Fall Recipe: Sweet Potato Brownies

As green leaves turn to fiery hues and the fall air turns crisp and chilly, if you’re anything like us all you want to do is bake something warm and comforting! You could go with something traditional that tends to be sugar-loaded, or try this healthy twist on a classic: Sweet potato brownies! These are allergen-friendly since they are naturally gluten-free, plant-based, and can be made nut-free. Sweet potatoes are also packed with nutrients such as calcium, vitamin C, potassium, and more, so your kids will be eating something healthy and enjoying it!

Ingredients:

Wet:

• ¾ cup of sweet potato puree
• 1 cup of almond butter (try Sunbutter to make it nut-free)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Dry:

• Heaping ¼ cup gluten-free oat flour (or use regular white flour if you’d like)
• ½ cup mini chocolate chips (plus more for the top)
• ⅔ cup of sugar (can also use monk fruit or xylitol as a refined sugar alternative)
• Heaping ¼ cup cocoa powder
• 1 ½ tsp baking soda
• ⅛ tsp salt

You will also need:

• 8-inch pan
• Parchment paper (or something to grease the pan)

If making the sweet potato puree from scratch (not necessary but recommended, as it tends to be higher in nutrients than canned puree):

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Thoroughly wash two sweet potatoes, then poke holes in them with a fork. Lay them on a cookie sheet, bake for about one hour. Rotate at the half-hour mark. Once they are done, peel off the skin, dice in large chunks, add to a food processor or high-speed blender and puree until a smooth consistency. Add a small amount of water if necessary.

Instructions for brownies:

Preheat the oven to 350. Grease the pan or line with parchment paper. Gently heat the almond or sun butter over the stove or in the microwave, until easily stirred. Whisk together nut butter, sweet potato puree, and vanilla in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, stir the rest of the ingredients well. Pour dry ingredients into the wet, mix, and pour into the 8-inch pan. Bake in the center of the oven for 20 minutes. It might look underdone but will firm up while cooling. If still too gooey for your taste, cover loosely and let sit in the fridge for a few hours.

This recipe was adapted from Chocolate Covered Katie.