Problems.
That’s what these are: big, delicious problems.
From the moment I decided to make avocado brownies, I was already at the counter mashing, melting and mixing. Chocolate felt absolutely necessary.
It’s been a strange week. After a weekend away — where we thankfully had a king bed — coming home and getting back into our normal routine has been oddly challenging. We don’t have a king bed at home because I spend money on impractical things and he insists a big bed won’t fit the stairs. The results: kicked covers, snoring, a ceiling fan on high, the TV on for comfort, and an elaborate blanket strategy to avoid being eaten by imaginary monsters. All of which made me want chocolate even more.
I also have a habit of buying too many avocados at once. If you need four avocados, you might as well buy six because a couple can be overripe or stringy. Those little stringy bits in avocados—often mistaken for hairs—bug me. They’re actually vascular bundles, which sounds worse when you look it up, but they’re harmless. Still, they’re annoying.
So: eight avocados in the kitchen and a craving for brownies. I asked my husband if there was anything we hadn’t had in a long time. You should never expect a serious answer to that question, but I knew what I wanted—brownies. He wasn’t thrilled about avocados in dessert, but he still ate them anyway. Sometimes avocados are “superfoods,” apparently.
These brownies are dense, fudgy and rich. They stay moist thanks to eggs, avocado oil and extra chopped chocolate. The frosting is light and avocado-forward — yes, it tastes like avocado — but it complements the brownies without making them taste avocado-y. The green frosting keeps its color, which I’ve noticed before and suspect has something to do with the powdered sugar, though I’m not certain.
I’m obsessed with these brownies. Also, I might be about to buy that king-sized bed.
Avocado Brownies
16
brownies
20 mins
30 mins
Ingredients
Brownies
- 2 large ripe avocados, mashed as well as you can (about 1 1/8 cups)
- 8 ounces high-quality dark chocolate, melted
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons avocado oil
- 4 ounces high-quality dark chocolate, chopped
Frosting
- 1 large ripe avocado
- 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Brownies:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9-inch square pan with non-stick spray.
- In a large bowl, whisk mashed avocado and melted chocolate. Whisk in sugar, then add eggs and vanilla, mixing well. Add flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt and mix with a large spoon until just combined—do not overmix. Stir in avocado oil until batter is somewhat smooth. Fold in chopped chocolate and spread batter in the pan. Bake 28–32 minutes, or until the center is set. Cool completely before frosting.
- Note: Refrigerated brownies can be denser and slightly drier when eaten cold. Let them come to room temperature or warm briefly in the microwave before serving for best texture.
Frosting
- Place avocado in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until creamy. With the mixer on low, add vanilla, then slowly add powdered sugar, scraping down the bowl as needed until smooth. Frost the cooled brownies.
Notes
Okay, I’m done.