The Best Vegan Sweet Potato Brownies No Oil (Gluten Free)

Name: Best Vegan Sweet Potato Brownies No Oil (Gluten Free)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 1 cup Sweet Potato Puree; ½ cup Maple Syrup; 2 tablespoons Tahini (heaping); 2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract; ⅓ cup Sorghum flour; ¼ teaspoon Himalayan salt; ½ teaspoon Baking powder; ½ cup Cocao powder (100% cocoa powder)

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Seriously the best vegan sweet potato brownies without oil, that are also gluten-free, though they have been made by others non-gf. Made with sweet potato, maple syrup, and cacao. A healthier treat for the whole family to enjoy.

a stack of three brownies with baking paper in between each one — Best Vegan Sweet Potato Brownies No Oil (Gluten Free)

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Albeit these are oil-free brownies, they are super moist, have the best fudgy texture, and have the right amount of chocolate-ness.
A naturally sweetened vegan dessert to help get on top of those chocolate cravings, just like my persimmon pudding.
This best sweet potato brownies recipe ticks a few free-from boxes - dairy-free, gluten-free, refined sugar-free, corn-free, nut-free, soy-free, and oil-free.
A crowd-winning dessert - seriously everyone will be eating these! Every time I make these, they disappear quickly!
Forget regular brownies these are healthier and use wholesome ingredients. Hidden veggies are always a bonus

Ingredients You’ll Need

all the ingredients laid out to make dairy free gluten free brownies

Here are notes on some of the ingredients, the complete list with measurements, can be found in the full recipe card below.

Sweet potato puree (or plain mashed sweet potato) is easily made by either boiling or steaming orange sweet potato which has a natural sweetness. Adding this main ingredient in is a great way to get some additional nutrition into this treat. Read about the health benefits of sweet potatoes here.

Pure maple syrup - use a good grade organic syrup.

Tahini is a sesame paste, now generally found at any supermarket or your local ethnic grocer, e.g., Middle Eastern. You can substitute this for almond butter, sunflower seed butter or peanut butter

Pure vanilla extract helps to boost the chocolate flavor.

Sorghum flour is a gluten-free flour that is great for baking. It’s usually found in the gluten-free aisle of your local supermarket or buy sorghum flour online here.

Sorghum is an ancient grain boasting a good amount of nutrients. You can substitute with gf all-purpose flour instead.

Cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder. The difference is that cacao is generally 100% cocoa bean, whereas, some cocoa powder has added ingredients (e.g., sweeteners).

You should check this depending on the country you are in. Buy 100% organic cacao powder here.

I also use this ingredient in my ultra-decadent vegan chocolate muffins.

Optional - mix into the batter or top with vegan dark chocolate chips or some flaked sea salt prior to baking.

This recipe was inspired by Broma Bakery.

How To Make Vegan Sweet Potato Brownies

Prepare The Sweet Potato

Cut the orange sweet potato into large chunks and either boil them in water or steam them until soft.

Once they are cooked through (remove them from the water if they were boiled), place them into a colander and let them cool down until they can be handled.

Remove the skin and mash them with a fork or puree them in a food processor. Do not leave any lumps. Set the puree aside.

If you have left over mash, use it in this vegan sweet potato mash recipe.

Combine The Dry Ingredients

In a large mixing bowl (separate bowl) combine all the dry ingredients evenly.

Step 1

combined dry ingredients in a glass bowl

Step 1

Make The Vegan Sweet Potato Brownie Batter

Add in all wet ingredients and fold until a sticky batter comes together.

If you mashed your sweet potato with a fork, there may be chunks, smooth these out with a fork whilst mixing it through the batter.

I don’t mind a little bit of chunk here and there.

adding wet ingredients to dry ingredients in a glass bowl

Step 2

combining all the ingredients in a glass bowl with a black spatula

Step 2

Baking Instructions

Line an 8x8 ” (20x20cm) baking pan with parchment paper (my pan is tapered, at the bottom, it is really 6½x6½" (16½x16½cm), so a smaller baking pan will work too).

Place batter into the lined pan and spread it out into an even layer using a spatula or the back of a spoon, you may need to wet these slightly to help the batter spread.

Bake in a preheated 180C (356F) oven on the middle rack, for 30 minutes.

