These Sweet Potato Brownies are a fudgy, rich, and delicious treat for when you’re craving a brownie (you are, aren’t you?) but want a healthy option.
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Why You’ll Love This Healthy Sweet Potato Brownie Recipe
- A Wholesome Sweet Treat. They are dense and fudgy and fully satisfy my chocolate craving, but they’re refined sugar free, whole grain, and contain only two tablespoons of oil. What we have here is 100% brownie satisfaction, with the bonus ability to give ourselves an inner high-five for sneaking in an extra serving of veg!
- Absolutely Delicious. I cannot in good conscience promise you that they are dead ringers for the buttery, sugar-packed brownies you’ll find in bakeries (you’ll need my brownie recipe from The Well Plated Cookbook for that experience), but I can, however, promise that these sweet potato brownies are equally as rich and fudgy with chocolate, and insanely scrumptious!
- You’ll Never Notice the Sweet Potato. As with the hidden veggies in my Avocado Brownies and Zucchini Brownies, these healthy sweet potato brownies DO NOT TASTE LIKE SWEET POTATOES. Sweet potatoes provide mega brownie moisture and natural sweetness, similar to the way applesauce works in healthy dessert recipes like these Vegan Brownies.
5 Star Review
“My son said these brownies are not just good; they are the best brownies in the world! He basically wanted to eat all the brownies.”
— Sarah —
How to Make Sweet Potato Brownies
The Ingredients
- Sweet Potatoes. Sweet potatoes give these brownies a moist, chewy texture and don’t take away from any of the chocolatey goodness (as Sweet Potato Cookies also proves).
- White Whole Wheat Flour. I love using white whole wheat flour in baked goods. It’s lighter than regular whole wheat flour but still provides the added health benefits.
- Maple Syrup. Perfect for naturally sweetened sweet potato brownies.
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder. For that rich and addictive chocolate flavor.
- Eggs. I made these sweet potato brownies with eggs so they’d have the perfect texture.
- Cinnamon + Nutmeg. Warm, cozy spices that perfectly complement the sweet potato and chocolate.
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips. Because every brownie needs more chocolate.
The Directions
- Microwave the Potatoes. Cook until softened.
- Mix the Wet Ingredients. Beat the sweet potato until smooth, then add the wet ingredients.
- Stir Together the Dry Ingredients. Get ready to mix!
- Prepare the Batter. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.
- Stir. Add the chocolate chips.
- Bake the Brownies. Bake healthy sweet potato brownies at 350 degrees F for 25 to 30 minutes. Let the brownies cool completely, then ENJOY!
Storage Tips
- To Store. Store leftover brownies in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- To Reheat. I enjoyed my brownies best either right out of the refrigerator or warmed in the microwave.
- To Freeze. Freeze brownies in an airtight freezer-safe storage container for up to 2 months.
Recommended Tools to Make This Recipe
- Baking Pan. The best brownie pan, period.
- Precut Parchment Paper Sheets. SO easy and worth the purchase!
- Mixing Bowl. These are easy to store, clean, and use.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Use Aluminum Free Baking Powder. Baking powder without aluminum more quickly reacts with the ingredients and doesn’t impart any bitterness.
- Mix-Ins for the Win. We love our sweet potato brownies simply studded with chocolate chips, but I think they’d be tasty with other fun mix-ins like peanut butter chips, sprinkles, or crushed nuts.
- Choose Your Own Chocolate Adventure. If you prefer melty chocolate hunks over chocolate chips, swap the semi-sweet chocolate chips for chopped dark chocolate.
Sweet Potato Brownies
Prep: 25 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Total: 2 hours
Servings: 16 brownies
Fudgy sweet potato brownies satisfy your chocolate craving the healthy way! Easy to make, naturally sweetened, and so chewy and yummy.
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Ingredients
- 2 large sweet potatoes about 8 to 10 ounces each
- 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil
- ¾ cup pure maple syrup
- 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup white whole wheat flour
- ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon baking powder I recommend aluminum free
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8-inch pan with parchment paper so that you have some overhanging the sides, then lightly coat with baking spray. Set aside.
