1/8 cup milk of choice then spread it over the cooled brownies. As the brownies sit, the chocolate topping will start to a harden a bit. You can put them in the fridge to speed up the process.
- Healthy hot chocolate: If you really want to amp up the chocolate, enjoy a brownie with a warm cup of hot chocolate. My healthy hot chocolate is the perfect, guilt-free pairing for these rich, fudgy brownies.
How to Store These Brownies
These brownies aren’t lasting long in our house, but my recommendation is to store leftover brownies in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week or freezer for up to 3 months. If freezing, let them thaw overnight in the fridge before enjoying.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you’re wondering why the heck I’m putting vegetables in my dessert, I’ve got plenty of reasons why! So I don’t scare you off, I’ll start by saying that sweet potatoes add an amazing texture to these brownies – they help to keep them soft and moist without a ton of oil. Beyond that, sweet potatoes add a nutritional punch! They’re high in fiber and a variety of important vitamins and minerals like beta-carotene, vitamin C and potassium. (Source)
Roasting brings out the natural sweetness in the potato, but if you’re short on time, you can microwave it. Prick the sweet potato with a fork, wrap it in a damp paper towel, and microwave for about 8-10 minutes until soft. The flavor won’t be as rich, but it works in a pinch! You can also steam or boil sweet potato chunks, then mash it once soft.
I personally didn’t think you can taste the sweet potato at all in these brownies! The flavor goes undetected thanks to the cocoa powder, maple syrup and chocolate chips. Trust me, even sweet potato-haters will love this recipe!
More Desserts to Try
- Zucchini Brownies
- Ultimate Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Almond Cake
- Healthy Cheesecake with Cottage Cheese
- Cottage Cheese Brownies
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
Sweet Potato Brownies
Ingredients
- 1 medium sweet potato, 1 cup mashed
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup pure maple syrup
- ¼ cup melted coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ cup coconut flour
- ⅓ cup cocoa powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup dark chocolate chips, plus more for topping (I used Lily's dark chocolate chips)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Pierce sweet potato with a fork in 2-3 spots. Wrap in foil and roast until tender, about 30 minutes. Let cool. Peel sweet potato and mash with a fork until smooth. Measure out 1 cup of mashed sweet potato for the recipe and save the rest for something else. Lower oven temp to 350ºF.
- Add mashed sweet potato, maple syrup, coconut oil, eggs and vanilla into a large bowl and stir to combine.
- Add coconut flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Stir to combine.
- Gently stir in chocolate chips.
- Scoop batter into a greased 8×8 baking dish and top with additional chocolate chips. Bake brownies for 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool before slicing. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Chocolate ganache topping: For more chocolatey goodness you could make a chocolate ganache topping by melting 1/4 cup chocolate chips in the microwave. Once melted, add 1/8 cup milk of choice then spread it over the cooled brownies. As the brownies sit, the chocolate topping will start to a harden a bit. You can put them in the fridge to speed up the process.
- To store: Store leftover brownies in the fridge for up to 1 week or freezer for up to 3 months. If freezing, let them thaw overnight in the fridge before enjoying.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like This Recipe? Rate & Comment Below!
I made these brownies and they were delish! I used monk fruit for sweeter and a splash of organic maple syrup for insurance. Highly recommend so thank you for the recipe!
Yay! That makes me so happy to hear. I’m so glad this recipe was a hit. Thanks for giving it a try and for coming back to leave a review. I really appreciate it!
Hi Brittany, thank you so very much for this lovely recipe. I’m so looking forward to trying your version soon. Here in Australia a week ago on television on the good chef bad chef TV series the good chef presented a recipe almost identical to yours but left out the baking powder entirely. And there were just differences in the quantities that she used. I made the Australian authors recipe today and I was wondering how it would compare to yours with the baking powder? To be frank with you I’m not quite sure if I like the Australian one. I have a feeling I may prefer yours. And my next question is is there any reason why this cannot be kept at room temperature? is it because of the high quantity of sweet potato in it and it just won’t last as long with that refrigeration? Thank you so very much, I so look forward to hearing back from you. 😊
Hi! Thanks so much for the kind words. I’m so glad you found the recipe and are excited to try it! 😊 That’s so interesting about the version you saw on Good Chef Bad Chef. I definitely think the baking powder helps give the brownies a little lift and softer texture—especially since sweet potato can make baked goods extra dense. I’d love to hear what you think once you try my version!
As for storage, I recommend keeping them in the fridge mainly because of the moisture from the sweet potato. They’re totally fine out at room temp for a few hours or overnight, but for freshness storing them in an airtight container in the fridge is best. You can always warm one up before eating if you prefer that gooey, straight-from-the-oven feel!
Can’t wait to hear what you think once you give them a try. 💛
These were outrageously delicious! Even my super picky 10 year old gave them 2 thumbs up and couldn’t believe they were healthy. The ganache was fantastic on top as well!