Allow to cool then cut up into brownie-sized pieces and enjoy.

spread the batter with a black spatula into a glass pan

Pro Tips

Prepare the sweet potato puree prior. I like to have this ready in the fridge, so when the next time comes to making these sweet potato brownies, I can just focus on mixing the ingredients together.

I fluffed, scooped and leveled the measuring cup to measure the flour.

The batter is on the thicker side, use the back of a spoon or a spatula to even out the batter in the tray. Evening out the batter will make sure that these vegan brownies bake evenly.

When the vegan brownies are taken out of the oven, the tops will look a little dry. As they cool down, they will become shiny and moist on top. Trust me these fudgy brownies are so moist and next-level!

Tahini in this recipe is best used when it hasn’t hardened.

four squares of brownies on baking paper with flour and cocao powder on the side

Variations

Additions such as chopped nuts, chopped berries or vegan chocolate pieces and be mixed through the batter prior to baking.

Add a spoonful of instant coffee. This is great for adding depth in flavor. I personally love this.

8 squares of brownies laid on baking paper, one with a bite out of it

FAQ

How can I store my vegan brownies?

Once they have cooled down to room temperature, place any leftover brownies into an airtight container, with a layer of parchment paper in between layers. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Serving Suggestions

Enjoy these with a warm cup of tea, check out this list of fresh herbal teas.

Or for a caffeine hit, try a delicious foam coffee.

3 brownies unevenly stacked on each other on a black wire rack

More Chocolate Recipes

If you enjoyed this vegan brownie recipe, you might also enjoy this easy peanut butter chocolate rice cakes using simple ingredients.

Or try my easy no egg choc chip muffins.

For a healthy raw treat, try my chocolate balls with avocado, aka vegan truffles. A great recipe using natural ingredients.

More healthy cacao snacks? Try these popular chocolate bliss balls no dates, or these pb cocoa balls

Although not chocolate, another plant based no oil gluten-free recipe to try is my vegan oatmeal pancakes.

Did you make this? I'd love to know! Leave me a comment below with a ★★★★★ star rating or tag @plantbasedfolk on social media.

Recipe

Best Vegan Sweet Potato Brownies No Oil (Gluten Free)

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Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Any

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 30

Total Time: 40

Servings: slices

Author: Janelle Hama

Ingredients

1 cup Sweet Potato Puree
½ cup Maple Syrup
2 tablespoons Tahini heaping
2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
⅓ cup Sorghum flour
¼ teaspoon Himalayan salt
½ teaspoon Baking powder
½ cup Cocao powder 100% cocoa powder

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

Cut the orange sweet potato into large chunks and either boil them in water or steam them until soft. Once they are cooked through (remove them from the water if they were boiled), place them into a colander and let them cool down until they can be handled. Remove the skin and mash them with a fork or puree them in a food processor. Do not leave any lumps. Set the sweet potato puree aside.
In a large mixing bowl combine all the dry ingredients.
⅓ cup Sorghum flour, ¼ teaspoon Himalayan salt, ½ teaspoon Baking powder, ½ cup Cocao powder
Add in all wet ingredients and fold together until a sticky batter comes together.
1 cup Sweet Potato Puree, ½ cup Maple Syrup, 2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract, 2 tablespoons Tahini
Line a 8x8" (20x20cm) baking pan with parchment paper (see equipment notes). Place batter into the lined tray/pan and spread out evenly using the back of a slightly wet spoon or spatula. Bake in a preheated 180C (356F) oven for 30 minutes. Allow to cool.

Video

Notes

Use pure cacao powder or 100% cocoa powder with no added sugar.

Avoid using hardened tahini.

Prepare the sweet potato puree prior, this can be made the day before if needed.

Fluff, scoop and level the measuring cup to measure the sorghum flour.

The batter is on the thicker side, use the back of a spoon or a spatula to even out the batter in the tray. Evening out the batter will make sure that these dairy-free brownies bake evenly.

Once the dairy free brownies are taken out of the oven, the tops will look a little dry. As they cool down, they will become shiny and moist on top.

Equipment note - My pan is tapered at the bottom, it is 6½x6½" (16½x16½ cm), so a smaller baking pan will work too. I've linked it below.