- Place the sweet potatoes in the microwave and cook on high for 7 to 10 minutes or until completely softened. Once cool enough to handle, scoop out 2 cups of the flesh and discard the skin. Place in a larger mixing bowl, then beat until mashed and fairly smooth. Beat in the melted coconut oil (or butter) until combined, then beat in the maple syrup and vanilla extract. Beat in the eggs 1 at a time, stopping to scrape down the bowl as needed.
- In a separate bowl, stir together the white whole wheat flour, cocoa powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix gently, just until the dry ingredients are incorporated. Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Scrape the batter into the prepared baking pan and smooth the top. Bake for 25-30 minutes, just until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Place the pan on a wire rack and let cool completely. (The brownies taste better the longer they sit). Gently lift the brownies out of the pan onto a wire rack. Slice and serve.
Video
Notes
- TO STORE: Store leftover brownies in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- TO FREEZE: Freeze brownies in an airtight freezer-safe storage container for up to 2 months.
- I enjoyed my brownies best either right out of the refrigerator or warmed in the microwave.
Nutrition
Serving: 1brownieCalories: 134kcalCarbohydrates: 24gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 23mgFiber: 3g
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Sign Me UpFrequently Asked Questions
Why Are My Brownies So Dense?
If your sweet potato brownies have come out too dense or dry, it’s likely because the batter was overmixed or something was mismeasured.
Can I Use Gluten Free Flour?
I haven’t tried making this recipe with gluten free flour myself, but I think you could experiment with it. Swap a 1:1 gluten free baking flour for the whole wheat flour.
Help! My Brownies Fell Apart.
If your brownies are falling apart as you remove them from the pan or slice them, it could be that they weren’t cool enough yet. I recommend letting the brownies cool completely before removing and slicing them. It allows them to firm up (and they taste better).
More Delicious Brownie Recipes
Don’t miss my other brownie and blondie recipes. Be sure to check out my full list of healthy desserts too!
I still can’t believe there’s HEALTHY brownies. Or at least those that you can eat without feeling guilty afterwards. Looks so good, I looooove gooey brownies :P And I can imagine you must be devastated to have all that candy leftover, haha!
I love brownies too Vivian. and LOL on the leftovers. Finally sent some to the office with Ben!
My husband can have a little treat if it is made with wheat flour. Thank you for the pie crust recipe. Will it work without adding wheat gluten. One son is gluten free.
Hi Sally! Are you referencing my whole wheat pie crust? That doesn’t actually contain vital wheat gluten, though some of my bread recipes do. If your son is gluten free, you’ll need to avoid any recipe that has flour, including these sweet potato brownies. You could try swapping a 1:1 All Purpose Flour Baking Blend for the wheat flour. I haven’t done this myself so I can’t guarantee the results, but it might at least give you a place to start. This is one I’ve used and liked in the past.
These look so fudgy and rich! Love it!
Hi Erin,
I don’t have white whole wheat flour…can reguar whole wheat be used instead? Or would I just use white flour?
Is there a measurement difference?
looks yummy!
Wanda, you can definitely use regular whole wheat flour, but it will have a more pronounced “wheat-y” taste and the brownies will be more dense. If you don’t want to purchase white whole wheat flour, I would first recommend doing a 50/50 blend of all purpose flour and regular wheat flour. No measurement difference!
I’m so going to try this since my hubby is crazy for sweet potatoes. And I’m totally with you on the Three Musketeer Sentiment.
I hope you both love this recipe Susan! And WHAT IS IT about those Three Musketeers??
Sweet potatoes come in lots of shapes and sizes. Can you please give me an idea by weight (grams or ounces) or cups as to the quantity needed? Thanks!
USDA says that a large baked sweet potato is 180g ( 6.34ozs) and has 37g of carbs.
