Tahini Sweet Potato Blondies

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Plate with a stack of vegan gluten-free tahini sweet potato blondies

Tahini sweet potato blondies are HERE and ready to rock your world. These fudgy, caramelly blondies are studded with melty chocolate chips, and no one will guess the secret ingredient: sweet potato!

Just 1 bowl and 10 ingredients required for these vegan, gluten-free, maple-sweetened treats. Let’s get baking!

Chocolate chunks, almond flour, tahini, coconut oil, gluten-free flour blend, baking powder, salt, maple syrup, vanilla, and roasted Japanese sweet potatoes

How to Make Sweet Potato Tahini Blondies

These decadent yet nutrient-infused bars start with a combo of mashed Japanese sweet potato and maple syrup for natural sweetness. Japanese sweet potato is perfect for blondies thanks to its pale color and lower moisture content!

Pouring tahini into a bowl of maple syrup, sweet potato, and coconut oil

Then it’s time for the second not-so-secret ingredient: tahini! Not only does tahini bring added richness with its creamy texture — it also combines with the sweet potato for a totally amazing flavor explosion. They were basically made for each other!

Using a whisk to combine the wet ingredients

Next, the blondie batter comes together with the addition of our Minimalist Baker Gluten-Free Flour Blend and some almond flour, which provide the perfect balance of soaking up moisture and preventing gumminess. Then, finally, the chocolate chips. Now we’re talkin’!

Rubber spatula in a bowl of chocolate chip blondie batter

A quick trip to the oven (ciao, blondies!) and they’re done. The only thing left to do is decide if you’ll share them, or lie and tell your friends “They’re really not that good” — up to you! We support your decision either way.

Freshly baked batch of sweet potato blondies on a cooling rack

We hope you LOVE these sweet potato blondies! They’re:

Caramelly
Fudgy
Decadent
Satisfying
& Perfectly sweet & salty!

Dunk your blondie in a glass of dairy-free milk and prepare to swoon.

More Nutrient-Packed Sweet Treats

If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo @minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!

Tahini sweet potato blondies cut into squares

Tahini Sweet Potato Blondies

Tahini chocolate chip blondies with a secret healthier twist: sweet potatoes! Undetectably vegan and gluten-free, and made in just 1 bowl!
Author Minimalist Baker
Print
Picking up a sweet potato blondie from a stack
4.85 from 57 votes
Prep Time 50 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings 12 (Blondies)
Course Dessert
Cuisine Gluten-Free, Vegan
Freezer Friendly 1 month
Does it keep? 5-7 Days

Ingredients

  • 2/3 cup mashed Japanese sweet potatoes
  • 2/3 cup maple syrup
  • 1/2 cup tahini (creamy, drippy // find our favorite brands here)
  • 2 Tbsp melted coconut oil (or sub melted vegan butter, avocado oil, or olive oil)
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup MB 1:1 Gluten-Free Flour Blend*
  • 1/4 cup almond flour (we like Wellbee’s)
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or chunks (dairy-free/vegan as needed // we like Enjoy Life)

Instructions

  • To make the sweet potato purée, halve a Japanese sweet potato and brush the cut sides with oil (optional). Add to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake at 375 F (190 C) for ~25-30 minutes or until tender to the touch. Move to one side of the pan and wrap the parchment paper over top to steam. Let steam for 5 minutes. Then peel away skin and mash in a mixing bowl (or food processor). Measure out 2/3 cup. Remove any excess sweet potato from the bowl and save for another recipe or enjoy as a snack!
  • Adjust oven temperature to 350 degrees F (176 C) and line an 8×8-inch baking pan (or similar-size pan) with parchment paper.
  • Return the sweet potato to the mixing bowl and add the maple syrup, tahini, coconut oil, and vanilla extract. Whisk well to combine.
  • Add the gluten-free flour blend, almond flour, baking powder, and sea salt and stir to combine until no flour pockets remain. Fold in the chocolate chips.
  • Transfer batter to your parchment-lined baking pan and spread into an even layer using a spoon or rubber spatula.
  • Bake the blondies on the center rack for 30-35 minutes — they should look golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center should come out mostly clean. Allow the blondies to cool in the pan for 30 minutes.
  • Transfer the blondies to a cutting board and slice. Enjoy warm or at room temperature. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2-3 days, in the refrigerator for up to 5-7 days, or in the freezer for up to 1 month.

Video

Notes

*If using our DIY Gluten-Free Flour Blend or another gluten-free blend, we suggest adding a bit more of it until the dough resembles the texture in the photos.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated without optional ingredients.
*Inspired by our Fudgy Sweet Potato Brownies.

