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Home » Recipes » Baking

Healthy Sweet Potato Brownies (Sugar-Free)

Published: Apr 8, 2023 by Danika Vanderpyl · This post may contain affiliate links · 6 Comments

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These healthy sweet potato chocolate brownies are naturally sugar-free since they are sweetened with maple syrup, and they are flourless. It's simply 4 ingredients that make these fudgy brownies.

My goal since I started recipe creating more than 10 years ago has been to make treats you would never guess are healthy. This is one of those, just like my gooey brownie cookies and these homemade fudgecicles with almond butter caramel.

Brownie with bite missing sitting on top of a pan of cut fudgy brownies.
Jump to:
  • What to note about flourless sweet potato brownies
  • Ingredients needed
  • Why we want sweet potatoes in brownies
  • Step-by-step photos from my kitchen
  • How I discovered a good brownie texture
  • What kind of mixer to use
  • Other healthy chocolate snack recipes to make
  • Amazing Sweet Potato Brownies (No Sugar & Flourless)
  • Danika Vanderpyl, C.H.N

What to note about flourless sweet potato brownies

The concept of sweet potato brownies became popular from a plant-based food blogger in the UK, Deliciously Ella. If you have ever made black bean brownies it's quite similar, as the black beans - like the sweet potato in this recipe - are cooked and blended smooth (I use my kitchen aid mixer) creating a nutrient-dense brownie along with maple syrup and almond butter!

Ingredients needed

These healthy sweet potato brownies have no grains, no eggs, no dairy and no refined sugar. For those looking for a flourless, or vegan, healthy brownie, look no further.

Chopped orange sweet potato, almond butter, maple syrup, cocoa powder in bowls for brownies without sugar.
  • Raw sweet potato increases the fiber and makes these brownie fudgy without flour. Make sure to buy a bright orange potato with reddy brown skin, you can scratch the skin a bit to make sure it's bright orange inside (and not white). You will need about 1 medium potato for this recipe.

Why we want sweet potatoes in brownies

I became passionate about eating whole foods like sweet potatoes after I studied nutrition. Here's some insight about this recipe.

  • Sweet potatoes are a great source of vitamin A, C, B6, potassium, and fiber. Their lower glycemic index, combined with healthy fats, can help support blood sugar levels.
  • Sweet potatoes contain prebiotic fiber which is going to help improve the balance of your gut bacteria. Essentially, prebiotics increase the amount of good bacteria in your intestines. Cold, or cool, sweet potatoes increase prebiotic fiber even more, therefore, cold brownies are a win win!
  • Rich in antioxidants, including beta-carotene, sweet potatoes can help protect against oxidative damage.

I created these brownies to be nutrient-dense, with protein from almond butter and fewer carbohydrates than classic brownies. Enjoy!

  • Almond butter is a crucial ingredient, as there is no butter or oil in this recipe, the almond butter has the necessary fat needed to provide tender brownies. I like using almond butter because it's an awesome source of healthy fat (and protein) as it is a whole food containing more nutrients than just having oil in brownies, which is high calories for low vitamins and minerals. If you want to make your own almond butter, use this recipe.
  • These brownies are free from refined white sugar; I used maple syrup to sweeten these brownies. For another recipe sweetened with maple syrup, make these cookie dough bars.
  • Cocoa powder makes these brownies super chocolatey (instead of melted chocolate). I buy my cocoa powder from Organic Matters.

Step-by-step photos from my kitchen

½ inch chunks of sweet potato in a pot.

Step 1: Start by peeling the sweet potato and cutting it into ½-3/4 inch chunks. Boil the chunks in a small pot with water almost covering them for 15 minutes, until soft and fully cooked.

Sweet potato, cocoa powder, maple syrup, and almond butter in a kitchen aid mixing bowl.

Step 2: Place the cooked sweet potato, almond butter, cocoa powder, and maple syrup into a mixing bowl. It's fine if the sweet potato is still warm.

Healthy sweet potato chocolate brownie batter in kitchen aid mixer bowl.

Step 3: Use a whisk attachment on a mixer to make this batter super smooth. Beat for 1-2 minutes. Scrape down the sides and beat for another 1-2 minutes; it will be thick. Beat until everything is incorporated and smooth.

Brownie batter in 8x8 pan.

Step 4: Line an 8x8 pan with parchment paper (or grease an 8x8 pan). Use a spatula to scrape the batter from the mixing bowl into the prepared pan. Spread the batter evenly into the pan, then slam the pan down on the counter a few times to get the batter even on top.

Step 5: Bake the brownies at 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175C) for 25-30 minutes until the edges look firm and the middle is soft to the touch. Cool the brownies and place them in the fridge to make them firm, for about 1-2 hours. Then cut the brownies into 12 squares.

Hint: If you want these brownies to have that extra pretty look, sprinkle cocoa powder on top of the brownie through a sieve before serving!

How I discovered a good brownie texture

When testing these flourless brownies, I found at first they were too soft - almost like mousse. To make them more like a brownie, I did a few things. First, I increased the almond butter and cocoa powder. Second, baking them longer made the healthy sweet potato brownies into a fudge-like texture instead of mousse. Third, cooling the brownies down in the fridge made the texture even better!

What kind of mixer to use

I used my KitchenAid stand mixer with the whisk attachment. Any good mixer will work. This healthy brownie batter does get quite thick so you will need something that can handle it. I also tested making these in my Vitamix, which was alright, but I had to stop and scrape down the sides multiple times.