Hi Paul and Carol! The large sweet potatoes I see are actually larger—about 8 or so ounces. You need 2 cups mashed in the end, so you can always go bigger, then save any extra you have for a quick side or mix it into a smoothie.
Hi Erin: forgive my ignorance but sweet potatoes are the same as yams?
Not an ignorant question at all! Yams are actually drier and starchier than sweet potatoes. Here’s an article that gives lots of helpful info: http://www.thekitchn.com/whats-the-difference-between-yams-and-sweet-potatoes-word-of-mouth-211176.
Do you think you could use coconut flour with this recipe. I don’t have an aversion to whole wheat flour, I just have coconut flour in my pantry and wouldn’t have to buy an additional type of flour.
Hi Cheryl! I would actually not recommend this substitution. Coconut flour is VERY dry and won’t act like wheat flour in the recipe. I’m afraid the bars would turn out very dry and crumbly. I know that’s not the answer you were hoping for, but I want these to turn out for you!
No, it’s exactly the answer I was looking for. If it won’t work then I’d rather know about it prior to going through all the effort and then finding out. I’ll try to pick up some wheat flour next time I’m at the story and give these a whirl.
Thanks for the reply.
THESE PHOTOS THOUGH. MACRO?
YES!! Macro + I’m standing on a table about to bite it, lol. I just got a new 50 too. You need to come check it out :)
These were really good. They were so fudgey and my 4 year old even loved them. I just started following you on instagram and I really enjoy your approach to cooking! In just one week you have posted two recipes that were reasonably simple and delicious and worked well for my family. I plan on making the chilli tomorrow.
Jessi, I am smiling from ear to ear reading this. THANK YOU! I am so happy that you and your little one both enjoyed these brownies and the other recipes too. I hope you love the chili just as much!
Hi Erin! Thanks so much for this recipe :)
I was wondering out of interest whether it is possible to leave out the maple syrup, or if there is an alternative?
Cheers!
Hi Ellen! You can swap honey (though it will have a different flavor profile) or experiment with light agave. Some sweetener is needed though, both for moisture and for flavor. I hope that helps!
mine look great! they look a lot darker than the ones in your picture. Won’t try them until Friday night. Taking them to family dinner. Very excited because I made them with my sweet potatoes from our local urban farm CSA share. Can’t wait to try them!
Amy, it might just be the lighting or the brand of chocolate we each used. I hope you LOVE yours. Thanks for trying the recipe!
These look HEAVENLY! Can’t wait to give these a try :)
My mom made these healthy brownies as a way to get my son, a picky eater to get more veggies. My son said these brownies are not good; they are the best brownies in the world. He ate five small brownies the first day and basically wanted to eat all the brownies. Thank you for the recipe.
Awesome, Sarah! I’m so glad to your son loved them…what a great endorsement! Thanks for leaving such a nice review!
When I put the sweet potatoes in the microwave do I add water or how do I do this part?
Hi Joelle! I simply microwaved mine on a plate, nothing added. I hope that you love the recipe!
I was desperate for a sweet potato recipe without dates when I finally found your recipe! Now I am so looking forward to baking them. But I have a problem with the cups because we don’t measure with cups in Germany… Do you possibly know what one of your cups is in tablespoons? Or in any other measurement? That would be fantastic! Thank you for your recipe! Have a nice Christmas holiday!
Hi Erie, 1 cup is 16 tablespoons. I’d suggest searching online for metric conversions, as that might be helpful as well! I hope you love these. Wishing you a nice holiday too!
Thanks for putting the nutrition, but how many slices do you cut the pan into? Wondering how large those 134 calorie brownies are so I can cut the right size.
Hi Crystina! If you look at the recipe yield, you’ll see it’s 16 brownies. That’s how many slices I cut the pan into. I hope you enjoy the recipe!
Can you use can yams instead of the sweet potato
Theresa
Hi Theresa, I’ve never tried it that way, but if the canned yams are unsweetened, that may work!