Nutrition (1 of 12 servings)

Serving: 1 blondie Calories: 215 Carbohydrates: 26.6 g Protein: 3.2 g Fat: 11.4 g Saturated Fat: 4.2 g Polyunsaturated Fat: 2.7 g Monounsaturated Fat: 3 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 87 mg Potassium: 160 mg Fiber: 2.2 g Sugar: 15.2 g Vitamin A: 343 IU Vitamin C: 2.1 mg Calcium: 92 mg Iron: 1.7 mg

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  1. ujwal meka says

    I want to make this, but I need a few substitutes. First I want to replace the oil and tahini with sunflower seed butter. Second, instead of MB 1to1 flour can I use a 1/4 cup brown rice flour plus a few tablespoons of potato starch ,flaxseed meal, and oat flour. Last I am hoping to mash a banana in place of sweet potato and sub chopped walnuts in place of chocolate chips. Wanted to check with y’all if this actually could work.

  2. Emily says

    Wow! These are great. My kids love sweet potatoes, and we limit refined sugar, so I thought these would be good to try. Boy, were they ever a hit! I had to cut the kids off after 2 each.

    I replaced half the maple syrup with applesauce, went shy on the chocolate chips, and I only used 1/3 cup tahini because I ran out. We also just have orange sweet potatoes and whole wheat flour, so that’s what I used. They turned out a little cakey, and little fudgy, just the right level of sweetness for an afternoon snack.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad you and your kids enjoyed them, Emily. Thank you for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications! xo

  3. Rachel says

    These have amazing flavor. It probably depends on the tahini you use (I used Living Tree Community Foods Tahini, which has a very light-not intense tahini flavor). I used 1/3 cup of maple syrup instead of the full 2/3 cup amount. I just cannot imagine using the full maple syrup amount, that’s all I’ll warn! Used oat flour instead of gluten free flour and olive oil instead of coconut oil. It worked. Unfortunately I didn’t have baking powder so I used a pinch of baking soda. I was able to cut them into squares although not as perfect looking as the pics above due to my short cuts. I also used a plug in convention oven…def worked with what I had, ha! I’ll absolutely make again. Thanks MB!

  4. Henri says

    Hi the Team
    So happy you answered to me about Almond Flour!

    For baking Brownies or Blondies you always bake on the middle rack?

    Fan oven with blower or traditionnal low and high resistances?

    Because when I put my cakes on the middle it comes golden brown quickly…

    But if I put just under the middle it doesnt bake enough and stay moist and too soft…

    Please can you give me tips?

    Friendly

    Henri 🙂

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi, yes, we do bake on the middle rack and use a conventional oven. If it is coming out brown on the outside and undercooked on the inside, we wonder if maybe you’re using a convection/fan assisted oven. That would cause that to happen!

  5. Dana d. says

    I am honestly blown away by this recipe. Absolutely delicious. All the ingredients work beautifully together. This is a keeper! Thank you!

  6. Izzy says

    This is one of my favorite healthy dessert recipes ever. I’ve made it several times, replacing oat flour for the GF flour. It comes out great (perhaps a bit softer than the original recipe). Perfection :)

  7. Amy says

    So excited about this recipe! They’re currently in the oven, and if the baked product is a fraction as delicious as the batter (couldn’t help myself!) then we are in for some major grins at dessert tonight.
    I had cooked regular sweet potatoes in the fridge – not Japanese – and so I used those, which made the batter this beautiful orangey color, and I’m calling them red-heads instead of blondies :P
    Thanks for the inspo!!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Ha, love it, Amy! We hope they turned out well for you. They may be a bit more fudgy with an orange sweet potato, but hopefully still delicious :)

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Jill, we haven’t tested it that way, but it might work! We would recommend keeping the almond flour and just using all purpose flour in place of the GF blend. Let us know how it goes!

  8. Ida Friedman says

    I made this last night. All three roommates loved it. I’ll make it again. Will try suggestions like using food processor for wet ingredients, reducing sweetner, etc.
    I will be making this again very soon.

  9. michelle says

    I LOVED these. I found these on the best of 2023 list, so thanks for sharing that. The tahini and sweet potatoes combined for a unique flavor. I definitely will be making these again.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Chloe! We haven’t tried doubling this recipe, but another reader has had success with it! We’re not sure how long they should bake, but you could start by adding 5-10 minutes and then checking for doneness at 5 minute intervals! Let us know how it goes if you do some experimenting!

