I love dessert. Plain and simple. I love to indulge in the unchanged, real & raw treats, but I also love to mess around in the kitchen and make healthier substitutions. I’ve tried a lot of different dessert recipes that have vegetables and chocolate in them; brownies with spinach, cupcakes with zucchini, chocolate cake with squash. Some are pretty dang good, but most are OK. Trust me on this though, these Double Chocolate Avocado Cookies are the real deal.
You’ve probably had avocado in chocolate pudding, but have you ever tried it in cookies? Don’t worry, they don’t taste like some weird guacamole-cookie hybrid. The taste of the avocado isn’t even noticeable; all you get is a delicious creamy texture. Be aware though, these aren’t like your average cookies. They are softer, airier, and more cloud-like than others. And insanely fudgy! These cookies are definitely a dessert made for chewy-cookie people.
Avocados are one of my very favorite foods! I love the taste and the satiety and satisfaction they provide when eaten. Avocados provide so many benefits when consumed. Not only do they pack a healthy dose of fiber and anti-inflammatory properties, but…
“this green fruit is a goldmine of nutrients that affect brain health”
Nutrients from avocados that contribute to brain health include:
- Monounsaturated Fats
- decrease LDL cholesterol, increase HDL cholesterol
- contribute to healthy blood flow & lower blood pressure
- help with mood. Many studies found an inverse relationship between high-MUFA and PUFA diets and risk of depression
- increase production of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that plays an important role in learning and memory
- may be helpful in the treatment of certain brain disorders that involve problems with the ability of astrocytes(nerve cells) to properly utilize lipids
- Potassium
- Proper blood pressure depends on regulation of potassium concentrations both inside and outside of cells
- Proper blood pressure helps lower risk of stroke
- Vitamin K
- essential for proper blood clotting
- Insufficient dietary vitamin K may increase the risk of hardening blood vessel, thereby increasing the risk of stroke
- Folate
- essential for brain health and the maintenance of cognitive function, including memory.
- deficiency may lead to cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease.
- folate may reduce the risk of stroke, but research is mixed.
Not only are these cookies nutrient dense, but they are super easy to make! They require only 1 bowl and 7 very simple ingredients:
- Avocado-for butter.
- Coconut sugar- for sugar. (Some people have pointed out that coconut sugar is still sugar. I couldn’t agree more. It is however un-refined which means that it contains all the vitamins and minerals, as opposed to refined sugars, where everything but the sugar has been removed.)
- Eggs – Help bind and emulsify the ingredients together. *see recipe for vegan version.
- Dark Cocoa powder- Can you say chocolate!?
- Dark chocolate – And more chocolate! I prefer using chocolate with a high cocoa content, but could use semi-sweet or milk chocolate.
- Baking soda- chemical leavening agent that helps the cookies rise
Believe me, you’ll want to try these. They’re a nutrient dense, irresistibly rich, chocolatey treat.
Chocolate Avocado Cookies | Gluten Free
Yield: 12 cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup avocado flesh (ripe, but not brown)
- ½ cup coconut palm sugar (substitute white sugar if wanted)
- 1 egg *(substitute flaxseed meal for vegan)
- ½ cup dark cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup & 1 Tbsp almond flour
- 1/2 oz dark chocolate chunks (I used 85% cocoa)*
- ½ tsp. baking soda
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350° F.
- In a bowl using a hand mixer, mix together avocado and coconut sugar until smooth. Add in the egg.
- Mix in the cocoa powder, almond flour, and baking soda.
- Stir in chocolate chunks.
- Using cookie dough scoop place dollops of cookie dough on a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Bake for 8 minutes or until the cookies don’t stick as much to the paper as they did before baking.
- Cool down. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.
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