Avocados are like a song that can be played over and over without anyone ever getting tired of them. This little fruit (yes, fruit) is everywhere — in the news, in desserts, on toast, on the Internet, and on countless restaurant menus in some form. It’s a healthy fat that goes with almost any food combination, and provides a decent amount of health benefits, like increased energy, a ton of vitamins and minerals, better digestion… the list goes on. The point is that avocados are so nutritionally dense, they are considered a superfood.

People sometimes want to avoid avocados because of their high calorie and fat content. These are the fats that you want to be eating: monounsaturated fatty acids. When you think about it, avocados are not that high in calories, either. One fruit is about 270-320 calories, which pales in comparison to popular Starbucks menu items or fast food meals.

Avocados’ role as a fat in a healthy diet means they can make an ideal substitute when a baking recipe calls for butter or oil. These brownies not only feature mashed avocado as a replacement for a more unhealthy fat — they are also flourless and contain several other nutrient rich and clean foods. You can feel good about indulging in these soft, fudgy treats.

Avocado Brownies

Photo by Olivia D’Aiutolo

Fact: Avocados can also be referred to as alligator pears.

Dark Chocolate Avocado Brownies

  • Prep Time:10 minutes
  • Cook Time:40 minutes
  • Total Time:50 minutes
  • Servings:9
  • Medium

    Ingredients

  • 1 cup avocado, mashed
  • 1 cup natural, creamy peanut butter
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • Cooking spray
  • Step 1

    Preheat the oven to 325°F, and spray an 8×8 baking pan with cooking spray.

  • Step 2

    Combine the mashed avocado, peanut butter, cocoa powder, honey, vanilla, and salt in a medium-size mixing bowl.

    Photo by Olivia D'Aiutolo
  • Step 3

    Fold in the chocolate chips carefully.

    Photo by Olivia D'Aiutolo
  • Step 4

    Spread the batter in the pan with the back of a wooden spoon, pushing it into the corners and smoothing the top.

    #SpoonTip: Use a wooden spoon, because this batter with stick to plastic.

    Photo by Olivia D'Aiutolo
  • Step 5

    Sprinkle a small handful of chocolate chips on top, if you have extra.

  • Step 6

    Bake for 40 minutes or until a fork inserted into the center comes out clean.

    Photo by Olivia D'Aiutolo
  • Step 7

    Cool completely before cutting and serving.

    Photo by Olivia D'Aiutolo