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    Hummusapien » Recipes » Dessert » Fudgy Sweet Potato Brownies (no added sugar!)
    ★★★★★ from 5 reviews

    Fudgy Sweet Potato Brownies (no added sugar!)

    Published May 16, 2022 · Modified Oct 17, 2023 · by Alexis Joseph · 13 Comments

    Jump to Recipe

    Thick and fudgy Sweet Potato Brownies that are good for you! Naturally sweetened with dates, they're an amazing dessert with 7g of protein and 5g of fiber. Kids love these and they freeze great. Gluten free.

    plate of brownies with walnuts.

    Wowza. That's all I gotta say about these gorgeous chocolate love boats!

    I set out to make a healthy brownie recipe naturally like my Banana Brownies, Healthy Pumpkin Brownies and Healthy Zucchini Brownies, but sweetened with dates for when it's 3pm and I want a juicy brownie but also don't want to crash. Ya dig?

    It started when I baked my friend Lindsay's brownies a few months back. I fell in love with the idea of adding roasted sweet potatoes to brownie batter!

    Ingredients

    • Sweet Potato: The start of our brownie show, just like my Sweet Potato Muffins! For moistness, nutrition, and naturally sweet flavor.
    • Medjool dates: These provide caramel-like sweetness and plenty of fiber. You'll want to remove the pit and make sure they're soft. If not, simply soak them in hot water to soften up. Be sure to squeeze the water out before using them. How cool that we're sweetening our brownies with dates?!
    • Peanut butter: These don't have a strong peanut butter taste. Be sure to use a natural, drippy one. I've also made these with tahini and almond butter. They took a bit longer to cook but were still amazing!
    • Cacao: I love the benefits of raw cacao and all the chocolatey goodness. Regular unsweetened baking cocoa powder works great, too.
    • Eggs: For rise and binding. I haven't tried these with a vegan alternative, but let me know if you do!
    • Almond flour: For fudgy, moist texture and to keep these babies gluten free. All purpose flour also works here. (Just don't use coconut flour as it's super absorbent and the brownies would be dry.)
    • Vanilla: To bring out the chocolate flavor even more. Boom!
    • Baking soda: Rise, baby!
    • Chocolate chips: For more chocolate flavor and nice texture. You can use semi sweet or Hu Kitchen date-sweetened chocolate chips if you want to keep it 100% naturally sweetened.
    • Walnuts: The ultimate nutty crunch for textural intrigue.

    See recipe card for full list of ingredients.

    Substitutions

    • Nut free: Omit walnuts and use 3 tbsp all purpose flour instead of almond flour.
    • Egg free: I haven't tested these without eggs, but I think flax eggs would work. They will be even more fudgy.
    food proccesor with brownie batter and spatula.

    How to make

    1. Blend the wet ingredients (sweet potato, dates, egg, peanut butter, and vanilla) in a food processor until very smooth.
    2. Add the cocoa powder, flour, baking soda and salt. Mix until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips and walnuts.
    3. Dump the batter into a lined pan, top with walnuts, and bake for 30 minutes.

    How to roast a sweet potato

    1. Preheat the oven to 400F.
    2. Pierce a medium sweet potato (or a few) several times with a fork. Place on a baking sheet lined with foil or parchment paper.
    3. Bake for about an hour, or until very fork tender. Allow potato to cool. Peel and measure flesh per the recipe. One medium will yield about a cup of mashed sweet potato.
    hand holding three brownies.

    Do these taste like regular brownies?

    I wouldn't say these taste like regular brownies given they're sweetened with dates versus sugar.

    They definitely taste "healthier" compared to a boxed mix; yet even though they're less sweet, they still taste amazing and have a super satisfying texture. They're deliciously thick, too!

    The addition of chocolate chips helps amp up the yum factor for sure. My husband Jeff loved these! I think walnuts really take them over the top.

    Storage tips

    These babies can be stored at room temperature in an air tight container for up to three days or refrigerated if you like them colder.

    They taste fudgier out of the fridge!

    hand holding one brownie with walnuts.

    Can you freeze brownies?

    Yes! I like to freeze them on a parchment paper lined plate or baking sheet with space between so they don't stick together.

    Once frozen, place in a freezer baggie. Microwave for 20-30 seconds to thaw.

    Print
    clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
    plate of brownies with walnuts.

    Fudgy Sweet Potato Brownies (no added sugar!)

    ★★★★★ 5 from 5 reviews
    • Author: Alexis Joseph
    • Prep Time: 10 minutes
    • Cook Time: 28 minutes
    • Total Time: 38 minutes
    • Yield: 12 brownies 1x
    • Category: Dessert
    • Method: Oven
    • Cuisine: American
    • Diet: Gluten Free
    Print Recipe
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    Description

    Thick and fudgy Sweet Potato Brownies that are good for you! Naturally sweetened with dates, they're a perfect snack or dessert with 7g of protein and 5g of fiber per brownie. Gluten free!


