Avocado Almond Flour Brownies

 

This recipe is heavily based off of [this one] but has been modified by cross-referencing other similar recipes and implementing notes from previous experimentation. 

Ingredients: 

▢ 1 1/4 cups + 2 tablespoons almond flour (you could technically use use almond meal instead but you'll need to blend it beforehand and the final product will still feel lumpy/grainy)
▢ 3/4 cup cocoa powder
▢ 1/8 teaspoon salt
▢ heaping 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
▢ 1/4 cup avocado (mashed, approximately 1 large)
▢ 6 tablespoons olive oil (or if you're doubling the recipe, a 3/4 cup)
▢ 3/4 cup sugar
▢ 1 cup maple syrup or coconut sugar 
▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
▢ 3 large eggs
▢ 1 cup chocolate chips + some extra to sprinkle on top

 

Instructions: 

1.  Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Grease an 8 x 8-inch square pan and/or line with parchment paper and set aside.
   
   
2. In a small bowl, add your almond flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt, and mix well. Set aside.
    
3. In a separate mixing bowl, add your avocado, oil, sugar, and vanilla extract, and whisk until smooth. Add the eggs in, one at a time, and mix well. 
   
   Note: If you're using almond meal instead of almond flour, blend it in a food processor until very fine--longer than you think it'll need-- and dump it into the dry mix bowl. You can then use the already-dirty food processor to mix all the wet ingredients afterward. Then the wet ingredients can be folded in on top of the dry (instead of vice versa) alongside the chocolate chips (see next step).
   
   
4. Gently add in the dry ingredients and chocolate chips and mix until just combined. 
    
5. Transfer the brownie batter into the prepared pan, sprinkle on a small handful of chocolate chips on top, and bake for 22-25 minutes, or until the edges thicken up and the tops are firm. 
   
   
   Note: When I did 24 mins on 325° convect the middle caved in significantly as it cooled. For next time, Maybe start at 350° for 15 minutes then reduce the heat and cook at 300° convect or 325° for another 15? Or just bake for longer but at the same temp? Or turn off the oven when there's 10 mins left and let it sit there for another 20 mins? ✨Experiment✨
    
6. Cool and serve whipped cream, ice cream, or frozen yogurt. 

 

 Notes: 
- I think I made this with some chopped up dark chocolate mixed in with the chocolate chips, but I don't have any notes from doing so. Still, I'm sure a 50/50 ratio of chopped dark chocolate to semi-sweet chocolate chips would taste great. 

- The original recipe calls for 1 1/2 cups of white sugar and no baking soda, but some other recipes called for 1 3/4 or 2 cups sugar and had baking soda. The baking soda helps it rise and gives it a better texture, so this recipe calls for a middle ground between the two. Because the baking soda is bitter, you may need a little extra maple syrup/coconut sugar. Give the mix a taste before adding to the baking pan and decide then. 

- I think I've made this with only healthier sugars before and it turned out fine, but I didn't write that down so I can't say for sure. Pls comment if you make it with the white sugar completely subbed out and let me know how it turned out.  

- If you're using a glass pan, plan to bake it for at least 10 more minutes on top of the above-specified modifications.