Chewy, rich and slightly gooey, these Vegan Avocado Brownies are your sweet chocolatey dreams come true! Whip up a batch of these in minutes and enjoy all the healthy decadence you could ever imagine!
Avocado brownies
I LOVE vegan brownies, but as we all know, brownies are typically not very healthy. Eggs, lots of oil, sugar etc.... Enter our best friend, the avocado, and the wonders of healthy fats!
These vegan brownies are still not oil-free or sugar-free, but they are 'healthier' and I feel like I can indulge in their chocolatey richness without too much guilt!
(But for an extra decadent treat, drizzle these brownies with vegan chocolate sauce before serving! No one is looking!)
This is a GREAT recipe to use up avocado that has gotten just a little too ripe and soft for your liking and is about to turn brown.
And don't be weirded out by desserts with avocado!! Avocado has an amazing creaminess that works great with desserts!
Related recipe: Chocolate Avocado Smoothie
Ready to make these brownies??
Related recipe: Zucchini Muffins
Ingredients
Flax egg mixture:
- 1 tablespoon flax seed meal (ground flax seeds)
- 3 tablespoons cold water
Dry ingredients:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (or use white whole wheat flour for an even healthier brownie)
- ⅓ cup organic granulated sugar
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional, but I really like the subtle cinnamon flavor it gives to these brownies!)
Other ingredients:
- ¼ cup ripe avocado, lightly smashed (you'll want to use an avocado that is soft enough to be smashed with a fork)
- ¾ cup chocolate chips (plus extra for topping, if you like!!)
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ¼ cup coconut oil (use refined coconut oil for no coconut flavor, or unrefined coconut oil for a hint of coconutty flavor in these avocado brownies!)
You will also need:
- An 8x8 inch baking dish (I love this one with a lid for storing leftover brownies!)
- Parchment paper (kind of optional, but it makes life so much easier!! The brownies will never stick to the bottom of the pan!)
- The usual baking equipment: mixing bowls, measuring cups and spoons, a fork for mixing, silicone spatula, etc.
Related recipe: Vegan Peanut Butter Chocolate Pie
How to make vegan avocado brownies:
Pre-heat your own to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Step 1: Mix up a flax seed egg (1 Tbsp flax seed meal + 3 Tbsp water) and set aside.
Step 2: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.
Step 3: Cut/smash in the avocado into the dry ingredients with a fork - you will have a few lumps and that's OK.
Related recipe: Vegan Stuffed Avocado Salad
Step 4: Combine the maple syrup, coconut oil, and vegan chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl, and melt together (~30 seconds to 1 minute). Stir to combine.
Step 5: Add the melted chocolate mixture and the flax seed egg to the dry ingredients and mix until the dry ingredients are well incorporated.
Related recipe: Vegan Chocolate Milkshake
Step 6: Line an 8x8-inch square baking dish with parchment paper and gently press brownie batter into it. Sprinkle a few more chocolate chips on the top, if you want (and admit it, who doesn't??).
Step 7: Bake at 350F for 18-20 minutes. Allow to cool for a bit, and enjoy!!
Be careful not to over-bake your brownies especially if you like them a bit moist! These brownies get a nice light crust on top but are fudgy, gooey wonders on the inside! The best of both worlds in my book!
Look how fudgy!
Related recipe: Vegan Fudgesicles
Storing leftover brownies:
These vegan brownies are delicious warm out of the oven, but almost even better a day later after resting in a covered container on the counter.
You can keep these brownies in a covered container on the counter for a few days, and up to a week in the refrigerator. I LOVE this baking dish with a lid because I can bake the brownies in it and then keep the leftovers in there without transferring them!
Still have some left? Try wrapping them up and freezing them individually for a lunchbox treat down the road!
Related recipe: Vegan Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Add nuts:
If you love chopped nuts in your brownies, add ½ cup chopped walnuts (or other nuts!) to your dry mixture just after you cut in the avocado!
Related recipe: Vegan Banana Nut Muffins
Can I replace the avocado with something else?
Are you out of ripe avocado and want to make these brownies RIGHT now?!! I totally hear you. No need to worry, just double the coconut oil and leave out the avocado! Or, try replacing the avocado with smashed ripe banana instead (adds a light banana flavor!).
Related recipe: Vegan Fruit Pizza
Other delicious vegan desserts:
- Vegan Strawberry Scones with Chocolate Chips
- Vegan Mint Chip Ice Cream
- Vegan Cherry Chocolate Ice Cream
- Amazing Vegan Cheesecake
- Vegan Key Lime Pie
If you’ve tried these Vegan Avocado Brownies or any other recipe on my blog then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I LOVE hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST to see more delicious food!!!
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Vegan Avocado Brownies
Ingredients
Flax egg mixture
- 1 tablespoon flax seed meal, (ground flax seed)
- 3 tablespoon cold water
Dry Ingredients:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, or use white whole wheat flour
- ⅓ cup organic granulated sugar
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Cut in:
- ¼ cup ripe avocado, lightly smashed
Melt together:
- ¾ cup vegan chocolate chips, + extra for topping
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ¼ cup coconut oil, refined for no coconut flavor, or unrefined for hint of coconut flavor
Special equipment
- 8x8 inch baking dish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Create a flax egg by mixing together the flax seed meal and cold water in a small bowl. Set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.
- Cut/smash the avocado into the dry ingredients with a fork until the pieces are very small. It's OK if you still have a few lumps.
- In a small microwave-safe bowl, melt the maple syrup, coconut oil, and vegan chocolate chips together (30 seconds - 1 minute), and stir. Or do this on the stove-top in a small saucepan.
- Add the melted mixture and flax seed egg to the dry ingredients and mix until the dry ingredients are well incorporated.
- Line an 8x8-inch square baking dish with parchment paper and gently press the brownie batter into it with a silicone spatula or the back of a spoon. Sprinkle a few more chocolate chips on the top, if you like!
- Bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes. Allow to cool for a bit, slice, and enjoy!
Can i replace sugar with date paste or honey? If yes what is the quantity?
Thanks
Hi Nivine, I really haven't tried it with another sweetener so don't blame me if it doesn't work out... but I think you should be able to substitute date paste or honey (or maple syrup or agave) 1:1 with the sugar. Keep in mind that if using honey or another syrupy sweetener, the brownies might come out gooey-er and softer, so maybe add a tiny bit more flour. If using date paste, the brownies might come out firmer because of the texture. You can also try using ⅓ cup coconut sugar instead of regular sugar if you want a healthier sugar alternative.
Let me know what you end up trying and how it works out for you!!
Can I use an Egg Replacer? I’m assuming the flax egg is a one egg substitution
I think that should work fine! Please let me know how it goes!
can I use applesauce instead of avocado or coconut oil?
Fresh Avocado is a source of fat in this recipe, so if your replace the avocado with part oil and part applesauce, that should work. Let us know how it goes if you try it!