What an awesome recipe!!! What is the serving size? 60g?
Hi Rebecca, I cut the 8×8 pan of brownies into 16 squares. The serving size listed is for 1 square, but unfortunately I don’t have a precise weight measurement for it!
Made these not hard to make at all. Did not look like picture and yours looks like it has icing. There was no instruction on putting chips on top…oh well ?
Hi Roger, I’m glad you found these easy to make! There’s no icing on top, but I did add chocolate chips on top for presentation purposes for the photos. When I bake them and am not taking photos, I skip that step, since it’s just for at-home enjoyment. I apologize if you were disappointed with appearances, but I hope they still tasted wonderful!
Would it possible to swap stevia for the maple syrup?
Hi Aimee, I would not recommend that swap as maple syrup is important to the recipe and stevia is quite different and tastes different too. I know that’s probably not the answer you were hoping to hear, but I want to make sure the recipe comes out for you if you do decide to give it a try!
This was not a good recipe. Too much nutmeg and not enough sweetness. Wasted ingredients on this recipe. I’d rather make traditional brownies and eat a small amount than try some gross tasting recipe that tries to mimic classic brownies. Can’t believe this has 5star reviews must be from people that do not know what good food tastes like. Very disappointed.
Hi Angela! I’m sorry to hear the recipe wasn’t to your taste. I know it’s disappointing to try a new recipe and not enjoy it, so I truly wish it would have been a hit for you.
I have some canned sweet potato puree in the cupboard (I use it often to make sweet potato biscuits. I’m in the South. LOL). Anyway, wondering if that would work instead of fresh sweet potatoes and how much?
Hi Lisa, I haven’t tried the recipe that way, but I think you could experiment as long as the puree doesn’t have added sugar already. The recipe uses about 2 cups mashed sweet potato. If you do decide to try, I’d love to hear how it comes out.
I tried it with 2 c pureed sweet potatoes (which is the exact same consistency and look of pumpkin) and they worked perfectly. Thank you!
Awesome! Thanks for reporting back, Lisa!
is it possible to swap out the wheat flour with oat flour and the maple syrup with agave?
Hi Gina, I have not tried swapping the flour for anything else, so you’d be experimenting. I think the agave substitution should work fine! I hope you enjoy!
These look fabulous, I want to try them! If I don’t have a stand mixer, do you think it’d be possible to mix things by hand, or should I wait til I can swing by my mom’s and borrow hers? :)
Hi Jessi, I think a hand mixer would work fine for this recipe! I hope you love them!
I ended up making these at my parents’ anyway, for an Easter dessert! They are a big hit, so fudge-y! We used butter instead of coconut oil, and since it was a double batch, made it in a bigger pan for 40 minutes total. Thank you so much for this recipe, I’ll definitely make it again! :D
YAY Jessi, I’m so glad to hear the brownies were a hit! Thanks so much for taking the time to report back. :)
I guess I need to leave a new comment for a rating!
Hi! I am looking forward to making this recipe! I am curious though, why white whole wheat flour rather than regular? I have regular in my pantry – will there be a big difference in outcome?
Erika, white whole wheat flour offers the same nutritional benefits as regular whole wheat flour, but is much less dense in texture and strong in flavor. For this reason, I prefer it in dessert-type baked goods, as you can’t taste the strong “grain” flavor (which I love in a loaf of bread but not in desserts). It’s also a little less dry so it keeps baked goods from drying out. If you want to use regular whole wheat flour, I’d substitute the amount called for in the recipe for a 50/50 blend of regular whole wheat flour and all purpose flour to lightened it up.
Gotcha. Thank you!
Wow. It looks delicious. I love sweet potato brownies. So, I will try to make it. Your recipe will help me. Thanks for sharing.
These were great! Will definitely make again. I wish I had read through the comments first. These (and the same as the pumpkin cookies) were so dense and too moist. But I just realized anf learned there is white whole wheat. I was using just whole wheat. Next time I will use the 50 50 blend or white whole and I bet they will be even better! Thanks!
