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Chocolate and Sweet Potato Brownies with Hazelnuts

March 10, 2018 (Last Updated: December 21, 2024)

Crafted with a handful of wholesome, gluten-free and lectin-free ingredients, these chocolate sweet potato brownies with hazelnuts are both fudgy and decadent, yet nourishing and versatile.

Enjoy it as a breakfast treat or a satisfying dessert—this sugar-free delight tastes like a slice of Nutella and delivers lasting energy to keep you full.

Why We Love These Fudgy Sweet Potato Brownies

This might taste like a decadent dessert, but it’s made with nutritious, whole ingredients. Here are a few reasons this treat is a favorite:

  • Made with Tigernut Flour: This gluten-free, lectin-free, and grain-free flour is a standout for both texture and nutrition. See below for more on why we love baking with it.
  • No Added Sugar or Sweeteners: There’s no need for added sugar in this recipe—nor any sweeteners! The natural sweetness from the sweet potato and tigernut flour does the job perfectly, while a hint of inulin powder adds prebiotic fiber and a touch of extra sweetness.
  • Nutella-Like Flavor: With rich cacao, hazelnut butter, and coconut milk, this brownie has a flavor reminiscent of Nutella, enhanced by the natural sweetness of the sweet potato.
  • Double Chocolate Goodness: The added layer of chocolate frosting makes this an extra-decadent, double-chocolate treat.
  • Nutrient-Dense and Low-Carb: Packed with fiber and micronutrients, this brownie is a healthier choice for dessert, relatively low in carbs yet richly satisfying.
  • Versatile: This recipe is also dairy-free and can be made vegan by skipping the egg and using a couple more tablespoons of sweet potato.
Chocolate and sweet potato brownies

Why Tigernut Flour?

Tigernut flour is one of my favorite flours to bake with, thanks to its unique blend of nutrition and flavor. Despite its name, it’s naturally nut-free (tigernuts are tubers, not nuts!), low in carbs, and packed with prebiotic fiber, which supports a healthy gut. This makes it a great low-carb alternative for those sensitive or allergic to nuts.

This low-calorie flour has a subtle, natural sweetness and a slightly nutty taste, making it a versatile base for sweet baked goods. Rich in micronutrients like iron, potassium, and magnesium, tigernut flour is a nutrient-dense choice that adds depth and texture to recipes without the need for added sugar.

For more tigernut information and recipes, check out my Guide to Tigernut Flour.

Complete List of Ingredients

Dry Ingredients:

  • 1 1/4 cup tigernut flour, packed
  • 1/2 cup organic cacao powder
  • 2 tablespoons inulin powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder

Wet Ingredients:

  • 1 cup mashed sweet potato
  • 1 large pasture-raised or omega-3 egg
  • 1 cup organic full-fat coconut milk (from a can)
  • 6 tablespoons hazelnut butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt

Note: for a vegan version, you can skip the egg and add a couple more tablespoons of sweet potato.

All the ingredients for the chocolate sweet potato brownies

Chocolate Frosting:

  • 2/3 cup (about 80 g) dark chocolate, roughly chopped (use at least 85% cocoa)
  • 1/2 cup full-fat organic coconut milk
  • Optional: 1 tablespoon sweetener, like allulose (or a few drops of stevia, to taste)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Optional: 1/4 cup roasted hazelnuts, peeled and roughly chopped
The ingredients for the chocolate frosting

How to Make Sweet Potato Brownies with Chocolate Frosting and Hazelnuts

Prepare the Oven and Pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line an 8×8-inch (20×20 cm) square baking dish with parchment paper.

Mix the Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine tigernut flour, cacao powder, inulin powder, and baking powder.

Blend the Wet Ingredients: In a blender or food processor, blend mashed sweet potato, egg, coconut milk, hazelnut butter, vanilla, and a pinch of salt until creamy.

The dry and wet ingredients in seperate mixing bowls

Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Pour the wet mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Stir until a thick, homogenous batter forms.

The dry and wet ingredients have been combined in a mixing bowl

Bake the Brownie: Transfer the batter to the prepared baking dish and spread it evenly. Bake for 50–55 minutes, or until the top is set. Let the brownie cool completely before frosting.

The brownie batter in a baking dish

Prepare the Chocolate Frosting: In a small saucepan, heat the coconut milk with the vanilla extract and sweetener until it just begins to simmer. Remove from heat, add the chopped chocolate, and stir until melted and smooth. Allow the mixture to cool slightly.

The chocolate frosting in a small mixing bowl.