If you don't have a good stand mixer, the next best thing would be a food processor, as you need to make the sweet potatoes super smooth (mashing them with a fork won't be enough!).

Fudgy chocolate brownie with bite missing in baking pan beside cut sweet potatoes.

Other healthy chocolate snack recipes to make

  • A bite out of a chocolate energy balls with specs of ground oatmeal and a flecks of dried rose.
    Banana Chocolate Balls
  • A brownish pink smoothie in a glass with tahini on top with raspberries.
    Luteal Phase Smoothie
  • Chocolate Carrot Muffins
  • Mini pink cheesecakes on a wooden platter with pink flowers around it.
    Incredible Strawberry Mini Vegan Cheesecakes

⚡Did you make these healthy sweet potato brownies? I want to hear what you think! Leave a comment and a star rating below the recipe; this is really helpful for other bakers.

Bite taken from healthy sweet potato brownie that's in a baking pan.

Amazing Sweet Potato Brownies (No Sugar & Flourless)

Danika Vanderpyl
These sweet potato chocolate brownies are made from just sweet potato, almond butter, maple syrup, and cocoa powder! No refined sugar or flour is needed to make this fudgy treat.
5 from 4 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes mins
Cook Time 30 minutes mins
Cooling time 30 minutes mins
Total Time 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins
Course Dessert, Snack
Cuisine American
Servings 12 Brownies
Calories 191 kcal

Equipment

  • Mixer (I use my kitchen aid with the whisk attachment)
  • 8x8 square pan

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups raw sweet potato about ½ inch cubes, about 1 medium sweet potato
  • 1 cup (255 g) almond butter (or other nut butter)
  • ½ cup (50 g) cocoa powder
  • ½ cup (110 g) maple syrup
  • ⅓ cup optional: chocolate chips

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175C).
    Peel the sweet potato and chop it into ½-inch cubes. In a pot with a lid, boil the sweet potato cubes in about 1 cup of water (you want about 2 inches of water in your pot, but you don't need to cover the sweet potatoes in water). Boil for 15 minutes until they are fully cooked, they will be bright orange and easy to slice through when cooked. Then drain the water from the pot.
  • In a large mixing bowl, add the sweet potato, almond butter, cocoa powder, and maple syrup. Beat together for 2 minutes. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula, then beat for another 1-3 minutes until everything is completely smooth and incorporated. The brownie mixture will be thick.
  • Line an 8x8 pan with parchment paper or grease the bottom and sides of the pan. Spread the brownie mixture into the prepared pan. Slam the pan down on the counter a couple of times to get the batter even on the top. Sprinkle chocolate chips on top if desired.
  • Bake (at 350 F) for 25-30 minutes. The brownies will be fully cooked on the edges and a little soft in the middle. For best results, let the brownies cool by placing the pan in the fridge to make them cold and set.
  • Cut into 12 squares. Optional: use a small sieve to sprinkle cocoa powder on top. Enjoy these fudgy brownies cold or even frozen! Keep in the fridge for up to 1 week, or freezer up to 3 months (after this they won't go bad, just start to lose flavor).

Nutrition

Calories: 191kcalCarbohydrates: 19gProtein: 5gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gSodium: 16mgPotassium: 315mgFiber: 4gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 3145IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 98mgIron: 1mg
Keyword Baking, Chocolate, Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Grain Free, Refined sugar free, Sweet Potatoes, Vegan
Did you love this recipe?Make sure to leave a comment below!
danika sitting in a chair

Danika Vanderpyl, C.H.N

I create snack recipes with healthy ingredients that are mostly already in your kitchen. I'm certified in Holistic Nutrition and I care about giving my kids real food. Let me share my nutrient-dense easy snacks with you.

Learn more about me →

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Comments

    5 from 4 votes (1 rating without comment)

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Autumn says

    January 03, 2024 at 9:28 pm

    5 stars
    This has got to be one of my favorite recipes! I have made it close to 10 times and each time I have had friends ask for the recipe.

    Reply
    • Danika Vanderpyl says

      January 05, 2024 at 6:45 am

      Thanks so much for sharing this! I love hearing this and so glad you can enjoy this recipe!!!

      Reply
  2. Meagan says

    September 01, 2023 at 12:22 pm

    5 stars
    Delicious spin on such a classic treat. My kids are GF and was so easy to make, loved not having to mix flours.

    Reply
    • danikavanderpyl says

      September 03, 2023 at 6:52 am

      Great to hear you enjoyed this Meagan!!

      Reply
  3. Amanda Marshall says

    April 14, 2023 at 1:17 pm

    5 stars
    These are so good! Thanks for sharing, I’ve tried quite a few of your recipes this week and all have been delicious and easy to make!

    Reply
    • danikavanderpyl says

      April 17, 2023 at 5:36 am

      This is so awesome to hear thanks for letting me know! Glad you liked these brownies!

      Reply
Danika-vanderpyl-hiking-with-mountains

Hey hey! I'm Danika.

I'm certified in holistic nutrition and I create snack recipes! Because unprocessed, wholesome, nutrient-dense snacks are hard to find but I want everyone to know they are easy to make!

About me

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8x8 pan of cut healthy sweet potato chocolate brownies with cut sweet potato beside.
Pan of cut sugar free sweet potato brownies, one with bite taken.

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