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Vegan sweet potato brownies are a deliciously thick and moist brownie – almost like fudge! A creamy peanut butter topping adds a layer of nuttiness and saltiness that pairs delectably with the rich chocolate. This healthy vegan brownie recipe is a guilt-free treat for your sweet tooth or kids’ snack.

completed Sweet Potato Brownies cut into 9 squares on a white surface

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Table of Contents

Why You’ll Love this Vegan Sweet Potato Brownie Recipe!

I’ve never met a form of sweet potato I don’t like – fries, baked, mashed, or even snuck into a dessert or chocolate sweet potato loaf!

Sweet potatoes add a natural sweetness to baked goods, meaning these can be refined sugar-free brownies! Also, sweet potato makes the texture richer, denser, and moister, so you can skip the oil for an oil-free brownie recipe.

The combination of vegan chocolate and sweet potatoes is divine in brownies because the rich, strong flavor of the cocoa camouflages any sweet potato flavor. Therefore, you get all the benefits of the fudgy texture and hidden nutrients without anyone being the wiser! Plus, sweet potatoes can help beat sugar cravings, making these brownies doubly satisfying! Even better, they’re super easy to make. All you have to do is mix them up, bake them in the oven, and watch them disappear!

Want more chocolate-y plant-based dessert inspiration? Try this chocolate avocado pudding, beet energy balls, and blackberry chocolate cupcakes.

Ingredients for Vegan Sweet Potato Brownies

All you need are six pantry-staples to make the best sweet potato brownies!

ingredients for Sweet Potato Brownies against a white surface
  • Sweet potatoes: Cooked sweet potatoes are mashed into these vegan brownies. You can cook them using any method you prefer: baking, boiling, or roasting. But I find boiling or baking makes a smoother mashed sweet potato for the vegan brownies.
  • Cocoa powder: This easy pantry staple gives the dairy-free brownies a dense, rich chocolate flavor.
  • All-purpose flour: A basic baking staple when making brownies.
  • Maple syrup: To add more sweetness to your vegan brownies. The maple flavor is perfect with sweet potatoes.
  • Vegan chocolate chips: Dark chocolate chips give these brownies a more intense flavor and additional moisture. 
  • Creamy peanut butter: Optional but a drizzle over the top really adds something to the brownies. 

How To Make Sweet Potato Brownies Vegan

Preparation Steps:

  • First, cook the sweet potatoes using your method of choice. Then remove from the heat and allow to cool.
  • Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Top Tip: Cooking a large batch of sweet potatoes at once is a great meal prep strategy! You can then use them throughout the week in various recipes, including sweet potato biscuits, sweet potato burritos, sweet potato enchiladas, and more!

process of adding flour to sweet potato mixture in food processor

Step 1: Once cool, peel the sweet potatoes (if necessary). Then place the cooled, softened potatoes in a food processor and process until smooth. 

mixture of Sweet Potato Brownies in food processor

Step 2: Next, add the flour and maple syrup and cocoa powder. Process again until smooth but not runny. Note: this vegan brownie batter is on the thicker side. 

process of pouring the sweet potato brownie mixture into white baking tray

Step 3: Then add vegan chocolate chips to the food processor and process for only a few seconds to mix them in.

post pouring Sweet Potato Brownie mixture into white baking tray

Step 4: Next, pour brownie batter into a greased or lined 8X8 pan. Then bake for 25 to 30 minutes.

process of adding peanut butter mixture to top of brownie mixture

Step 5: Once fully baked, remove from the oven. While still warm, spread about a half cup of creamy peanut butter over the top. The PB will spread easier while the brownies are warm.

post spreading of peanut butter onto brownie mixture

Step 6: Finally, pop the final product in the fridge and slice when completely cooled. 

Toni’s Recipe Tips for Vegan Brownies with Sweet Potato

  • Brownie batter is rather thick. If it feels too thick add almond milk one tablespoon at a time until it reaches a thinner consistency.
  • Drizzled peanut butter: For a drizzled look, thin the peanut butter out with a bit of warm water and place in a pastry bag with a fine tip (or plastic sandwich bag with the corner cut) and drizzle over the top. 
  • Chunkier chips: Stir them in with a wooden spoon or spatula rather than using the food processor.
  • Add ins: Feel free to add crushed nuts, more vegan chocolate chips, or anything else to the top of these vegan brownies to make your taste buds sing!

FAQs

Do sweet potato brownies taste like sweet potatoes?

No, this vegan sweet potato brownies recipe is full of rich, chocolate flavor which camouflages the mild flavor of the sweet potato.

How do I make my brownies fudgy?

Brownies are more fudgy thanks to additional oil and fat. But you can also use sweet potatoes to create the same fudgy texture for a healthy and delicious oil-free brownie everyone will love.

completed Sweet Potato Brownies in baking tray against white surface

Storage Instructions for Vegan Brownies

  • Refrigerator: Once baked, these vegan brownies should be stored in the refrigerator for up to five days.
  • Freezer: Store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to three months.
  • Serving: These brownies taste great served straight from the fridge or you can let them warm up to room temperature by sitting them on the counter before serving.
close up of Sweet Potato Brownie mixture with a bite missing from one brownie

More Delicious Vegan Brownie Recipes

If you tried this vegan sweet potato brownies recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks!