  10. Eleanor says

    Thank you for providing this recipe. Easy and surprisingly tasty. Lovely texture when warm; I haven’t yet tried it cold.
    My variations:
    I used a blend of maple syrup with honey, and a blend of tahini with peanut butter (mainly to keep the cost down, but I find these variations work in other recipes too).
    For the flours I used gluten-free buckwheat flour and coconut flour.
    I added some sweet chestnut puree, just because I happened to have a pack open, and a dessertspoon or so of cacao powder, and I scattered cut pecan nuts over the top.

  11. Crystal says

    I live in Japan and so sometimes there’s recipes on here I just can’t make due to ingredient availability but since this one uses Japanese sweet potatoes I got really excited! But GF flour is very hard to find here. I can find almond flour in very small batches so that’s not a problem, but could I blend some oats to make oat flour to use with this instead of the GF blend? Or is just using all-purpose flour ok? (Japanese flour comes in “strong” and “weak” so it’s not the same as all-purpose, but weak flour is close enough).

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Rae, possibly sunflower seed meal or more gluten-free flour blend. If using more gluten-free blend, the blondies are more prone to being gummy and you won’t need as much of it because it’s more absorbent than almond flour. We’d suggest checking the photos above to get the batter consistency right. Hope that helps!

  12. Sarah says

    Made these and like them! Tahini Q for next time – I have #8 on your reviewed tahinis and it says tahini paste – mix with an equal part water. SO I used 1/4 tahini paste & 1/4 water. Should I have used 1/2 cup tahini paste? Texture seemed like what I was expecting before I mixed with water but the taste seemed too strong. Thanks!

  13. Julien Bakes Vegan says

    Really tasty! I did make some modifications: cut the sweetener down to 1/2 a cup, omitted the oil, and used all-purpose flour in place of the gluten-free flour (almond meal used as written).

    The roasting of the sweet potato as written seemed a bit fiddly, so I just punctured a whole sweet potato, tossed it on a baking sheet, and baked it for an hour till it started oozing. Worked great.

    Overall, the blondies were very moist, not too sweet, and had a nuanced, complex flavor. They tasted rich and decadent, but I didn’t feel like crap after eating them, which was an added benefit :-)

    Will definitely be making this again!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Julien! Thank you for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications!

  14. M. Reyes says

    I’ve made this several times and every time they are delicious! The only substitutions I made was the flours. I can’t have rice or almonds. I used Bob Red Mills Baking flours (red bag) and GF Bob Red Mills Oat flour. Great recipe! ❤️

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad you enjoy the recipe! Thank you for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications! xo

  15. Peach says

    I’ve made this recipe probably 5 times and it’s one of my FAVORITES. I’ve made them with Japanese sweet potatoes and also purple yams (store I got them from had mixed them up by accident) and they’re just divine. I’ve found that putting all the wet ingredients into a food processor to really smooth out the batter makes a big difference with any texture inconsistencies from the sweet potato.

  16. Mariel says

    I’ve made these twice and I’m making again today! I had a long term digestive disorder over the winter and these were one treat I could enjoy (at first without chocolate chips but put those in my family’s side of the blondies!) now I’m able to throw as much chocolate chips in as I want! They are not too sweet but are nutrient dense. A great snack and could be enjoyed with some tea or hot, spicy golden milk. Thank you for this great recipe!

  17. Gem says

    Liked but did not love these. I used all purpose flower instead of the GF blend. The texture and taste of these were both a bit off. Would not make again.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Sorry to hear that, Gem! We haven’t tested them with all purpose flour, so can’t guarantee that didn’t cause a varied result. Is it possible any of your ingredients were old/expired?

  18. Anna says

    My picky 5yo child loves these. Only thing is that I have to bake them for 40-45 minutes. No biggie, these are awesome.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Sorry to hear that, Annie! These have been a reader favorite so far. Do you typically enjoy the taste of tahini? What brand were you using? Is it possible it’s old/rancid? Or did you make any modifications, such as decreasing the sweetener?

      • Eleanor says

        Any recipe with tahini can be a little overwhelming, so I almost always substitute about half the tahini with peanut butter (no added sugar version).

        • L says

          I have had to do same – only because I thought I had more Tahini in my cupboard. So my first ever batch of these is in the oven, made mostly crunchy PB & with regular orange sweet potatoes. Used the full measure of maple syrup & I am hoping they don”t come out too sweet. Fingers crossed.

  19. Teresa says

    I’d like to make these, and a couple of your other recipes, however I have a question. The potato in the photos look like yams, not sweet potatoes; are they actually yams? People tend to get them confused, but the texture is totally different. Sweet potatoes (at least where I am) are lighter in color and are much starchier, they’re like a cross between a russet potato and a yam.

    Thank you

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Teresa, these are called Japanese sweet potatoes. They have a purple skin and a pale yellow center!

