Healthy Sweet Potato Brownies made grain-free, refined sugar-free, dairy-free and flourless! This moist and rich fudge brownie recipe is made with wholesome ingredients for everyday eating and special events alike!

Stack of sweet potato brownies - a closeup on the brownies sprinkled with sea salt.

Youโ€™re looking at magical Disappearing Brownies!

Disappearing because these luscious lumps last approximately 15.32 seconds in any household. 

Which is about the exact amount of time it takes to consume a batch of brownies without looking like youโ€™re in a food competition. 

Wellโ€ฆI suppose thatโ€™s debatable.

Truly, my partner and I consume treats like this with much gusto. Weโ€™re both wholeheartedly obsessed with both chocolate and sweet potatoes. 

And let me just tell you. These healthy sweet potato brownies are simply sensational.

We both had to pry ourselves away from the brownie pan. And even still, our resistance was futile because neither of us couldnโ€™t stop at one. 

I enjoy these more than regular brownies made with gluten free all purpose flour!

Tray of sweet potato brownies fresh out of the oven with a golden napkin to the side, sprinkled with sea salt.

Recipe Highlights:

Entirely flourless, grain-free, refined sugar-free, dairy-free, paleo and so easy to make, these fudgy brownies are an absolute win all the way around. 

This is one of those recipes you can safely serve at any gathering and feel assured there wonโ€™t be someone raising their hand to ask if it fits their laundry list of dietary restrictions.

The simple ingredients are wholesome, easy to find at any grocery store, and have folks with food allergies in mind.

I jest, but Iโ€™m typically that inquiring party who wants to know the ingredient details. 

The main ingredient in this sweet potato brownie recipe is mashed sweet potato, which means theyโ€™re made with a vegetable, so basically weโ€™re talking about health food here.

In all seriousness, the health benefits of sweet potatoes spread far and wide. 

Sweet potatoes contain more potassium than bananas (fun fact!), They are also a great source of complex carbohydrates, fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, Manganese, and more!

Not to mention, sweet potatoes are remarkably satiating. When pairing the sweet potatoes and almond butter in these brownies, youโ€™re left with a remarkably filling dessert or treat. 

Vertical image of sliced sweet potato brownies.

Letโ€™s do a deep dive into the ingredients for healthy sweet potato brownies!

Ingredients for Healthy Sweet Potato Brownies:

Sweet Potatoes: The star of these brownies! Sweet potato puree adds moisture and bulk to a brownie, which helps take the place of oil (or butter) and also flour. Cook your sweet potato up to 5 days ahead of time.

Almond Butter: Used as the healthy fat source in the brownies, unsweetened almond butter plays a crucial role in bringing richness and gooey texture to these dairy-free brownies. You can replace it with any nut or seed butter you like.

For nut-free sweet potato brownies, make my Paleo Sweet Potato Brownies, which are made with coconut oil and coconut flour.

Pure Maple Syrup: Keeping these healthy brownies refined sugar-free, we use pure maple syrup as the sweetener.

Eggs: A couple large room temperature eggs help fluff up the brownies and ensure they hold together when sliced. I havenโ€™t tested a vegan sweet potato brownies recipe yet, but I imagine you could replace the chicken eggs with flax eggs to make super gooey vegan brownies.

Vanilla Extract: Adding warmth and subtle nuance to the brownies, a little vanilla extract provides a beautiful flavor. Skip it if you donโ€™t have it on hand.

Cocoa Powder: The rich dark chocolate portion of this recipe comes from cocoa powder. I use raw cacao powder, which has a creamier (less bitter) flavor than regular cocoa powder, but stick with whatever powder you like. Dutch process cocoa powder works great too.

Baking Soda: A tiny amount of baking soda acts as the leavening agent for these brownies. We donโ€™t use too much to avoid a cake-like texture. Just enough to give a little crispy edge to the brownie.

Ground Cinnamon (optional): Do you love cinnamon and chocolate together? I do! If youโ€™re like me and enjoy a dash of cinnamon in a baked treat, toss some in. If not, skip it!

Sea Salt: Salt is that supporting ingredient that lifts up every other ingredient where it belongs. Essentially, it brings powerful flavor to the brownies. Donโ€™t skip it for the best results!

Chocolate Chips: Adding even more chocolatey goodness and also fudgy texture to the brownies, one cup chocolate chips provide amazing pockets of joy. I use semi-sweet chocolate chips but you can also use dark chocolate chips, sugar-free chocolate chips, paleo friendly chocolate chunks, you name it.

Hand holding a sweet potato brownies

Now that weโ€™re experts on this healthy brownie recipe, letโ€™s bake it!

How to Make Healthy Sweet Potato Brownies:

Cook the sweet potato according to your preferred method. I chop mine into large chunks and boil it in water for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the chunks of potato are very tender. Allow the potato to cool (I transfer it to a sealable container and refrigerate it). Once cool, remove and discard the peel.

