These Vegan Sweet Potato Brownies Will Make You Wish More Desserts Had Veggies in Them

I never thought I would say this, but for the first time in my life I am envious of a food. These vegan sweet potato brownies are one thing that I'm not, and that is rich.

Dark cocoa powder makes these brownies intensely chocolatey and even a little bitter, while the addition of chocolate chips gives bursts of unmistakable sweetness. The super sugary roasted potatoes, almond butter, and coconut oil make this recipe ultra creamy, almost like fudge. Jealous yet?

These are dope because they're customizable and extremely hard to mess up, unlike a lot of baked goods. You're gluten-free? Sub oat flour. Not an almond butter fan? Peanut butter is terrific and gives these a definite Reese's vibe. Prefer a sweeter brownie? Use normal cocoa and add a few spoonfuls of sugar. You can also never go wrong with Oreos.

I actually prefer this dessert cold or frozen, and as much as I love to share, I'm not ashamed of owning up to freezing and eating an entire batch of these vegan sweet potato brownies over the course of a few weeks (days). If you're into sharing, these babies are so irresistible that you won't even need to trick your friends into eating them.

Vegan Sweet Potato Brownies

• Prep Time:1 hr 15 mins
• Cook Time:20 mins
• Total Time:1 hr 35 mins
• Servings:20
• Medium

Ingredients

• 2 medium sweet potatoes
• 1/4 cup unsalted almond butter
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2/3 cup flour
• 1/2 cup dark cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips plus more for garnish

• Step 1

  Lay a sheet of foil on the bottom rack of your oven and preheat to 425°F. Scrub the sweet potatoes, then prick 4-5 times and roast on the foil for 45 minutes to an hour, or until soft and almost gooey to the touch. Or, if you're short on time you could use canned or boiled sweet potato, but baking them makes them taste like potato candy, which is non-negotiable in my book.

  

• Step 2

  When the sweet potatoes are done, turn the oven temperature down to 350°F. Let cool for a few minutes, then mash those babies up.

  

• Step 3

  Stir almond butter, melted coconut oil, and vanilla into sweet potato mash.
  
  #SpoonTip: If you don't want to splurge on a whole jar of almond butter, two single-serving packets are equivalent to 1/4 cup.

  

• Step 4

  In a separate bowl, mix flour, cocoa powder, sugar, and salt.

  

• Step 5

  Stir dry ingredients into wet and blend well. The batter will be thick.

  

• Step 6

  Make it rain.

  

• Step 7

  Line a 9x13 baking dish with parchment paper, and spread batter evenly in the pan. If you’re a risk-taker, sprinkle with more chocolate chips and lick the bowl.

  

• Step 8

  Bake for 20 minutes, or until set. Then, enjoy.

  

These vegan sweet potato brownies are decadent, delicious, and packed with nutrients, not to mention less than 10 ingredients. Sounds to me like four terrific reasons to make a pan or two, or six.

If you feel like something a little more traditional, these almond pecan brownies are vegetable-free and prove that not all vegan recipes have to have plants in them. That being said, there are plenty of vegan brownie recipes with crafty ingredients like black beans and avocados, and it's probably a good idea to try them all, you know, for experimental purposes.