Avocado Cookie Twist

Name: Avocado Cookie Twist
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 18 min
Total time: 33 min
Yield: 30 cookies
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour; 1/4 cup unsweetened cacao powder; 1 tsp baking soda; 1/2 tsp fine sea salt; 1 tsp ground cinnamon; 1 ripe medium avocado, mashed; 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened; 3/4 cup granulated sugar; 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed; 2 large eggs; 1 tsp pure vanilla extract; 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil; 1 cup chocolate chips semi-sweet; optional 1/2 cup chopped walnuts; pinch ground chili powder (twist)

By Emma

Certified Culinary Professional

Published on 23 January 2026 • Recipe tested & approved

Dense, rich cookies using avocado and butter for fat, cocoa powder for depth. Eggs for structure, sugar for sweetness, cinnamon for warmth. Chocolate chips add bursts, walnuts optional but add crunch. Mix dry ingredients but don’t overdo the mixing. Scoop thick dough, space well; cookies spread a bit but stay thick. Watch for cracks on tops, edges firm but centers tender. Oven temps can vary; look for that subtle pull from pan edges. Avocado sneaks moisture and fat silently, no greasiness here. Add a pinch of chili powder to shake sweetness up. Tweak sugar if you want less sweet. Melted butter or olive oil swap if needed. Keep batter cool if air is hot. Store airtight or freeze dough balls.

Prep: 15 min

Cook: 18 min

Total: 33 min

Servings: 30 cookies

#baking #cookies #avocado #chocolate #cinnamon #snack #dessert

Avocado in cookies? Yeah, it’s weird if you aren’t used to it. Adds fat but no obvious green mush flavor. Tried this over several batches tweaking fat sources and sugar ratios. Butter plus oil combo is my go-to now for soft crumb and slight chew. Cinnamon and chili powder punch up the chocolate and avoid cloying sweetness. The dough is thick, almost like fudge. Scoop carefully or risk blobs. Baking times vary; watch crumbs near edges, look for subtle cracks. Chocolate chips on top melt and get glossy, that’s your green light. Stored well these don’t dry out fast, unlike some avocado baked goods. Don’t sweat the avocado tip if you end up with a few brown specks; it’s flavor, not rot. Hands down one of my favorite surprise combos, foolproof after a few goes.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cacao powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 ripe medium avocado, mashed
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 cup chocolate chips semi-sweet
optional 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
pinch ground chili powder (twist)

About the ingredients

Flour type matters; all-purpose works best but whole wheat yields denser cookies (try half and half if you like chew). Cacao powder adds deeper, less sweet chocolate flavor than cocoa powder. Unsalted butter gives you control on salt; always weigh or measure carefully. Butter must be softened but not melted to trap air. Avocado consistency varies; use ripe but firm, avoid overripe soggy fruit to keep dough texture intact. Olive oil as fat makes cookies soft and adds complexity; mild or extra virgin works if balanced. Sugar combo crucial: brown sugar brings moisture and chew, granulated gives sugar snap. Vanilla extract: not imitation. Chocolate chips semi-sweet balance bitterness of cacao. Walnuts optional but add crunch and toasty notes. Chili powder slight kick; skip or swap with cinnamon if heat not your thing.

Method

Preheat oven to 340–345 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside. Hot air convection ovens or even gas ovens may need slight temp adjustments, trust visuals.
In a medium bowl, whisk flour, cacao powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and pinch of chili powder. Sifting helps aerate, but whisking works fine. Mix the dry flavors uniformly.
In stand mixer fitted with paddle or use hand mixer, cream softened butter with mashed avocado. Should be lump-free, creamy green mixture. Add both sugars and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Watch texture closely; not greasy, just airy.
Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Follow with vanilla and olive oil. Oil here eases density avocado can bring, keeps crumb soft without heaviness.
Gradually fold in dry ingredients. Stop once flour is incorporated, avoid overmixing or gluten activates making cookies tough. Fold in chocolate chips and walnuts if using. Dough should feel thick and slightly sticky.
Using melon baller or two spoons, scoop dough into roughly 1 1/2 inch mounds. Place on prepared sheets, 2 inches apart. Press a few chocolate chips on top of each mound to melt visibly and look rustic.
Bake 17–19 minutes until edges are firm, tops crack slightly but centers still soft. Listen for subtle crackling; smell deep chocolate and warm cinnamon. Overbaking dries and ruins texture.
Remove from oven; let cool 5 minutes on sheet then transfer to rack. They firm up but stay tender and moist inside. Store airtight up to 4 days or freeze dough balls for later.

