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Made with mashed avocado and chocolate chips, these Chocolate Avocado Cookies are extra moist and so delicious. They’re naturally vegan and are easy to make gluten free!
Yes, even vegans need cookies in their lives. You might think I’m crazy for mashing avocado and mixing it into a chocolatey cookie batter, but I promise you won’t be saying that after you try these Chocolate Avocado Cookies.
Impossibly moist and decadent, you’d never know these vegan avocado cookies are made without flour, eggs, or oil. Instead, I used avocado (of course), oats, peanut butter, sugar, and chocolate. This simple list of ingredients lets you skip the heavy stuff to still end up with rich, soft, and indulgent cookies.
No need to worry about the cookies tasting like avocado either. Just like my chickpea cookie dough, the sweet and chocolate flavors take over and the “healthy” taste from the fruit disappears. They may even be gooier than my vegan chocolate chip cookies, which is something that I thought was impossible!
Recipe features
- There’s no need for oil or butter when your cookies are made with avocado.
- They’re so easy to make gluten free - just swap the oats!
- Each bite is sweet, chocolatey, and nutty.
Ingredient notes:
Avocado - Make sure the avocado you use is ripe but not over ripe. Using avocado that feels really soft or has black or brown spots in the flesh will give your cookies a not-so-great flavor.
Peanut butter - Creamy is best, but you can use crunchy peanut butter for a little more texture. Feel free to swap this for almond butter or seed butter if you have an aversion to peanuts.
Maple syrup - When combined with cane sugar, these natural sweeteners give your cookies a subtle, never overwhelming sweetness.
Old fashioned oats - Also knows as "rolled oats". The oats help bind the cookies together. I don’t recommend using quick oats because they soak up liquid much too easily and the cookies may not hold together as well.
Cocoa powder - Chocolate and avocado were, surprisingly, made for each other. A little cocoa powder goes a long way in these avocado chocolate cookies, helping each bite taste so rich and decadent.
Chocolate chips - For extra chocolatey goodness! Use vegan chocolate chips, like the Enjoy Life brand, or any brand you love.
Step by step instructions
Step 1: Mix the wet ingredients. Mash the avocado and scoop it into a ⅓ measuring cup. Combine the avocado with the peanut butter and maple syrup and stir to combine.
Step 2: Make the cookie dough. Add the oats, cocoa, sugar, salt, and chocolate chips in with the avocado mixture. Gently stir until you end up with a slightly sticky dough.
Step 3: Form the cookies. Use your hands to roll 3 or 4 tablespoons of dough at a time into balls. Place them on the baking sheet and use your hands to flatten them out.
Step 4: Bake and enjoy. Bake the cookies in the oven. When they’re done, let them cool completely on a cooling rack, then enjoy!
Tips and FAQs
- These cookies don’t expand or crisp much in the oven. Because of this, you’ll need to flatten the cookie dough balls with your hands to the size you like.
- Is the cookie dough sticking to your hands? Keep your hands wet the entire time you’re rolling the cookies so there isn’t as much mess.
How to bake with avocado
Avocado needs to be mashed and blended into your batter really well to avoid any big chunks or green pieces turning up in the finished product. You can mash avocado with a fork or even use an immersion blender or handheld mixer to get it silky smooth.
Why bake with avocado?
Avocado is like a miracle baking ingredient because it has enough healthy fats to replace the need for eggs, oil, butter, or shortening. They also make your baked goods, such as cookies, brownies, or cakes, super moist and soft.
Are avocado cookies healthy?
Avocado is packed with nutrients and helps us skip refined oils and butter in baking. Replacing white flour and sugar with old fashioned oats, maple syrup, and peanut butter gives these cookies extra fiber, a natural sweetness, and a little protein. While I wouldn’t technically call these avocado cookies a health food, they’re still healthier than the average cookie.
Can avocado cookies be made gluten free?
Yes! Just make sure the old fashioned oats you use are certified gluten free.
Storage
- Refrigerator: Keep the cookies in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 to 3 days.
- Freezer: Store the baked cookies in a freezer-safe bag. They freeze well for about 1 month.
More cookie recipes:
Chocolate Avocado Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 avocado mashed (approx. ⅓ cup)
- ¼ cup peanut butter
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 ½ cups rolled oats
- 1 ½ tablespoon cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoon cane sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or spray with nonstick spray; set aside.
- Mash the avocado into a bowl, then scoop it into a ⅓ cup measuring cup to ensure you have the correct amount. Place the mashed avocado back into the bowl, then add the peanut butter and maple syrup; stir to combine.
- Next, add the oats, cocoa powder, sugar, salt, and chocolate chips and use a rubber spatula to stir until everything is mixed together. NOTE: the dough should be a little sticky.
- Use your hands to roll the dough into 10 balls and place them directly onto the baking sheet and use your hands to flatten them out. Be sure to make the cookies the size you want them to be because they won't expand in the oven!
- Bake the cookies for 14 minutes. Remove them from the oven and carefully transfer them onto a cooling rack. Optional: drizzle them with extra peanut butter and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
UPDATE NOTE: This post was originally published in April 2015. It was updated with new text and photos in June 2021.
Cassie says
You had me at ooey-gooey. Nothing better than an ooey-gooey cookie. I'm always starving at 5 pm it's so annoying. I'm usually just starved all day. Today I put SO MUCH PROTEIN in different forms in my oatmeal I'm still full, thank God...
Jordan @ The Blonde Vegan says
Ummm Erin, these look SO delish I can hardly contain myself. I also laughed really hard at the "#dedication #impsycho" because let's be real- I am too. And I also laughed about you not being able to wait until 8:30 to eat like all of your friends do, because I am the SAME WAY. I don't understand why/how people are OK with it!! I am always the "I ate beforehand but I will get a drink" gal, haha. Food bloggers... are we too obsessed with food?!
Bethany @ Accidental Intentions says
There's noooooo way I could ever make it to 8:30 for dinner, at least not without "snacking" beforehand (and by "snacking" I mean "eating enough snack food to definitely constitute dinner" haha). I usually eat my full dinner sometime around 7:00, but I'm always eating something small pretty much from the entire time I get home until dinner -- love me some afternoon snacks!
Kammie @ Sensual Appeal says
These look great! I have seen other people use avocado to bake before, and they all say you can't taste the avocado...and I've been doubtful, but perhaps it's time I try it! I've also seen bloggers who have baked with chickpeas, black beans, etc. Very interesting...
Brittany @ Delights and Delectables says
oh my... MUST try!! You think I could sub GF flour??
Becky@TheSavedRunner says
I have heard of people using avocado in cookies, but I have never tried it! I will try it sometime, but unfortunately not for these cookies. I am one of those weird people who don't like chocolate. 🙂
Jo @ Living Mint Green says
These sound perfect! I'm always looking for new ways to channel my avocado addiction! Hahaha