These healthy Sweet Potato Brownies are irresistibly fudgy, perfectly sweet and easy to make. This is a great nut free, Paleo brownie recipe and no one will ever guess that it contains sweet potato.
Way back when I made that savory sweet potato bread, I mentioned including more sweet potatoes in my baking. Well, here's the proof!
What can I say? I absolutely love sweet potatoes. And guess what? They are a great Paleo baking ingredient.
Sweet potatoes are a natural way to sweeten any baked good or dish. Plus, they add moisture and enhance the texture of desserts, breads, muffins... you get the idea 😉
What Type of Sweet Potatoes are Best for Brownies?
For this recipe, I used Japanese Sweet potatoes.
They have a redish/brown exterior and a white flesh. Personally, these are my favorite sweet potato. Followed closely by Purple Stokes (which are purple in color on both the outside and inside). Japanese sweet potatoes are extra sweet (probably why I like them so much), have less moisture than other varieties and are perfect for creating fudgy Paleo brownies.
All that being said, any variety of sweet potato will work in this recipe. However, the texture and taste will slightly vary depending on the type of sweet potato you choose.
A great thing about these sweet potato brownies is that every one in my family loved them. And no one guessed that they were made with sweet potatoes!
So no, you cannot taste the sweet potato in this recipe. However, it's still there, providing extra nutrients and a dreamy brownie texture.
What makes this the BEST sweet potato brownie recipe?
Well, these brownies are:
- Paleo
- nut free
- dairy free
- gluten and grain free
- fudgy
- nutritious
- delicious
They fit the bill for a healthy, yet delicious, family loving dessert.
Ingredients in Sweet Potato Brownies
My recipe for Paleo brownies calls for the following:
- mashed sweet potato (steamed then cooled)
- eggs
- coconut oil (room temperature)
- vanilla
- coconut sugar (or monk fruit sweetener)
- cocoa powder
- baking soda
- salt
- water
As mentioned previously, any variety of sweet potato will work. However, for best results I recommend using Japanese sweet potatoes. They are extra sweet and slightly drier than other varieties.
How to Make Sweet Potato Brownies
These brownies are best made in a food processor or high powered blender. However, they can be made in a mixing bowl if that's all you have. (The batter just won't be as smooth.)
Prior to making the brownies, you'll need to steam the sweet potato. To do this, simply cube a large sweet potato (no need to remove the skin) and then steam it in a steamer pot until tender. Then let the sweet potato cool to room temperature.
When the sweet potato is ready, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Then, add the cooled sweet potato, eggs coconut oil and vanilla to your food processor. Blend until mixture is smooth.
Add in the remaining ingredients. Once again, blend until smooth.
Next, place the batter in a lined, 8"x 8" glass baking pan. Smooth the batter out so that it touches the edges and has an even, level surface.
Lastly, place the brownies in the oven and bake at 350 degrees F for 33-35 minutes. The brownies should be firm on the edges and just slightly soft in the center.
Take the brownies out of the oven and cool in the pan to room temperature. Note: it is important to cool the brownies in the pan so that they fully set.
How to Make Paleo Frosting for Brownies
After cooling, you may frost the brownies. I frosted these with a coconut cream frosting. Here's what you need:
- ½ cup coconut cream
- 1 Tbsp maple syrup
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
Simply, mix the coconut cream, maple syrup and vanilla in a small bowl. Then spread over the cooled brownies. If the coconut cream is clumping, you may heat it in the microwave for 5 seconds (or just leave at room temperature for about 20-30 minutes).
Sprinkle the frosting with your choice of toppings. For instance, I used sprinkles, hemp seed and bee pollen. Then, place the brownies in the fridge for the frosting to set.
Cut the brownies after the frosting has set.
Best Way to Store Paleo Brownies
Because these brownies are so moist and don't contain any preservatives, they will not last at room temperature for more than a few hours. They must be stored in the fridge or freezer.
If you choose to freeze them, cut the brownies first. Then, thaw before eating.
Sweet Potato Brownies (Paleo, Nut Free)
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 33 minutes
- Total Time: 43 minutes
- Yield: 8" x 8" pan 1x
Description
Healthy Paleo brownies made with sweet potatoes. Nut free, dairy free, grain free and perfect for the whole family.
Ingredients
- 1 cup mashed sweet potato (230g)*
- 2 large eggs
- 3 Tbsp coconut oil (room temperature)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup coconut sugar
- ⅓ cup cocoa powder (33g)
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ cup water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a food processor, combine mashed sweet potato, eggs, coconut oil and vanilla. Blend until smooth.
- Add in remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.
- Scoop batter into a lined 8" x 8" glass pan. Using a spatula, spread the batter to the sides making an even, level surface.
- Place the brownies in the oven and bake at 350 degrees F for 33-35 minutes. The edges should be firm and the middle should be slightly soft.
- Remove the brownies from the oven and cool to room temperature in the pan.
- Top with choice of frosting once fully cooled.
- Best stored in fridge up to one week.
Notes
*I recommend Japanese sweet potatoes, but any variety will work. For the mashed sweet potato: first wash and chop sweet potato. Then steam in a steamer pot until tender. Let the potato cool to room temperature, then make the batter.
Keywords: brownies, chocolate, dessert, nut free, Paleo, sweet potato
These look amazing...but have you ever tried the recipe egg free??
Hi! I have not tried this recipe without eggs. But, if you do then I'd love to know the results 🙂
Great nut-free recipe
★★★★★
Can we sub the coconut oil for ghee or butter? What about the coconut cream for the frosting?
Thanks!
Hi! Butter or ghee will work in place of the coconut oil. The frosting is optional. However, if you are looking for a frosting recipe without coconut then I would do a quick search online.
Hi, thanks for sharing a nut free healthy recipe. I was just wondering if the baking time differs if making 2 or 3 times the quantities or do you just use 3 separate tins? Do I put all tins in the oven together, if so does that affect the baking time?
Thanks
I have not tried doubling or tripling this recipe. But if you double the recipe and bake the brownies in two separate dishes then the baking time should remain the same.
Just made these brownies today and they're soooo good! Can't wait to try out more of your recipes 🙂
★★★★★
I'm so happy to hear that! This recipe is a one of my family's favorites 🙂 Hope you find more you enjoy!