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Meet your new โhealthy-ishโ chocolate fix. These brownies are rich, ultra-moist, and unapologetically fudgyโthanks to ripe avocado and maple syrup. You wonโt taste the avocado, promiseโฆjust deep, dark chocolate and a soft fudge frosting on top.
Theyโre cozy for winter baking, naturally gluten-free, and exactly what a cold afternoon needs.
Avocado brownies? Yes, did you know theyโre a thing? Even though it sounds weird, it worksโฆand they are so delicious. This is a recipe Iโve been making for years. Itโs become a go-to for me, especially throughout the month of January. We might be cutting back on the sugar, but that doesnโt mean we canโt still have our chocolate.
In fact, chocolate is actually needed. I donโt need to go into all the health benefits, but for sanity aloneโฆitโs needed.
All joking aside, weโve had two full days of snow here in Colorado. All the more reason to stay inside and bake. Plus, itโs Friday, and after a long week, nothing is better than something a little sweet, chocolatey, and extra delicious. Enter these healthy avocado brownies.
They are different. But trust me, theyโre different in a good way.
(pureeing the avocado)
(after adding the chocolate to the avocado)
(the chocolate avocado mixture)
Let me tell you some details about these brownies.
I took my basic brownie recipe and I made a few tweaksโฆok a lot of tweaks.
The avocado replaces the butter while also adding a slight sweetness. Now, Iโm not against using butter, but this is just a different more nutrient-packed way to bake a brownie. I promise you donโt even taste a hint of avocado. Promise.
The maple syrup replaces the sugar used in traditional brownies and makes these sweet, but not overly so. It also lends to the fudgy texture of these brownies, keeping them insanely moist.
The almond flour/meal replaces the white flour and keeps these brownies completely gluten free too.
Hereโs exactly how you make these.
First things first, you need a food processor or blender for this recipe. I know, a pain, but itโs worth it. You really want to be able to puree the avocado to ensure that zero chunks of avocado bake up in your brownie. Trust me, that you do not want.
So, youโll puree together the avocados, maple syrup, vanilla, and a touch of instant coffee granulates until extra smooth. Then add melted dark chocolate and puree once more until the mix looks like puddingโฆand smells like it too.
Honestly? This mix right here? All on its own? Itโs delicious.
Tip: make sure to use ripe, even spotty brown, avocados. You donโt want them hard or they will not blend nicely into the brownie batter.
Once the chocolate avocado mix is done. Whisk the eggs in a separate bowl until bubbly on top. Then mix in the chocolate avocado mix, the cocoa powder, almond flour, and a pinch of salt.
Stir in the chocolate chunks and bake. Nothing very fancy at all. The only extra step is to puree the avocado, but again, this step really is a needed.
The frosting.
While the brownies are baking, make the fudgy frosting. Itโs just a mix of maple, coconut oil, dark chocolate, and cocoa powder. Hereโs the thing about this frosting, when you finish making it, it will be runny and not stiff at all. This is OK, the frosting just needs time to chill and set up.
Let the frosting sit while the brownies cool off, then either pour or spread it over the brownies. As the frosting cools down, it will firm up into a soft fudge. Itโs rich, creamy, and tastes incredibly decadent, but yet itโs not full of anything all that indulgent or โbad for usโ.
I like to top my brownies with finely chopped chocolate and chocolate curls. Totally not needed, but I do enjoy the added texture on top.
FAQ:
Do these taste like avocado?
Nope. The avocado acts like butter hereโrichness and moistureโso you only taste deep chocolate.
How do I know theyโre done?
Edges set and pull slightly from the pan; center looks just set and a tester comes out with moist crumbs. Over-baking makes them cakey.
Can I make these without a food processor?
Yesโuse a blender. If neither is available, mash the avocado extremely smooth before whisking in the liquids to avoid green flecks.
My frosting stayed runnyโwhat did I do wrong?
It needs cooling time to set into a soft fudge. Spread over cooled brownies and let it chill until firm to the touch before slicing.
If you make these be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, donโt forget to tag me onย Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!Fudgy Avocado Brownies with Chocolate Fudge Frosting.
Fudgy Avocado Brownies with Chocolate Fudge Frosting.
