Fudgy Sweet Potato Protein Brownies

These rich and crunchy brownies are made in a 10-ingredient bowl and deliver 7 grams of protein per serving! They’re also oil-free, flour-free, and refined sugar-free.

Ok guys, if like me you hesitate when you hear the words “sweet potato” and “brownies” in the same sentence, I get it. I totally understand. But here’s the thing, you’re really going to want to look beyond the labels this time because SWEET POTATOES MAKE SOME GOOD BROWNIES.

Ingredients and Substitutes for Sweet Potato Brownies

• Mashed sweet potatoes- I usually just scrape the flesh of a (chilled) baked sweet potato into a measuring cup and then add it to the brownie bowl. If the potato has a slightly fibrous texture, you may want to first puree it with the maple syrup in a blender and then add it to the bowl. This step isn’t necessary, but if you find yourself fussing about stringy bits in your brownies, I’d recommend it. You can also use canned mashed sweet potatoes to save time.
• Pure Maple Syrup I know this isn’t the cheapest ingredient, but I love it because it’s packed with antioxidants and the texture works so well in baked goods, unlike honey, which can be much thicker and more difficult to work with in some recipes. Since the batter for this recipe is already super thick, I recommend sticking with maple syrup or a liquid sweetener of similar thickness.
• tahini There’s something about the nuttiness of tahini that makes perfect brownies. It’s definitely my favorite, but you could probably get away with substituting almond butter, peanut butter, or even cashew butter.
• plant milk Any type of milk will work here. I tend to use unsweetened organic soy milk.
• cocoa powder Unsweetened cocoa powder is ideal. Cocoa powder tends to be more bitter, so it may require more sweetener.
• protein powder The first few times I made these I used chocolate protein powder and a lot less cocoa powder, but I’ve found that I can increase the protein content by using a plain unsweetened protein powder instead. I’m sure a vanilla protein powder would be delicious too, but remember if it has sweeteners in it it will make the brownies taste sweeter.
• Baking powder- This ingredient helps acidify the brownies.
• Salt- If your protein powder or nut butter (if applicable) has added salt, you should definitely omit it. Otherwise, just a little salt will help balance out the sweet taste of the brownies.
• chocolate chip These aren’t strictly necessary, but in my humble opinion they make the brownies that much better. The Enjoy Life dark chocolate chips are my favorite.
• walnuts or pecans- You’ll either be very much against it or for it, but because the brownies have a very dense and fluffy texture, I like to add chopped nuts for some crunch. It’s a bit like the Little Debbie Fudge Brownies we ate as kids. 🙂

Steps to make sweet potato brownies

1. Once you have the pulp of your baked sweet potato (or canned puree), add it to the bowl with the maple syrup, tahini, milk, and vanilla, then beat until smooth (or as smooth as possible).
2. Add cocoa powder, protein powder, baking powder and salt. Fold until a dough forms. It will seem super dry at first, but keep folding until a thick dough forms.
3. Fold in your chocolate chips and nuts.
4. Place in an 8×8-inch baking dish. Bake for 30 minutes, then let cool and enjoy!

How to store leftovers

Once the brownies are completely cool, you can store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Haven’t tried freezing them yet, but seems like they freeze fine once completely cooled and sealed tightly.

Looking for more high-protein treats?