Fudgy Dark Chocolate Beet Brownies are incredibly moist and chocolatey! You would never know that they’re loaded up with 1/2 pound of beets! These beet brownies are easy to make and will be a hit for any brownie lover.
It was my friend Shashi of Savory Spin who inspired these brownies. She posted Chocolate Beet Cookies and I couldn’t stop thinking about them. I’d eaten (and loved) chocolate beet cake, but cookies? Then I wondered, what about brownies?
Beets and brownies are buddies.
It’s fun to come up with recipes with unusual ingredients that taste unexpectedly delicious – I’m looking at you Cauliflower Fried Rice (surprise, there’s no rice!). But if you’re still skeptical about adding beets to a dessert, consider carrot cake. Imagine the prejudice it must have endured before that first bite, “hey, wait a minute…” Beets in chocolate desserts have the same magic. It’s about the moisture and depth they add, not the beet flavor.
Did you see this post from The Kitchn – Brownie Philosophy: Chewy, Cakey or Fudgy? I like my brownies to be fudgy, but I also like them to rise and have a delicate texture, so somewhere between fudgy and cakey. These brownies are in the fudgy class, but have a lightness too. They’re entirely moist and, for me, are even more delicious from the fridge the next day than when they’re warm. I had to try them both ways, R&D you understand. 😉
How to Make Beet Brownies Fudgy
There is a key to ensuring that these brownies keep their fudgy texture: don’t overcook them. You want some moist crumbs to come out when testing with a knife; they’ll look done around the edges but still slightly wet in the middle. If they cook longer, they’ll still be moist and delicious, but will lean more toward a cakey texture.
Dark Chocolate Beet Brownies Recipe Video
Fudgy Dark Chocolate Beet Brownies
Ingredients
- 8 ounces boiled and peeled beets about 2 medium beets
- 2 sticks unsalted butter plus more for buttering parchment paper
- 8 ounces dark chocolate chopped or chips
- 1¼ cups white whole wheat flour (150 grams)
- 1½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 eggs at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup golden brown sugar packed
Instructions
- Quarter beets and transfer to food processor; process until pureed, scraping the sides down twice. (You should end up with a scant one cup of beet puree.)
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Line a 9-inch by 9-inch brownie pan with parchment paper or grease pan generously.
- Cut sticks of butter into tablespoon size chunks and place in a heavy saucepan. Add chopped chocolate and cook over low heat, stirring constantly until mixture melts and is smooth. Remove the pan from heat and set aside to cool.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, gently mix the eggs for about 30 seconds. Add vanilla and brown sugar; mix on medium-high until light and airy, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed and add beet puree and then slowly add chocolate mixture; mix just until combined. Add flour mixture and again, mix just until combined. Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth top with a rubber spatula.
- Bake 25 to 30 minutes, until a knife inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs sticking to it. Allow brownies to cool for 5 minutes then transfer with parchment to cooling rack.
- Cut and serve warm, at room temperature, or straight from the refrigerator (my favorite).
Can u freeze them?
Hi, Cheryl! Yes, absolutely.
Can I make these with Gluten Free flour and Xanthan Gum? Any other changes to the recipe needed to make them Gluten Free?
Hi there, Selena! I haven’t made these brownies with gluten free ingredients. My guess is that it would work just fine, but without testing it, I can’t say for sure.
Hi Marissa,
How long do you boil the beets for?
Thanks, Christine
Hi, Christine. 🙂 You’ll want to boil the beets in their skins until they’re very tender. The boiling time depends on the size of your beets – it’s best to have beets of similar size. Start them in cold water as you would potatoes and bring to boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until tender, 30 to 60 minutes. Transfer to an ice bath. Once they’re cool enough to handle, the skin should slide off easily.
Hi, I started out several years back tossing ground cooked beets in to my zucchini brownies. What zucchini called for, use half and then other half beets. Hot recipe shared many times.