WOO! This is the best, Amy! I am so glad these brownies turned out amazing for you and everyone loved them. Thank you for sharing your review + star rating, I really appreciate it!
Super impressed with this recipe and thank you for it!! Do you have any experience freezing them?
Hi Suzi! I am so glad you are loving these brownies and they turned out great for you. I haven’t tried freezing them, but I’m sure they would be okay to freeze in an airtight container for up to three months. If you’re freezing them, I would recommend putting parchment paper in between layers so the chocolate ganache doesn’t stick!
I just LOVE your recipes! These are so tasty and feel indulgent, without the garbage ingredients!
Yay! I am so glad you are loving my recipes, Ashley. Thank you so much for coming back and sharing your review + star rating, I really appreciate it.
These are amazing!
This was easy to make. I cooked the sweet potato in the microwave for 10 minutes and then scooped out the center. I used 1/2 the amount of maple syrup and added a tablespoon of applesauce for sweetness and moisture. I added chopped walnuts and used 2 eggs. I skipped the frosting and didn’t think any flavor was missing!
Yay! Thanks for sharing your swaps, Sherry! I’m glad these brownies were a success for you!
This is so incredibly good! Thank you for this decadent treat. I skipped chocolate chips and the topping. Added 3 dates in place of the maple syrup.
Thank you thank you thank you!! Love your recipes 🙂
Yay! I’m so happy to hear that, Sonia 🙂 Thank you so much for coming back to leave a review and star rating, I really appreciate it!
I would love to make these, but sugar free is there anyway I can swap the maple syrup for?
You could try using monkfruit maple in place of the regular maple syrup?
I love IT. Its my favourite!!! And my Kids love IT, too. They could not believed me, its made from sweet potato 😊
Yay!! I’m so pumped everyone enjoyed these brownies, Lenka! Thanks so much for making them and coming back to leave a review. I really appreciate it!
I made 2 batches. One as a gift and one for us to try and make sure they taste good first lol. Both came out great. We used light colored organic EVOO for one and it worked same as Coconut oil. So that’s a good sub. Also the ganache isn’t needed but it’s good. Thanks for a great recipe!
So glad these brownies were a hit, Erica! Thanks for the review. It means the world to me.
I just made these and they tasted great but the consistency was so moist we basically ate them with a spoon. Not the consistency of a brownie. Any thought what could have gone wrong? Only thing I did differently was cook in a round 9×9 metal pan.
Mmm!! That’s so weird. I haven’t heard of that happening before. So you didn’t change anything else about the recipe? How long did you cook them for?
I cooked them a little bit longer than the 45 minutes. For the coconut flour I spooned into the measuring cup vs packing it in. Possibly I didn’t use enough.
Mmm, that could have been it. I’m sorry about that, Lindsay!
Eating one of these brownies right now. These are really good and I love that they have healthy ingredients in them. My 15 year old daughter thinks they’re pretty good too 😉. Your recipes are the best
Woo!! So glad these brownies were a hit. Thanks for the review, Mary. I so appreciate it!
These were soooo yummy! Dense, moist and sweet. Ended up using 2 chicken eggs, but next time I want to try aquafaba… Also had to sub coconut for 2/3 cups regular flour I already had on hand (so thankful for othercommenters’ questions and suggestions). Topped them with walnut pieces and we ate half the batch that night! Thank you for this easy and delicious recipe. : )
So glad you enjoyed these brownies, Cait!! Thanks for making them and for coming back to share the subs you made. It’s super helpful for other readers, so I appreciate it. 🙂
Delicious – no topping needed! I subbed avocado oil for coconut oil 1:1. My mistake was that I subbed almond flour for coconut flour 1:1 instead of 3:1… next time, they will be perfect… this time, super tasty but have to eat with a spoon haha…
Ahh yes, almond and coconut flour can’t be subbed 1:1 as coconut flour soaks up way more liquid than most other flours. I’m glad you still enjoyed these brownies though!
Ohmygoshhhh!!!
I’m not toooo into vegan baked goods but I love how your recipes are on the healthier side with loads of great ingredients so I knew I had to try this out and
WOW!!!!!!!
I’m not going to be making standard brownies anymore.
These are sooooo dang goooeyy and dense and fudgy! I am in chocolate heaven!
Greattttt recipe!
Thank you!
Ahh yay, this makes me so happy to hear!! I’m super pumped you loved these brownies. Thanks for giving them a try and for coming back to leave a review. I really appreciate it. 🙂
Made these brownies last night-so, so good!! Thank you Brittany for another amazing recipe!!
Oh yay!! So glad you loved these brownies, Kimberly. 🙂 I’m so glad they were a hit!
