Replace Oil or Butter With Avocado Next Time You Bake

I love healthy baking substitutions — I've been regularly using applesauce in place of oil for years. But my mind was blown recently when I heard you could replace oil and butter in baking recipes with avocado.

I had no idea! A one-to-one ratio is all you need — so if your recipe (or box of brownies in my case 😂) calls for 1/2 cup of oil, simply replace it with 1/2 cup of avocado.

It's amazing how this simple switch can make your baking recipes more nutritious. Not only is avocado packed with healthy fats and fiber, but its creamy texture also makes the finished product light and fluffy. You can't taste the avocado at all!

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Arturogi | Canva

A glamour shot of the oh-so beautiful avocado.

There are a few tips to baking with avocado in place of oil or butter:

• Make sure you're using ripe avocados — they should be slightly soft, but not too mushy.

• Mash or blend your avocado before adding it to the recipe. That way, it'll mix in evenly and there will be no chunks!

Using avocado in place of oil in recipes wasn't new to my friend, Charlotte Linde, the publisher of Macaroni KID Cedar Rapids, Iowa. She gave me this delicious Avocado Chocolate Chip Muffins recipe that she loves, and I'm sharing it with you.

Happy baking!

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Avocado Chocolate Chip Muffins

Makes 12

Ingredients:

• 1 ripe avocado
• 1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• Powdered sugar for topping
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a bowl, mash the avocado until smooth.
3. Sift dry ingredients together in another bowl; flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
4. In another bowl, mix sugar and eggs until sugar is about dissolved, and then slowly add almond milk and vanilla extract until well blended. Add avocado and combine fully.
5. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and beat until just combined.
6. Fold in chocolate chips and walnuts.
7. Fill muffin tins with paper muffin cups and fill each cup about 2/3 full. Bake for 20 minutes or until a knife comes out clean. Cool and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

 Enjoy!