Rich, fudgy, with an intense chocolate flavor, these healthy chocolate avocado cookies are the answer to your chocolate cravings. They are prepared with mashed avocado instead of butter, are entirely dairy-free, refined sugar free and also available in a vegan version!
I developed an obsession around these cookies since the first time I made them. This was years ago and I’ve baked them countless times since then, this 5-star recipe has been tested and approved by many of you, with always the same success. It is a cookie recipe that is on the healthier side but that is guaranteed to never disappoint. Not a fan of adding veggies to your cookies? Be reassured, avocado is neutral in taste and you will never be able to guess the avocado flavor.
Instead, expect a cookie loaded with chocolate flavors, with a rich, soft and fudgy texture. It comes with a vegan version using a flaxseed egg instead of an egg, and this is actually my favorite option! Put it simply, these chocolate avocado cookies are the perfect guilt-free snack to have at hands when you’ve got a chocolate craving!
What goes into chocolate avocado cookies?
- Avocado. The use of mashed avocado will replace butter or oil and make the cookies moist and tender in the center. You will need one medium avocado to make the cookies, or about 4 ounces (115g) mashed avocado.
- Coconut sugar. The chocolate avocado cookies are naturally sweetened by the coconut palm sugar. It makes the cookies refined sugar free (but not sugar-free). It’s possible to replace with light brown sugar instead, in a 1:1 ratio.
- Egg (or vegan flaxseed egg). See below for more detailed instructions about the vegan version of the cookies.
- Vanilla extract. It brings sweet notes to the cookies.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder. This is what makes the cookies extra chocolatey! Make sure you use unsweetened cocoa powder (not sweetened).
- All-purpose flour. You need a little bit of flour to stabilize the cookies so they do not spread out while baking.
- Baking soda. This is the leavening agent used in the cookies, don’t skip it and double check the expiration date before using.
- Baking chocolate. I use 70% dark baking chocolate and chop it roughly before adding to the cookies. Alternatively, you can go for chocolate chips or chocolate chunks.
Why and how to use avocado in my cookies?
I’m a firm believer that a good cookie has to be done right. And yet, I do use avocado in my cookies! It may seem very unusual to you, but a single bite of these fudgy chocolate cookies will convince you.
Avocado is indeed a very good replacement to butter or oil, and makes the cookies super soft and fudgy in the center, as well as making them healthier too. Avocado is indeed loaded with monounsaturated fat that helps you lower your cholesterol, avocados also provide some important nutrient benefits, including intake of more potassium, vitamin K, vitamin E, fiber, magnesium.
How to use the avocado? I recommend you choose a ripe avocado, but in no way overripe or brown. You will then need to mash the avocado finely with a fork until no lumps remain (you do not want to have avocado chunks in your chocolate cookies!). Some would recommend the use of a food processor to blend the avocado, but I do not find it strictly necessary.
How much avocado should I use? You need one medium avocado, mashed. This is approximately 4 ounces (115g) avocado, once it’s peeled and stoned.
A healthier chocolate cookie
First of all, the use of mashed avocadoes instead of butter or oil makes the cookies loaded with healthy fats (i.e. exempt of saturated fat responsible for the “bad” cholesterol), and naturally dairy-free.
I also skipped refined sugar and went for coconut palm sugar, which is a natural sugary circulating fluid of the coconut plant with a much lower glycemic index in comparison with the regular sugar (GI of 35 against 60 for the regular sugar). It is also full of vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. Note however that the cookies are NOT sugar-free. The choice of unsweetened cocoa powder combined with a very small amount of dark baking chocolate also makes the cookies very low in sugar and loaded with fiber.
Last but not least, you have the option to make the cookies vegan using a flaxseed egg (see below for more details), which will increase the fiber content and make them basically cholesterol-free.
The vegan version explained!
The egg usually acts as a binding agent in a baking recipe and is as such very important in the final texture of your baked goods. For this cookie recipe, I created two versions: one using an egg, and one prepared with a so-called “vegan flaxseed egg”. Using flax seeds is my favorite egg replacement in baked goods; it brings moisture and tenderness while still binding the ingredients together nicely.
In these chocolate avocado cookies, both the original version with an egg and the plant-based version with a flaxseed egg work perfectly. The last one tends to be a little softer in texture and remains my personal favorite!
How to create a flaxseed egg?
Simply combine 1 Tablespoon ground flaxseed (I insist, ground, NOT seeds) with 3 Tablespoons water in a small bowl, and let sit for about 5 minutes. When the texture is slightly gooey and resembling the texture of an egg, your flaxseed egg is ready to use!
Tips for success and substitute ingredients
- Coconut sugar vs sugar. If you do not mind the use of refined sugar, you can replace coconut sugar with light or dark brown sugar. I prefer light brown sugar as the cookies are already really dark in color. Stay away from granulated sugar though, or you will end up with dry cookies.