  20. Jenna says

    Hi there :) I would love to make this recipe because it looks tasty! Any chance I could sub the Japanese sweet potato for a sweet potato?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Jenna! If you use a regular sweet potato the color will be different and you will probably need a bit more flour!

  21. Alison says

    Love these, making for the 3rd or 4th time. But oh, no, I just realized I’m out of parchment paper! Will greasing the pan serve just as well?

    Thanks!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad you’re enjoying them, Alison! That should work fine! Removing them from the pan might be a bit difficult at first, but they should all come out!

  22. A says

    I tried these and they’re very good. My hus Was skeptical when I told him what’s in them, and then I brought his skepticism up a notch by making date paste to sweeten them instead of maple syrup. I didn’t have any gluten-free flour blend or almond flour, so I just used regular. Mine don’t look as awesome, but they’re really good! Just sweet enough to satisfy a craving.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Woohoo! Thanks so much for the great review and for sharing your modifications, A. So glad you enjoyed!

  23. Debbie Eaton says

    I tried this recipe because I had a few sweet potatoes baked. I have a friend who likes gluten free baked goods. So, thought I would give it a try. I actually doubled the recipe and they turned out delicious with that tang of tahini. Loved them and will make again!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thanks so much for the lovely review, Debbie. We are so glad you enjoyed them! Next time, would you mind leaving a star rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! xo

  24. Chris says

    I just made these and they turned out amazingly! Everyone loves them. The only thing is I would probably add 10 minutes to the cooking time as mine were not golden brown or crispy on the tops.

  25. Renata says

    These came out great. Really tasty and satisfied my cravings for sweets despite not having any sugar. My husband loved and asked me to bake again a week after my first attempt.
    Question: why didn’t mine crisp at all? I didn’t get any browning on the surface.

  26. Lizzy says

    Best. Blondies. EVER. hands down y’all!!! so incredibly perfect in every way. they are so simple and nutritious but also don’t taste like they should be that nutritious which makes them even better. I’ve made them multiple times and sent the recipe to all my friends and family- i promise your taste buds will be dancing. Thank you, minimilast- you bring me joy!

  27. Katarina says

    I know this is a long shot, but do you have any ideas for substituting the tahini? Nut and seed butters tend to disagree with me. Maybe coconut oil or applesauce?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Katarina, more coconut oil might work! Probably 1/4-1/3 cup total. We think applesauce would make them too gummy. Let us know if you do some experimenting!

  28. Lauren says

    I baked these and they came out delicious even though I was poorly prepared and had to make a few substitutes. I used all-purpose flour instead of the GF mix (although I did use almond flour where the recipe called for). And I ran out of maple syrup so I used some honey but only half off the total amount. These were the perfect dessert for our dinner party and our guests even asked to take some with them. Can’t wait to try this again!

  29. Jane M. says

    What a surprisingly delicious dessert. This recipe is a keeper. I took a short cut due to time and microwaved the sweet potato. I’ve never had a Japanese sweet potato before but I’m in love with them now. The only issue I had was it was still uncooked at 30 minutes & cooked another 15 minutes. Thank you for a fantastic healthier treat.

  30. Victoria M says

    I’ve been waiting on an uncomplicated gf blondie recipe and this one delivers! Really like the clever use of the white fleshed Japanese sweet potato to keep the colour blonde. The tahini I used was rather strongly flavoured, but overall these tasted great!

  31. Jennifer says

    These blondies are outstanding! I was a little worried I wouldn’t be able to get my hands on Japanese sweet potatoes, but scored some at my local Whole Foods. I forgot to cover them after baking to steam for easy skin removal, but they still peeled right off. Used Trader Joe’s brand tahini, King Arthur Flour brand gf all-purpose baking mix, super fine almond flour and they’re SO GOOD! Kudos!

  32. ANDREA says

    You had me at Japanese sweet potato and tahini! Two amazing flavors that go so well together to make a caramelly-sweet, gooey treat. I’ve never tried blondies before because it feels like I am cheating on chocolate. Not the case here, they are satisfying, intriguing and tasty. Freezing the rest for a party to serve to my guests with gluten allergies. Thank you!

  33. Alison says

    I have made these twice, and they turned out delicious both times! And no one could believe they were vegan. I was happily surprised to find Japanese sweet potatoes in my regular grocery store; I thought they might be tough to get ahold of.

    I will definitely make these again (and again, and again….). Thank you!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Yay! Thanks so much for the lovely review, Alison. We’re so glad you’re a fan of this recipe! xo

  34. Phil says

    Someone shared this recipe on social media, so I decided to give it a try considering my family has recently made a commitment to be more gluten-free and these sounded very unique and easy to make. I also particularly love Japanese Sweet Potatoes, so this recipe stood out to me.

