These gluten free beet brownies are made with colorful roasted beet puree, almond flour, and cocoa powder. They’re fudgy, decadent, and downright delicious.
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Most of you probably know that beets are my favorite vegetable, or have read about my love for earthy, colorful beets in a previous post. I just adore them ;-)!
They add a gorgeous pop of pink to any dish, and can be combined with so many different ingredients. But this recipe is the first time I’ve attempted to turn beets into a dessert.
I got the idea of combining beets with chocolate when Will and I were on our honeymoon in Australia. We ate at a fantastic restaurant in the Royal Botanic Gardens in Sydney and they had a chocolate beetroot dessert on the menu.
We got home from our trip a few months ago, but I just recently got around to experimenting with my version of a beet dessert for the Veg World. And I’m so happy to report that these Fudgy Beet Brownies are a winner! Here’s why you’ll love them:
- They’re melt-in-your-mouth fudgy! Seriously, they taste a lot like fudge, and if you store them in the fridge (like I recommend), they firm up a bit more and melt in your mouth as soon as you take a bite.
- They’re a yummy way to sneak in some extra veggies, especially for picky kids (or adults)!
- And they’re gluten free, using super fine almond flour (I recommend Bob’s Red Mill brand).
How to Make Beet Brownies
While it may sound intimidating to make homemade brownies, let alone brownies that have beets in them, the process is actually very simple.
- Roast 1 large or 2 small beets. Slice off the roots and tops, scrub the beets, and use your fingers to coat them in a tiny bit of olive oil. Wrap each whole beet in aluminum foil and put them directly on the center rack in the oven. Bake at 400 degrees F for 45-60 minutes, or until you can easily slice them in half. PRO TIP: save yourself some time and get Love Beets or another brand of pre-roasted beets (available at most grocery stores).
- Puree the beets in a food processor or blender. I also found that you can grate them with a hand grater to add to the rest of the batter. They may be slightly more “chunky” this way, compared to if you blend them, but it doesn’t make a big difference.
- In a double boiler or in a heat-safe glass bowl over a saucepan with ¼-inch boiling water, melt ½ cup chocolate chips with 1 stick butter, stirring occasionally, until smooth (about 10 minutes)
- Combine the melted chocolate and butter, beet puree, ⅔ cup maple syrup, 3 eggs, and 2 teaspoon vanilla in a large bowl. Add the dry ingredients: 1 cup almond flour, 3 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder, ½ teaspoon baking powder, and ½ teaspoon salt. Whisk together until smooth.
- Pour into a greased 8×8 baking pan and bake for 25-27 minutes at 350 degrees F.
How long do beet brownies last?
Make sure you let the brownies cool completely before slicing them into squares. They can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Although, I’m not sure they will last that long if you like them as much as I do!
Possible Substitutions for Fudgy Beet Brownies
- Butter: you can substitute melted coconut oil in this recipe for the melted butter in a 1:1 ratio.
- Maple syrup: honey or any other liquid sweetener would work well.
- Almond flour: please note that these brownies will likely not turn out well if you substitute coconut flour for the almond flour. I have not tried the recipe with any other gluten free flour, so please report back if you give it a try and have success!
For another sweet beet treat, try the Beet and Carrot Veggie Applesauce! The Zucchini Carrot Oat Muffins and Carrot Banana Breakfast Bread are other reader favorites.
I’d love to hear how you like this recipe! Rate/review using the stars on the recipe card or in the comments, and follow the Veg World on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. Looking for something totally different? Browse the recipe library.
📖 Recipe
Fudgy Beet Brownies
Ingredients
- 1 large beet - or 2 small beets, roasted; ~½ cup beet puree
- ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup butter - unsalted, melted (1 stick)
- 3 eggs
- ⅔ cup maple syrup
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup almond flour
- 3 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- You can either make your own roasted beets or buy pre-roasted ones (look for Love Beets or a similar brand). If you are roasting your own, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Scrub and trim the ends off each beet and rub them with a little bit of olive oil. Wrap in aluminum foil and bake for 45-60 minutes or until you can slice through the center.
- Decrease the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Transfer the roasted beets to a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. You should get about ½ cup of beet puree. Alternatively, you can grate the beet with a hand grater.
- Melt the butter and chocolate chips in a double boiler or in a heat-safe glass bowl set over a saucepan with ¼-inch of boiling water. Stir until smooth, about 10 minutes.
- Combine the melted chocolate and butter, beet puree, eggs, maple syrup, and vanilla in a large bowl and whisk until smooth. In a separate bowl, combine the almond flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Add this to the wet ingredients and mix well.
- Pour the batter into a greased 8×8 square baking pan. Cook for 25-27 minutes or until there is a slight bounce back when you press your finger into the top of the brownies. Let them cool completely before slicing into squares.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Pin these Fudgy Beet Brownies now to make later!
Enjoy!
Lizzie
GM Stuart
Can you use canned beets and not roast them?
Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN
Yes you can! Or other pre-cooked versions like Love Beets.
Mary
I am loving this recipe just reading it! I haven’t tried this yet… but I don’t have almond flower.. I do have plenty of oatmeal though. So I am wondering if I could substitute oat flour for the almond flour? I will post again if I try it 👌🏽
Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN
Hi Mary, thanks for your note! I’m not sure if oat flour would work since it is fairly different than almond flour, but it may be worth a try. I’d love to hear how it goes if you try it!
Kat
I tried it with oat flour instead of almond and they still came out great, they were more cakey and less fudgy but the flavour was still good!
Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN
Hi Kat, I’m so glad to hear oat flour worked well as a substitute!! Thanks so much for your comment.
Brandi
My kids loved these. Even my very picky eater.
Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN
Awesome! Thanks so much for reporting back! 🙂
Kira Konnova
These came out delicious! Made a batch for my students. I hope they like them. I followed the recipe exactly. Thank you
Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN
Hi Kira, I’m so glad to hear they turned out well! Thanks so much for rating and letting me know. I hope your students enjoy this beet treat :-). Happy holidays!