    Ingredients

    Units Scale
    • 1 cup soft pitted Medjool dates, packed
    • 1 cup roasted and mashed sweet potato*
    • ¾ cup natural peanut butter or almond butter
    • 2 large eggs
    • 1 tsp vanilla extract
    • ½ cup cacao or cocoa powder
    • ¼ cup almond flour**
    • 1 tsp baking powder
    • heaping ¼ tsp fine sea salt (omit if nut butter is salted)
    • ½ cup chocolate chips
    • optional: ⅓ cup chopped walnuts

    Instructions

    1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line an 8x8 inch baking dish wish parchment paper and set aside.
    2. Place dates, sweet potato, peanut butter, eggs and vanilla in the bowl of a food processor. Blend for a couple minutes, or until dates are broken down and mixture is smooth, scraping the sides as needed.
    3. Add cacao, flour, baking powder and salt if using. Process just until you don't see flour anymore (5-10 seconds). Add chocolate chips and gently fold in with rubber spatula. Spoon batter into prepared baking dish. It will be thick! Use a wet spatula to spread the batter to the edges of the pan. Sprinkle with walnuts, flaky salt and extra chocolate chips if desired (highly recommend!).
    4. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until brownies are set. Let cool for 20 minutes before slicing.

    Notes

    Inspired by this recipe.

    *3 tbsp all purpose flour can be substituted for the ¼ cup almond flour. Bake for 28 minutes.

    Chocolate chips do contain added sugar.

    Keywords: sweet potato brownies

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @hummusapien on Instagram. I love sharing what you make!

    About Alexis Joseph


    Oh HEY there! I'm Alexis Joseph, food writer, blogger, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN), new mama, and co-founder of local restaurant group, Alchemy. I use my passion for cooking and wellness as fuel to help others ignite a more freeing and happy relationship with food. Learn more about Alexis!

    Reader Interactions

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    1. Jessie says

      October 17, 2023 at 7:28 pm

      Hi Alexis! If I were to use sugar instead of dates, do you know how much I should use? If not it's ok!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Alexis Joseph says

        October 17, 2023 at 7:32 pm

        Hey Jessie! Ahhh I'm not sure because I haven't tried it but I would guess 1/2 cup maple syrup would work considering the pumpkin brownie recipe...I will try that soon and report back. Or were you thinking regular sugar? If so, my brownie recipes all have liquid sweetener so I'd need to test!

        Reply
        • Jessie says

          October 18, 2023 at 2:13 am

          Oh syrup is perfect, thank you! And I’ll look at that other recipe too. Thanks! 🤍

          Reply
    2. Kori Daniel says

      May 18, 2022 at 7:16 pm

      So rich, fudge-y, & incredible! I folded the walnuts in, & because apparently I struggle on the slicing department, I made ours into 16 servings. I love them!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Alexis Joseph says

        May 19, 2022 at 7:36 pm

        Best comment ever! I noticed the almond flour version is fudgier and harder to slice 🙂

        Reply
    3. Brittany Jones says

      May 17, 2022 at 9:58 am

      Making these with my kiddos today and already drooling thinking of how good they’ll be! Thanks for your awesome recipes and having such (delicious) real, raw, and inspiring content whether it be food, your life, or your beautiful family!

      Reply
      • Alexis Joseph says

        May 17, 2022 at 4:43 pm

        Awww thank you so much, Brittany! I can't wait to hear what you think!

        Reply
    4. Sheri says

      May 16, 2022 at 3:54 pm

      These were SO GOOD. I used almond flour. I like them out of the fridge!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Alexis Joseph says

        May 17, 2022 at 4:43 pm

        Yay, me too!

        Reply
    5. Val says

      May 16, 2022 at 1:37 pm

      These are so so good!!! Insane combination you came up with girl! Love them with the PB and SO SO FUDGY...! Amazing room temp/warmed or straight outta the fridge, too when the choco chips harden - delish choc crunch! Have made with almond flour and also WW pastry flour - both were good but prefer almond flour! Either way, let's just say we went through 2 pans wayyy too quickly lol. Def making again! : )

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Alexis Joseph says

        May 17, 2022 at 4:44 pm

        Hahaha amazing ALL THE WAYS! Thanks for being a fabulous tester 🙂 XO

        Reply
    6. Dylan says

      May 16, 2022 at 12:01 pm

      Yummm these are the perfect sweet treat! I have made with both almond and AP flour. Both are fab, but I do prefer the almond flour version!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Alexis Joseph says

        May 17, 2022 at 4:44 pm

        Same same!!

        Reply

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    Well HELLO there! I'm Alexis Joseph, a registered dietitian, restaurateur and mama. Welcome to Hummusapien, a healthy food blog brimming with nourishing (always delish!) recipes plus inspiration to help you live your most joyful, balanced life. Grab a super hot cup o' joe and let's get cooking.

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