    I followed everything to a T, with the only variation being that I used chocolate chips instead of chunks, and Bob’s Red Mill GF flour blend and BRM Almond Flour instead of Wellbee’s. The end result was an awful gooey wet MESS. After 35 minutes, they were hardly cooked at all. I even baked them for over a FULL HOUR in my oven, and they still would not cook through. I measured every ingredient exactly as listed and double-checked my measurements. I ended up having to toss the whole pan right into the compost. Not sure how it turned out so badly for me, but I can’t recommend it. We use only the absolute highest quality ingredients at our home kitchen, and we have a good quality oven as well. I bought the organic potatoes at my local Coop, for $3 EACH. I used a glass 8×8 Pyrex dish lined with parchment paper, just as recommended in the instructions. The only thing I can think of is that maybe it needs a little less coconut oil and maple syrup, to try and get a drier more cakey texture. I’m not a professional by any means, but I’ve done my fair share of baking and this was a massive disappointment

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Phil, we’re so sorry you had a negative experience with it. This recipe has been a reader favorite so far and we’d love to help troubleshoot what might have gone wrong! Did you use the Bob’s Red Mill all-purpose GF flour (red bag) or Bob’s Red Mill 1-1 GF baking flour (blue bag)? Did you add more of it (per the notes section) until it resembled the photos?

  35. Anne-Marie says

    I made several modifications, due to not having some ingredients on hand, and it was still a 5-star recipe. I’d never thought of using tahini for something sweet but this worked beautifully! I used a regular sweet potato with orange flesh, all-purpose flour (about one Tbsp more than called for in the recipe, per other reader’s comments about using more flour when using a regular sweet potato), and for the sweetener I used half maple syrup and half brown sugar, unpacked. Everyone enjoyed this, and it did not taste like a bland, healthy blondie, but a decadent one.

  36. Andie says

    One word. EPIC!

    My family devoured these, and I will say that this is probably one of the few desserts that I have made where I literally can’t stop thinking about them and find myself constantly picking at them in the pan, lol!

    I did omit the oil, as we try to be as oil free as possible, and it worked just fine. Just be sure your tahini is runny. I also was out of MB Flour, so I used Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 with no issues.

    We’ve already made these several times, and I just pulled a pan out of the oven for Super Bowl festivities tomorrow!

    Thanks for another winner!

  37. Claire says

    MB team, you’ve done it again! My husband and I adore the sweet potato brownies and when I found Japanese white sweet potatoes at the farmers market last weekend, I knew exactly what I was going to I make!

    It worked perfectly with 30g almond flour and 70g all purpose flour. I reduced the maple syrup to 1/2 cup, which probably contributed to the thicker texture. The texture is nice and chewy.

  38. Caroline says

    OMG THESE WERE INCREDIBLE! Caramel-y, perfectly sweet, and 100% worth the effort of roasting a Japanese sweet potato ahead of time. These were devoured in 2.5 days as both myself and my partner (not plant based and tends to eat traditional sweets) loved them and could not stop at just one. Another 5 star Minimalist Baker recipe that I’ll be making again and again!

  39. Kate says

    Before I made this I read the comments and saw someone call the recipe, “genius”. I concur – this recipe is so smart and turned out amazing! I used whole wheat pastry flour instead of gluten free flour. The texture and flavor of these are delicious. Highly recommend!

  40. Caitríona says

    Another genius recipe concept!
    I left the skins on the sweet potatoes, made date syrup to replace the maple syrup, used almond & coconut butters instead of oil, puréed all that with enough hot water, used fresh-ground whole spelt flour instead of gf flour…and it still worked! Delicious, thank you!
    xCaitríona

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Amazing! Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Caitríona!

      • Caitríona says

        The way I do it is to put freshly chopped, pitted dates (mine are Deglet Nour, drier than Medjool, but cheaper, and absolutely fine for this) in a small bowl or jar, pour over very hot water (being careful not to shatter the jar!) to just cover, let soak for 5 minutes or so, then blend (in the bowl/jar) with an immersion blender.

        Actually, though, for these blondies, I just put the soaked dates plus their soaking water in the bowl with the tahini, baked sweet potatoes (and almond & coconut butters) and a little extra hot water and immersion blended in that bowl before folding in the dry ingredients.
        (What I save on dish-washing afterwards I more than make up for in mental gymnastics beforehand! But it all works out in the end!)