- Cocoa powder. Make sure the cocoa is smooth and not lumpy when using. If necessary, you can sift it once before using.
- Flatten the cookies slightly before baking. I also like to drop extra chocolate chunks with chocolate scraps that comes with it on top of the cookies just before baking. This will creates nice ponds of chocolate.
- Do not overbake the cookies. The cookies should be slightly underdone to the touch when removing from the oven. Let them sit on the cookie sheet for additional minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. This is the best way to have a soft, fudgy and chocolatey texture inside.
A few other healthy sweet treats to snack on:
- Vegan Banana Oatmeal Cookies
- Sugar-Free Almond Butter Banana Muffins
- Skinny Coconut Oil Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Chocolate Covered Nut Date Bars
- 5-Ingredient Snickers Bliss Balls
- Healthy Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
More healthy chocolate desserts:
- Flourless Chocolate Cake (no butter, no added sugar)
- No-Bake Vegan Chocolate Cashew Cheesecake
- Healthy Chocolate Zucchini Bread
- To go further, also check these Sugar-Free and Naturally Sweetened Desserts
Healthy Double Chocolate Avocado Cookies (sugar and dairy free + a vegan version)
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 8 mins
- Total Time: 23 mins
- Yield: 8 cookies 1x
- Category: Cookies and Bars
- Diet: Vegan
Whenever you have a chocolate craving, these healthy chocolate avocado cookies are the answer. Sugar and dairy free, they are also available in a vegan version!
Ingredients
- 1 ripe avocado, finely mashed*
- ½ cup (100g) coconut palm sugar**
- 1 egg (for the vegan version, see my notes below***)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup (50g) dark cocoa powder, unsweetened
- ⅓ cup (40g) flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 ounces (60 g) 70% dark chocolate, roughly chopped****
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (150°C) and line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Combine the finely mashed avocado, coconut palm sugar, egg (or for vegan version with flaxseed prepared as instructed in notes below***), and vanilla extract in a medium-sized bowl.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder, flour, and baking soda.
- Mix together the wet and dry ingredients until just combined, then gently stir in the dark chocolate pieces****.
- Using a small ice cream scoop or a spoon, add one heaping Tablespoon of dough onto the prepared baking sheet. Flatten the top a little bit and add a few more chocolate pieces on top if desired.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the top has set (don’t over-bake!). Remove from the oven, let cool for a few minutes on the baking tray, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Enjoy!
Notes
* Avocado. You will need 1 medium avocado, or approx. 4 ounces (115g) mashed avocado. Make sure it is mashed very finely with a fork.
** Coconut palm sugar can be replaced by light brown sugar. Do not use granulated sugar in this recipe.
*** VEGAN VERSION. For the vegan version, combine 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed and mix with 3 tablespoons of water. Mix well and set aside for about 10 minutes to thicken before using it.
**** Dark chocolate. Instead of using 70% dark chocolate, chopped roughly into pieces using a large knife, you can use chocolate chips or chocolate chunks.
Did you make this recipe?
Lastly, if you make this Healthy Double Chocolate Avocado Cookies (sugar and dairy free + a vegan version), be sure to leave a comment and give this recipe a rating, letting me know how you liked it. And of course, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Thank you and enjoy!
Jenna
Hi Delphine!
I found that the texture of these came out a little more “grainy” than I expected. Any suggestions on how to make the texture a bit more fine?
Delphine Fortin
Hi Jenna. It happens sometimes. Maybe you can try to sift the cocoa powder once or twice before using it?
Fallon
Do you know how many grams of sugar per cookie?
Delphine Fortin
I think you should simply divide the total amount of sugar by the number of cookies you have 🙂
Chelsea
Hello! So I tried this recipe last night and I found mine came out very dry. Any recommendations on makeinf the more moist? Let me know thanks!
Delphine Fortin
Hi Chelsea! Did you make the classic or vegan version? I usually find the vegan one more moist. Then of course the size of avocados can have a little impact too, as well as the oven itself (some warm up faster than others and it’s important to keep an eye close to the oven during baking). I hope it helps! Del
Tiff
Just happened across your site for the first time and am making these cookies because I’m intrigued.. Avocados? Whaaat?! Yes please! I also just bought a food scale and am using it for the first time with this recipe. The 120g of cocoa is way more than 1/2 cup..? Double check that?
Cut open my avocado and it was half bad (sad face!) so I used half a very ripe banana instead. The cookies were delicious!!
Delphine Fortin
So happy that you liked the cookies, and great idea to replace half of the avocado with banana. When it comes to cocoa powder, 1 cup is usually 120-125g, but it depends from brand to brand so it’s not always exact unfortunately. I’m glad it didn’t have any impact on the final result!
Jessica
Hi I am just wondering whether its possible to use oat flour instead of plain flour?
