Sweet Potato Brownies
61
Published May 25, 2020, Updated Feb 07, 2023
This post may include affiliate links. Thank you for your support.
You’ll never know there are vegetables hidden in these vegan sweet potato brownies! They’re fudgy, flavorful and the ultimate sweet treat when topped with chocolate ganache.
Can you even handle the chocolate ganache on top of these brownies?!? My mouth is watering. I have been working on revamping some of my most popular EBF recipes so today I’m sharing these sweet potato brownies, which are based off my sweet potato brownie bites!
As you may know, I’m a fan of sneaking veggies into my recipes whenever I can. I’ve added zucchini to overnight oats, cauliflower to a smoothie and butternut squash to pancakes. Vegetables do not have to be boring and these recipes have all become fan favorites… picky eaters included!
Why Sweet Potatoes?
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 – binding them together without a traditional egg. 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)
Ingredients for Vegan Sweet Potato Brownies:
- baked sweet potato – the sweet potatoes help to bind the brownies together without a traditional egg. Plus, they pack a nutritional punch!
- flaxseed eggs – flaxseed eggs are easy to make by mixing 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed with 6 tablespoons water. You can also use a chia egg if you don’t have any flax on hand!
- 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!
- melted coconut oil – this replaces butter and adds moisture to the brownies.
- vanilla extract – a flavor enhancer.
- 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 – cacao powder works as well.
- baking powder and salt – two baking essentials!
- 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 diary-free chips.
- chopped salted almonds – these are optional, but I think the chopped almonds on top take these brownies to the next level!
- non-diary milk – almond, oat or coconut milk work.
Substitutions and Notes:
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, so if you do try a different flour you’d likely need to add more than 1/2 cup. If you decide to try a different flour, comment below letting me know how these brownies turn out.
Eggs: If you don’t need this recipe to be vegan you can swap the flaxseed eggs for 2 regular eggs.
Maple syrup: I like the flavor of maple syrup, but you could also use honey (if you don’t need this recipe to be vegan), agave or monk fruit maple.
Almonds: These are totally optional! You can also swap them with any nut of choice. I bet pecans or walnuts would be delicious!
Non-dairy milk: Any non-dairy milk will work. If you don’t need this recipe to be dairy-free and want to use cow’s milk, go for it!
How to Store These Brownies
These brownies aren’t lasting long in our house, but my recommendation is to store leftover brownies in the fridge for up to one week. 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!
Love a Good Brownie? Try These Too
- 5-Ingredient No Bake Brownies
- Peanut Butter Hummus Brownies
- Black Bean Brownies
- Brownie Batter Overnight Oats
- Sweet Potato Brownie Bites
- Brownie Energy Balls
- Oat Flour Brownies
- Pecan Pie Brownies
- Zucchini Brownies
- Pumpkin Brownies
- Chickpea Brownies
More Sweet Potato Recipes to Try
- Sweet Potato Breakfast Cookies
- Dessert Baked Sweet Potato
- Healthy Sweet Potato Casserole
- Roasted Sweet Potato Salad
- Sweet Potato Hash
- Healthy Sweet Potato Skins
- 5-Ingredient Sweet Potato Curry
- Mexicali Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
Sweet Potato Brownies
Ingredients
- 1 medium sweet potato, 1 cup mashed
- 2 flax eggs, (2 Tablespoons ground flaxseed + 6 Tablespoons water)
- 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
- 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup coconut flour
- 1/3 cup cocoa powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup dark chocolate chips, I used Lily’s
- chopped salted almonds, for topping
Chocolate Ganache Topping
- ¼ cup dark chocolate chips
- â…› cup non-diary milk, almond, oat or coconut milk work
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Bake sweet potato: 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. Measure out 1 cup of mashed sweet potato for the recipe and save the rest for something else.
- Make flax eggs: Add ground flax to water and whisk together in a small bowl. Set aside for 5 minutes to thicken.
- Lower oven temp: Lower oven temp to 350ºF.Â
- Combine wet ingredients: Add mashed sweet potato, maple syrup, coconut oil, flax eggs and vanilla into a large bowl and stir to combine.
- Add dry ingredients: Add coconut flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Stir to combine. Gently stir in chocolate chips.
- Bake: Scoop batter into a greased 8×8 baking dish. Bake brownies for 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool.
- Make ganache topping: Make ganache topping by adding chocolate chips to a microwave safe bowl. Melt chocolate chips in the microwave using 30 second increments and stirring between each. It shouldn’t take more than 60 seconds or so. Once chocolate is melted, add milk to the bowl and stir until well combined. Pour chocolate over the cooled brownies and spread to cover. Sprinkle chopped almonds on top. As brownies sit, the chocolate topping will start to a harden a bit. You can put them in the fridge to speed up the process.Â
- Store: Store leftover brownies in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Video
Notes
- 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, so if you do try a different flour you’d likely need to add more than 1/2 cup. If you decide to try a different flour, comment below letting me know how these brownies turn out.
- Eggs: If you don’t need this recipe to be vegan you can swap the flaxseed eggs for 2 regular eggs.
- Maple syrup: I like the flavor of maple syrup, but you could also use honey (if you don’t need this recipe to be vegan), agave or monk fruit maple.
- Almonds:Â These are totally optional! You can also swap them with any nut of choice. I bet pecans or walnuts would be delicious!
- Non-dairy milk: Any non-dairy milk will work. If you don’t need this recipe to be dairy-free and want to use cow’s milk, go for it!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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.
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
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 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. 🙂
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. 🙂
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.
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!
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!
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. 🙂
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!