A healthier twist on traditional chocolate cookies that uses avocado to cut the fat but not the flavor!
I have always been a big fan of chocolate and peanut butter. The combination of sweet and salty just seemed like the very best thing on earth when I was a kid! As I’ve gotten older, though, I’ve tried to temper my insatiable sweet tooth with healthier options. This recipe for chocolate cookies with avocado and peanuts dovetails nicely with both parts of me—the chocoholic inner child and the outwardly practical adult.
I love how easy this recipe is to put together with ingredients I usually keep on hand. I also like the two-hour chilling break in the middle that lets me work it around my hectic work and family life. I’ll often mix up the dough on a Friday afternoon, then pull it out of the fridge on Saturday so the nieces I’m babysitting can help shape the cookies. We have so much fun getting our hands all chocolaty and sticky!
The best part, though, is how the house fills with that wonderful aroma while they bake. No—the actual best part is seeing the joy on those girls’ faces when they bite into their first still-warm cookie! And knowing I’m feeding them a slightly healthier treat is almost as delicious as sweet, melty chocolate surrounding salty, crunchy peanuts!
Are Chocolate Cookies With Avocado And Peanuts Healthy?
Cookies should always be considered an occasional treat, not a healthy everyday food choice. However, this recipe gives traditional chocolate cookies a healthy makeover by substituting half an avocado for a portion of the butter. Avocados are packed with heart-healthy monounsaturated fats and are a good source of vitamins E, C, B6, folate, potassium, and fiber. This swap replaces some of the saturated fat in the brownies with those heart-healthier fats while adding fiber and vitamins. Using whole-wheat pastry flour instead of white flour also increases the fiber and micronutrient content, and the inclusion of peanuts adds plant-based protein and some healthy fats.
But the cookies are still relatively high in carbs. You could adapt this recipe for a gluten-free diet by swapping the whole-wheat flour for a combo of almond and oat flours—but your cookies will rise less and spread more, resulting in denser, more crumbly treats. If you go this route, I recommend replacing the cornstarch with xanthan gum as a binder to get the best texture possible.
Why Is Avocado A Good Butter Substitute?
Besides those health benefits, avocado’s creamy consistency and mild flavor make it an excellent stand-in for butter. When mashed, it blends smoothly into doughs and batters, providing the necessary fat to keep baked goods moist and tender. The natural oils in avocado help mimic the richness of butter, while its water content adds softness to the final product. Plus, they’re naturally nondairy with a very mild flavor that typically goes undetected when paired with chocolate or spice-based ingredients. Avocado can lend an unappetizing greenish hue to light-colored batters, which is why most cooks prefer to mask it with the deep-brown tint of cocoa.
How Do I Store Leftovers?
To keep your chocolate cookies fresh and chewy, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. You can also refrigerate them for up to 1 week. To freeze them for up to 2 months, separate layers with parchment or wax paper inside a freezer-safe container. Thaw at room temperature before enjoying.
Serving Suggestions
Chocolate cookies with avocado and peanuts are the ultimate retro snack when paired with an ice-cold glass of milk. They’d also be delicious with a Strawberry-Banana Smoothie or a Homemade Caramel-Vanilla Iced Coffee. Make them the sweet ending to a lunchtime Ciabatta Sandwich or Jalapeño Popper Grilled Cheese—or feature them at a cookie party alongside the Best Eggless Chocolate Chip Cookies, these delightful Lemon Cookies, and these crazy good Seven-Layer Cookies.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons whole-wheat pastry flour
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 cup mashed avocado about 1/2 of a small avocado
- 1 tablespoon butter softened
- 1.5 cups Splenda
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 6 tablespoons chocolate chips semi-sweet or bittersweet
- 2 tablespoons peanuts chopped, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F.
- Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine the whole-wheat pastry flour, cocoa powder, cornstarch, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the mashed avocado, butter, Splenda, vanilla, egg, and egg yolk. Beat with an electric mixer until there are no lumps.
- Gently stir the flour mixture into the avocado mixture a little at a time.
- Add the chocolate chips and peanuts. Mix until all ingredients are well combined.
- Place the bowl in the fridge to chill for at least 2 hours.
- Using your hands, shape cookie dough into tablespoon-sized balls and place them on the cookie sheet. Flatten each one slightly with fork so they won't spread much.
- Bake for 11 minutes. They will seem slightly underdone, but they'll harden as they rest on the baking pan.
- Let cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.
Nutrition Info:
Nutrition information are estimates only and may vary based on the specific brands, ingredients, and portion sizes you use. This data is provided for informational purposes only.
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