Trick or Beet Halloween Brownies
These “Trick or Beet” Halloween Brownies are delicious chocolatey brownies that use beets in place of some of the oil. Nobody will notice a difference in the flavor of these healthier brownies!
Autumn brings two things that are well-loved in my household: Halloween and beets. So, “Trick or Beet” Halloween Brownies (and Halloween jello shots and Halloween salad) actually seem completely normal in our home.
The beets are actually the trick. The brownies are the treat (Halloween cake pops are a treat, too). So maybe they’re like “Beet and Treat” Brownies, but that isn’t nearly as catchy.
My husband is a Halloween fanatic – decorating the yard and house with his yearly “Halloween allowance” – the small sum we’ve agreed to that he can spend on new skeletons, gravestones, bats and spiders each year.
Giant fake tarantulas crawl across our house numbers, bats hang from tree branches, a sound machine plays creepy music to set the graveyard theme.
We’ll be eating Halloween food or Halloween bark, and passing out candy on the porch, if the children can make it up the walkway without crying out of fright (and yes, sadly, that has actually happened).
You know what aren’t nearly as scary as they sound? Beets!! My favorite food. No, seriously. They’re really my favorite food. Although I’ve heard them referred to as “dirt candy” (and not like my Halloween dirt cups), I’ve convinced most of my immediate family of their charm (except my Dad, who is still terrified of them). However, try as I might, I haven’t been able to spread the love to most of my friends.

These Halloween Brownies have a secret ingredient!
Until now. I made these delicious chocolaty brownies, and used beets as a substitute for some oil. I also used honey instead of any white sugar. What resulted was a moist, cake-like brownie with a fudgy (not at all beety) flavor.
One friend who hates beets ate two of them, so I win! These beet brownies are perfect all year ’round (so are my Irish Cream Brownies!), but most especially when you want to play a delicious and nutritious trick on your family and friends.


Trick or Beet Halloween Brownies
These "Trick or Beet" Halloween Brownies are delicious chocolatey brownies that use beets in place of some of the oil. Nobody will notice a difference in the flavor of these healthier brownies!
Ingredients
- 2 large red beets, roots and leaves trimmed, scrubbed
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
- 3 eggs
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar
- 2/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup honey
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2-1/2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
- 3/4 cup dark chocolate morsels
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Wrap beets in foil and place on rimmed baking pan. Bake 1 hour to 1 hour, 15 minutes or until beets are easily pierced with knife. Let cool, then use paper towel to rub off skins. Shred beets on largest holes of box grater. (This step can be done up to 3 days in advance).
- Lower oven temperature to 325 degrees F. Spray 9 x 13-inch baking pan with cooking spray. In medium bowl, whisk together cocoa powder, flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda.
- In large bowl, whisk eggs, brown sugar, oil and honey until well combined. Stir in vanilla extract, espresso powder and shredded beets. Add flour mixture; stir until very well combined. Stir in chocolate morsels.
- Pour brownie batter into prepared pan. Transfer to oven and bake 28 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of pan comes out clean. Transfer to wire rack and let cool completely before cutting and serving.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 18 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 218Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 32mgSodium: 115mgCarbohydrates: 26gFiber: 1gSugar: 20gProtein: 2g
More great Halloween recipes:
- Easy Halloween Food Ideas – a whole platter of spooky snacks, with a video to help!
- Halloween Deviled Eggs – the “trick” is that this treat is so easy to put together.
- Orange Cream Cake with Chocolate Ganache – just look at those orange and black layers!
- Creamy Pumpkin Parmesan Dip – because you have to have some pumpkin on Halloween!
- Pumpkin-Brie Quesadillas – a quick dinner before trick-or-treating.
- Graveyard Pudding Cups from Tasty Oven
- Halloween Pretzels Three Ways from Butter with a Side of Bread

