Gluten-Free Avocado Brownies – 100 Calories Each

While I love a rich, fudgy brownie, this gluten-free avocado brownie recipe is less dense, has a lighter texture, and still tastes incredible. The avocado infuses healthy fats into the brownie batter, offering up a moist, light and healthier version of a traditional brownie. Each brownie is only 100 calories – sweet! This post contains affiliate links. Please see my disclosures.

Who would have thought that you could add an avocado to your brownie batter and come out with a delicious brownie as a result.

Good thing I gave this recipe a go so I could find out for myself just how true this is.

This recipe is inspired by Nicole Hunn of Gluten-Free on a Shoestring. Her gluten-free avocado brownie recipe looks amazing, and I wanted to make it with a few swaps that fit my tastes a bit better.

About Baking with Avocados

I’m definitely obsessed with avocados. They’re full of the vital nutrients and healthy fats you need to fuel your brain and give your body a boost of energy.

When working on this recipe, I learned something interesting about baking with avocados.

According to California Avocados, you can use a full avocado in place of half of the butter in a recipe. And the following good things happen when you do:

• You lower the recipe’s overall calorie content
• You eliminate the amount of saturated fats and animal fats in your recipe
• Your recipe will yield a softer, chewier final product
• You won’t be able to taste the avocado at all; it blends smoothly with your batter
• You’ll lessen the amount of unhealthy calories you’ll end up consuming

Furthermore, avocados contain heart-healthy monounsaturated fat. California Avocados says this is the kind of fat can lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and maintain HDL (good) cholesterol, all while decreasing belly fat.

If using avocado in lieu of other fats (butter, oil, etc.) means I’m able to make a healthier brownie, I’m all in!

Avocado Brownie Ingredients

You’ll need the following ingredients to make these superfood brownies:

• 1 ripe avocado (must be ripe)
• 3 tbsp of melted butter
• 1 cup of sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 rounded scoop of cacao powder (or cocoa powder)
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Flour Blend

You’ll notice this recipe uses only a tiny amount of flour (1/4 cup – no, it’s not a typo!). 

Avocado: If your avocado isn’t ripe and you still want to use it, blend it first in your food processor to get out all the chunks and to make it smooth and creamy.

Butter Substitute: If you want to make this recipe dairy free, use Earth Balance vegan butter in lieu or regular butter.

Flour: I have only tested this recipe with Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Flour Blend. Please leave me a comment to let me know if you try it with another flour blend and how it works for you. 

How to Make Avocado Brownies

Below are step-by-step instructions for how to make these delicious gluten-free avocado brownies at home:

Step #1: Preheat the oven to 350º F and prepare an 8×8 square baking pan with parchment paper. I put a square of parchment paper at the bottom of the pan only, then spray the entire pan with cooking spray. 

Step #2: Sift together flour, cacao powder, baking soda and salt. Sifting your flour and cocoa powder will help prevent chucks of cocoa powder from popping up in your final brownie mixture. Don’t skip the sift. Once your dry ingredients are combined, set them aside for later.

Step #3: In your standing mixer, blend together the avocado flesh, butter and sugar until smooth.

Step #4: Add eggs and vanilla to the avocado mixture and mix for another 30 seconds until all the ingredients are combined well.

Step #5: Gradually add the flour mixture to the avocado mixture and mix until the batter looks silky and smooth.

Step #6: Pour the batter into the greased pan and bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. 

Once the brownies cool, you can slice them into even slices (makes 16 small squares) and enjoy!

How Do They Taste?

These brownies are, simply put, amazing. They are light in texture. I would say they are a hybrid between a fudgy brownie and a light chocolate cake.

They also have just the right amount of sweetness. Not too sweet, but definitely sweet enough so can’t tell it’s infused with whole avocado.

My son loves these brownies and asked me when I was going to make them again. I’d say that’s the only compliment I need to know I made one delicious brownie!

Other Chocolate Recipes

Check out these other favorite chocolate recipes:

• Chocolate Chip Applesauce Cake
• Chocolate Covered Quinoa Clusters
• Chocolate Quinoa Cake
• Double Chocolate Brownies