That’s great, Joyce. 🙂
These look delicious!! I was surprised to see that it calls for 4 eggs in addition to a cup of beet puree– seems like a lot of eggs for a 9×9″ pan. Can I swap some of the eggs for more beets or do you think the beet flavor would be too intense?
Hi, Chelsea! I think that swapping out eggs will have some affect on the flavor / texture, but you absolutely can substitute some fruit puree along with a little extra leavening – 1/4 cup of beet puree and 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder for each egg that you leave out (I wouldn’t leave out more than two). And here’s an article for other egg substitution ideas you might find interesting. Hope you love these!
I made these for my sons track team. (Most of the kids do not like beets!) and no one could tell there were any veggies in there, at all. I have a digital scale so I measured exactly and it came out spot on. This recipe is sound! I would advise buying a some extra beets at the green grocers because remember you have to lop the nub or top off, you will lose some weight, and you really want 8 oz in total of beets. I cooked the beets in the oven, wrapped in foil, which I think is less messy than boiling. The brownies end up nice and chocolate-y, but not overly sweet, so they work for adults, too. Thanks Marissa, great recipe!
You made my day, Dimity! So glad everyone enjoyed these!!
Wow! I used your recipe for my beetroot brownies(used coco powder instead of Chocolate) and they up really gorgeous. Have tagged your post in my blog. Thanks for the inspiration.
So glad you enjoyed them!
I made these in a 9′ x 13′ pan and sprinkled choc chips on top. Even a non-beet lover said he loved them! Beets? he said, These have beets in them”? He said, “They don’t taste like dirt”.
I love that they are not so sweet as most brownies but still satisfying.
Ha! I love it, Ciel!! I’m so glad that you both enjoyed them! Thank you for coming back to let me know!
Hi Marissa, from the other side of the pond, I am wondering if by dark chocolate you mean what we call ‘unsweetened’ chocolate? If yours is sweetened and I use the unsweetened I would think I’d have to adjust the sugar, no? I’m making these for Valentine’s day and plan to cut them into small hearts and use them in a parfait with raspberries and whipped cream layered in pretty glasses.
Hi, Roxy! The dessert you dreamed up sounds SO delicious! On the dark chocolate, I typically use 70% dark. So, as you said, you’ll need to add sugar to taste if using unsweetened. Have a wonderful Valentine’s Day!
Loved the brownies! how can I make these into cookies?
So glad you loved the brownies! I’m sorry, I haven’t tried making these into cookies, but I love the idea!
Hi can I use honey instead of sugar?
Sure! The general rule is for every 1 cup of sugar, substitute 1/2 to 2/3 cup honey.
We made these brownies using previously roasted, peeled and sliced beets (that I had frozen, thawed & then finely pureed for this recipe). OMG these were incredible!! I did bake mine a bit for longer for a ‘cakey’ texture, and I swear the beets lend a ‘velvety’ texture to the brownies! We couldn’t stop eating them! Plus the fact that the beets lend a sort of red-velvet like hue to the brownies was a big hit in my house full of girls!!! Thank you for this fabulous recipe, will definitely be making again!
You made my day, Momma Palooza! 😉 SO glad you enjoyed them!! I completely agree about that velvety texture – so good!
can you use regular flour?
Absolutely!
These are absolutely delicious! Super moist and chocolatey. I know that beets are so good for you, but I am NOT a fan of that earthy taste, so I just love that you can’t even taste them in this recipe and yet you get all the health benefits! Bravo!!
Totally made my day, Danielle! 🙂
I’m wondering if u can make this with semi-sweet chocolate?
Hi, Tanya, Absolutely! They’ll just be a bit sweeter.
Who doesn’t love a good brownie recipe, Marissa! Yours is simply mouth-watering. It’s great you decided to use beets. It would be my first time using beets in a dessert!
Thanks so much, Agness! I know it’s a little bit off beat, but so good! 🙂
Beet brownies are some of the most delicious I’ve tasted. Thanks for the reminder – these look amazing!
Absolutely! Thank you, Helen.
