Brownies With Veggies (Healthy Cosmic Brownies)
on Jan 14, 2025
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These brownies with veggies are moist, fudgy, and perfect for satisfying your sweet tooth. Everything comes together in one bowl for a simple-to-make, decadent treat that will be ready in minutes.
If you ever grew up eating cosmic brownies as a kid, you’d have all the memories of ripping open a plastic wrapper and biting into a rich and fudgy treat. This homemade version packs all of the deep chocolate flavors with crunchy chocolate candy bits made with simple ingredients you likely have right at home. But these aren’t your average brownies – they pack a secret vegetable that gives them the perfect balance of sweetness and texture: sweet potatoes.
If you love these healthy cosmic brownies and are looking for some other chocolate treats to try, you’ll love these healthy brownie cookies, mini chocolate banana brownie muffins, or this chocolate brownie baked oatmeal. They’re all refined sugar-free and the perfect customizable treats!
Table of Contents
What You’ll Need
Here is what you’ll need to make these brownies with veggies:
- Sweet Potatoes: A main source of sweetness for these brownies. Sweet potatoes also provide a thick, fudge texture without needing any flour.
- Peanut Butter: For added flavor and texture in these brownies.
- Almond Flour: For added structure to help the brownies hold their shape.
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: For that chocolatey flavor!
- Maple Syrup: For added sweetness to the brownies. Maple syrup also provides a nice, deep, caramelized flavor.
- Egg: Used as a binder to keep the brownie texture firm.
- Oil: Adds moisture to the brownies. Make sure to use a neutral tasting oil like avocado oil, coconut oil, or extra light tasting olive oil.
- Baking Powder: Leavening agent to help the brownies rise.
- Vanilla/Salt: Used for added flavor and to the enhance sweetness.
- Chocolate Chips/Chocolate Candies: Optional addition for added sweetness and more chocolate flavor.
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Ingredient Substitutions & Additions
- Peanut Butter: The peanut butter adds subtle flavor and fats and can be replaced with almond butter, or sunflower seed butter for a nut-free option.
- Almond Flour: The almond flour may be replaced with 2/3 cup of oat flour. If you don’t have oat flour on hand, simply blend up some old-fashioned rolled oats into a flour consistency!
- Maple Syrup: The maple syrup may be replaced with honey (if serving to a child over the age of 1) or date syrup. Note that honey or date syrup will change the overall taste of the brownies slightly.
- Egg: You may replace the egg with a flax egg. To make a flax egg, combine 3 tablespoons of water with 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed. Let the mixture sit in the fridge for about 15 minutes until it forms a gel-like texture.
- Oil: The oil may be replaced with equal parts melted butter.
- Chocolate Chips: The chocolate chips may be replaced with finely chopped nuts for added texture and crunch!
Step By Step Instructions
STEP 1: Add the mashed sweet potato, peanut butter, maple syrup, egg, oil, and vanilla into a bowl and mix it until it is well combined (Images 1 & 2).
STEP 2: To the same bowl, add in the almond flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt and mix until incorporated (Images 3 & 4).
STEP 3: Add in the chocolate chips and stir them in until combined (Images 5 & 6).
STEP 4: Spread the mixture evenly into a parchment-paper-lined 8-inch by 8-inch baking pan, smoothing the top with a spatula (Image 7). Sprinkle some mini chocolate candies on top if desired. (Image 8) and bake the brownies for 25 minutes, or until the top is firm and a toothpick comes out clean.
Storage Instructions
These brownies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day or in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Tips For Success
- I prefer using oven roasted sweet potatoes because they add so much more depth in flavor. You can bake the sweet potatoes up to 5 days in advance. Poke holes in the potatoes and bake them at 425 degrees F for 40 to 50 minutes or until tender. If you’re in a pinch, you can also microwave the sweet potatoes on high for 6 to 8 minutes, until tender.
- I love sprinkling mini chocolate candies on top for added crunch and for that homemade cosmic brownie vibe, but you can swap these with chocolate chips, chopped nuts, or omit them completely!
- The cocoa powder does contain some caffeine, so be mindful of that when deciding whether to serve to a younger child.
Recipe FAQs
These brownies are fudgy in texture and hold their shape well, but still melt in your mouth with every bite. Make sure to let the brownies cool completely so that they firm up fully before slicing.
Chocolate chips are a classic, but things like mini chocolate-covered candies, finely chopped nuts, and crushed pretzels are great additions!
Other Chocolate Recipes You’ll Love
Chocolate Baked Oatmeal (With Zucchini)
Chocolate Chunk Banana Muffins
Chocolate Strawberry Overnight Oats
Healthy Brownie Cookies
If you tried these Brownies With Veggies please leave a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below! I love hearing from you!
Brownies With Veggies (Healthy Cosmic Brownies)
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup mashed, cooked sweet potato
- ½ cup maple syrup
- ¼ cup natural peanut butter
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp mild tasting oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- ¾ cup almond flour
- ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ cup chocolate chips/mini chocolate candies, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Line an 8-inch by 8-inch baking pan with a sheet of parchment paper (or grease the pan well).
- Add the mashed sweet potato, peanut butter, maple syrup, egg, oil, and vanilla into a bowl and mix it until it is well combined
- To the same bowl, add in the almond flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt and mix until incorporated
- Add in the chocolate chips and stir them in until combined
- Spread the mixture evenly into a parchment-paper-lined 8-inch by 8-inch baking pan, smoothing the top with a spatula. Sprinkle some mini chocolate candies on top if desired.
- Bake the brownies for 25 minutes, or until the top is firm and a toothpick comes out clean.
Notes
- I prefer using oven roasted sweet potatoes because they add so much more depth in flavor. You can bake the sweet potatoes up to 5 days in advance. Poke holes in the potatoes and bake them at 425 degrees F for 40 to 50 minutes or until tender. If you’re in a pinch, you can also microwave the sweet potatoes on high for 6 to 8 minutes, until tender.
- I love sprinkling mini chocolate candies on top for added crunch and for that homemade cosmic brownie vibe, but you can swap these with chocolate chips, chopped nuts, or omit them completely!
- The cocoa powder does contain some caffeine, so be mindful of that when deciding whether to serve to a younger child.
