Rich, decadent & loaded with chocolate chips! These brownies have a super fudgy center & are so easy to make! Plus no one will ever guess their secret ingredient!
If you love fudgy decadent brownies, well loves… you’ve come to the right place! These babies are my go-to brownie recipe that I literally take to EVERY party and social gathering and you should see the look on people’s faces when I tell them what’s in it! I’ll be honest, for a while I would just lie and tell them it was a secret family recipe. But the more I was asked for the recipe the more I decided I couldn’t hide it any longer. Yes they’re made with BUTTERNUT SQUASH!😱 And they’re ohhh so good! Rich, decadent, loaded with chocolate chips, so simple to make with an ooey gooey center! These super fudgy butternut squash brownies are about to become your go-to brownie recipe too!
Ingredients for Butternut Squash Brownies
- Butternut squash: The secret ingredient to your brownies! You can either use fresh butternut squash or pre-cut from the store. This is what gives your brownies their ultra fudgy texture and subtle sweetness to the batter. (Plus you can’t even taste the squash so now one will ever know.😉)
- Flour: I’ve had the best results with using all purpose white flour. Want to make these gluten free? Try using an all purpose gluten free flour mix! (Here’s the one I use – CLICK HERE)
- Coconut sugar: Can be replaced with brown sugar or white sugar. (I like to use coconut sugar to keep these mostly refined sugar free.)
- Unsweetened cocoa powder: Makes your brownies soo rich and chocolate-y!
- Eggs: You’ll need 2 eggs for this recipe!
- Baking soda: Helps to make your brownies SUPER thick while still having a fudgy texture.
- Vanilla: Balances out those right chocolate-y flavors.
- Salt: Just a touch is all you need!
- Chocolate chips: I’d suggest using milk or semi-sweet chocolate chips for this recipe. The batter itself has more of a dark chocolate taste to it so it’s better to use some type of sweeter chocolate chip.
How To Make Fudgy Butternut Squash Brownies
1. Make your squash puree. Bring a large pot of water to a boil then peel & cut your squash into small cubes. Once boiling, add your squash to the pot and set a timer for 10 minutes. Once the timer beeps, check to see if the squash is tender. (They should pierce easily with a knife.) Once tender, transfer your squash to a food processor and pure until smooth. Let the squash cool completely before adding it to your batter.
2. Prep the oven. Turn your oven on to 350 dedgrees and line an 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper.
3. Mix your ingredients. Mix your dry ingredients in one bowl and your wet ingredients in a separate bowl. (Always use a large spoon or spatula instead of a whisk for mixing.) Then add your dry ingredients to your wet ingredients and mix again. Stir in your chocolate chips.
4. Bake! Pour the batter into your prepared pan and sprinkle a few more chocolate chips on top. Then place the pan in the oven and bake for 25-27 minutes.
5. Slice & serve! Enjoy your brownies as is or with a scoop of ice cream!
Tips For Making the Best Butternut Squash Brownies
- Let your butternut squash puree COOL COMPLETELY before adding it to your batter. If your puree is too warm when it’s added it will cause your brownies to become flat instead of staying thick and fudgy.
- DO NOT whisk your batter! Use a large mixing spoon or spatula instead. (When you use a whisk the batter is creates air pockets that makes your brownie more cake-like than fudgy.)
- Use 2 different types of chocolate chips. I love using a combo of semi-sweet and milk chocolate chips.
- Always sprinkle a few extra chocolate chips on top. You can never have too many chocolate chips when it comes to brownies right?!
- Slightly under bake your brownies. Love ultra gooey brownies?! Guess what? Slightly underbaking them is the key! I usually take my out right at 25 minutes and let them cool completely before digging in. They’re soo good that way!
FAQ’s
- Can I use pre-cut butternut squash from the store? Absolutely! This is a great option if your short on time or just don’t feel like peeling and cutting your own squash.
- Can I double this recipe? Yes. If doubling the recipe, I would bake them in a 9×13 pan.
- How do I store my brownies? I’ve found that the best way to store these brownies is in an air tight container at room temperture. They should stay fresh for 4-5 days but are best if eaten within1-2 days after baking.
Why you’ll love this butternut squash brownie recipe!
- Super fudgy! 2 types of chocolate chips, cocoa powder and an ooey gooey fudgy center! It doesn’t get any better than that!