Cooked sweet potato chunks in a colander.

Note: you can cook the potato and refrigerate it up to 5 days in advance.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper.

Mash the sweet potato into a bowl or measuring cup and measure out 1 cup of mashed potato.

Mashed sweet potato in a measuring cup

Add the mashed sweet potato to a large mixing bowl along with the almond butter, eggs, pure maple syrup and vanilla extract and stir well until everything is well-combined (wet ingredients).

Note: you can use a food processor to make this brownie batter if you prefer doing so over a mixing bowl!

Stir in the cocoa powder, baking soda, sea salt, and ground cinnamon until a thick creamy batter forms (no need for a separate bowl here).

Sweet potato brownie batter in a red mixing bowl.

Add in the chocolate chips and stir until they are well-incorporated into the batter.

Sweet potato brownie batter in a mixing bowl with chocolate chips on top.

Pour the brownie batter into the prepared baking pan and spread it into an even layer.

If desired, sprinkle with extra chocolate chips.

Parchment lined baking pan with brownie batter in it, ready to go into the oven.

Bake on the center rack of the preheated oven for 23 to 28 minutes, or until the brownies reach desired level of doneness. For fudgy, gooey brownies, bake for 23 minutes.

Tray of sweet potato brownies fresh out of the oven.

Allow the brownies to cool completely (at least one hour) before slicing and serving. You can slice the brownies before they have finished cooling if youโ€™d like, but the slices wonโ€™t hold together quite as well. If youโ€™re fine with that, proceed!

Serve with a scoop of ice cream for an even more decadent dessert.

Store any leftover brownies in an airtight container (or a zip lock bag) in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. These brownies also freeze very well! Freeze them in a zip lock bag for up to 3 months.

Big hunks of brownies sitting on a white backdrop.

And so here we are with a decadent treat thatโ€™s suitable for any occasion. School lunches, daily dessert for your sweet tooth, a lovely sharable treat at holiday gatheringsโ€ฆbreakfast (wink wink) and more.

So the next time you find yourself deep in a chocolate craving, whip up a batch of these flourless sweet potato brownies!

Stack of sweet potato brownies sprinkled with sea salt.

If you love brownies, check out these delicious gems from the brownie archives! They are all tried and true reader favorites, each with its own list of fabulous characteristics. 

More Healthy Brownie Recipes:

Enjoy this ooey gooey sweet potato fudge brownie experience!

Stack of sweet potato brownies - a closeup on the brownies sprinkled with sea salt.

Healthy Sweet Potato Brownies

4.50 from 304 votes
Delicious moist and fudgy Healthy Sweet Potato Brownies that are made with all wholesome ingredients! These delicious brownies are flourless, dairy-free, and refined sugar-free, so you can feel great about this guilt-free treat!
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 22 minutes
Total Time 42 minutes
Servings: 12

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Cook the sweet potato according to your preferred method. I chop mine into large chunks and boil it in water for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the chunks of potato are very tender. Allow the potato to cool (I transfer it to a sealable container and refrigerate it). Once cool, remove and discard the peel. Note: you can cook the potato and refrigerate it up to 5 days in advance.
  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper.
  • Mash the sweet potato into a bowl or measuring cup and measure out 1 cup of mashed potato.
  • Add the mashed sweet potato to a large mixing bowl along with the almond butter, eggs, pure maple syrup and vanilla extract and stir well until everything is well-combined (wet ingredients).
  • Stir in the cocoa powder, baking soda, sea salt, and ground cinnamon until a thick creamy batter forms (no need for a separate bowl here).
  • Add in the chocolate chips and stir until they are well-incorporated into the batter.
  • Pour the brownie batter into the prepared baking pan and spread it into an even layer. If desired, sprinkle with extra chocolate chips.
  • Bake on the center rack of the preheated oven for 23 to 28 minutes, or until the brownies reach desired level of doneness. For fudgy, gooey brownies, bake for 23 minutes. Brownies are best when baked to an internal temperature of 180 degrees Fahrenheit. Insert a digital thermometer into the center of the brownies and wait until the numbers stop moving to get an accurate read on their temperature.
  • Allow the brownies to cool completely (at least one hour) before slicing and serving. You can slice the brownies before they have finished cooling if youโ€™d like, but the slices wonโ€™t hold together quite as well. If youโ€™re fine with that, proceed!
  • Serve with a scoop of ice cream for an even more decadent dessert.

