Extra fudgy and chocolaty, these vegan chocolate avocado brownies are not at all what you would expect from an avocado dessert. Mashed avocado simply replaces oil in the recipe, giving each bite a secret boost of fibre and nutrients, while your taste buds are in gooey chocolate heaven, not suspecting a thing.

Let’s just go straight to the elephant in the room - chocolate avocado brownies. It sounds weird, I know. But if you really think about it, it kind of does make sense. Avocados are notorious for their velvety, creamy texture and high fat content. And that’s exactly what you need when making extra fudgy chocolate brownies.

But, instead of packing this recipe with butter, shortening or coconut oil, you can use a perfectly ripe avocado.

What about the flavour? Avocados have a very mild taste even when eaten raw, but if you mix them with dark chocolate, chocolate chips and cocoa powder, no hint of avocado flavour remains.

Ingredients You’ll Need to Make Vegan Avocado Brownies

Avocado - its creamy texture makes avocado a great substitute for butter and even eggs in certain recipes.

Sugar - I used granulated sugar, but if you’re looking to make these brownies refined sugar free, you can easily use coconut sugar.

Milk - any unsweetened plant-based milk alternative will do. I used my favourite almond milk.

Dark chocolate - adding melted dark chocolate to the batter makes these brownies even more fudgy and chocolaty.

Vanilla extract - for a hint of sweet vanilla aroma.

White whole-wheat flour - you can just as easily use all-purpose flour.

Unsweetened cocoa powder - natural, or unsweetened cocoa powder has not had its acid stripped away, so it is lighter in colour, acidic, bitter and has a very concentrated chocolate flavour.

Baking powder - adding a teaspoon of baking powder to the batter makes these brownies just a bit thicker.

Salt - adding salt to sweet recipes helps to bring out the flavours, and it really does make a difference. Use finely ground sea salt, and measure it precisely.

Dark chocolate chips - optional, but highly recommended.

Why Put Avocado in Brownies?

I know avocado and chocolate doesn’t seem like the best combo, but it actually works. Thanks to its high fat content, avocado has a creamy, velvety texture that can easily replace butter, shortening, oil and even eggs, making it the perfect choice for fudgy vegan brownies.

And that’s not all. Avocados are also:

High in potassium
An excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids
A great source of vitamins C, E, K, and B-6, as well as riboflavin, niacin, folate, pantothenic acid, and magnesium
Loaded with dietary fibre

Can You Taste the Avocado in These Brownies?

When baked, avocados have a very mild flavour, which means that in these chocolate overload brownies, the taste can easily go unnoticed. If you’re very sensitive to flavour, or are expecting to taste the avocado, the flavour might come through on your first bite. But, and this surprised me as well, avocados and chocolate actually go really well together.

How to Make Vegan Chocolate Avocado Brownies

In the bowl of a food processor, pulse together the avocado, milk, and vanilla until smooth and no clumps of avocado remain. Pour in the melted chocolate and pulse until creamy.
In a large bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt.
Pour the chocolaty wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry and stir until combined.
Add the chocolate chips and stir together until combined.
Evenly spread the mixture into the prepared pan.
Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes, until set. Done!

How to Store These Brownies

Avocado brownies will keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. They’re best at room temperature, so make sure to take them out of the fridge a couple of minutes before you plan to serve them.

Do They Freeze?

Yes! To freeze, tightly wrap the brownies in a zip lock freezer bag. They will stay fresh for up to 4 months.