Healthier Sweet Potato Brownies

Original post March 2025. Updated July 2026

Made with only a few ingredients, these brownies are deliciously fudgy and are gluten-free and vegan friendly. Sweetened with maple syrup and the sweet potato, these make a healthier treat option.

Jump to Recipe

HERE'S WHAT YOU WILL NEED

• Cooked sweet potato

• Pure maple syrup

• Coconut flour or ground almond flour

• Coconut oil, melted

• Almond butter or tahini

• Cacao powder

• Vanilla extract or vanilla paste

• a pinch of sea salt

• and dark chocolate chips or chunks

Make sure to use a pure maple syrup and not a maple flavoured syrup.

Use cacao powder or an unsweetened cocoa powder. If you want to keep them on the healthier side, make sure it doesn't have any sugar added. If you want to make them look extra dark and chocolaty you can always use a dutch cacao.

I recommend using an organic, cold-pressed coconut oil. I have not tried making these with any other type of oils.

I prefer dark chocolate chips, but you can also use any chocolate of your choice.

Also, if you don't have chocolate chips you can take a chocolate slab (or bar) and chop it into small pieces.

Do not skip the salt - this helps balance the flavours and will enhance the chocolate flavour!

You can also replace the almond butter with peanut butter or any nut or seed butter of choice.

• 

• 

THE SWEET POTATO

I have only made these with orange sweet potato. Using the white sweet potato will definitely taste different, so just bear that in mind.

The best way to cook the sweet potato is to peel and cut the sweet potato in to smaller pieces and steam cook them until soft. If you cook them in water, they will get too watery. Whereas using a steamer they will have a right texture.

HOW TO MAKE THESE

I find the best way to make these is to use a food processor or blender. You can mash the sweet potato but this might risk having chunks of sweet potato in the brownies. Using the blender will ensure everything is smooth and well mixed.

Once the cooked sweet potato is cooled, transfer it to a food processor. Add all the liquids and the salt and blend until smooth.

Mix the sweet potato mixture with the cacao and coconut or almond flour until well combined.

Finally, add the chocolate chips and stir again using a spatula or spoon (not blending). Transfer to your prepared bread tin. Spread out evenly and they are ready to be baked.

HOW TO STORE THEM

Keep them in an airtight container, in the fridge. You can also freeze them and let them defrost at room temperature.

COCONUT VS ALMOND

Coconut flour or ground almonds? I have made these with both options. Naturally the coconut flour will make it taste coconutty, whereas the almond flour gives it a bit more of a neutral taste.

Either way, both are delicious!

MAKE THEM HIGH-PROTEIN

You can replace some of the cacao with chocolate protein powder if you wish. I have tried this using half and half and they were delicious... depending of course on the protein powder you are using. The one I love using doesn't contain any sweeteners or sugars.

• 

• 

LINING THE BREAD TIN

I recommend lining the bread tin with parchment or baking paper. This will make lifting the brownies out of the tin a lot easier. No sticking to the pan!

SMALL BATCH

I love the size of this recipe as it makes 8 good sizes or 10 smaller sizes. Any leftovers I pop inot the freezer.

If you want to make a bigger batch simple double and use a second tin.

BAKING TIME

Okay, so I love my brownies fudgy or rather underbaked. This recipe will not give you a cakey texture due to the ingredients. The brownie will feel soft on touch when they come out of the oven, but that's okay.

Baking them longer than recommended might result in them being dry and crumbly.

• 

• 

MORE HEALTHIER DESSERT OPTIONS

Chocolate Coconut Nice Cream

Raw Chocolate Brownie Bites

Silken Tofu Chocolate Mousse

Mango & Macadamia Nice Cream

Secret Ingredient Chocolate Pudding

Peanut Butter + Chocolate Bliss Balls

OTHER BROWNIE OR CHOCOLATE RECIPES TO TRY

Vegan Chocolate Orange Brownies

Dark chocolate cake

Gooey Vegan Chocolate Mug Cake

Dark Chocolate & Sea Salt Brownies

HEALTHIER SWEET POTATO BROWNIES

Made with only a few ingredients, these brownies are deliciously fudgy and are gluten-free and vegan friendly. Sweetened with maple syrup and the sweet potato, these make a healthier treat option.

MAKES: 8 - 10 brownies

TIME about 40 minutes

BAKED in a standard breadloaf sized tin

INGREDIENTS

• 130 g cooked sweet potato

• 65ml maple syrup

• 60g almond butter, smooth or crunchy

• 50g coconut oil, melted

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 30g ground almonds or coconut flour

• 45g cacao powder

• a generous pinch of sea salt

• 50g dark chocolate chips

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 175C and line a bread loaf tin with baking paper (parchment paper).

To a food processor add the sweet potato, maple syrup, almond butter, coconut oil, vanilla and salt and blend until smooth.

Transfer the mixture into a bowl and add the cacao powder and ground almonds (or coconut flour). Mix well until combined.

Finally add the chocolate chips and mix again. The batter should be thick and won't be runny, however if it looks to thick you can add a little bit of nut milk (or milk of choice) to loosen it.

Transfer the mixture to your prepared bread tin. Spread out evenly and and place in the centre of the oven.

Bake for about 25 -28 minutes. Remember the longer you bake them the less fudgy and the drier the texture they will be.

Remove the tin from the oven and allow the brownies to cool in the loaf tin before using the baking paper to carefully remove the brownies out of the pan and cut them into squares.

Dust with cacao, if so desired before serving (Optional)

Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to a 3 days.