This recipe was a bit of a labor of love, but it was worth all the effort. I’d somehow never worked with beets before, but it was good to get the experience under my belt and in such a delicious way! I had several of my husband’s coworkers over for dinner, and all the guys went crazy for them. My 2-year-old son liked them the most, I swear! Excellent dish, I may make again when I have the time to devote to it.
aww, I love hearing that your son loved them too!! So sweet of you to come back to let me know how it went, Lisa.
We definitely like our brownies the same way! Fudgy but not tooo dense. I LOVE THESE! I’ve made chocolate beet cupcakes in the past and they have just the best flavour, so I know these would be outstanding. Plus I feel a little better about giving my kiddos a brownie when there’s goodness baked inside 😉
Always nice to add a bit of nutrition even in sweets! Thank you, Katherine.
Hi Marissa! I know some people prefer cakey brownies, butI have a real weakness for fudgy brownies! If I make these when Gary is in the house, I’ll have to boil more beets, the man loves beets!
I’m cracking up that you’ll have to make extra beets for Gary! You two… xo
The texture of these brownies looks downright perfect if you ask me! Also, I totally remember Shashi posting those cookies a while back. I’m not a huge beet fan, but I am intrigued by the idea of using beets in a chocolate dessert. I might just have to break down and try it sometime! Hey, I’ll try almost anything once…those Safeco grasshoppers being one of the exceptions. 🙂
David, you honestly wouldn’t guess that there are beets in them. It’s really amazing – they just add a great texture and a little extra nutrition. LOL on the grasshoppers! I can’t decide if I’ll try them when we’re next at Safeco or not. 🙂
These look SO good, Marissa!! I have a brownie recipe coming up, but there are no beets in mine. I think (I know) I need to try yours. They look so moist and chocolatey. And I’m thinking that because there are beets, then they are totally healthy so I can eat, like, three 😀 ! Cheers to a lovely weekend! XO
Thank you, Dawn! I’m looking forward to your brownies – always love your recipes!
I’ve been planning to make a beet cake for few years, but it hasn’t happened yet. And I even don’t need that idea of hiding the veggies – I do love beetroots. These brownies look amazing and perfect, Marissa! Rich, fudgy, and chocolate-y; like any brownies are supposed to be. The others (millions!) recipes which don’t comply with these simple characteristics cannot be proudly named Brownies. They are still delicious chocolate cakes, but not the brownies, right?:)
I agree completely, Ben! I hope you’ll give these a shot, especially since you love beets anyway!!
I’m all about a fudgy brownie and these look like they’d fit the bill. I’ve never baked with beets but I think I need to start :). Have a great weekend, Marissa!
Thanks so much, Kelsie! xo
About how much is 1/2 pound beets? like a cup or so? I am planning on doubling the recipe! I have a lot of beets! And this seems like a dumb question… but you peel the beets before boiling them, correct?
Can’t wait to try these for Valentine’s Day!
Hi Katie…Beets vary so much in size, but a rule of thumb is 5 medium beets is about a pound. Your peeling question isn’t dumb at all! You can do it either way – peel them first or after they’ve boiled and are cool enough to handle. I find it’s easier to peel them after they’ve cooked. Let me know how it goes. 🙂
Ok update! In my pan it took about 5-7 additional minutes… DANG! These were worth EVERY. SINGLE. STEP. Thanks for an awesome recipe! I’m currently 7.5 months pregnant and haven’t baked much this pregnancy (I LOVE baking) so I made these in spite of being exhausted and having Braxton hicks the whole time… and I would totally do it again. But not today.
haha, hang in there! Your new little one will be worth every second of discomfort. So glad the brownies turned out well! I know what you mean about the baking time. I don’t know if different beets have different water content, but the baking time on these varies for me too. I think I’ll update the recipe to say 30 to 35. I’ve overcooked them before (turned out more cakey) and I think that it’s better to under than overcook them.
