sweet potatoes

Who doesn’t love sinking their teeth into a rich, decadent brownie? It’s the perfect treat offering a blend of chocolate goodness and fudgy texture. But plant-based brownies?? You’ll never taste the difference!

With no dairy or eggs in sight, these brownies are great for individuals with dairy allergies, lactose intolerance, or those following a vegan lifestyle. Plus, they’re naturally gluten-free, making them suitable for a wide range of dietary preferences.

Plant-based brownies are proof that you don’t have to compromise on taste or texture to enjoy dessert.

What are Vegan Brownies Made of?

Traditional brownie recipes often rely on butter, eggs, and refined sugars for their irresistible flavor and texture. These ingredients are a source of concern for those following a vegan or plant-based diet. Enter my secret ingredient: Sweet potatoes!

Sweet Potato Brownies

This recipe calls for 2/3 cup of cooked, pureed sweet potatoes. I like to cook the sweet potatoes in my Instant Pot for convenience, but you could bake them in the oven.

Once they are soft, you can mash them with a fork, but you may notice some tiny orange bits in your brownies. If you blend them in a blender or food processor until they are creamy, you won’t see the sweet potatoes at all in your final treat.

We always use Enjoy Life Foods Chocolate Chips. Either the mini chips, semi sweet chips or chocolate chunks all work equally well. 

Plant-Based Brownies Recipe

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 2/3 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup Bob’s Red Mill Cup for Cup Gluten-Free Flour 
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 cup organic cane sugar
• 2/3 cup pureed cooked sweet potatoes 
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• up to 1/2 cup plant milk, start with 1/4 cup
• 1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips

Instructions

Step 1 – Preheat

Preheat oven to 350° and lightly spray an 8×8 pan. (This recipe doubles wonderfully, just use a 9×15 pan.)

Step 2 – Mix

Put all of the ingredients except chocolate chips in a large mixing bowl. Stir until everything is mixed well adding more plant milk if needed.

Step 3 – Fold

Fold in chocolate chips reserving a few spoonful’s. Spread the batter smooth and sprinkle the reserved chocolate chips on top.

Step 4 – Bake

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes. An inserted toothpick will not come out clean.

Step 5 – Cut

Allow these brownies to cool before cutting. I like to serve them with a plant-based milk and fruit to cut the sweetness.

Storage

Any leftover brownies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature. Unlike most gluten-free baked goods these taste great the next day!

Alternative Ingredients

I’m out of applesauce, what can I use?

Use a pureed apple, pear, peach or other similar fruit. See this post about substituting applesauce for more suggestions. 

What can I use instead of cane sugar?

You can use your favorite sweetener! I’ve used turbinado sugar for years. Lately we have switched to organic cane sugar. Coconut sugar works great too.

That’s a lot of sugar, can I use less?

Absolutely! I recommend using half. This recipe is really sweet, which we love, but it’s too sweet for some. You can also try using maple syrup, date paste or your favorite sugar. If using a liquid form of sugar, you may need to decrease the amount of plant-based milk you use.

Can I use something other than Sweet Potato?

Yes, you can substitute pureed pumpkin in place of the sweet potato. You could also try pureed squash or zucchini but I haven’t personally tried them.

More Plant-Based Desserts

If you like this recipe, you’ll love these other plant-based desserts:

• Chocolate Banana Bread
• Vegan Peach Crisp
• 2 Ingredient Fruit Dip
• Cookie Bars
• Chocolate Crunch Bites