Scrummy Lane

Quick & easy family friendly recipes

  • Home
  • About & contact
    • Privacy policy for Scrummy Lane
  • Recipe Index
  • Easy dinners
  • Easy desserts
  • Greek recipes
    • Easy Moussaka
    • Easy Chicken Gyros
    • Best Greek Salad
  • Subscribe

Home » sweet things » healthy desserts » Healthier Brownies With Avocado

Healthier Brownies With Avocado

Posted Nov 01, 2020 | Updated Apr 24, 2022 by Helen | 6 Comments |

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure for more info.

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
Pinterest image of a healthier chocolate brownie with avocado being eaten with a fork
Pinterest pin showing double chocolate brownies with avocado from above

Who can resist a good fudgy double chocolate brownie? But they aren’t always the healthiest snack, right? The ‘miracle’ of these double chocolate brownies with avocado is that they’re healthier than you’d expect. There’s no refined sugar, oil or butter… and TWO secret, fruit-and-veggie ingredients. One is avocado, of course. Read on to find out what the other is!

Someone eating a healthier chocolate avocado brownie with a fork

Finding healthier baking recipes that don’t really TASTE healthier has become one of my favourite things.

I surprised myself (and many others, it seems!) when this 30-minute healthy chocolate cake turned out yummier than I could have imagined. It’s great for any occasion, and can even be made into a birthday cake for any age.

But what about when you don’t really want a cake? You just want brownies. But you still kind of like the idea of them not being loaded with sugar and fat.

I got you covered. You’re going to score big avocado brownie points with these! 😉

Jump to

  • Why this is the best healthy brownies recipe
  • Ingredients and how to make them
  • How to make them step-by-step
  • How to serve them
  • More things to know (FAQs)
  • Healthy snack box subscriptions
  • More healthy dessert recipes
  • Full recipe

Why this is the best healthy brownies recipe

  • They’re made with maple syrup, not refined sugar or artificial sweetener.
  • I’ve successfully replaced the oil or butter you usually find in brownies with healthy avocado and banana! Yep, you read that right. Do they taste of avocado or banana? Nope. You might be able to detect slight notes of banana, but it’s pretty subtle.
  • They’re double chocolate brownies. Which means they have melted chocolate in them, and melted chocolate on them. So they aren’t saintly brownies. But remember if you use super dark chocolate (70% works well) you’re getting your daily dose of antioxidants 😉
  • Brownies with avocado? Hmmm. But try to trust me when I say no one will guess these are a healthier brownie. On the contrary, they taste quite decadent. They’re big, gooey mouthfuls of fudgy, chocolaty deliciousness. Shhhh.
  • They’re very quick and easy to make. Just blend the banana and avocado together. Add the wet ingredients, add the dry, and bake.

Ingredients and how to make them

Ingredients to make chocolate avocado brownies

You start with the ‘secret’ fruit and veg:

  • 1 ripe avocado
  • 1 ripe banana

Then you add the other ‘wet’ ingredients:

  • maple syrup: just 1/2 cup as there’s more sweetness from the banana and melted chocolate
  • eggs: 2 large
  • melted chocolate: drizzled in for extra richness, sweetness, and gooey chocolaty flavour. Yum.

Then fold in:

  • flour mixed with a teaspoon of baking soda and a little salt
  • cocoa powder

Pro tip: This recipe is great for using up really ripe bananas and avocados that are even too ripe for guacamole! Gross fact: I tested this recipe with an avocado that had started to go black and the brownies still turned out well 😉

How to make them step-by-step

How to make healthy avocado brownies step-by-step

It takes about 5 minutes to measure or weigh out the wet and dry ingredients.

It takes another 5 minutes to blend together the avocado and banana using the mini food processor that came with my stick blender. You can throw the chocolate in the microwave to melt at this time too.

If you don’t have a mini food processor, just mash the avocado and banana together with a fork instead. Just make sure they’re nice and ripe. I don’t like to dirty my big food processor unless I really have to!

It’ll be 5 minutes more to mix everything together, drizzle in the melted chocolate and smooth the batter out in the pan.

Then throw the pan in the oven for around 17 minutes.

And that’s it. In just over 30 minutes you have a pan of the very best fudgy brownies that you can scoff all by yourself. Oops, I mean that you can share with your family and friends.

Pro tip: Take the brownies out of the oven when a skewer poked into the middle come out still a bit sticky. It’s easy to overcook these brownies in just a minute or two. They’ll still taste fudgy, but more like a moist and not-too-sweet muffin. I prefer them when they’re on the gooey-er and fudgy-er side!

How to serve them

I missed an important part in the above description of how to make these avocado chocolate brownies.

I like to drizzle some more melted dark chocolate over the top once they’ve cooled a little. Otherwise they wouldn’t be double chocolate brownies 😉

I sometimes add a half teaspoon of oil to the chocolate so that it doesn’t set rock hard. If you prefer, you can skip the chocolate on the top and just add a quarter cup of chocolate chips to the batter.

