Chocolate Chunk Avocado Lime Cookies

For some reason I was really craving avocado.  Maybe it was because I have been running more lately and my body is needing the nutrition rich healthy avocado fat.  Or possibly, it is because of my love for the silky green fruit which I could eat plain with a spoon.  Either way, I decided that I needed to eat some so I bought quite a few.  Some were firm enough to use in salads but a few were getting a little squishy, so I thought I could use their puree in a creative way other than guacamole. 

I had made a mousse, a cheesecake, and a pie so I wanted something different. Then it dawned on me, I could use it in cookies!  Afterall, I have used bananas and how much different could their texture be from the avocados?  I told a few friends and coworkers what I was doing and they thought I was a bit nuts, skeptical that avocadoes would be good in cookies...but I really wanted to prove them wrong and promised that if they turned out I would share.

So I got to work creating the dough and  incorporated the avocadoes into lime scented vegan cookie dough studded with dark chocolate chunks. Which, I might add, was delicious even before baking.  I am a big cookie dough eater, so the taste of the dough is just as important as the baked cookies! They smelled wonderful while baking filling my kitchen with the aroma of lime and chocolate!  They were delicious warm as I tasted one about a minute out of the oven while the chocolate was still molten.  It had a hint of lime, and a rich almost buttery dough which the dark chocolate was wonderful with!   You could not taste the avocado, but I know it contributed to that delicious texture!

Since they turned out so well, I shared them with the skeptics, including my own mother, who loved them!  I have a feeling you would love them as well, so I have included the recipe should you wish to try them!

Chocolate Chunk Avocado Lime Cookies

makes 1 1/2 dozen

Cookies:
1 cup maple sugar, or granulated organic sugar
2/3 cup coconut oil
3/4 cup pureed avocado

1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract

1/2 tsp lime extract

2 Tbsp organic lime zest

2 Tbsp lime juice
1/2 cup agave nectar
2 3/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp sea salt
8 oz vegan dark chocolate, chopped

In a food processor, combine coconut oil, sugar, avocado, vanilla extract, lime, zest, and agave nectar and process until well combined (alternatively place in a bowl and use an immersion blender), then scrape mixture into a large bowl. In a smaller bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, then add to the large bowl, and mix until well combined. Mix in the chocolate, and place in the fridge to chill until firm, preferrably overnight. To bake, Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll balls into about 2 1/2 inch balls, and place on prepared cookie sheets a couple inches apart (refrigerate unused dough while baking the other trays). Bake for about 15-20 minutes, until puffed and just starting to brown slightly. Remove from the oven and let cool on the pan a few minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool. Repeat with remaining cookies.