If you’ve ever come home from a crisp, cool day craving a warm, indulgent treat, you’re not alone. Trouble is, sometimes those baked goodies are a bit too much work when you’re ready to just cozy up on the couch.
There’s good news: Baking doesn’t have to be hard when you make simple swaps and use ingredients that keep things easy. Try adding fresh produce to a boxed brownie mix in these Sweetpotato Cheesecake Brownies for an “in between” recipe that satisfies your sweet tooth without the hassle. And with holiday season here, you may already have these ingredients in your pantry.
Plus, it offers a better-for-you twist as the sweetness from mashed sweet potatoes can replace some of the sugar needed to bake regular brownies. Sweetpotatoes are rich in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber, all of which are good for overall health in this natural sweetener.
While you’re sharing this newfound favorite dessert with loved ones, you can also share this fun fact: “Sweetpotato” is deliberately spelled as one word by the North Carolina Sweetpotato Commission. The sweetpotato and white potato are two distinct species representing two different plant families, and the one-word spelling helps correctly distinguish the two.
Sweetpotato Cheesecake Brownies
(Recipe courtesy of the North Carolina Sweetpotato Commission)
Servings: 16
Brownie Layer:
Floured baking spray
1 package (18.2 ounces) dark chocolate fudge brownie mix
3/4 cup mashed sweetpotato, cooled
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup water
1 egg
Cheesecake Layer:
1 package (8 ounces) reduced-fat cream cheese
3/4 cup mashed sweetpotato, cooled
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup miniature chocolate chips
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray 9-by-9-inch square pan with floured baking spray.
To prepare brownie layer: In medium bowl, stir brownie mix, sweetpotato, oil, water and egg until blended. Spread batter in bottom of prepared pan.
To prepare cheesecake layer: Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add mashed sweetpotato, sugar, egg and vanilla; mix until well blended. Spread cheese mixture over brownie batter.
Bake 50-60 minutes, or until wooden pick inserted comes out almost clean. Remove from oven and cool 15 minutes. Sprinkle surface with chocolate chips. Cool completely. Remove from pan and serve.
Substitution: Use coconut sugar in place of granulated sugar.
