01
Strawberries
10.0best for brownies1 cup : 1 cup
Red and refreshing in summer dishes
10.0
watermelon substitute
in brownies.
Brownies relies on Watermelon for natural sweetness and moisture. When substituting, focus on matching what matters most for the dense, fudgy texture.
top substitutes
adjustment for this dish
Strawberries carry 91% water but 4x the pectin of watermelon, so the puree thickens the batter rather than thinning it. Swap 1:1 cup but skip the sieve drain - the pectin holds the moisture in the crumb and the center stays fudgy with full puree weight. Expect the crackle top to blush pink.
02
Pineapple
10.0best for brownies1 cup : 1 cup
Juicy tropical, works in salads
10.0
adjustment for this dish
Pineapple packs bromelain, an enzyme that breaks down egg proteins and keeps the crackle top from forming. Swap 1:1 cup but first simmer the puree for 4 minutes at 180 F to denature the enzyme. Pull the pan 2 minutes earlier - pineapple's acidity pushes the edges to brown faster than watermelon.
03
Papaya
10.0best for brownies1 cup : 1 cup
Sweet tropical fruit, similar juicy texture
10.0
adjustment for this dish
Papaya also carries the protein-breaking enzyme papain, which attacks the egg-sugar melt that forms the glossy top. Swap 1:1 cup and simmer the puree 5 minutes at 180 F to kill papain before folding it into the cocoa. The center reads sweeter than watermelon, so cut added sugar by 2 tbsp per cup to hold the chewy balance.
show 7 more substitutes
04
Grapes
10.01 cup : 1 cup
Frozen grapes mimic watermelon refreshment
10.0
adjustment for this dish
Grapes, pureed whole with skins, deliver 5x the tannin of watermelon plus roughly 16 Brix sugar. Swap 1:1 cup but strain through a fine mesh to pull out seeds and skin solids, or the square cuts with gritty bits at the edges. Tannin tightens the crumb into chewy rather than fudgy - reduce flour by 1 tbsp per cup of grape puree to keep the pull.
05
Tomatoes
7.51 cup : 1 cup
Juicy and acidic when ripe; dice for salsa or blend for gazpacho, adds savory depth
7.5
adjustment for this dish
Tomatoes carry 94% water plus glutamate that pushes the cocoa darker and deeper. Swap 1:1 cup peeled and seeded puree, but drain 25 minutes in a fine sieve - tomatoes release more juice than watermelon. Add 1 tsp vanilla per cup of tomato to mask the vegetal edge, and the brownie center reads more like a dark chocolate melt than a fruit-forward fudgy square.
06
Kiwi
5.01 cup : 1 cup
Refreshing and juicy, adds tartness
5.0
07
Mangoes
5.01 cup : 1 cup
Sweet and juicy, great in fruit salads
5.0
08
Cucumber
5.01 cup : 1 cup
Same crunch and water content, less sweet
5.0
09
Cantaloupe
2.51 cup : 1 cup
Closest melon swap, more flavor
2.5
10
Honeydew
2.51 cup : 1 cup
Mild melon alternative
2.5
technique for brownies
technique
Watermelon pureed into brownie batter dumps roughly 92% water into a formula that depends on a low liquid-to-fat ratio for that fudgy center and glossy crackle top. Drain 1 cup of puree in a fine sieve for 20 minutes and you will recover about 1/3 cup of juice; fold only the pulp into the melted butter and cocoa or the pan will bake off in 45 minutes with a gummy middle and no pull at the edges.
Whisk the eggs and sugar for 3-4 minutes before the cocoa goes in so the sugar crystals partially dissolve, since watermelon carries almost no sucrose of its own and the crackle forms from that sugar-egg film rebaking on top. Unlike watermelon in cake, where you want the moisture to carry the crumb, in brownies moisture is the enemy of the tender, chewy square you are chasing.
Bake at 325 F and pull when a skewer in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs, not clean. Line the pan with parchment overhang so you can lift and cut clean two-inch squares once cool.
pitfalls to avoid
watch out
Don't pour raw watermelon puree into melted butter and cocoa - the water shock will seize the cocoa into clumps and the center will never set to that fudgy pull.
watch out
Avoid overbaking past 30 minutes at 325 F; the high moisture means the edges dry out before the crackle top finishes forming in the center of the square pan.
watch out
Skip skipping the drain step - 20 minutes in a fine sieve removes about 1/3 of the weight as juice, without which the brownies bake gummy and the glossy top never forms.
watch out
Reduce sugar by no more than 2 tbsp per cup of puree; watermelon's own fructose is too dilute to carry the melt and the crackle top depends on that sugar film.