Currently in the oven.. I used a rectangular dish that I think is 7×11 or something odd. Been in there about 30 mins and the middle is still shaking like jello..I really hope these come out looking as awesomely delicious as yours!!
My hubby is currently in the dog house for eating blueberries I was saving for a recipe. He refuses to eat beets…you KNOW what I am going to do, don’t you??? (Gee it’s not like they are Ex-Lax )
I’ve had this blog for 5 years and that is the funniest comment I’ve ever had. Thanks for making my day…
Just made these using unsweetened baking chocolate and 1/2 lb of pureed beets. These are pretty tasty and more on the cakey side when warm from the oven – they’ll go in the fridge today and hopefully turn fudgey.
Can you make this recipe using canned beets? How do you think I should measure that? Thanks!
**Update** Based on one readers experience, I don’t recommend using canned beets. Stick with boiled fresh!
I can’t eat regular brownies anymore after I ate this on. I could have it for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I could feel some pieces of beets, and I loved it. My toddler says “I don’t like beets”, and she loved it! LOL So moist and chocolaty because of the dark chocolate.
That’s so great! Thanks for letting me know…
These look incredible and I plan to make them this weekend, any chance you have made with with regular all-purpose flour? I’m a girl on a budget and already have it in the house!
Hi Kristin! All purpose flour will work just fine. 🙂
Hey Marissa, recipe looks awesome! Have you tried this recipe without the use of a food processor or standing mixer? Do you have any recommendations for making this recipe more accessible to those without kitchen machinery?
Hi Victoria – great questions! I haven’t made them myself without machinery, but I imagine that a potato masher or just a good sharp knife would work to mince the beets. And you could certainly use a handheld mixer or a wooden spoon and some elbow grease to mix the batter. 🙂 It will be a bit of an arm workout, but it’s doable!!
You can also mash them through a wire basket if you want them finer.
Good idea, Deb. Thanks!
It’s hard to resist a recipe that’s kind of healthy – whole wheat flour aaand beets, AND has chocolate. I’ve made a cake with beets and I love the earthy flavor it adds. I bet they taste sinful in this recipe. Thanks for sharing!
It’s true – they taste sinful, but really aren’t. At least not toooo sinful. 😉
Wow! ! These brownies look incredible! Never tried brownies with beet root.. Definitely need to try this..
Thnk you, Arpita. If you try them, I’d love to hear what you think. 🙂
Thanks Alice!
These brownies look fabulous!!! I’ve tried avocado + brownies but not beets. . love these! and I’m so intrigued!
*Mind blown*. I had *no* idea you could make brownies with beets. But, I have no idea why I didn’t think of it! I love beets and brownies, so what could possibly go wrong? Pinned!
Thanks, Kristi!
What an intriguing recipe! I’ve never used beets like this before.
Thanks Jennifer. It’s bizarre how the beets just add depth, but don’t make you feel like you’re eating a veggie brownie. 😉
I admit that I don’t like beets, but your brownies looks delicious! Maybe this time I can make an exception and try them 😀
I pinky promise that you won’t notice the beets! 🙂
Who knew beets could be a brownie secret ingredient?! Love that there are veggies in every bite of these.
I know! How great is that!?
Yum yum. I like veggies in cakes. I love zucchini cake too!
Me too, Sherry!
These look so decadent! We always eat beets in our house and I’m always pureeing some for my baby. I’ll have to put some aside next to time so I can make these!
We eat a lot of them too – so versatile!
I remember her beet cookies! They looked so amazingly tempting! Love your version too Marissa! 😀
Thanks, Lorraine!
Marissa – these are my kind of brownies!!! I love that you amped up the fiber with that whole wheat floor too! And I am so honored to have inspired you – these look phenomenal – so fudgey – my salivary glands are on overdrive!
Thanks for the inspiration, Shashi! I still need to try your cookie recipe. 🙂
I remember her cookies and now these brownies. I love beets all on their own but wrap a brownie around them and I think I’ll ask for the next dance.
Aww, thanks Maureen!