- Secretly healthy…ish! There’s one whole serving of butternut squash in these babies! But the best part is you can’t even taste it!
Need it gluten free? Use your favorite gluten free flour instead. (I’ve found that using an all purpose gluten free flour instead of a 1:1 ratio flour works the best. Heres’ the one I use. CLICK HERE)
Need it dairy free? Use your favorite dairy free chocolate chips instead!
More dessert recipes you might like:
- Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Skillet
- S’mores Skillet Dip
- Banana Bread Blondies
- Cheesecake Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Nutella Stuffed Red Velvet Cookies
[Made one of my recipes? Make sure to tag my Instagram @kalefornia_kravings & leave a review in the comments. I love seeing what you create!]
Fudgy Butternut Squash Brownies
Ingredients
- 1 cup pureed butternut squash*
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 3/4 cup coconut sugar**
- 2/3 cup flour
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup chocolate chips, plus more for the top (semi sweet or milk)
Instructions
- Peel & cut your squash into small cubes, then bring a large pot of water to a boil on the stove. Once boiling, add your squash and set a timer for 10 minutes. Once the timer beeps, check to see if the squash is tender. (They should pierce easily with a knife.) Once tender, transfer your squash to a food processor and puree it until smooth. Place your squash in the fride to cool completely. (For the best results, make your squash puree the day before and keep it stored in the fridge. Your puree must be cold before adding it to the batter.)
- Once your squash is cool, preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line an 8×8" pan with parchment paper.
- Next combine your flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl. Then set it aside.
- In a separate bowl, mix the cooled butternut squash puree, eggs, vanilla and coconut sugar with a large spoon. Add the dry ingredients and mix again. Stir in your chocolate chips.
- Pour the batter into your prepared pan and sprinkle a few more chocolate chips on top. Bake for 25-27 minutes.
- Allow the brownies to cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes before pulling them out to cut.
I was a little skeptical but they’re great! Definitely recommend. I used acorn squash we had roasted yesterday and just mixed it well instead of using a food processor.
First, I’m sooo glad you liked them! And second, using acorn squash was genius! I’ll definitely need to try that next time. 🙂
Wow! I never leave comments, but I made these tonight and they turned out amazing! I used half organic cane sugar and half monk fruit sugar. My kids loved them and I can’t wait to make them again for friends and family.
Hi Haleigh! I’m so happy to hear that! 🙂 This is my all time favorite brownie recipe and we make it all the time. I hope your friends and family love it too!
These brownies look so moist and delicious! I’m a brownie fan and can’t wait to make them for myself and my family!
So good warm out of oven with vanilla vegan ice cream. Like a hot fudge Sunday. Will make again. Thank you for recipe will make again.
Hi Barb! I’m so glad you loved it! They’re my favorite brownies to make! 🙂
I’ve made these twice now and they are rich, moist and decadent! No one knows there’s butternut squash hidden in there! I use 1:1 GF flour and they come out perfectly! Highly recommend!
Hi Nicole! You have no idea how happy that makes me! These are my FAVORITE brownies and I love how decadent they are! 🙂 I’m so happy you love them!
I also rarely leave comments, but I feel inspired to do so as these brownies are poised to become a go-to in our house during squash season! They are just glorious! I doubled the recipe and used a 13×9 pan when I made them for a “black and orange” Halloween potluck (they’re black with hidden orange mixed in!) and had plenty for the party and for home. I have craved these brownies every day since! Time to make more – thanks for the great creative recipe!
Olivia! You have no idea how happy this comment made me!🥰 I’m SOOOO glad you enjoyed the recipe! These are my favorite brownies and I make them all the time! (Fun fact, they were actually the first recipe I posted on my blog too!😉) Thank you so much for your sweet words!
The first time I made these, I used fresh squash just as the directions say. My brownies turned out wonderfully and I fell in love with the recipe! The second and third time I made these, I used frozen squash that I’d thawed. The result was a more cakey texture. I’ve learned my lesson – fresh is the key to fudgy!
Hi Alexandria! Great to know! (It might be because frozen squash contains more moisture so it makes the brownies a little more cake-like after they bake.) I’m so glad you love the recipe though! This is my absolute FAVORITE brownie recipe!🥰