I’m so happy that you enjoyed them, Jon! Thank you for sharing this kind review, and I hope they go even better next time!
Hello, I want to try these! Is the coconut oil an important part? My mum can’t have oily/buttery things so wanted to leave this out? :)
Hi Leah! Unfortunately, I don’t recommend omitting the coconut oil, as it is an important component for this recipe. I’d recommend checking out my other dessert recipes to see if something else catches your eye.
Hi I was wondering if I could substitute the wheat flour with a mix of Gluten free flours? Maybe 1/2 regular gluten free & buckwheat?
Hi Barbara! I haven’t tried this swap myself, but you could experiment with it. I’d recommend swapping all the flour with a 1:1 GF baking blend instead. If you decide to try it, I’d love to hear how it goes!
These brownies are just the way I like them; thick, gooey and loaded with a hidden vegetable (heehee, and my kids don’t know).
They were easy to make, and taste better the longer they sit, so they’re great for making on a food prep Sunday, to eat throughout the week!
I’m so happy that you enjoyed them, Tara! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
This looks absolutely yummy! Would it make a big difference if I make it with regular all purpose flour? White whole wheat flour is hard to find in my area.
Hi Jharelyn! You can use all-purpose flour if you prefer. I hope you enjoy the brownies!
These look great. I’m going to make some too try. The Nutrition information doesn’t mention sugar. What’s the total sugars for one serving?
Hi Angie! I’m not sure why it’s not showing but If you’d like to calculate it yourself, there are lots of free tools online (myfitnesspal.com is popular). I hope that helps!
Hi what can I use instead of wheat flour so gluten free? Thanks
Hi Charlotte! I have not tried swapping the flour for anything else, so you’d be experimenting. If you decide to try it out, let me know how it goes!
These are so delicious! I used dark chocolate powder and cacao chips and they came out super dark and gooey. I also only used 1/2c of maple syrup and they are definitely sweet enough without the full 3/4c. Also I would play with how much cinnamon and nutmeg you want. I am not a huge fan of nutmeg and will lessen that amount and go to 1 tsp of cinnamon next time. Aside from all that, this will be my go to favorite brownie recipe going forward!
Hi Beth! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
I made a few changes to the recipe, and they were absolutely delicious. I cut the maple syrup back to 1/2 cup and the chopped bittersweet chocolate (in lieu of chips) back to 1/4 cup. In addition, I used unbleached white flour and went really heavy on the vanilla. Maybe next time I’ll use the full 1/2 cup of chips, but wouldn’t change the syrup. Oh, and I also omitted the nutmeg and cinnamon, as I don’t care for those flavors with chocolate. Thanks for a great recipe!
I’m so happy that you enjoyed them, Sheila! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
Brownies turned out fantastic, I did switch out the maple syrup for honey.
Hi Sean! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review and feedback on using honey!
What weight would the cooked flesh of the sweet potato be. I forgot to weigh them first!
Hi Paula, I am not able to advise on that as I didn’t weigh the flesh.
These are great! Picky husband and Toddler approved! Simple and quick to whip up and don’t make you feel sluggish like you’ve downed too much sugar. Thanks for this recipe, it’s going down in our family favorites.
Hi Katie! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Hey Erin I’m wanting to try these without the cocoa powder. Are you thinking 1/3 more flour or some cornstarch or something to make up the difference?
Thanks and I really enjoy your page,
Hi Keegan! So glad that you are! For these I’ve only tested it with the cocoa powder, so I can’t give specifics on what to substitute instead. Leaving it out and adding more flour might work. I wouldn’t use cornstarch. If you decide to experiment, let me know how it goes!
Hi! Could I use pumpkin instead of sweet potato?
Hi Jackie, I haven’t tried it myself, but pumpkin should work. If you decide to experiment, let me know how it goes!