Photos by Alfonso Revilla

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Vegan Sweet Potato Brownies

4.92 from 45 votes
Prep: 25 minutes
Cook: 25 minutes
Total: 50 minutes
Servings: 9 servings
completed Sweet Potato Brownies cut into 9 squares on a white surface
Vegan sweet potato brownies are a deliciously thick and moist brownie – almost like fudge! A creamy peanut butter topping adds a layer of nuttiness and saltiness that pairs delectably with the rich chocolate. This healthy vegan brownie recipe is a guilt-free treat for your sweet tooth or kids' snack.
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Ingredients 

  • 1 pound of sweet potatoes
  • ½ cup + 2 Tablespoons of cocoa powder
  • 1 cup of all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup of maple syrup
  • ⅓ cup of vegan chocolate chips
  • ½ cup of creamy peanut butter (optional but highly recommended)

Instructions 

  • Roast, steam, or boil potatoes (skin on or off is your preference) until softened.
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Process cooled, softened potatoes in a food processor until smooth then add in flour, maple syrup and cocoa powder. Process until smooth, batter shouldn't be runny, it will be a thicker batter (add almond milk 1 tablespoon at a time if too thick).
    mixture of Sweet Potato Brownies in food processor
  • Finally, add vegan chocolate chips and process for only a few seconds to mix them in.
    process of pouring the sweet potato brownie mixture into white baking tray
  • In a greased or lined 8X8 pan, pour brownie batter in and bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and spread about a half cup of creamy peanut butter over the top. It helps to do this when the brownies are still warm, as the PB will spread more easily.
    process of adding peanut butter mixture to top of brownie mixture
  • Pop the final product in the fridge and slice when completely cooled. Store in the fridge for 3 to 5 days or freeze for a longer lifespan.
    close up of Sweet Potato Brownie mixture with a bite missing from one brownie

Notes

  • Brownie batter is rather thick. If it feels too thick add almond milk one tablespoon at a time until it reaches a thinner consistency.
  • Drizzled peanut butter: For a drizzled look, thin the peanut butter out with a bit of warm water and place in a pastry bag with a fine tip (or plastic sandwich bag with the corner cut) and drizzle over the top. 
  • Storage: Vegan sweet potato brownies must be stored in the refrigerator.

Nutrition

Calories: 272kcalCarbohydrates: 43gProtein: 7gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gSodium: 92mgPotassium: 378mgFiber: 5gSugar: 18gVitamin A: 7150IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 59mgIron: 2mg

Additional Info

Author: Lauren Bossi
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Method: Oven
Diet: Vegan
Tried this recipe?Please tag us at @PlantBasedOnABudget! 🙂
About

Lauren Bossi

My name is Lauren Bossi; I run Track & Field at the University of Hartford in CT. I’ve got a passion for running and plant-based eats. When I’m not wandering around the aisles of the grocery store I enjoy cooking, baking, photography, pun-writing and tag-saling.

More about Lauren Bossi
4.92 from 45 votes (30 ratings without comment)

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Recipe Rating




Comments

  1. I think I would love these, and I am definitely going to try them! I have some frozen baked sweet potato that I need to use up. Does regular smooth natural peanut butter work or does it need to be sweetened?

    Reply

    1. We haven’t tried out that sub yet so can’t guarantee the results but let us know how it turns out if you do!

      Reply

  3. 3 stars
    Flavor is good but texture very rubbery! I added 1/2 cup nut butter to compensate second batch, and 1/2 tsp baking soda….much much better

    Reply

  5. 4 stars
    It’s a healthy alternative to real brownies. My children whom are disgusted by all things veggie consumed this with no hesitation. Id recommend adding 3/4 to 1 full cup of coconut sugar and a few tablespoons of oil of your choice to this recipe. Dont skimp on the chocolate chips! Trust me, it will make or break this recipe. Think about it 1/2 a cup of maple syrup will not sweeten 1 cup of flour plus the cocoa powder… The sweetness of the sweet potato is not enough. With those tweaks it should be good. Oh and I melted crunchy all natural organic almond butter w/ some maple syrup to add some sweetness for the top of the brownies. Delicious!

    Reply

  8. 4 stars
    I enjoy the brownie’s texture, but feel it needs a tad more sweetness (even after I added some date paste with maple syrup). I think putting some fruit jam on top might also be a good suggestion if someone doesnt like pb!

    Reply

  12. 5 stars
    Delicious brownies! I love the suggestion of adding peanut butter on top. Such a perfect texture and I love that they contain healthy carbs and so much fiber. Yum!

    Reply

    1. We at PBOAB haven’t tried that out yet so can’t guarantee the results, but please let us know if you end up giving it a go and how it turned out for you 🙂

      Reply

  15. 5 stars
    Brownies made from vegetables, I’m in! These were super chocolatey, easy to make, and so delicious!

    Reply

  20. 5 stars
    I have never tried to make this recipe, and it looks so delicious.
    I am so excited to make this at home!

    Reply