Simple to make healthy brownies with intense, dark chocolate flavor.
Dark Chocolate Avocado Banana Brownies seem almost too good to be true! They’re flourless, gluten-free, dairy-free, paleo friendly, and contain no refined sugar, yet they taste so decadent. And, they clock in at only 84 calories per serving! They have a tender texture that’s more cake-like than fudgy, and a deep, rich chocolate flavor that comes from cacao powder. You might be put off by the avocado in this recipe, but don’t be. The avocado replaces the fat that you normally find in brownie recipes (usually butter or oil) and you don’t taste it at all. The banana adds sweetness with a slight banana taste, but mostly what comes through in these brownies is intense chocolately goodness!
Over the years I’ve developed a few good baking recipes in which to use overripe bananas (See Healthy Banana Fudge Cakes and Banana Cashew Blender Cake) but until now I never had a similar use for my surplus of ripe avocados. Making a batch of Dark Chocolate Avocado Banana Brownies is a great way to use up all those lonely bananas and avocados so they don’t go to waste.
Chocolate has a sort of mystical power over us. Its history dates back to 2000 B.C. when ancient civilizations used it in religious ceremonies, and that spiritual connection seems to have carried forward to modern times. No other food provokes passionate feelings and cravings quite as intense as those triggered by chocolate. The good news is that we may actually benefit from giving into these cravings. Recent research suggests that dark chocolate, when consumed in moderation, may reduce cholesterol levels, prevent cognitive decline, and lower the risk of cardiovascular disease. The benefits of dark chocolate come from the cacao or cocoa powder it’s made with. Cacao powder and cocoa powder can be used interchangeably. Both are made from cacao beans and are rich in powerful antioxidants but cacao powder, which is what’s called for is this recipe, is less processed so it contains higher levels of antioxidants than cocoa powder. Cacao powder is also slightly more bitter than cocoa powder so it works well in dark chocolate applications such as these Dark Chocolate Avocado Banana Brownies.
If you like a little something sweet after dinner, but not too indulgent, I urge you to give Dark Chocolate Avocado Banana Brownies a try. Instead of reaching for a few squares of dark chocolate, have one of these brownies instead. I like to store the individually cut brownies in a zip lock bag in the freezer and take them out as needed. They’re thin so they defrost quickly, but if you’re in a rush, stick them in the microwave for 15 seconds and they’ll be ready to eat, after which your chocolate craving will be fully satisfied!
- Olive oil or coconut oil cooking spray
- 1 cup (3 ounces) cacao powder (see notes)
- ½ cup (3 ounces) coconut sugar
- 1 medium avocado, 4½ ounces with the peel and pit removed
- 1 medium banana, 3½ ounces without peel
- 3 eggs
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray an 8-inch x 8-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
- Place the remaining ingredients into the work bowl of a food processor and process until smooth.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and bake on the bottom rack of the oven for 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let cool completely before cutting into squares.
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I’m linking up with Deborah at ConfessionsofaMotherRunner.com and Sarah at AWhiskandTwoWands.com for Meatless Monday. Be sure to check out the other posts from my fellow bloggers!
These look so decadent even as they are less than 100 calories ! Love the addition of banana!
Yum! I love dark chocolate!
What a creative combo of flavors! What do you think I could replace the egg with?
Hi Becca – You can try using a flax egg replacer in this recipe. I did not test it using a flax egg relacer but I’ve had good results using a flax egg replacer in other baking recipes. For this recipe try mixing 3 tablespoons of ground flaxseed with 1/2 cup of water. (This is the equivalent of 3 eggs.) Let sit for 5 minutes before adding to the recipe. Good luck! Please let me know how they come out.
Holy yum these look wonderful! I make a banana bread that uses avocado instead of butter. Must be sort of similar but what’s not to love about brownies!
Yes, sounds similar. These brownies are killer! Hope you try.
I don’t like overly sweet things (like Nutella, yuk) so these sound perfect! I love dark chocolate and avocados are so versatile and work so good in baked goods.
YUMMY! Love baking with avocado. I just bought 7 avocados, so when they are ripe these are happening!
Well how great do these look? thanks for linking up for Meatless Monday
Is it 1 cup or 1/2 cup cacao? Also 3oz is only 0.375 cup, not 1/2 cup.(your coconut sugar)
Hi Irene – I always use the nutrition facts panels on the products I use in my recipes to convert “cups” to ounces for those who like to use weight measurements, and then I weigh the product myself to make sure it’s not off. For this recipe I used Anthony’s Organic Coconut Sugar (available on Amazon) and they said 1 tsp. of their coconut sugar weighed 4 grams which would mean ½ cup would weigh 96 grams (24 teaspoons in a half cup). Rounded, this equals about 3 ounces (3.3 to be exact). I did the same for the 1 cup of cacao powder called for in the recipe using Viva Naturals Certified Organic Cacao Powder, also available on Amazon. I’d use the weight measurements if you have a scale. That’s what I always do and they come out great. These brownies are delicious. Hope you like them!