Video

Notes

Store any leftover brownies in an airtight container (or a zip lock bag) in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 1(of 12) ยท Calories: 336kcal ยท Carbohydrates: 37g ยท Protein: 8g ยท Fat: 19g ยท Fiber: 4g ยท Sugar: 14g
Author: Julia
Course: Brownies & Bars
Cuisine: American
Keyword: dairy-free brownies, flourless brownies, fudge brownie recipe, gluten free sweet potato brownies, healthy brownie recipes, healthy dessert recipes, healthy sweet potato brownies, paleo desserts, paleo sweet potato brownies
Did You Make This Recipe?I want to see it! Tag @the.roasted.root on social media!

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Julia Mueller
Meet the Author

Julia Mueller

Julia Mueller is a recipe developer, cookbook author, and founder of The Roasted Root. She has authored three bestselling cookbooks, – Paleo Power Powers, Delicious Probiotic Drinks, and The Quintessential Kale Cookbook. Her recipes have been featured in several national publications such as BuzzFeed, Self, Tasty, Country Living, Brit.co, etc.

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4.50 from 304 votes (251 ratings without comment)

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Questions and Reviews

  1. These were delicious and guilt free. I used peanut butter instead of almond butter and dark chocolate hazelnut finely chopped to replace chocolate chips. i had none in my pantry. It was perfect. I will try with almond butter next time.

  2. I really like these brownies. They are moist and chocolatey. I added 1 tsp of espresso powder
    and instead of 2 tsp of vanilla extract, I used only 1 of vanilla and 1 tsp of chocolate extract. I’m wondering, has anyone tried using date syrup instead of maple syrup? I know it’s healthier, but I have not baked with it yet. Any ideas?

    1. Hi Carol! I love the idea of adding espresso powder – sounds amazing! I haven’t tested the recipe using date syrup, but I suspect it would turn out great! Let me know if you try it ๐Ÿ™‚

  3. I cannot eat chocolate, could I make these like a blond brownie, and put your yummy peanut butter topping on top of the brownie, when it cool down.

    1. Hi Ann! You can certainly dry that! You may need to replace the cocoa powder with some sort of flour (gluten-free all-purpose flour or regular all-purpose flour would do the trick) if the batter seems too wet. Happy baking!

    1. Hi Susan! I’d recommend following a different recipe, as the almond butter is crucial to the structure and flavor of this recipe. You can make my rolled oat pumpkin brownies using oats (https://www.theroastedroot.net/flourless-rolled-oat-pumpkin-brownies/) gluten-free brownies using GF all-purpose flour (https://www.theroastedroot.net/the-best-gluten-free-brownies/), or my Coconut Flour Brownies (https://www.theroastedroot.net/coconut-flour-brownies/)!

  4. For those who don’t eat eggs, I substitutes the eggs with unsweetened apple sauce. I doubled the recipe which called for 4 eggs. I used 1/4 cup of unsweetened applesauce.

    1. Thanks so much for sharing, Salena! This is super helpful to others who want to try the recipe with an egg replacement. I appreciate your feedback and help! xo

  5. Really really yummy
    Subbed date sugar for maple syrup and used 1/2 tahini and 1/2 pumpkin seed butter
    no chips either (didn’t have and they were so delicious anyway)
    Thank you!

  6. Just cooked these tonight! My kitchen smells so amazing right now!

    To eliminate sugar, I replaced the maple syrup with 1/2 c unsweetened applesauce. I also used Lillyโ€™s milk chicolate chips, which are sugar free!

    Turned out great! Very rich, dense and cake like! Super filling too.

    1. Ooh, your changes sound amazing, Veronica! I’ll have to try that, myself ๐Ÿ™‚ Thanks for sharing xo

  7. I rarely review or comment on recipes, but these were so good. I used a mix of vegan chocolate chips, dark chocolate chips, and milk chocolate chips because that’s what I had. At first I found it a bit bitter but then they really grew on me. I craved them all day at work the next day! These were even teenager approved! Keeper for sure.

    1. Thanks so much for sharing, Vero! I appreciate you taking the time to provide your feedback. Also great news that the brownies tasted better to you over time – I’ve found brownies improve with age ๐Ÿ˜‰

  8. Hi Julia
    I am a health coach in Michigan and have made these SO many times. I would like to link to this recipe on my recipe website page. Can you give me permission or let me know if that is ok with you. I will give you credit and link direct to this page. http://www.changeyourlifewithfood.com.

    Thank You
    Denise Lovat

    1. Hi Denise! I’m thrilled you enjoy my brownie recipe! You’re welcome to share a link on your site, but the full recipe (ingredients and instructions) needs to remain on my site ๐Ÿ™‚ I appreciate you asking first! xoxo

  9. Made these and subbed half the amount of almond butter for one small banana mashed (as I didnโ€™t have enough almond butter) and they are soooooo good! Feel like itโ€™s one of those recipes that you really canโ€™t go wrong with!

    1. Ooh, what a genius idea using a mashed banana as a substitute for some of the almond butter! I’ll have to try this myself! Thanks for the inspiration and for sharing your feedback ๐Ÿ™‚