Double Chocolate Chip Butternut Squash Brownies

Rich, fudgy and so decadent too! These easy brownies are loaded with chocolate and no one will ever guess they’re made with butternut squash too!

I feel like everyone has that one go-to brownie recipe that they swear are the best brownies you will ever taste in your entire life. And loves…this is mine! I’ll be completely honest, when I first made them however long ago that was, I was VERY skeptical about using butternut squash. BUT. DAMN! (Can I say that on here?!) Because hot damn was it a game changer! The squash makes these double chocolate chip butternut squash brownies sooo fudgy with the best texture and you can’t even taste the squash at all! All I’m saying is that whenever I bring them to a party/gathering I get countless of requests for the recipe! (Which is followed by a lot of “what?!” and “no way” when I tell them there’s actually squash in there. 😉 )

Ingredients

For starters there’s NO butter, NO oil and NO refined sugar in these babies what-so-ever! Just simple, good for you ingredients that most of you already have in your kitchen right now.

• Mashed butternut squash: Gives your brownies THE BEST fudgy texture and adds a little sweetness too. I usually use fresh butternut and “mash” it myself with a food processor but you can also use precut squash or even canned squash instead too!
• Eggs: Binds your brownies together.
• Vanilla: Helps to mellow out all the falvors.
• Coconut sugar: Adds sweetness without adding any refined sugar. (You can replace it with regular brown or white sugar too if you prefer.)
• Flour: I used regular all purpose flour for this recipe but you can also replace it with gluten free flour too.
• Unsweetened cocoa powder: Makes your brownies soo rich and chocolatey!
• Baking soda: Helps to make your brownies SUPER thick while still having a fudgy texture.
• Salt: Counter balances the sweetness of the brownies.
• Chocolate chips: I love using half milk chocolate and half semi-sweet chocolate for this recipe but you can use any type of chocolate chips you’d like. (For a dairy free version, just use dairy free chocolate/chips instead.)

How do I mash butternut squash?

I think most people get intimidated whenever they hear “mashed butternut squash”, because they think it involves some big intensive process. BUT it’s actually so simple to make! Here are a few easy steps on how I “mash” mine below.

1. First, cut the squash in half and scoop out the insides. Then cut each half into 1/2 inch slices and trim the skin off each slice. Cut the slices into small 1 inch cubes.
2. Place a large pot of water on the stove and bring it to a boil.
3. Once the water starts boiling, pour your squash cubes into the pot and cover it with a lid. Immediately start a timer for 10 minutes. When the time is up, test your squash to see if it’s done. (It might take a few more minutes depending on the size of your cubes.)
   • To test the squash: Take a sharp knife and pierce one of the cubes. The knife should go right through the squash without any resistance. If it’s still hard in the middle, continue boiling for 2-3 minutes or until the squash can be pierced through easily.
4. Drain and transfer the cooked squash to a food processor and blend until it’s smooth!

Note: You can also use pre-cut butternut squash or even canned (already mashed) butternut squash too!

What can I do with my leftover mashed butternut squash?

Chances are if you’re a fresh butternut squash then you’re going to have some puree left over. But instead of just throwing it away here are a few simple ideas for how to use it.

• Make more brownies! I almost always have enough squash to make 1-2 more batches of these brownies. Which usually ends up happening because we go through them so fast! 😉
• Serve the puree as a side dish by topping it with some butter or maple syrup
• Freeze it in an ice cube tray and use the frozen squash cubes in your smoothies
• Add it to your pasta sauces for a little sweet and savory action (and added nutrition!)

Tips for make butternut squash brownies

• One HUGE tip I have for any brownie recipe is DO NOT WHISK the batter! Use a large mixing spoon or spatula instead. (When you use a whisk you actually create little air pockets in the batter which creates little dimples on the tops of your brownies. You can also add too much air and cause the brownies to “deflate” after pulling them out of the oven to cool.)
• Let the butternut squash puree cool completely before adding it to your batter. I usually like to puree the squash the night before I plan to make these brownies. It also cuts back on prep time too!
• To store the brownies: Place them in a sealed container and store them in the fridge. They should stay good for up to 1 week.

More recipes like this:

• Banana Bread Brownies
• Gluten Free Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Blondies
• Cream Cheese Swirled Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread
• Spooky Halloween Monster Cookies
• Chocolate Chunk Almond Butter Cookies

[Made one of my recipes? Make sure to tag my social media @kalefornia_kravings – I love seeing what you create!]