When you’re having a bad day, nothing can lift your spirits quite like fudgy brownies. There’s a reason people reach for the chocolates when they’re feeling down – it literally makes you happier!
Studies have shown that chocolate decreases the stress hormone cortisol while increasing feel-good endorphins in the brain.
Chocolate also contains powerful antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals to boost your health. A 28g serving of chocolate containing 70-85% cacao has:
- 3g dietary fiber (12% DV)
- 341mg Omega-6 fatty acids; 9.5mg Omega-3
- 3mg iron (19% DV)
- 8mg magnesium (16% DV)
- 5mg copper (25% DV)
- 5mg manganese (27% DV)
As you can see, chocolate is a powerhouse of nutrients! Since it comes from a plant, it’s basically a salad, right?! So, you can eat these fudgy brownies without feeling guilty about them. Not to mention, the recipe also calls for sweet potatoes, which have a ton of health benefits too. 100g of cooked sweet potato contains:
- 90 calories
- 3g fiber
- 120% Vitamin A (961 μg)
- 22% Vitamin B6 (0.29mg)
- 24% Vitamin C (19.6mg)
- 24% manganese (0.5mg)
- 10% potassium (475mg)
Now that we’ve covered the health benefits of these delicious brownies, we’ll share the recipe with you below. We hope you enjoy this guilt-free dessert!
How to make fudgy brownies with sweet potatoes
Are you ready to bake? Let’s get to it.
Kitchen supplies you need:
- Spatula
- Aluminum foil
- Large baking sheet
- Small baking pan
- Small bowl
- Potato masher
- Large pot
- Large mixing bowl
- Spoon
- Whisk
- Parchment paper
- Knife
Ingredients:
- 2 sweet potatoes (which will yield 1 cup of puree)
- 1/2 cup unsweetened dark chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup peanut butter
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 1/2 cup coconut sugar
- 1 egg and 1 egg yolk
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup melted chocolate
Directions for the fudgy brownies:
- To make these decadent fudgy brownies, first, grab your sweet potatoes and some aluminum foil.
- Wrap each one in a sheet of foil and place it on a large baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees F for one hour.
- When they’ve cooled, peel the skins off and cube the potatoes. Mash them up in a small bowl using the potato masher.
- Once they’re creamy and pureed, set aside.
- Now, grab your large pot and the unsweetened chocolate chips. Measure 1/4 and pour into the pot.
- Next, spoon in half a cup of peanut butter. Put the heat on medium-low, and mix with a spatula until thick and creamy.
- When it’s thoroughly melted, place it in a large mixing bowl. Now, add 1/2 cup of the sweet potato puree. Blend with whisk until thoroughly combined.
- Now add 2 tsp vanilla extract and 1 tbsp coconut oil. Use the whisk to blend together.
- Next, pour in the coconut sugar, using the whisk once again to mix it up. Make sure there are no clumps of sugar left when you’re finished.
- Then add the egg and egg yolk, also whisking until blended.
- Add the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, and salt, mixing them in with the spatula. Blend until you don’t see any flour residue in the bowl.
- Finally, add the remaining 1/4 cup of chocolate chips. Mix them in and spoon the batter into your smaller baking pan. Make sure to line it with parchment paper first to avoid sticking. (Alternatively, you can spray cooking oil or butter onto the bottom and sides of the pan).
- Shake the pan so the batter settles, then bake the fudgy brownies at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes.
Directions for the icing:
- Melt 1 cup of chocolate chips. Add the remaining half cup of sweet potato puree and blend thoroughly with a spoon.
- Spread your homemade frosting onto the brownies with the spoon, coating them evenly.
Now, slice up your fudgy brownies and enjoy this mouthwatering homemade treat!
Tips to make these top-notch fudgy brownies
Too gooey for your liking? No worries! Simply place the brownies in the fridge for 30 minutes to one hour so they harden a bit. It will also make the frosting more “fudge-like.”
- If you’re not a fan of peanut butter, you can leave out this ingredient. It’s not necessary for the recipe, but we think it adds to the delicious factor! You can also use almond or other nut butters that you prefer.
- If you’ve never tried brownies made with sweet potatoes, don’t worry – you won’t even taste the potatoes! They simply give the brownies a chewy, moist texture but won’t make them taste like vegetables. The potatoes also add to the sweetness of the recipe.
- You may find you don’t even need coconut sugar! If you don’t have a huge sweet tooth, the potatoes may be all you need.
- Want to save time? You can also microwave the sweet potatoes. Just wrap them in a damp paper towel and microwave for about six minutes each.
- Have leftovers? (We won’t judge if you don’t!) They’ll keep for about 3-4 days in the fridge or in an airtight container in the freezer for around 2 months.
- You can make these even more delicious by microwaving them before serving! Paired with vanilla ice cream, it will definitely hit the spot when you’re craving warm, gooey brownies!
Final thoughts on how to make these fudgy brownies with sweet potatoes
In the old days, brownie recipes using sweet potatoes were almost unheard of. Today, they’re a common substitute for eggs, although we used both in this recipe. If you’re going for a more cake-like brownie, you probably want to leave out the eggs and just use potatoes.
This recipe combines the best of both worlds – fudge and brownies – to create the ultimate chocolate heaven. It even has a chocolate frosting in case the chocolate chips and cocoa powder isn’t enough for you! Plenty of recipes out there don’t have nearly enough chocolate, so we decided to find a solution to that problem.
These fudgy brownies will surely satisfy your chocolate craving and give you a dose of happiness in the process. Enjoy!