Tiffani Amber Thiessen’s Favorite Brownie Recipe Involves This Secret Ingredient

One of Tiffani Amber Thiessen’s favorite baking trends—aside from naked cakes —is using avocados in place of some of the butter in a recipe. “Since we’re big avocado fans in this house—and I love any excuse to make more brownies—I figured out how to turn my fudgy, cakey go-to recipe into a slightly healthier one,” Tiffani says. It turns out that you don’t taste the avocado whatsoever, but you get all its rich creaminess thanks to the natural oils.

Here’s Tiffani’s recipe from her new cookbook, Pull Up a Chair.

Ingredients:

• Nonstick cooking spray
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon espresso powder
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 very ripe avocado, pureed in a blender until smooth
• 4 ounces semisweet chocolate chips, melted
• 1 ounce unsweetened chocolate, melted

Instructions: 

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper and spray it with cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk 1/2 cup of the granulated sugar and the eggs until the sugar has dissolved.
4. Stir in the pure vanilla and espresso powder. Set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter, remaining 1 cup granulated sugar, and the brown sugar on medium speed until combined. Add the avocado puree and mix until well combined.
5. Add the egg mixture in three additions, beating well after each. Reduce the speed to low and gently mix in the melted chocolate.
6. Add the flour mixture in batches until blended, taking care to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. The batter will be thick.
7. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the brownies cool before cutting and serving.

Sign up to meet Tiffani in person and to get her new cookbook, Pull Up a Chair, in Chicago on October 5, in Houston on October 7, or in Seattle on October 12.