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I know, sweet potatoes in brownies might sound unusual, but you guys, they are soo good! I first tried these on a whim when I had some leftover sweet potatoes and a craving for something chocolatey – and they turned out so fudgy! The sweet potatoes also add a natural sweetness, making the brownies super rich without needing a ton of extra sugar or fat.
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What I love about these sweet potato brownies is that they’re decadent but feel a little lighter. The peanut butter and chocolate chips bring out the chocolate flavor even more, while the sweet potato keeps everything moist and almost melt-in-your-mouth. If you’re in the mood for a twist on classic brownies, these are a must-try!
Recipe At a Glance
Cuisine Inspiration: American
Primary Cooking Method: Oven
Dietary Info: Vegetarian
Key Flavor: Fudgy, chocolaty, and peanut buttery
Skill Level: Easy
Why This Is So Good
- Ready quickly: These sweet potato brownies take just 30 minutes to make! That’s what I call an easy dessert.
- Kid-friendly: Even if your kiddos don’t like sweet potatoes, they won’t even know they’re in these brownies!
- Make-ahead: These brownies can easily be made a day or two ahead! They also keep for a while, so it’s the kind of dessert I like to meal prep.
Ingredients to Make Sweet Potato Brownies
- All-purpose flour: You can substitute a gluten-free flour blend just get one that works at a 1:1 ratio.
- Cocoa powder: Dutch-process or natural cocoa powder will work—just know the former is milder and less bitter!
- Baking soda: This helps the brownies rise.
- Butter: Just a little butter adds flavor!
- Brown sugar: I like light brown sugar in this brownie recipe because it adds notes of molasses and caramel!
- Mashed sweet potatoes: You microwave or roast a sweet potato and mash it or use canned sweet potato puree!
- Peanut butter: I like to use creamy peanut butter because it’s easier to mix in with the rest of the ingredients! But you can use crunchy if that’s your preference.
- Vanilla: I like to use pure vanilla extract; you could even use vanilla bean paste if you wanted to.
- Chocolate chips: Semi-sweet, bittersweet, or dark chocolate chips will be fine!
Popular Substitutions & Additions
- Make it pumpkin (or squash!). Instead of the sweet potato, you could use pumpkin puree or butternut squash puree!
- Add nuts. Try topping the sweet potato brownies with chopped walnuts or toasted pecans. You could also stir them into the batter!
- Use a different nut butter. Almond butter, cashew butter, tahini, or sunflower seed butter would work in place of the peanut butter!
How to Make Sweet Potato Brownies
These easy, fudgy brownies require just a few mixing bowls and a baking pan! Most weeks, I bake whole sweet potatoes for an easy dinner side and roast an extra potato so that I can make this recipe!
Tips for Making the Best Sweet Potato Brownies
- Use a parchment paper sling. Line the baking pan with parchment paper so that the sides overhang the edges of the pan a good bit. This makes it easy to lift the brownies up and out of the pan once they’re baked!
- Test to make sure the brownies are done first. I like to use a toothpick for this! Just insert it into the center of the brownies. If the batter sticks to the toothpick, the brownies need more time in the oven. However, if just a few crumbs are on the toothpick, they’re done!
- Make the brownies more cakey than fudgy. You can do this by swapping the baking soda for baking powder!
- Don’t skip cooling. Letting the brownies rest in the pan for about 30 minutes before cooling on the wire rack helps the brownies settle and form. Allowing them to cool completely also makes them easier to cut.
Frequently Asked Questions
Kept in an airtight container, these brownies will last for up to 5 days at room temperature or a week in the fridge. I like to put layers of parchment paper in between the stacks of brownies so they don’t stick!
You can! You’ll need to use a 9 – x 13-inch baking dish and will probably have to increase the baking time! I’d just keep an eye on the brownies and check them frequently.
They shouldn’t! If they do, there’s a good chance the brownies aren’t fully cooled. You could wait or pop the brownies in the fridge to firm up faster.
More Brownie Recipes:
- Fudgy Brownie Bites
- Chocolate Chip Date Brownies
- Tahini Swirl Brownies
- Greek Yogurt Brownies
- Zucchini Brownies
- Vegan Peppermint Brownies
If you try this feel good Sweet Potato Brownies recipe or any other recipe on Feel Good Foodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below! It helps others who are thinking of making the recipe. We would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots, share it on Instagram so we can repost on Stories!
Sweet Potato Brownies
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ⅔ cup light brown sugar packed
- 1 cup mashed sweet potatoes about 1 large potato
- ⅓ cup peanut butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8 inch pan with parchment paper, leaving extra overhanging on the sides.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In another medium bowl, add the butter and melt in the microwave for 1 minute. Add the brown sugar and whisk with the melted hot butter until well combined. Stir in the mashed sweet potatoes, peanut butter, and vanilla.
- Add the dry ingredients to the sweet potato mixture and mix until combined. Add chocolate chips, reserving 1-2 tablespoons to sprinkle on top, and fold in.
- Scrape the batter into the prepared baking pan. Smooth the top and add a few extra chocolate chips. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes clean.
- Remove from the oven and cool completely in the pan for about 30 minutes before lifting the parchment paper and transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely, about 1 hour. Once cooled, cut into 16 squares.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