Hey I really don’t like honey with chocolate, can I sub white sugar for the honey????
Should be fine!
Why do I love beets? Beets me! Ha ha. Never baked cakes or brownies with them….yet! Will now!
Haha, you’re a comedian, Cindy 🙂
Love this idea! I’ve never baked with shredded beets before. Something to try soon!
Thanks Sarah! I wasn’t sure whether I should shred them or puree them somehow, so I just went with shredded, and so glad it worked!
I LOVE beets and chocolate together. There’s something about them
Woot woot!
Okay, you need to make these for me because I think beets are DISGUSTING. I would agree with the “dirt candy” label, except replace “candy” with “grossness” and you have my feelings. 🙂 Sorry to come up in your blog and insult your favorite food–rude! Anyhow, I’d be curious to try these, but I think I would need to be tricked like your friend so I wouldn’t know I was eating beets.
Hahaha, no worries – most people I know feel the way you do, Elizabeth! I didn’t start liking beets until I started roasting fresh ones. Some people have had bad experiences with canned/pickled ones, and I always tell them to roast them and give them another try 😉
Great recipe and I love beets!! Happy Halloween!!
Thanks Tara! Yay for fellow beet lovers! Happy Halloween to you!
You and your hubby certainly do know how to have fun, Lori! Your recipe is a perfect for allowing treats in a healthy manner. Bravo!
Thanks so much, Kim!
Yeah, sorry I can’t get on the Beet train, but I could give this a try! 🙂
Choo choo beet train! All aboard! OK, I’m the only one aboard.
You have impressed me beyond with this post. Beet Brownies? Amazing!!! And, I love that you guys have a yearly Halloween allowance! I always like to hear about other crazy Halloween fanatics 🙂
Hehe, don’t group me in with the fanatics. Just Jeff 😉
I love beets but I’ve never used them in baking before! I’ll have to try this. Thanks for sharing!
You’re welcome, Shaina! Thanks for stopping by!
Chocolate with my beets? Sign me up!
Yay for beets! And chocolate!
I think chocolate and beetroot is a combination made in heaven, and I’m pretty sure your brownies could convert more people – they look delicious! I love that your husband has a Halloween allowance – your house must be the most festive on the street!
Haha, there’s a competing house down the street that we have to beat this year 😉
I love the healthy “trick” to these brownies. And they look so fudgy and delicious.
Thanks so much, Kim!
I’ve tried so hard to love beets, but I just don’t, unless they’re fried like chips. However, these look very decadent and I love the name!
Well, hey, at least you’ve tried them! That’s all anybody can ask 🙂 Thanks Laura!
Brownies lend themselves for all sorts of vegetables inside, but beets are awesome! They look incredibly fudgy Lori!
Thanks Paula!
I’ve had a bag of beets in my produce drawer for weeks (I got it in my CSA box), and I haven’t been able to figure out what to do with them. I only have one recipe for them (a really good veggie burger), and even though I like it, I really need some more beet recipes! 🙂 I’m definitely adding this one to my collection!
Oh yeah, when I was a CSA member, there would be weeks where I just got A TON of beets! That veggie burger sounds great.
I get Beets in my CSA box and i never use them because I don’t like them, but now I will be making your recipe! What a great idea!! I love these brownies! They look so light, moist and fluffy!!
That’s how I started eating (and liking) beets – my CSA box years ago. Although, I was IN LOVE with them at the time. Wish I could go back in time!
Beets are wonderful in a chocolate cake or brownies. They look so good moist, a little cakey. That is exactly how I like my brownies.
Thanks Suzanne! I’ve also been wanting to experiment with beet red velvet cake for awhile. But I just don’t think it’ll get that bright red color that people are used to.
This is so cool… who knew you could make brownies with beets?
To be honest, I didn’t think it would work. Especially on the first try. I got lucky!
I adore beets, too, but haven’t baked with them yet! Your brownies look so rich and tempting…you’d never know they had a secret ingredient!
High five for beets!
This recipe is so creative. Love the name!
Thanks Jennie!
I would love to surprise a few people in my family with this! They always ask about zucchini and black beans. But, they would never think to ask about beets! Sounds yummy!
I gotta admit, the bean brownies freak me out a little. Says the girl who’s sneaking BEETS into them. haha.
Love this spin on a good brownie, a healthy approach is always good. Thank you for sharing
You’re welcome, Kathia! Thanks for hosting this week!
If there ever was something to get me to eat and like beets this is it for sure! Awesome recipe.
Thanks so much, Renee! I’m on a mission to get people to love beets 🙂