Thanks Jess
Delphine Fortin
Hi Jessica! I guess you could but then you would need to adjust the quantity of oat flour as the ratio all-purpose flour/oat flour is different. If you try, please le me know how it turns out. I’m curious!
just
Hi,
Its written that the above recipe is sugar-free. But 70% chocolate has sugar in it…
Delphine Fortin
You are perfectly right. I like 70% over the 100% dark unsweetened cocoa, but you can go for the last one, which is sugar-free.
Aurora V Romero
Is there another sugar substitute that I could use instead of coconut sugar?
Delphine Fortin
Hi Aurora! Are you looking for a healthier sugar version here? If so, you can maybe go for stevia, although I never tried myself in this recipe. Otherwise you can go for regular cane sugar. I hope it helps! Del
Rach
Hi, I used almond flour so that there was not as strong of a coconut flavor and it turned out wonderful
Delphine Fortin
I’m so happy to hear that, thank you, Rach!
Katie Broulette
How much almond flour did you use?
noemy campbell
wow! le nombre de calories par cookie environ est de combien?
Delphine Fortin
Bonjour Moemy. J’avoue que je n’ai pas fait le calcul, préférant me concentrer sur les ingrédients utilisés (sains, naturels et nourrissants) plutôt que sur le nombre de calories qui n’est pas forcément un indicateur sur lequel se focaliser en premier lieu à mon sens. Il existe néanmoins des simulateurs qui pourront vous donner une indication du nombre de calories si vous le souhaitez. Bien à vous. Del
Hélène S.
Géniale cette recette de cookies avec des ingrédients qui sortent de l’ordinaire, plus sains que ceux traditionnellement utilisés. Cela me donne très envie de tester !
Delphine Fortin
Une recette qui plaît beaucoup auprès de mes lecteurs, tu verras c’est top !
Gizem
Doesn’t chocolate have dairy in it?
Delphine Fortin
Hi! It is actually a very good question, thanks for raising it. There are dairy and non dairy chocolates, so the best is to check the list of ingredients when you purchase chocolate. Usually the higher cocoa percentage the better it is. Some brands are also specifically labelled “vegan”, which makes it even more safe when you purchase the chocolate. I hope it helped!
María
I made them this morning and added dates and pecans and they where amazing, I also used egg replacer instead of de seeds but they came out very good!
Delphine Fortin
Thank you so much for your feedback, Maria. Your little twists sound awesome and for sure definitely add a little something to the recipe. Thank you for sharing it with us!
Loretta
We have large and small avocados here in Florida. Could you give me an estimate of either the weight or cup measure of avocado that you use please? Thanks.
Delphine Fortin
Hi Loretta. We have the same here in Chicago. I usually recommend to use regular size/medium avocados, not too big, not to tiny either. I hope it helps a little. Happy baking!
Dupont
Testée et approuvée ! Pour ma part j’ai diviser la quantité de sucre par 2 et c’était top
Audra
How are these sugar free when there’s coconut sugar and chocolate in the recipe?
Delphine Fortin
Hi Audra, it means there is no refined sugar in the recipe. Coconut sugar is natural sugar from the fruit coconut.
sasa
Je vais essayer avec moins de sucre et une autre farine ( orge mondé?)
Delphine Fortin
Vous pouvez essayer avec 60-70g de sucre de coco seulement, cela devrait fonctionner, notamment si votre palais est habitué à ne pas manger trop sucré. En ce qui concerne la farine, je ne suis pas sûre du résultat avec de la farine d’orge, mais cela vaut le coup d’essayer. Tenez moi au courant, pour que nous puissions partager votre expérience avec tous les lecteurs 🙂
Natasha
These are phenomenal! Wow! Thanks for sharing. I’m passing this along! I doubled the recipe and it was perfect amount.
Roula
Salut!
Merci pour cette recette !
Par quoi pourrait-on remplacer le cocnut sugar? Du miel?
Merci!
Delphine Fortin
Ou par du sucre tout simplement 🙂
Deliposts
I made these last night, and they were awesome! Thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe with us.. May God Bless you. 🙂
Delphine Fortin
I’m so happy you liked them, thank you! 🙂
Rosenoisettes
Hello !
Ta recette est absolument étonnante et alléchante ! Je n’aime pas l’avocat alors le cacher dans une recette me plaît forcément eheh.
Je note donc cette superbe recette, j’espère que tu as passé un bon moment avec ton amie.
Bises et bonne semaine
Maeva @ Cook A Life! by Maeva
La question ultime : sont-ils croustillants à l’extérieur à la sortie du four? ^_^
Car sinon, ta recette me tente bien, j’ai déjà utilisé l’avocat de plein de façons mais jamais dans des cookies.
LadyMilonguera
Je t’en piquerais bien un ou deux…