Butternut Squash Brownies

These Butternut Squash Brownies are fudgy healthy brownies made with squash puree as a healthy addition, which turns the texture of these brownies ultra fudgy. They are also gluten-free, dairy-free, and refined sugar-free.

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I think I am in love with adding vegetables to brownies. I have made so many in the past, like my vegan gluten-free zucchini brownies that are super moist, my vegan sweet potato brownies, or my avocado brownies that are on the fudgy side.

Today, I chose to turn my fresh butternut squash into brownies, inspired by my previous brownie recipe, and the result was terrific. It’s so chocolatey, fudgy, and easy to put together in 10 minutes.

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Butternut Squash – Cooked, pureed, and cooled to room temperature. You can also use sweet potato puree or pumpkin puree if preferred.
• Peanut Butter or almond butter. Make sure you are using a fresh jar. Stir well before measuring the nut butter to combine the oil that stays on top of the jar with the bottom of the jar.
• Coconut Oil – or avocado oil. The oil adds a fudgy texture but you can also use almond milk for an oil-free option.
• Almond Flour – You can also use sunflower seed flour or sesame flour for a nut-free option. I also tried oat flour only, but the texture is drier so it’s not my favorite option.
• Oat Flour – I use a combination of oat flour and almond flour because both create the perfect texture. Almond flour adds moisture and oat flour firms up the batter.
• Baking Powder – for a little rise.
• Dark Chocolate Chips – if you are after an extra sweet chocolate flavor.
• Maple Syrup is my go-to refined sugar-free sweetener. It adds a chewy, fudgy texture to brownies. You can also use agave or coconut nectar or any liquid sweetener you have on hand.
• Vanilla Extract for a boost of flavor
• Almond Milk or any plant-based milk
• Unsweetened Cocoa Powder or raw cacao powder. My tip is to not over-pack the measuring cup or you would end up with too much cocoa powder, resulting in crumbly dry brownies.

Preparation

1. First, cook the butternut squash. Peel and trim the edges of the butternut before deseeding it and cutting it into cubes.
2. Place the cubes in a large pot and cover with cold water. Place a lid on top, bring to medium-high heat, and bring water to a boil. Cook for 10 minutes or until the veggies are fork-tender.

3. Drain over a sieve for 30 minutes, then pack in a measuring cup to measure the amount called by the recipe (measurements below).
4. Place the cooked butternut and all the remaining ingredients – except the chocolate chips – in a blender or food processor.

5. Process until the batter comes together – it will be thick but not dry. If too dry, add extra tablespoons of almond milk, up to 2-3 tablespoons, until the batter is thick and easy to press in the pan. Pulse in chocolate chips if used.

6. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a 9-inch square baking dish with parchment paper and grease it with cooking oil spray.
7. Pour the batter into the pan, it won’t be liquid, push and press the batter to evenly spread on the pan and sprinkle extra chocolate chips on top.

8. Bake the butternut squash brownies for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the top is set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a bit of crumb on it, meaning the brownie is still fudgy.
9. Cool down on a cooling rack before slicing.

Serving

Serve the brownies plain, or add extra chocolate chips on top when still warm so they can melt. You can also serve them on a plate with:

• A dollop of vegan vanilla ice cream or Ninja Creami Protein Ice Cream.
• Vegan whipped cream
• Vegan vanilla frosting
• Protein powder frosting
• Vegan custard

Frequently Asked Questions

More Healthy Brownie Recipes

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Vegan Pumpkin Brownies

Quinoa Brownies

Avocado Brownies

Black Bean Brownies

Butternut Squash Brownies

These butternut Squash Brownies are fudgy, healthy brownies made with squash puree as a healthy addition, which turns the texture of these brownies ultra fudgy. They are also gluten-free, dairy-free, and refined sugar-free.

5 from 6 votes

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Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook Time: 40 minutes mins

Cool down: 15 minutes mins

Total Time: 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: 16 brownies

Calories: 147.2 kcal

Author: Carine Claudepierre

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Ingredients

US Customary – Metric

• ▢ 1 ⅔ cup Butternut Squash - cooked, cooled at room temperature
• ▢ ½ cup Maple Syrup - (note 1)
• ▢ ½ cup Peanut Butter - (note 2)
• ▢ 2 tablespoons Melted Coconut Oil
• ▢ ⅓ cup Almond Flour - (note 3)
• ▢ ⅓ cup Oat Flour
• ▢ ½ cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
• ▢ 2 tablespoons Almond Milk
• ▢ 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Optional

• ▢ ⅓ cup Dairy-Free Dark Chocolate Chips

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).

Prepare the butternut squash puree

• Peel the butternut squash, discard the seeds, and cut the flesh into cubes.
• Place the butternut squash cubes into a steamer or a saucepan filled with cold water. Cover and cook for about 15 minutes or until the cubes are soft and fork tender.
• Drain over a sieve and cool down for 15 minutes at room temperature.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line a 9-inch square brownie pan with parchment paper. Grease the pan with cooking oil. Set it aside.
• Mash the cooled butternut squash cubes into a puree using a fork or potato masher and pack into a measuring cup to reach 1 cup + 1/3 cup of puree. It is equivalent to 12 oz (350g) of cooked, cooled butternut squash cubes.
• Add the butternut squash and all the remaining ingredients, except the chocolate chips, to a food processor.
• Blend on high speed for about 30 to 60 seconds or until all the ingredients are evenly combined and the batter is thick and consistent. Stop the food processor, using a silicone spatula, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and blend again until the batter is smooth.
• If too dry, add a bit more almond milk, one tablespoon at a time, and blend to incorporate.
• Fold in the chocolate chips and pulse to incorporate.
• Transfer the brownie batter onto the prepared brownie dish and press evenly in the pan.
• Bake the butternut brownies for 12-15 minutes or until the top is dry and set to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a little crumb on it – it means the brownies are fudgy and won't be dry.
• Transfer immediately to a cooling rack and cool at room temperature.
• Cool down for 20-30 minutes before slicing.

Notes

Note 1: You can also use agave syrup, coconut nectar, or any liquid sweetener you love.

Note 2: You can swap for almond butter, tahini, or cashew butter. 

Note 3: Or sunflower seed flour for a nut-free option.

Storage: Store the brownie in an airtight box in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can store the brownies at room temperature for 2 days, but they get fudgier in the refrigerator. Freeze them in airtight bags for up to 1 month.

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Nutrition

Serving: 1brownie | Calories: 147.2kcal | Carbohydrates: 16.2g | Protein: 3.7g | Fat: 8.8g | Saturated Fat: 3.7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2.4g | Cholesterol: 0.04mg | Sodium: 70.1mg | Potassium: 193.7mg | Fiber: 2.2g | Sugar: 8.7g | Vitamin A: 1550.6IU | Vitamin B12: 0.01µg | Vitamin C: 3.1mg | Calcium: 60mg | Iron: 0.9mg | Magnesium: 39.2mg | Phosphorus: 73.4mg | Zinc: 0.7mg