Fudgy Triple Chocolate Avocado Brownies

I know, you’re pretty much thinking I’ve lost my mind. Avocado in brownies?!? It’s not exactly an original idea, people have been baking with avocado forever, but it’s probably not something you ever expected to see here. And trust me, no one was more skeptical about this whole adding avocado to baked goods things than me…

The truth is I’ve been making these chipotle chicken kebabs weekly this summer, and when I do I always halve the avocado sauce recipe since Shane has no interest in even trying the sauce. As a result, I’m constantly trying to figure out ways to use the leftover avocado halves. I’m still not all that keen on eating avocados as is so a lot of obvious, simple ideas were out. Despite my hesitation, brownies seemed as good a destination as any for them!

Let me be clear – I’m not trying to pass these brownies off as healthy in any way. They’re not. The avocado replaces some of the butter in the recipe, but not all of it. And in addition to butter, there’s nearly half a pound of chocolate in the brownies and plenty of sugar. So you can rest assured these brownies are just as wonderfully chocolatey, fudgy, and rich as they look 🙂 I was kind of shocked by how much I enjoyed them since, like I said, I was pretty skeptical. Honestly, I couldn’t taste the avocado at all (and trust me, I would tell you if I could)!

I brainstormed the best way to convince Shane (confirmed avocado hater) to try these brownies and in the end decided to tell him there was a secret ingredient, but not reveal what it was until after he ate his first bite. I was confident he’d like them, and he did! He noted they were more dense than most of the brownies I make, and I’d agree. You wouldn’t guess there was avocado in this recipe, but texturally you might be able pick up on a difference. That said, I have no problem with dense, super fudgy brownies and I guess Shane didn’t either, since he proceeded to use the brownies as a base for ice cream sundaes all week 🙂

You probably won’t find me adding avocados to many of my desserts, but where brownies are concerned, I’m definitely a convert! Happy Friday guys, hope you have a delicious weekend!

Fudgy Triple Chocolate Avocado Brownies
adapted from Cook’s Illustrated, May/June 2000

5 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/2 stick), cut in half
2 oz mashed avocado (about 1/2 avocado)
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups (8.75 oz) granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (5 oz) all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 350 F with a rack in the lower third. Spray an 8×8-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Line the pan with aluminum foil, leaving an overhang on opposing sides so you can lift the brownies out easily once they’re baked. Spray the foil with nonstick cooking spray.

Add the bittersweet chocolate, unsweetened chocolate, and the butter to a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second bursts at 50% power, stirring in between each, until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Add the mashed avocado and cocoa powder, and whisk until combined. Set aside to cool slightly.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, vanilla and salt until combined. Add the warm chocolate mixture to the egg mixture and whisk to combine. Finally, stir in the flour with a rubber spatula just until incorporated.

Pour the batter into the prepared baking ban, spreading evenly with a rubber spatula to cover the bottom of the pan. Bake the brownies for about 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached. (Do not over bake, or the brownies will dry out.) Transfer the pan to a wire rack and allow the brownies to cool completely in the pan. Use the foil to lift the brownies out of the pan and slice before serving.