Avocado Cocoa Brownie Biscuits
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Brownie biscuits with avocado replacing butter. Half flour, half almond flour twist. Cassonade swapped for coconut sugar. Dark chocolate chunks add sharp bites. Toasted pecans on top for crunch. Baked at 175 °C, timing flexible by visual cues. Moist, fudgy centers. Crispy edges set by color and texture. No dairy, no lactose, but plenty of richness. Egg binds, oil adds moisture. Flour mix gives subtle nuttiness unseen in usual versions. Cacao powder hit adjusted slightly less bitterness. Careful folding avoids dense bricks. Perfect when toothpick comes out with few moist crumbs, not wet batter. Versatile recipe favors substitutions and kitchen shortcuts. No margarine, no fuss. Always line pan or risk sticking. Watch closely last 5 min — tiny bubbles fade, edges pull away. Pecan aroma signals almost done. Can switch pecans for walnuts easily.
Prep:
25 min
Cook:
15 min
Total:
40 min
Servings:
9 servings
#vegetarian
#gluten-free option
#dairy-free
#baking tips
#chocolate
#quick bake
Avocado in brownies isn’t new but in biscuit form? Works surprisingly well. Subtle, moist but holds shape. Cocoa cuts richness familiar from oil-only cookies. Coconut sugar is sweet but less sharp than cassonade. Using almond flour lightens texture, less dense than straight AP flour; adds faint nuttiness—fits well with pecan crunch topping. Don’t skimp on oil; avocado alone can dry out if it’s underripe. Chocolate chips melt patchy, creating pockets of bitterness amidst sweetness. Crucial: watch baking edges. They change from soft to slightly crisp slowly—patiently work by eye, not by stopwatch. Tried longer time—too dry. Less time leaves underbaked centers. Experimented with chopped walnuts too, popular substitute, though pecans bring earthiness I prefer. Egg binds masse without giving heaviness typical of butter biscuits. The dough is sticky, tacky but manageable with a scoop and parchment. Flavor deepens as it rests a bit—best same day, but survives next day as soft-still treat.
Ingredients
- 65 g 1/3 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
- 65 g 1/3 cup almond flour
- 5 ml 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 ripe avocado
- 100 g 1/2 cup coconut sugar
- 20 g 3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 30 ml 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 egg
- 85 g 3 oz dark chocolate 58 percent chopped
- 25 g 1/4 cup pecans toasted chopped
About the ingredients
Switched half flour to almond because all-purpose renders these biscuits cakey, less fudge-bite. Almond doesn’t soak up moisture like flour does, changes texture. Coconut sugar instead of cassonade; less caramel flavor but more earthy sweet—less humidifying. Cocoa powder reduced a little; cacoa bitterness can overwhelm if too much. Used vegetable oil for neutral taste but olive oil works—adds fruity notes if that’s your thing. Avocado must be ripe; unripe ruins the smoothness, makes chunks. Use egg large and fresh—key for binding. Dark chocolate above 58% gives bite but no sourness. Pecans toasted in dry pan until fragrant before chopping intensifies aroma, eliminates raw bitterness. Pecans optional; walnuts or hazelnuts ok but flavor changes dramatically. Parchment essential; biscuits stick otherwise. Can freeze raw dough balls wrapped, bake later—adds 2-3 min to time.
Method
- Position oven rack center. Preheat to 175 °C 350 °F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper; don’t skip—sticky mess otherwise.
- Whisk both flours, baking powder, salt in bowl. Almond flour adds nuttiness but watch moisture—too much swamps dough.
- In food processor, blitz avocado, coconut sugar, cocoa powder, oil, egg until creamy but not watery. Texture matters here—overpuree and crumbs toughen.
- Fold flour mix gently into avocado blend with wooden spoon. Add half chopped chocolate; stir, don’t beat.
- Using 45 ml scoop, dollop dough as mounds, spaced apart—no flat discs. Top each with remaining chips and pecans. Press lightly to adhere.
- Bake 13 to 17 minutes, watch edges crisp, surfaces dull matte. Toothpick should emerge with crumbs, not wet goo. Smaller ovens differ—check early.
- Cool on wire rack—touch tops, they firm yet soft below. Warm is best for gooey bites. Store airtight, reheat gently in microwave if needed.
Cooking tips
Start oven early; warm oven critical for even rising with avocado fat profile. Layer all dry ingredients first; prevents clumping of baking powder and gives uniform lift. Puree avocado with sugars and wet ingredients only—mixing flour direct in processor overworks batter, stiffens final product. Fold in flour gently; tough biscuits from harsh stirring. Scoop dough mounds spaced enough for spread; too close means one flat mess. Top extras—chocolate chunks and pecans—stick better on soft dough pre-bake but don’t push too deep or surface won’t crisp. Bake visually; edges deepen in color, crack slightly, scent of toasted nuts fills kitchen. Toothpick check too; moist crumbs cling but not raw dough. Cool on wired rack or bottom steams, sogginess follows. Reiheat only briefly or texture goes rubbery. Last-minute crunch: sprinkle flaky sea salt after baking. A trick most overlook but worth it.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Line pan with parchment always; dough sticks bad otherwise. Dough is tacky not quite wet, scoop and space dough mounds well; too close merges to flat mess. Use wooden spoon to fold dry mix in gently; overwork stiffens, tough biscuit outcome.
- 💡 Watch oven edges for cues, no fixed time. Color shifts from dull matte to light crisp cracking. Tiny bubbles fade just before done; pecan aroma fills room. Toothpick test: moist crumbs cling but no wet batter on tip.
- 💡 Avocado must be ripe, soft but not mushy. Underripe chunks ruin texture, smoothness lost. Vegetable oil neutral but olive oil adds subtle fruit flavor, optional. Cocoa powder decreased here; too much gives bitter harshness.
- 💡 Almond flour halves flour base; prevents cakey, heavy texture. Almond doesn’t soak moisture like all-purpose. Coconut sugar swaps cassonade for mild earthy sweetness, less caramel notes. Toast pecans dry pan before chopping; a must for aroma and flavor boost.
- 💡 Chop dark chocolate roughly, 58% cocoa level best. Melts uneven pockets, sharp bites contrast soft crumb. Egg binds firm but avoid heaviness from butter. Cool on wired rack to avoid soggy bottoms; reheating brief to keep texture—avoid rubbery.
Common questions
Can I swap pecans for walnuts?
Yes, walnuts work well. Flavor changes, less earthiness more mellow. Toast nuts dry pan first. Skip nuts if allergic, texture lost but biscuit still holds.
What if dough too wet or dry?
Too wet means avocado underripe or oil excess. Add more almond flour bit by bit. Too dry, add splash oil or egg white. Careful folding helps keep balance; no beating.
How to store leftover biscuits?
Airtight container best, room temp good day or two. Refrigerate ruins texture fast, gets dry and crumbly. Freeze raw dough balls parchment wrapped, bake later with few extra minutes.
Oven temperature accuracy?
Oven varies a lot. Preheat early, position rack center. Visual checks more reliable than timer. Edges crisp, centers remain moist. Watch small bubbles vanish, smell nuts, edges pull slightly.