Ingredients
- 2 ripe small avocados, pitted and skins removed, (about 3/4 cup once pureed)
- 1/2 cup real maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons instant coffee, (optional)
- 3.5 ounces dark chocolate, melted
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup almond meal/flour
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 cup chopped dark chocolate chunks
Chocolate Fudge Frosting
- 1/4 cup real maple syrup
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- 2 ounces semi-sweet or dark chocolate, chopped
- 1/3 cup cocoa powder
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8x8 inch pan with parchment paper.2. In the bowl of a food processor, pulse together the avocado, maple syrup, vanilla, and instant coffee (if using) until smooth and no clumps of avocado remain. Pour in the melted chocolate and pulse until creamy. 3. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs for 1 minute until bubbly on top. Stir in the chocolate avocado mix, mixing until combined. Add the cocoa powder, almond flour, and salt. Stir until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chunks.4. Evenly spread the mixture into the prepared pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the brownies are just set. Do not over bake or these will become cakey. Allow to cool before frosting.5. Meanwhile, make the frosting. In a small saucepan, melt together the maple syrup, coconut oil and dark chocolate over low heat until melted and smooth. Remove from the heat and stir in the cocoa powder and a pinch of salt. Let the frosting cool, then pour/spread the frosting over the brownies and spread in an even layer. Place the brownies in the fridge and allow the frosting to set, 30 minutes to 1 hour. 6. Once set, cut into bars and serve at room temp. Keep stored in a cool, dry place in an airtight container for 2-3 days.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
Made these yesterday with my questionably overripe avocados and added walnuts to batter. I made a cream cheese frosting with maple syrup, cocoa powder, and melted chocolate. I noted the comments re instant coffee but did it anyway and gotta say it added a delicious dimension and pairs beautifully with the Callebaut dark chocolate that I use. Incredible. This is my new fave brownie recipe, thank you!
Hey Lisa,
Awesome! Thanks so much for trying this recipe and your comment! Glad to hear it was enjoyed. Have a great week! x
Hi Teighan,
We made them yesterday, apres skiing healthy gal pal bake.
They were aaahhmazing.
We did substitute the eggs for chia seed meal (egg substitute) that we let sit in water to activate. We also used Hu chocolate that has no added sugar.
Thanks
Breck Gals
Hey Kelly Ann,
Love to hear this! Thanks a lot for making this recipe and your comment! Thanks for sharing what worked well for you! Have a great day:) xT
Would love to try this recipe out but Iโm out of eggs at the momentโฆwould it be okay to substitute the eggs with applesauce?
Hey Amber,
So sorry, I’ve never tested that, but you could certainly give it a try! Let me know how the recipe turns out! xx
Hi Tieghan!! Thoughts on subbing flax eggs for the eggs?? Might try it, regardless. But would love your expert opinion!
Hey Bridget,
I’ve never tried this, but it could work well for you! Let me know how the recipe turns out, I hope you love it! xx
Made these but made the mistake of adding the instant coffee, I think itโs what made them soooo bitter. I initially used maple syrup in the batter but ended up even adding some regular sugar. Used sugar for the frosting. Not my favorite recipe.
Hi Holly,
Thanks for giving the recipe a try and sharing your feedback, so sorry to hear it was not enjoyed! xTieghan
Thanks for the recipe! Is there anything else I can use other than coconut oil without compromising the quality?
Hi Chris,
You could use butter in place of the coconut oil. Please let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xTieghan
So yummy! Made these twice in the last week. My husband loved them! He devoured the first batch and asked me to make them again. Thank you so much for all your hard work, developing and sharing your recipes. Using your recipes, I’m able to consistently make meals and desserts that my family enjoys. That makes cooking and baking fun again!!!
Hey Melissa,
Happy Sunday!! Love hearing that this recipe was a hit, thanks for making it!! xxT
I’ve always wanted to try avocado brownies & your recipes so far have not let me down. We’re snowed in and want to make these but don’t have the chocolate only cocoa powder or almond flour just regular flour. Do you think it’ll still work?
Hey Amanda,
So sorry, you are going to need the chocolate, cocoa powder, and almond flour (oat flour or all purpose flour would also work here). Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Can these be frozen?
Hi Ire,
Yes, you can freeze these! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
Not me making both youโre buffalo chicken quesadillas and avocado brownies in the same night ???โโ๏ธ?? SO delicious, as always! โค๏ธโค๏ธโค๏ธ
Hi Megan,
Happy Sunday!! I love to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks a lot for giving it a try! xxT
This was a total fail for me. But I don’t blame the recipe. Actually the batter tasted great before going in the oven, but after baking it was super bitter, to the point I couldn’t get the taste out of my mouth for a long time. I think the avocadoes were the culprit. Perhaps the variety makes a difference. Won’t try again as there is only one variety available. Will definitely try other recipes from this site !
Hey there! I’m so sorry this recipe didn’t work out the way you hoped! Is there anything you did differently? xxTieghan
THIS is the BOMB of BOMBS. Moist, rich and better than most restaurants. If you want the best of the best flavors in chocolate baked goods, use King Arthurโs Double Dutch dark cocoa powder. Donโt use Hersheys!! Thank you for this recipe, my husband asks for it often!
Happy Thursday! So glad this recipe was enjoyed and thanks for making it! xTieghan
Where is the nutritional information, not just the calories?