The brownies are absolutely delicious served just as they are. OR… since they are quite richly chocolaty and gooey, you can get away with serving them as an easy chocolate dessert with ice cream or cream!

You might like to warm them very slightly in the microwave before adding the ice cream or cream. Yum yum yum.

Double chocolate brownies with avocado from above

More things to know (FAQs)

How do you know when they’re done?

I usually bake these brownies for anywhere between 17 and 19 minutes. After 17 minutes, poke a skewer into the centre. You want it to come out still a bit sticky (but not with runny raw batter on). 

It’s better to undercook slightly than to overcook these. A couple of times I’ve left mine in the oven a minute or two too long and the brownies have been slightly dryer around the edges. But they still taste moist and fudgy, especially with the chocolate on top! 

How do you store them?

I’ve kept these healthier brownies in an airtight container in the fridge for a few days. They never seem to last any longer than that before getting eaten, but I think they’d still taste good for at least a couple more days.

They keep well both in the fridge or out of the fridge (in an airtight container). If you eat them straight out of the fridge they taste just like a rich chocolate fudge. But not too sweet.
You have to try them all the ways: fresh out of the oven, with chocolate drizzled over the top and still wet, and cold out of the fridge 😉

Can you freeze them?

Yep. Just wrap them tightly and place in an airtight container or Ziploc bag. Then freeze really well for up to 4 months.

Healthy snack box subscriptions

So… you love the idea of these healthy brownies and will try them soon, but… you’d also like to have some awesome pre-packaged snacks on hand. I get it. As much as I love this recipe, sometimes I just want to grab something yummy and healthy that someone ELSE has prepared.

The solution? Get healthy (and exciting!) ready-to-eat snacks delivered to you with Urthbox! They have Classic, Gluten free, Vegan or Diet box options, and a bonus free snack box offer, too.

Or browse more snack subscription boxes at Cratejoy to choose your own.

In love with smoothies? You can get read-to-blend organic smoothie packs delivered to your door from Smoothie Box , with $22 off your first order! (These are affiliate links!)

More healthy dessert recipes

  • We’ve made these Greek yogurt blueberry muffins again and again, and every time they turn out beautifully. The best part? It’s a low sugar, high protein recipe!
  • I call these banana bread waffles ‘life changing’ because they taste as good as regular waffles. But they’re made with just 3 super healthy main ingredients – oats, bananas and eggs.
  • If you have a food processor or high speed blender, there’s just no excuse for not trying this 5-minute chocolate banana ice cream!
  • This 2-minute peanut butter mug cake or this gluten free mug cake with banana is perfect for dessert ’emergencies’.
  • This 6-ingredient self-saucing chocolate pudding isn’t exactly ‘healthy’, but it’s lower in sugar than average. I’ll take it.

Fan of healthier snacking? Check out this 50+ healthy sweet snacks that don’t taste boring.

IF YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE, LET ME KNOW HOW YOU GET ON BY LEAVING A COMMENT AND RATING BELOW… AND DON’T FORGET TO SIGN UP TO RECEIVE ALL MY NEW RECIPES BY EMAIL!

FOLLOW ME ON FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, PINTEREST AND YOUTUBE.

Double chocolate brownies with avocado from above

Healthier Brownies With Avocado

You can have your cake and eat it too (literally) with these fudgy double chocolate brownies that are made with TWO not-so-secret healthy ingredients – banana and avocado.
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe SaveSaved!
Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 17 mins
Cuisine American
Servings (click to change) 16
Author Helen

Equipment (affiliate links)

  • Breville Control Grip stick blender with chopper & whisk
  • set of 12 colorful mixing bowls with lids
  • colorful spatula set
  • 8×8 inch cake pan

Ingredients (UK/Australia? Click below for grams/ml)

cups/ounces – grams/ml
  • 1 avocado ripe, medium to large
  • 1 banana ripe, medium (about 1/2 cup)
  • ½ cup maple syrup (I've also used half maple syrup and half honey and that worked well too)
  • 2 large eggs lightly whisked
  • ½ cup plain flour + 2 tablespoons (this is around 80 grams)
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda (UK = bicarbonate of soda)
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ cup cocoa powder
  • 7 ounces dark chocolate I like 70% cocoa
Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions
 

  • Line a 8×8 inch (or equivalent) baking tin/pan with baking paper and set aside. Preheat the oven to 345F/175C.
  • Blend the avocado and banana together in a small food processor. Or mash well with a fork.
  • Melt half of the chocolate (3.5 oz/100 gr) in the microwave in 30-second bursts. Let cool slightly.
  • In a large bowl, whisk the eggs into the avocado and banana mixture with a whisk or fork. Then whisk in the maple syrup and cocoa.
  • Slowly pour and whisk in the melted chocolate. Then stir in the flour, baking soda and salt with a spatula until just combined.
  • Smooth the batter out into the prepared pan. Bake for 17 minutes or a little longer (a minute at a time) until the top of the brownies are just set and a skewer poked into the centre comes out a bit sticky (but not with runny raw batter on).
  • Let the cake cool for a while on a wire rack. Then melt the rest of the chocolate with about ½ teaspoon oil. Pour over the brownies. Leave to set for a while, then slice into 16 brownies.