  41. Rachel says

    These are great and pretty easy to make. My only quibble was that they were too sweet for my taste, so next time I would halve the maple syrup. That might be because I used different sweet potatoes. My only substitution was using purple sweet potatoes (I couldn’t find Japanese sweet potatoes) and boiling, draining, and drying them so they would not be too moist. They came out a pleasing purple color.

  42. Bruna says

    I made this twice already! First time with Purple Sweet Potatoes, that’s what I had available, and second time with the Japanese Sweet Potato. I also didn’t have Tahini, so used cashew butter, and I’m allergic to Almonds, so I replaced the flour with Bob’s Redmill 1 to 1 GF flour and Coconut flour.
    Despite being more of a purple hue Blondie… the Purple Sweet Potato was way tastier than the Japanese Sweet Potato one. I thing the texture of roasted Purple Potatoes is perfect for baking and I recommend it over any other kind in baking goods, including you Sweet Potato Brownie recipe, Dana.
    Overall, delicious recipe, it’s my go to now.

  43. Krishna says

    A great recipe idea. I halved the quantities and made a few changes as follows to make them a bit less sweet and to use the ingredients I had at hand:
    – Microwaved the sweet potato then pureéd it in a food processor
    – Used 1/4 cup sorghum flour in place of the gluten-free flour
    – Used 1 tbsp each chickpea flour and rice flour in place of the almond flour
    – Used jaggery for sweetening and added only 2 tbsp
    – Added 3 tbsp of non-dairy milk to compensate for the lack of liquid due to not using maple syrup

    I baked them for about 27 mins and they taste exactly like described. They are very delicious eaten slightly warm.

  44. The Vegan Goddess says

    I made these last night and they are super delicious! I made it with regular sweet potatoes because that’s what we had. Such a great combination of flavors!

    The only caveat for me was that it was not firm enough. I made it with gf flour as stated in the recipe but I’ll have to add more flour next time for a better texture. So, I’m giving it four stars because I have to remember to adjust the flour.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi, we’re glad you enjoyed them overall! A Japanese sweet potato is more starchy which will contribute to a more firm texture. If you can get your hands on one, we’d recommend that for best texture. Adding more flour can make them gummy.

    • Jamie says

      Appreciate this review as I usually just have regular sweet potatoes on hand, and thanks to this, I’ll add a bit of extra flour.

      Respectfully, I would consider giving it five stars, though; MB depends on reviews and if you dock a star due to using a different ingredient than recommended, it messes up the overall score of the recipe, which may end up turning off potential bakers unnecessarily. I think MB is too nice to say this, which is why I’m piping up. :)

  45. cherie blair says

    you have many awesome recipes, i would like to save them to to my minimalist baker account to refer to at a latter time. i am not sure how to save and access them again.

    thank you cherie

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Cherie, it looks like that feature is down at the moment. So sorry for the inconvenience. Thank you for letting us know and we’ll look into it ASAP.

  46. Joanna Persaud says

    I’ve never seen Japanese sweet potatoes in grocery stores. Would regular sweet potatoes work? Obviously they would no longer have the “blonde” colour lol

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Joanna, you could try using regular sweet potato! You just might need to add a bit more flour!

  47. Rumy says

    Another great sweet recipe! Very easy and quick to prepare and the blondies are AMAZING! They combine a few of my favorite ingredients: tahini,sweet potatoes, maple syrup,almond flour and chocolate.
    I baked the potato in the microwave and had to bake the blondies 20 additional minutes in the oven,but that is expected considering our high elevation and low outside temperature.
    Dana,
    Thank you so much for your continuous creativity!!!

  48. Ellie Rivkin says

    HOLY COW THESE ARE PERFECTION!! I chose this recipe for a sweet treat that had super low/no sugar and man did it deliver. The smell was incredible while mixing together, so nutty and creamy. I used mini chocolate chips and added some chopped walnuts on top. I used Bob’s Red Mill GF Flour as written and the final texture was soooo good. Perfect amount of chewy with crispy edges. Well done, as always, MB!

  49. Margie says

    This recipe (Tahini, Sweet Potato Blondies) is SO UNBELIEVABLY DELICIOUS. They taste like butterscotch. I am really having so much difficulty not eating the whole pan. I am beyond impressed Dana!! Soooooo yummy–like every single one of your recipes. THANK YOU!!

  50. Fonda says

    Hello, I am sugar- free and maple syrup is too sweet for me. When I need a sweetener such as in tea, I use local honey. Since sweet potatoes tend to be plenty sweet for me, would I need to add in the maple syrup? If so, what could I substitute for it?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Fonda, we don’t think the sweet potato will be sweet enough for this recipe without a sweetener because of the tahini and flours. You could try adding half of it and see if it’s the right flavor for you! The maple syrup also gets the blondies to the right consistency. Hope this helps!

