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Before we get to this recipe, I think it’s important to note that I’m not an “avocado person.” You know those people who could eat an avocado straight with a spoon?
Yeah, that’s not me.
I usually only like avocados in guacamole or hidden in pesto. That’s why I’m so surprised by this avocado brownie recipe. The brownies turn out rich and fudgy, and most importantly, they don’t taste like avocado.
This recipe is ideal for those who prefer not to use butter or oil in their brownie recipes. I spent weeks experimenting with the ratio—using no flour, butter, or white sugar—so I’m confident you’ll love these, even if you’re not a big fan of avocados.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Featured Review
“Awesome! I really had to control myself not to eat the whole thing! I could not taste the avocado.” -Mary
Avocado Brownie Recipe Ingredients
- Avocado. It’s best to use a small avocado (about 5 ounces) that isn’t bruised or mushy. It should give slightly when pressed, without any black spots inside, for the best flavor.
- Coconut Sugar. Granulated sugar makes the best brownies, so we’re using a more natural choice to keep these on the healthier side.
- Eggs. These provide structure and help the brownies rise, while also adding protein to each bite.
- Cacao powder. I always keep raw cacao powder in my pantry, but regular cocoa powder should work as well.
- Almond Butter. This creamy nut butter adds fiber and healthy fats, so you won’t need butter or oil. Peanut butter could be used as a swap, if you prefer.
- Vanilla Extract. This is added for flavor, but can be omitted if you’re out.
- Baking Powder. This is essential to help the brownies rise as they bake. If you only have baking soda on hand, use half the amount.
- Salt. Don’t omit the salt in a dessert recipe. It makes the flavor pop!
How to Make Avocado Brownies
Step 1:
Preheat the oven to 325ºF and lightly grease an 8-inch baking pan. Press a piece of parchment paper into the bottom of the pan to help the brownies come out more easily later.
In the bowl of a 12-cup food processor, add the ripe avocado, eggs, coconut sugar, almond butter, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, baking soda, and salt.
Secure the lid and start processing until the batter looks smooth.
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Step 2:
Stop and scrape down the sides of the machine to ensure all ingredients are evenly mixed. Then fold in the chocolate chips. (You can pulse the food processor briefly to mix them in.)
Transfer the brownie batter to the prepared pan and spread it out evenly. Sprinkle a few extra chocolate chips on top, if desired.
Step 3:
Bake the brownies at 325°F for 35 to 40 minutes, or until your kitchen smells fragrant and the center no longer jiggles when you shake the pan. Remove the pan from the oven and let them cool completely before slicing.
These brownies are very fudgy when cut, so you’ll need to wipe the knife after each slice.
Storage Tips
These brownies can be served at room temperature after you make them, but I recommend transferring them to an airtight container for storage. They are very moist, and therefore could spoil if left at room temperature for too long.
They should keep well in the fridge for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Avocado Brownies (No Flour or Oil!)
Ingredients
- 1 small ripe avocado , pit and peel removed
- ½ cup cacao powder (or cocoa powder)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup coconut sugar (or brown sugar)
- ¼ cup almond butter
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ cup dark chocolate chips (dairy-free, if needed)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325ºF and line a 9-inch square baking dish with parchment paper. (Grease the pan first, so the parchment paper will stay in place.) In a food processor, add the avocado, cacao powder, eggs, coconut sugar, almond butter, baking powder, vanilla, and salt. Process until smooth, stopping to scrape down the bowl as needed.
- Fold in the chocolate chips, then pour the batter into the prepared pan. (Decorate the top with a few extra chocolate chips, if desired.)
- Bake at 325ºF for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the center of the brownies looks cooked through. (You don't want it to jiggle when you shake the pan.) Allow the brownies to cool completely. The avocado flavor is MUCH more pronounced if you try these warm, so please don't be tempted to taste them until they have come to room temperature. You can place them in the fridge if you want to speed up the cooling process, or you'll have to wait at least 2 hours for them to cool on the counter.
- Slice the brownies into small squares and serve. It's normal for this brownie to stick to the knife a bit with you cut them since they are flourless and fudgy. Leftovers can be stored on the counter for up to 48 hours, or in the fridge in an airtight container for up to a week.
Video
Notes
Baking Note: Brownies baked in a square metal pan will cook faster and more evenly than those cooked in a glass or ceramic baking dish. You may need to add 5 more minutes of cooking time when using a glass or ceramic option. Don’t have a food processor? You can make these brownies in a single bowl, mashing the avocado with a fork until relatively smooth. I prefer using a food processor, but I’ve had good results with both methods.
Nutrition
More AVOCADO Recipes to Try
- Guacamole recipe
- Avocado Ice Cream
- Chocolate Avocado Fudgsicles
- Cowboy Caviar with Avocado
- Chocolate Avocado Pudding
If you try this avocado brownie recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below letting me know how you like them.
These were so much better than I anticipated! I substituted natural peanut butter for almond butter, semisweet chocolate chips for dark chocolate and I baked for 35 mins in a glass 8×8. These turned out so gooey and fudgy, I even ate one warm and couldn’t taste the avocado at all
There are no measurements. How is this supposed to work?
Hi Bianca! There’s a printable recipe towards the bottom of this page. You can click the “jump to recipe” button at the top of the page if you’d like to be taken straight to the measurements. Enjoy!
I thought these brownies turned out great. I used my over ripe avocados and they were just as described – no taste of avocado! My kids who knew what was in them wouldn’t eat them but everyone else who didn;t know what was in them loved them!
I decided to try these after all the positive reviews. I followed the recipe to a T (I noticed the recipe says baking powder but the image with all the ingredients labeled says baking soda – which is it?) and they came out awful. I was so disappointed. The batter tasted fine but the brownies tasted like burnt old avocados. I’ll stick to bean brownies from now on.
I just put a batch in the oven. I substituted the Coconut sugar with monkfruit sweetener mixed with 2 tsp of molasses to make a reduced (brown) sugar version. Smells great! Can’t wait to taste it!
I can’t eat regular or coconut sugar at the moment so I decided to try this recipe subbing maple syrup in. Since I wasn’t sure about ratio of wet to dry, I halved the maple syrup compared to the coconut sugar (i.e. I used half a cup of maple syrup). The texture of these brownies is spot on! It’s amazing. Mine were more bittersweet than I would have liked, but given I halved the sugar that’s not surprising. I was watching them carefully as they baked and they were perfectly done after 16 minutes at 325. I’ll make these again but might try playing around with the ratio of cocoa/maple syrup/almond butter.
I added a half cup of chopped walnuts. These are the best brownie I have ever eaten!
These are absolutely delicious! I made them for my mother and father-in-law because she has diabetes but likes an occasional sweet. She raves about them! This last time I made my household a pan as well and I LOVE them! For my batch I used light brown sugar instead of coconut sugar and peanut butter in place of the almond butter. I couldn’t taste the peanut butter at all.
Hi Megan – I’d like to make the vegan version of these avocado brownies. Do you think I could use 1/4 cup cassava flour in place of 1/4 cup gluten free flour? I may try it out to see if it works anyways, since I don’t have GF flour at this time. Fingers crossed!
I forgot to give a recipe rating! My apologies! I love all of your recipes – have used them for years. My son loves them, especially. He loves the egg-version of these brownies but I can’t eat eggs.
Rated the batter, yummy! I can only imagine the taste, made a double batch. Can they be frozen?