Hello! I tried this recipe, and it looks just like the one you baked. It taste good, and is thick and has a lot of chocolate. I like sweet potato pie, and I like brownies so I thought this would be a good mash up! Thank you! God bless you, and Jesus loves u!
Hi! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Delicious! I added some milk to thin my batter a little bit :)
Hi Carly! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Excellent! It took at least 10 more minutes to cook as we live in high altitude. I also cut the syrup measurement back to 2/3 cup and it was plenty sweet. My granddaughter said turned her nose up when I told her they were made with sw potato but then she tasted and loved them!
Hi Luci! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
I am in love. They are fudgy for sure.
Kids and I love them. Husband says, they don’t taste like a brownie. Oh well, he is already ruined by the sugar laden ones. We love them.
Hi Frances! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Super fun to make, since I have been searching for a good recipe with good measurements so thank you. I cant wait to see how they come out from the oven. This really helped my want of implementing healthier ingredients so that I have better baked treats to give to family and friends! Maybe this will make the list for the bake sale brownie I make for my non profit organization :)
Hope you enjoy them Gina!
Made this recipe turned out really great thank you i’ll b trying more recipes from your website🪷
Great to hear, thank you Zaineb!
my goodness thank you! these were absolutely delicious been trying to reduce eating so many cakes and had no hope for these but was so suprised have made a big batch for my roommates!!
So glad you enjoyed them, Hannah! Thank you!
These are excellent tasting brownies I swapped the coconut oil for whole peanut butter and it was delicious. Thank you for the recipe Erin I have favourited it 😊
Thanks Keren!
These brownies were amazing! So light yet still super chocolatey. Would definitely recommend. I made it with the slight tweak of adding half a cup of self-raising flour instead of the baking powder to thicken my batter and turned out completely fine.
Great to hear, thanks Sasha!
I thought these were yummy. They had a little bit of a strong cinnamon and nutmeg flavor but I liked that. I added some dark chocolate chips to the top like in the picture and think they are even better when they are in the freezer vs. the fridge. They are definitely a healthier option to a chocolate treat than a regular brownie.
Glad to hear you enjoyed them, Diane!
This recipe is fantastic! I had to sub raw cane sugar for the maple syrup (as I was out), but it still turned out wonderful. I also added a cup of walnuts for extra protein and that nice crunchy texture.
Thrilled by how it all turned out. Thank you for posting this. :)
Glad it worked! Thank you Angel!
I would make this recipe again. They taste really good! I doubled the recipe and made a 9×13 size. They taste more like fudge to me, I will make again and add pecans :)
Pecans sound great! Thank you Michelle!
flavor is outstanding. Great way to use up misc chocolate candy bits. Used the syrup from the canned sweet potatoes instead of maple syrup. Augmented the can with real steamed sweet potatos. Added 1/4 cup sugar after tasting batter. Used almond butter because someone suggested it in recipe comments.
Great to hear, thank you Catherine!
Hi Erin – my son has a coconut intolerance…can I substitute the oil with butter?
Hi Shelby, I haven’t tried it but I think it could work. If you decide to experiment, let us know how it goes!
Followed recipe and baking instructions and found the brownies to be very rubbery. Not doughy or chewy, but rubbery… did not over mix and can’t figure out why they have the consistency if day old yorkshire puddings..
I’m sorry to hear that you had trouble with the recipe, AT. The amounts, flavorings and timing have worked well for myself (and others) so I wished it would have been a hit for you too! I know it can be so disappointing to try a new recipe and it does not turn out for you.
The nutmeg was not a good combo with the chocolate and overall, the texture was nice but the chocolate flavor was pretty pale. I’d up the cocoa and chocolate chips and remove the pumpkin spices.
I’m sorry to hear the recipe wasn’t to your taste, Naomi. I know it’s disappointing to try a new recipe and not enjoy it. I (and many other readers) have enjoyed it, so I really wish they would’ve been a hit for you too!
I would make this recipe again.
I couldn’t find white whole wheat flour so used regular white flour. These are rich and dense.
Thanks Jill!