These Coconut Oil Brownies with Maple Roasted Sweet Potato are a decadent, but healthier, way to get that chocolate hit! They're a decadent and delicious vegetable dessert.
Sweet potatoes go so well with cinnamon that I thought I'd roast them in spice and sweet, gloopy maple syrup. They turned out magical. I could have eaten them as a treat on their own, but I haven't baked cake in ages so... coconut oil chocolate brownies with maple-roasted sweet potato chunks. You can't taste the potato, but the cinnamon flavour comes through and the coconut oil instead of butter gives these brownies a lovely cakey texture with that classic brownie-esque crispy top.
So sit with me a moment. Let's relax together. Let's eat brownies.
I can't breathe. Sometimes life just seems so busy, so hurried.
My mind is like a bullet train going nowhere and I want to get off, or at least sit down with a cup of tea and a newspaper, but nobody will give me a seat.
Maybe it's leaving my job to go part-time.
Perhaps it's that we've just moved into a beautiful Victorian house that needs a LOT of work.
Maybe it's that I need to calm down and write more to-do lists out, perhaps go and find an early-blossoming rose and smell it.
Whatever it is, I just don't feel like I can fully relax.
I'm sure many of you feel the same. I take comfort in that.
Often I bake to relax, but our new house has The World's Worst Kitchen® (officially recognised), so until the new one is built it isn't the most relaxing of pastimes. I need another outlet. I need life without a four-page to-do list. Maybe a massage.
I baked these cakey, chocolatey brownies with the kids. In a rubbish kitchen. Not relaxing. The flour flew, the kids fought over who got to stir first and the cleanup was rather excruciating. But the brownies turned out great, the kids were entertained and I was able to feed them brownies long enough to take a few pictures before the sun went down.
Vegetable desserts
Have more sweet potato to use up? Try one of these veggie recipes!
Parsnip, Maple and Nutmeg Cake with Sweet Potato and Ginger Icing
Sweet Potato and Fresh Ginger Protein Balls
Chocolate Covered Beets and Sweet Potatoes with Lavender Beet Salt
I've FINALLY set up a Facebook page for VeggieDesserts. Please 'like' it!
📖 Recipe
Coconut Oil Brownies with Maple Roasted Sweet Potato
Ingredients
For the sweet potatoes
- 1 small sweet potato peeled and cubed (2 cups)
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
For the brownies
- 5 tablespoons coconut oil
- ¾ cup (145g) granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¾ cup (85g) plain (all-purpose) flour
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- large pinch of salt
Instructions
For the maple-roasted sweet potatoes
- Preheat oven to 150C/300F.
- In a shallow baking dish, melt the coconut oil. Add the cubed sweet potatoes and carefully stir to coat. Drizzle with the maple syrup, sprinkle with the ground cinnamon and coat.
- Bake, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes or until soft but not browned. Set aside.
For the coconut oil brownies
- Preheat oven to 160C/325F. Grease and line a shallow 8x8” square baking tray.
- In a saucepan, or in a microwave, melt the coconut oil then stir in the sugar until it dissolves. Allow to cool slightly.
- In a large bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt and cinnamon together.
- Lightly beat the eggs with the vanilla in a cup and then mix into the coconut oil. Stir the coconut mixture into the flour mixture. Add the sweet potato cubes and gently combine.
- Spoon mixture into the prepared pan and spread into the corners. Bake for 25 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Cool in the tin for a few minutes and then cool completely on a wire rack. Cut into squares when cool.
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors, so is not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietician for special diet advice.
Elizabeth
Beautiful! Absolutely beautiful! You never fail to wow me with your recipes - every single one of them!
Fiver Feeds
Brownies are always a good idea. This seems like an interesting recipe, will give it a try.
Helen @ Fuss Free Flavours
These look just amazing Kate! I love the little pieces of bright orange sweet potato! Stunning. Thank you for linking up to both Credit Crunch Munch and ExtraVeg
EmilyLeary
They looks seriously delicious. And high five that you still manage to bake and shoot to an amazing standard, even amongst the chaos. x
Kate Hackworthy
Thanks Emily! I'm surprised I managed anything at all!
laura_howtocook
I can't believe you cooked something as good as this even when you are in chaos, you have made these brownies look so tempting. The flavour of sweet potato roasted with maple syrup sound incredible. I hope things get easier of you x
Kate Hackworthy
THings are definitely getting a bit better. I just needed to wallow in a bit of blog self-pity!
Gina
Looks really delicious
Kate Hackworthy
Thank you for commenting, Gina.
Katie Bryson (@cookingkt)
Sweet potato is one of my all-time favourite ingredients... so beautiful roasted in chunks. I love the look of your sweet potato bejewelled brownies... and I bet they taste incredible too!
It sounds like life isn't giving you much breathing space at the moment... that was like me just before we moved up North... i'm now in that weird no man's land where we're staying with relatives until we get into our new house... i'm trying to enjoy the relative calm, but can't help feeling powerless as there's not much I can do about things until we get into our house... but then no doubt i'll be in your position of too many to-do lists and too little time!
Thanks for sharing your delicious recipe and I hope things calm down a bit for you over the weekend xxx
Kate Hackworthy
Oh dear, your limbo sounds pretty awful. Hopefully it's all smooth sailing with your house. The worst part is changing addresses with a MILLION companies! Enjoy the north, Katie!
Sarah Trivuncic, Maison Cupcake
Wow those look amazing. I've been hearing about sweet potato brownies lately and dying to invent my own version. Hadn't imagined any with orange chunks but they look fantastic.
Kate Hackworthy
I can't wait to see your version, Sarah!
[email protected]
Poor you with a terrible kitchen. I have been there and it is harder than people would think. At least you can still produce gorgeous food, even if it isn't the most relaxing of activities. Book that massage! And oh! GREAT LOOKING BROWNIES!!
Kate Hackworthy
Thanks Kellie! I need a Mother's Day massage. 🙂
Maya
My mother in law made these last night, oh my, they were sooo good! The kids also loved them 🙂 thanks for a great recipe and good luck with your kitchen and house 🙂 It´s really frustrating when you have a kitchen you don´t like to cook and bake in. I also like to cook and bake, but the atmosphere and everything in the kitchen is so important to thrive!
M.
Kate Hackworthy
I'm absolutely delighted that you enjoyed them! Thanks for the lovely comments. I can't wait for a nice kitchen.
Kimberly-Ann
I am so enjoying the recipes that you create. I just happen to have some sweet potatoes on hand and some coconut oil fresh from Costco. The colour of the chocolate brownies and the sweet potatoe look beautiful I'm going to mash the sweet potatoes and swirl them through the brownie. You have my permission to lock yourself in a closet with a cup of tea and a cookie for dunking and when you're finished give your kidlets a squeeze, count your blessings and carry on as only women can.
Rachel
Just curious how mashing the sweet potatoes and swirling into the batter worked out? I was unsure about the chunks but worried mashing or purée-ing them would affect the texture of the brownies. Thanks!
Kate Hackworthy
Oooh, I'd love to know how the mashing worked, too.
Kate Hackworthy
That's the sort of talk I need. I have to get myself a grip! THanks!
superfitbabe
This would taste great with brown rice flour! OMG, soooooo good!
Kate Hackworthy
I haven't tried brown rice flour. I'll have to give it a go!
fabfood4all
Sweet potato in a chocolate brownie sounds fabulous! Glad I'm not the only one who feels like they would like everything to be less frantic. Good luck with you kitchen and fab brownies without a proper one! Thanks for entering #creditcrunchmunch:-)
Kate Hackworthy
Thanks Camilla, and thanks for running #creditcrunchmunch !