  51. Allison says

    Hi Dana! I made these yesterday. I love one bowl recipes and the addition of sweet potato. Super fudgy and decadent! The only addition I would make is flaky sea salt to top the blondies. Thank you for sharing!

  52. cathy anderson says

    Saw this recipe pop up in Instagram while my hubby was driving us home after grocery shopping. Got home. Baked a purple sweet potato immediately. Felt like it was meant to be, had all the ingredients on hand. SO good. Really soft but not in a mushy way. I used AP flour in place of GF and didn’t have quite enough maple syrup so i made up the missing maple with date syrup. Made the brownies a little darker than blonde, more like a blonde with major roots showing but delicious all the same. Will for sure make again. think I would add a little extra salt next go but only bc I like the salty sweet thing very much. THANK YOU! 16 year old son approval

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Ha, blondies with roots! Amazing! Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Cathy!

  53. Nicki says

    I saw your post on Instagram about this recipe and immediately saved it to try this weekend – I am SO pleased! Granted, I love all of the ingredients individually, so I might be biased, but this is such a satisfying, wholesome dessert. I removed it from the oven when it was just cooked, but next time I’ll leave it in to brown up a little bit more, as the outsides had the beginning of a lovely crispy crunch. Thanks for this one!

  54. Ashley says

    I’m thinking of making these next week for my co-workers. Do you think I could replace the maple syrup with brown sugar and add non-dairy milk to aid the consistency?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Ashley! We haven’t tried it but we think the brown sugar should work, we would suggest only adding the non-dairy milk at the end as needed! The brown sugar should melt into a liquid when combined with the other ingredients. Let us know how it goes!

  55. Bea says

    I love it when you post an intriguing recipe and I have all of the ingredients! I made these with a purple Japanese sweet potato. Used half the sweetener and unsweetened chocolate chips; they are plenty sweet. If I were to use sweetened chocolate chips, I’d use even less maple syrup. The texture is like fudgy brownies, and so super yummy….kinda dangerous! Thanks for another winner!

  56. Mandi Michielsen says

    I made these yesterday, by chance our local grocery had the white flesh sweet potatoes! I made it with white flour and reduced the maple syrup to my taste. I didn’t care for them while they were still warm, but now that they are cooled off I can’t stop eating them. Will be making these again!

  57. Lisa says

    I made this recipe last night and my husband and I both loved it.
    I used Bob’s 1/1 gluten free flour and added a little bit extra and it turned out perfect.
    Thank you for such a wonderful recipe!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hey Jenna! We think it might make the blondies a little too moist. If you try it, we suggest adding a bit more of both flours to reach the right consistency, (check out the photos and video above to gauge that)! If you do try it, let us know how it goes!

  58. Karin says

    Made these but with regular sweet potatoes as my WF didn’t have the Japanese which I think are also a little dryer in texture. Wonder if that made a difference as I found them too moist after cooking for 40 min & also wonder if leaving them in the pan for less than 30 min would make a difference too. I liked that they weren’t too sweet & were easy to make.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Karin! It’s definitely the regular sweet potato that made them too moist! Next time we would suggest using a bit more flour to make them closer to the right texture! Thanks for sharing. xo

  59. Jess says

    Hello-I’m entirely grain free and would love to make these…can you suggest an alternative for the GF flour? Thanks!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Jess. We haven’t tried these grain-free and can’t guarantee results, however, you could try adding a bit more almond flour and some cassava flour. The texture might be a bit different, but it might work! Let us know if you try it. xo

  60. Darlene says

    I’m not concerned with GF so I used AP flour along with the almond flour as recommended. The brownies were on the gummy side but the taste was very good and not to sweet. I’m not sure where I went wrong.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Darlene, glad you enjoyed the flavor! Did you use the same amount of all-purpose flour as listed for the gluten-free flour? Also what kind of sweet potato did you use?

  61. Ab2023 says

    Tried this recipe today . Turned out well but I ran into a few issues :

    1) the mixture was so thick and solid it would not move / mix. I used Soom tahini and I see that’s one of the recommended ones . The tahini was also very solid so I had to use a lot of arm muscle and added sesame oil from the tahini box (as I imagined if that lump were creamy it would be more blended w it’s own oil) plus 2 tbsp more coconut oil and 3 tbsp water, to get consistency somewhat mixable. Eventually it was nowhere near as beautifully creamy as the video and somehow was wrestled with and smoothened out.
    2) I used honey for the sweetener and only about half of the prescribed quantity and it was plenty sweet.