Easy to make and taste delicious! Remind me of a fondue chocolate pudding. I used the microwave for the sweet potatoes and used 1/3 cup of sweet freedom instead of 1/2 cup. 10/10 would make again.
Woo!! So glad you loved these brownies, Beth. 🙂 Thanks for making them and for coming back to leave a review. I appreciate it!
Hi 🙂
Do these brownies have a strong coconut taste?
Thanks
Hi Shirah! I don’t think they have a strong coconut taste at all. If you’re worried about it I would use refined coconut oil, which has less (almost no) coconut aroma or flavor. The coconut flour doesn’t seem to impart as much coconut flavor, in my opinion.
Good morning! Do I need to heat the milk for the ganache before adding to the melted chocolate? Seems obvious but this is something new and I want to be certain! Thank you!
I just melted the chocolate separately then added it to the milk, but you could certainly add the milk + chocolate to a pan and heat it together if you prefer. 🙂
These brownies are ridiculously delicious, naturally nutritious, & SO easy to make. The chocolate ganache is gorgeous & decadent, and I’m *really* blown away by the texture of these babies. Definitely making these again, thank you, Brittany!!! GRAND SLAM!!!
Ahh yay!! So glad you loved these brownies, Jennifer. 🙂
WOW!!! I don’t usually comment but I just made these brownies and they are absolutely DELICIOUS. Substituted the coconut flour for oat flour and used eggs instead of flaxseed eggs and they are literally the best brownies I’ve tasted. Thank you!!!
Ahh yay!! That makes me so happy to hear, Lisa. I’m so glad you enjoyed these brownies. Thanks for making them and for sharing the subs you made. It’s super helpful for other readers, so I appreciate it. 🙂
These are AMAZING! I am so happy to of found this recipe; it’s my new go-to brownie.
Ahh yay!! I’m so glad you enjoyed these brownies, Shana. Thanks for making them and for coming back to leave a comment + star rating. I so appreciate it. <3
These brownies amazed me! They were even better the next day served cold out of the fridge. Is it too soon to make batch two when I haven’t finished batch one? 😂
Haha it’s never too soon to make a second batch!! I’m so glad you enjoyed these brownies, Sherry. 🙂 Thanks so much for trying them and for coming back to leave a comment + star rating. I really appreciate it.
I just made these and they turned out exactly like the photos and they’re AMAZING! This is my new go-to Paleo brownie recipe
Woot woot!! So glad you enjoyed these brownies, Chris! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment + star rating. I really appreciate it. 🙂
These are divine! Everyone that has tried them does not believe me when I tell them they are made with sweet potato. These will be a staple around my house!
Ahh that makes me so happy to hear, Ally!! I’m so glad these brownies are a hit. Thanks for trying them and for coming back to leave a comment + star rating. I really appreciate it. 🙂
These were so good and so easy to make. I didn’t do the ganache because they smelled so good when they came out of the oven. The texture was really nice and the flavor was amazing.
Ahh yay!! That makes me so happy to hear, Cathy!! I’m so glad you enjoyed these brownies. Thanks for trying them and for coming back to leave a comment + star rating. I so appreciate it!
Hi Brittany! I don’t have coconut flour, I have regular flour, Oat flour and Chickpea flour. Can I use either of them?
Nancy G
Hey Nancy! I haven’t tested other flours, so I’m not sure how these brownies would turn out, but feel free to experiment! Coconut flour soaks up way more liquid, so if you do use a different flour you’d likely need to add more than 1/2 cup. Let me know what you end up trying if you make these. 🙂
My son doesn’t care for recipes I make with maple syrup, so I substituted date paste and he gave the brownies 2 thumbs up!Delish!
Yummmm!!! I used chicken eggs and walnuts on top because that’s what I had on hand and they turned out fabulous. So moist and chocolatey perfection!
Oh yay!! So glad these turned out well for you, Erica. Thanks for sharing the subs you made and for trying my recipe. I so appreciate it!
I used them too! It was soo good. Loved the brownies so much! Brittany, you are a true star! xx
Hi Brittany if I wanted to make theses brownies with eggs how many would I use? Is it always one flax egg to one regular egg?
Hey Tana – Yes, 1 egg to 1 flax egg, so 2 eggs for this recipe. 🙂 Let me know how they turn out for you!!
I don’t have coconut flour on hand, do you think almond flour will work?
Hey Megan! Coconut flour can’t be subbed 1:1 with other flours since it soaks up way more liquid, so I’m not sure how almond flour would work. You’d likely need more flour if you subbed it, but feel free to experiment and let me know how it turns out if you try it. 🙂
Also wondering if you can substitute the flaxseed with a real egg? Thanks!
Yes! That should work just fine. Let me know how they turn out for you if you try them. 🙂
Hi! Is it possible to substitute flaxseed with egg?
I haven’t tried it, but that should work just fine! Let me know how it turns out for you if you try it!