Sweet Potato Blondies - Vegan + Gluten-Free

This dessert is so moist and decadent it's hard to believe it has sweet potatoes in it! It is so good we had it for dessert last night and breakfast this morning with a latte. :)​

These are shockingly scrumptious and almost fudge like. A blond brownie with ingredients picked with lots of love. It is hard not to go back for more. I personally love the corner pieces.

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The ingredients and flavor couldn't be more timely for the upcoming winter. If you can share... it would be a great treat for all to enjoy! We'll surely be making more and until then I'll be dreaming of them.

Total Time: 35 Minutes | Prep Time: 15 Minutes | Cook Time: 20 Minutes | Servings: 12-15+ Bars

Ingredients:

• 1 cup gluten-free all purpose baking flour (Like Hodgson Mill or homemade)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 cup coconut butter*
• 1/2 cup coconut palm sugar 
• 1/4 cup mashed banana or 1/4 cup mashed sweet potato
• 1/3 cup almond butter or preferred nut/seed butter
• 1 cup peeled, cooked and mashed sweet potatoes (about 1 large sweet potato)*
• 1/4 cup hot water
• 4 medjool dates
• 2 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• oil to coat the pan or use parchment paper
• OPT: 10 cacao butter wafers - chopped or chocolate chips/chunks!

Peaceful Preparation: 

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, lightly grease a 9 x 13 pan or use parchment paper.
2. Place the gluten-free flour, baking powder, baking soda and sea salt in a large bowl and mix well.
3. In a small bowl combine the melted coconut butter and palm sugar and mix well. Add the mashed banana, almond butter, mashed sweet potato and mix. Blend the hot water and medjool dates in a food processor or blender and add to the wet ingredients along with the vanilla and cinnamon. Mix until smooth and creamy.
4. Slowly incorporate the wet to the dry and mix well until thoroughly combined.
5. Transfer to the prepared 9 x 13 pan. I found once it was in the pan, placing plastic wrap over my hand and gently spreading out the dough made it smooth and easy to work with. Opt to top or mix in the cacao butter pieces for hints of white chocolate or chocolate chips. I've done both, and neither, it's all good. Bake 18-20 minutes until a toothpick comes out with a little bit of crumbs. Let it cool for 10 minutes and dig in!

Notes:

• Boil the sweet potato or steam for 20 minutes and then mash. It is also wonderful with a baked and mashed sweet potato. 
• Coconut butter is easier on your digestive system than coconut oil as it contains the fibers, both work well in this recipe. 
• Coconut Palm Sugar is the boiled and dehydrated sap of the Coconut Palm with a lower glycemic index score of 35 vs. table sugar at 65 to 70. I LOVE the brown sugar taste the coconut palm sugar added to this treat. You could substitute this for agave or dried fruit. I did not test this but based on my experience I think it would work.
• Adapted and Inspired from: The Tolerant Vegan 

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From my kitchen to yours,
Christa

UPDATE 2016: I re-made these in a 9 x 13 pan after feedback, and they are perfect! The recipe has been updated to reflect this. In this version I subbed the mashed banana with more mashed sweet potato, used coconut oil as I didn't have the butter, and was out of cacao wafers so passed and added chocolate chips to half. They were GORGEOUS! Baked quicker than 20 minutes, were the consistency of a perfect brownie yet blonde. My husband and I LOVE THESE!!! They are incredibly hard not to eat. The 9 x 13 yields much more bars so it is technically less calories! Yeah! Enjoy!