Cooking tips

Prep temperature and dough texture dictate success more than minutes in oven. Mixing dry ingredients separately prevents clumps and uneven rising. Creaming butter and avocado avoids pockets of fat that disrupt crumb. Beat sugars well here, you’ll see lighter color and fluff. Eggs add moisture and help bind – add slowly so batter smooth, no streaks. Folding flour carefully preserves air pockets; over stirring activates gluten, leading to leathery cookies. Scoop dough cold or slightly chilled if warm kitchen; softer dough spreads too much. Place dough with spacing to allow expansion and airflow, parchment stops sticking and burns. Checking cookies 2 minutes before end time helps catch that ‘just set’ look—edges firm, top cracks, centers soft but not wet. Cooling slightly on pan finishes cooking by residual heat. Leftovers reheat briefly to soften if hardened.

Chef's notes

💡 Preheat oven at 340 to 345 Fahrenheit; convection ovens might run hotter, so watch edges carefully. Oven temps sway results; slight tweak can mean edges crisping too fast or dough not setting. Line pans with parchment not foil. Prevent sticking but no burnt bottoms. Baking sheets matter; thinner spreads faster, thicker holds warmth.
💡 Cream butter and avocado until lump-free and creamy. Air pockets form here; don't rush this or heaviness sneaks in. Butter softened not melted traps air. Adding sugars next lightens color and texture; beat for three minutes at least. Watch for greasy shine, that means overmix or too warm.
💡 Fold dry mix slowly into wet to keep pockets of air. Gluten activation starts when flour overworked; leads to tough chew, dense crumb. Mix only till combined; streaks okay as long as flour mostly incorporated. Chocolate chips and walnuts last fold; mix evenly but do not break chips.
💡 Scoop dough in large mounds about 1.5 inches. Cold dough spreads less; if kitchen hot chill slightly. Place 2 inches apart minimum, allow airflow and expansion. Press few chips on tops; melts during bake giving glossy look. Avoid flattening dough; thickness keeps centers soft.
💡 Watch baking times 17 to 19 minutes closely. Look for slight cracks on top, edges firm but not brown. Centers still soft, almost fudgy. Smell deep chocolate, warm cinnamon; these aromas heighten at right bake. Too long means dry edges, crumb hardening. Let rest 5 mins on pan, residual heat finishes bake.

Common questions

Can I swap butter for oil?

Yes, melted butter or olive oil works but affects texture. Butter traps air when creamed, oil makes them softer, less rise. Both fats add moisture so adjust mix times slightly. Using only oil might make cookies denser, slightly greasy if too much.

Why dough too soft and spreading too much?

Might be warm kitchen or overripe avocado adding extra moisture. Chill dough 20-30 minutes to ease spreading. Also check flour level, sometimes needs a little more. Scooping size big helps thickness also spacing between per mound.

What if tops crack too much or dry?

Reduce bake time slightly or lower oven temp by 5 degrees. Cracks mean drying out edges, bake nearing done or too hot. Use parchment to avoid extra heat underneath. Make sure dough not over mixed; tight crumb cracks more.

How to store leftover cookies or dough?

Cookies keep airtight 3-4 days at room temp, fridge extends. Dough balls freeze well wrapped tightly; defrost in fridge overnight before baking. Reheat cookies briefly in oven or microwave if hardened; softens crumb without sogginess.