Assemble: Once the brownie is cool, spread the frosting evenly over the top. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before cutting into squares and serving. Sprinkle with chopped hazelnuts. 

Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

The chocolate sweet potato brownies topped with chopped hazelnuts

More Gluten-Free and Sugar-Free Desserts

For a collection of sugar-free dessert recipes, check out our Round-Up of 30+ Healthy Dessert Recipes.

If you love brownies, you might like our Keto Avocado Brownies with Hazelnuts (Lectin-Free, Vegan).

*This post contains affiliated links, which means I get a small commission if you choose to purchase something via one of my links, at no extra cost to you.

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Chocolate and Sweet Potato Brownies with Hazelnuts

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Description

Crafted with a handful of wholesome, gluten-free and lectin-free ingredients, these chocolate sweet potato brownies with hazelnuts are both fudgy and decadent, yet nourishing and versatile. Enjoy it as a breakfast treat or a satisfying dessert—this sugar-free delight tastes like a slice of Nutella and delivers lasting energy to keep you full.


Ingredients

DRY INGREDIENTS

  • 1 1/4 cup tigernut flour, packed
  • 1/2 cup organic cacao powder
  • 2 tablespoons inulin powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder

WET INGREDIENTS

  • 1 cup mashed sweet potato
  • 1 large pasture-raised or omega-3 egg
  • 1 cup organic full-fat coconut milk (from a can)
  • 6 tablespoons hazelnut butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt

CHOCOLATE FROSTING

  • 2/3 cup (about 80 g) dark chocolate, roughly chopped (use at least 85% cocoa)
  • 1/2 cup (120 ml) full-fat organic coconut milk
  • Optional: 1 tablespoon sweetener, like allulose (or a few drops of stevia, to taste)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Optional: 1/4 cup roasted hazelnuts, peeled and roughly chopped

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Oven and Pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line an 8×8-inch (20×20 cm) square baking dish with parchment paper.
  2. Mix the Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine tigernut flour, cacao powder, inulin powder, and baking powder.
  3. Blend the Wet Ingredients: In a blender or food processor, blend mashed sweet potato, egg, coconut milk, hazelnut butter, vanilla, and a pinch of salt until creamy.
  4. Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Pour the wet mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Stir until a thick, homogenous batter forms.
  5. Bake the Brownie: Transfer the batter to the prepared baking dish and spread it evenly. Bake for 50–55 minutes, or until the top is set. Let the brownie cool completely before frosting.
  6. Prepare the Chocolate Frosting: In a small saucepan, heat the coconut milk with the vanilla extract and sweetener until it just begins to simmer. Remove from heat, add the chopped chocolate, and stir until melted and smooth. Allow the mixture to cool slightly.
  7. Assemble: Once the brownie is cool, spread the frosting evenly over the top. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before cutting into squares and serving. Sprinkle with chopped hazelnuts. 
  8. Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Notes

For a vegan version, you can skip the egg and add a couple more tablespoons of sweet potato. 

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6 Comments

  • Reply
    Deepa Maria
    October 27, 2024 at 12:40 pm

    Thanks so much for giving vegan alternative Claudia!!! <3 <3 <3

    • Reply
      Claudia
      October 28, 2024 at 10:26 am

      My pleasure! It’s much easier with fudgy cakes like this one, as the texture doesn’t depend on eggs. xx I hope you love it! -Claudia

  • Reply
    Lisa
    May 28, 2020 at 1:25 pm

    These looks amazing! Would canned sweet potato work?

    • Reply
      Claudia
      May 28, 2020 at 3:25 pm

      Hi Lisa, yes, canned sweet potato can always replaces home cooked sweet potato. The canned one might be a little more watery though, so you might have to add some extra flour.

      • Reply
        Lisa
        May 29, 2020 at 2:41 pm

        Thank you! I am going to try these out this weekend. I love sweet potato in brownies/cakes. Just a question based on the minimal amount of sweetener, do you consider this a sweet cake?

        • Reply
          Claudia
          May 31, 2020 at 6:02 am

          Hi Lisa, in general I use minimal amounts of sweetener. To me they feel sweet but only the thought of using 1/2 cup of sweetner in a recipe sickens me, so I don’t know how I can assess the sweetness for others. My tastebuds are very sensitive to the sweet taste so what for me tastes sweet for other might not. However, it is good to make treats less sweet than you are used to, as with time taste buds will adjust. The sweet taste can trigger the same response in our brains as sugar. Dr. Gundry has a chapter about sugar in The Plant Paradox book and a paragraph called “It’s not the sugar, is the sweetness” in which he explains how the brain reacts to the sweet taste (regardless of the source).

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