    The end product is soft and delicious however I’m wondering what I could do better next time if I don’t want it as sweet as the recipe suggests but still creamy and nice like in the video .

    If it matters, I was using Cup4cup gf flour.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad they turned out in the end! Tahini should be very drippy to begin with for best results. We suggest stirring the jar VERY well when you first open it to ensure the oil and the solid part of the tahini is combined, they separate naturally. Honey will also make the mixture thicker than maple syrup and possibly sweeter!

    • Mandi Michielsen says

      Mine was also very think (perhaps since I reduced the maple syrup in mine). I oiled a spatula to smoosh it down and smooth it in the pan.

      • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

        Hi Mandi! Great catch, the maple syrup does help them get to the right consistency! Thanks for sharing. xo

  62. Jamie says

    Hello, so excited for this recipe!
    Would oat flour be an appropriate substitution for the gf flour blend?
    Thank you!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Jamie! We think oat flour might make these a little too gummy, but it could work! Let us know if you give it a go. xo

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Gemma! We think whole wheat flour might be too absorbent for this recipe and leave you with a crumblier blondie. However, all-purpose flour should work!

  63. KAREN WITEK says

    Hi
    Can I use tapioca flour instead of GF flour as I cant have any of plan or GF flours would it still work
    Karen W

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Karen, we wouldn’t recommend using just tapioca flour – it would likely be gummy. If you can make your own GF blend, that would be the next best option. Otherwise, maybe oat flour or brown rice flour would be okay, but we can’t guarantee the result will be the same.

  64. Niyah Love says

    Hello!
    I just have a question…
    Would it be okay if I use a regular potato (instead of sweet potato), and if so, what substitutions would I need to make?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Sheryl, almond flour helps keep these from getting gummy. However, you could try using a bit more gluten-free flour. You most likely will use a little bit less! We suggest checking the photos above to get the batter consistency right!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Jessica! We suggest replacing the gluten-free flour with all-purpose flour and keeping the almond flour the same if possible!

  65. Debby says

    I’m definitely planning on making this. Not gluten-free, but would prefer to use the almond flour & oat flour or chickpea flour or whole wheat pastry flour. Which of those 3 do you recommend? If none of them–I’ll use all-purpose flour. Thanks!!! Looks SO GOOD!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Debby! We suggest using all-purpose flour in place of the gluten-free flour and keeping the almond flour the same! We hope you enjoy! xo

  66. Almond buttter addict says

    DANA!!! This recipe looks amazing. The only thing is… I don’t have access to Japanese sweet potatoes (which, I understand, are integral for providing that nutty, delicate, rich flavor) and only the regular orange general grocery store ones. Tips on how to best sub reg sweet potatoes? Use less so they don’t over power?

    xoxo your largest fan!!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hello! You could try using regular sweet potatoes! We think the final taste and texture will be a little bit different, think fudgier and definitely more orange! Let us know if you try it! xo

    • Michele says

      If you roast an orange sweet potato long & slow-350 for 1-1/2 hrs depending on size (whole, poke steam holes) until collapsed & oozing caramel, you will get as sweet or more than Japanese sweet potatoes, just lacking that slight floral note.
      Also, really roasting a dense winter squash like butternut or kabocha can achieve similar texture & sweetness
      Btw, Trader Joe’s always has the Japanese sweet potatoes in winter

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Jennie! Coconut flour would be too drying in this one! The next best sub for almond flour is cashew flour or you could try adding a bit more gluten-free flour, the texture will be slightly different. We recommend checking out the photos of the batter above for texture

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Colleen! A regular sweet potato will change the color and the texture will be slightly fudgier, but it should work!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Carrie! An orange sweet potato would change the color and the texture will be a bit more fudgy, but it should work!

  67. Jen says

    Do you think I could leave out the oil altogether and maybe just add an additional 2 Tbsp of tahini? I never use any oil (especially not coconut oil) in my cooking.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Jen! We much preferred the texture with oil, but it should work with extra tahini! Let us know if you try it. xo

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Joanne! We think the best result would be to substitute all-purpose flour for the gluten-free flour blend 1:1 and leave in the almond flour as is. However you might be able to substitute all-purpose flour for both, you will just need a bit less. We suggest checking the batter consistency in the photos to get it right!

  68. Carly says

    If not gluten free do you think it would work to just use regular AP flour+almond flour? Would you use less or same amount?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Carly! We think the best result would be to substitute the gluten-free flour blend for all-purpose flour 1:1 and leave in the almond flour as is. However you might be able to substitute all-purpose flour for both, you will need a bit less. We suggest checking the batter consistency in the photos to get it right!