Notes

How to blend the avocado and banana: I usually do this in the mini food processor that came with my hand-held blender. If you don’t have anything similar to this it’s fine to just mash them together with a fork. The riper the better if you’re going to do it this way, of course!
Cooking time: I usually bake these brownies for anywhere between 17 and 19 minutes. After 17 minutes, poke a skewer into the centre. You want it to come out still a bit sticky (but not with runny raw batter on). 
It’s better to undercook slightly than to overcook these. A couple of times I’ve left mine in the oven a minute or two too long and the brownies have been slightly dryer around the edges. But they still taste moist and fudgy, especially with the chocolate on top! 
Topping: I usually drizzle melted dark chocolate over the top of my brownies before slicing. If you prefer though you can just toss in a handful of dark chocolate chips instead! 
How to store: You can keep your brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for a few days. Alternatively, keep them in the fridge in a sealed container – they’ll taste very fudgy! 

Nutrition

Calories: 153kcalCarbohydrates: 19gProtein: 3gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 21mgSodium: 154mgPotassium: 231mgFiber: 3gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 58IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 26mgIron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Let me know if you liked it!

Comments

  1. Clara Jensen says

    08 Sep 21 at 3:28 pm

    What is the yield of these

    Reply
    • Helen says

      08 Sep 21 at 4:27 pm

      Hi Clara! I usually cut them into about 16 squares, but you can go a bit larger or smaller if you like! Hope you enjoy them! 🙂

      Reply
  2. Zoe says

    05 Feb 21 at 4:18 pm

    5 stars
    What does ½ cup plain flour + 2 tablespoons mean? Is it 2 tablespoons on top of the 1/2 cup?

    Thanks so much.

    Reply
    • Helen says

      05 Feb 21 at 4:20 pm

      Hi Zoe! Yes, that’s exactly what it means. It’s because I originally developed the recipe in grams so when I converted it to cups I felt like it needed just a tiny bit more flour to work best. Hope you enjoy the recipe!

      Reply
  3. Claire says

    02 Dec 20 at 7:46 am

    Can you use apple sauce insteadof banana?

    Reply
    • Helen says

      03 Dec 20 at 8:52 am

      Hello Claire! I’ve never tried it with apple sauce as it isn’t something that’s commonly used in cakes here in Australia, but I have a feeling it would work. Try 1/3 cup? I’d love to hear how you get on 🙂

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.


Don't expect to find anything fussy or complicated here. Just QUICK, EASY & (mostly!) HEALTHY recipes from the Mediterranean and beyond. ENJOY! READ MORE >>


Reader favorites

The inside of a fluffy Greek yogurt blueberry muffin on a paper liner and dark background with a light blue tea towel in front and more muffins and milk in the background.

Greek Yogurt Blueberry Muffins (Low Sugar Recipe)

A souffle dish of easy 'magic' lemon pudding from above with a spoon in it on a marble background with lemons and a blue striped tea towel.

Easy Magic Lemon Pudding (5 ingredients, no eggs)

A stack of halloumi fries on brown paper and a blue marble platter with dips to the side

The BEST Crispy Halloumi Fries (+ Air Fryer Option)

Someone lifting a piece of crustless quiche out of a white dish

The very best crustless quiche (impossible quiche!)

A close-up of a piece of 6-ingredient gooey Swedish chocolate cake or kladdkaka with a fork on baking paper.

6-ingredient gooey Swedish chocolate cake (kladdkaka)

A white dish of cooked Greek potatoes with fresh herbs on top with a spoon in it and with a blue tea towel and baking dish in the background.

The best Greek potatoes (with a video)

Popular now

Close up of a Stove-top Mediterranean Chicken Casserole in a cast iron pan with a red checked tea towel

Mediterranean Stove Top Chicken Casserole

A mason jar full of dried orange slices with a black bow around it and brown label on a blue table top and with oranges and a white wall in the background

Dried Orange Slices (+ 10 Ways To Use Them)

A small red cast iron pot of cauliflower and potato mashed potatoes garnished with roasted cauliflower

Potato And Cauliflower Mash (Make Ahead)

Someone holding up a Greek Christmas honey cookie with a bite out of it.

Melomakarona (Greek Christmas Honey Cookies)

More seasonal recipes

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Posts may contain affiliate links.

Copyright ©2023, Scrummy Lane. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy
Design by Pixel Me Designs