These Chickpea Chocolate Chip Cookies are a nutrient-dense sweet treat that quickly combines 6 ingredients into a soft and chocolatey, deliciously healthy dessert. Rich and fudgy, with a brownie-like consistency, this recipe is oil-free, egg-free, grain-free, gluten-free, refined sugar-free, and can easily be adapted to meet a dairy-free and vegan diet–it’s the cookie that tastes decadent but is discreetly wholesome!
Healthy Chickpea Cookies–The “Cleaner” Cookie
Chickpea Chocolate Chip Cookies? For real? It’s no secret that plant-based foods are trending and being transformed into healthier, high-protein versions of classic comfort foods, from pasta and rice to cookies and brownies.
That’s why I decided to give chickpeas a chance, and create a recipe that not only tastes like an indulgence but also offers a host of health-promoting qualities, such as antioxidants, fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals–ingredients that I feel good about feeding my family.
If the thought of combining chickpeas and peanut butter into a chocolate peanut butter cookie sounds kind of strange, trust me when I tell you that you won’t notice any of the bean flavor, only the nutty chocolatey goodness that is baked into each bite–they taste like your familiar favorite cookie but these are made without flour. Chickpeas only make these cookies healthier by boosting the protein and fiber, and they create a texture similar to a soft-baked brownie.
It is so easy and convenient to crack open a can of chickpeas and pulse them into a “cleaner” cookie dough–so much rich and delicious taste that makes the perfect healthy, non-allergen alternative!
This recipe is inspired by Texan Erin Baking – she has great grain-free & gluten-free recipes – you should totally check her out!
Why We Love Chickpea Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
- Quick and easy to make using only 6 wholesome ingredients.
- Delicious soft-baked cookies that are high in fiber and plant-based protein.
- Chickpeas are naturally sweet so you can use less sugar in your recipes.
- Chickpeas are versatile, nutritionally dense, allergen-friendly, and inexpensive as an ingredient.
- Oil-free, egg-free, grain-free, gluten-free, refined sugar-free, and can easily be adapted to meet a dairy-free and vegan diet.
- Perfect for lunchboxes, after-school snacks, post-workout fuel, or any time you feel like a sweet treat.
Ingredients / Shopping List
- Chocolate chips: You can use dark chocolate chips in this recipe because they are lower in sugar than milk chocolate and they are also dairy-free, which means the recipe will be a little more allergy-friendly and vegan for those following certain dietary restrictions. But you could definitely choose to use your favorite chocolate product.
- Canned chickpeas: Make sure you rinse and dry the chickpeas–I patted them with a paper towel too.
- Vanilla extract
- Natural peanut butter: I used Natural JIF in this recipe, but feel free to use any natural peanut butter or nut butter.
- Honey
- Baking powder
Substitutions and Additions
- Make Them Vegan: Dark chocolate chips tend to be dairy-free but check the package before using if you want to keep these 100% vegan. You will also want to use a use vegan sweetener, like Stevia, Xylitol, Erythritol, Monk fruit sweetener, or Yacon syrup.
- Nut Butter: Cashew butter, almond butter, SunButter or any other nut butter can be used instead of peanut butter.
- Sweetener: You can substitute the honey with your favorite sweetener, such as maple syrup, date syrup, agave, or any other sweetener you prefer.
Recommended Tools to Make this Recipe
- Food processor
- Silicone baking mat
- Baking sheet
- Cookie scoop
- Measuring tools
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How to Make Chocolate Chip Chickpea Cookies
These Chickpea Cookies are a nutrient-dense sweet treat that easily combines 6 ingredients into a soft and chocolatey, deliciously healthy dessert. It only takes 20 minutes to create a cookie that tastes decadent but is discreetly wholesome!
- Process the chocolate chips in a food processor and transfer to a bowl.
Pro Tip: Most of the chocolate chips should be almost a powder consistency with some small chunks of chocolate.
- Process chickpeas until they become a smooth powder-like consistency.
Pro Tip: Make sure you have rinsed and dried your chickpeas before processing them. Stop periodically and scrape down the sides of the food processor using a rubber spatula. - Add chocolate chips and all remaining ingredients to the chickpea powder.
- Process until well combined.
- Place scoops of cookie dough onto prepared baking sheet and slightly flatten each with the bottom of a glass. Feel free to top your cookies with extra chocolate!
- Bake, cool, and enjoy!
Pro Tip: Cookies will be very soft when they are done baking. They won’t get really crispy like a typical chocolate chip cookie. They are much chewier. Allow them to cool on the baking sheet before transferring them to a wire rack.
Tips
- When you are baking with sticky mixtures like this chickpea cookie dough, I find it much easier and cleaner to wet my hands and cookie scoop when forming the cookies.
- These cookies do not set like normal cookies; they have a very soft texture (almost like a brownie) and may seem a bit undercooked when you remove them from the oven, but they are not.
Storage Tips
- To Store: Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week
- To Freeze: You can store the cookie dough in the freezer in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator, and stir before forming and baking the cookies.
Frequently Asked Questions
These cookies are soft, almost like a brownie. If you’re more into crunchy or crispy cookies, these aren’t for you. Even if you bake them for longer, they tend to dry out rather than get crispy.
Chickpea Cookies are sweet, but not too sweet, and taste like a delicious homemade chocolate peanut butter cookie! They will have a delicious peanut butter flavor that is perfect and not too overpowering.
Compared to traditional cookie recipes, these Chickpea Cookies are higher in fiber and protein and lower in sugar. They are full of nutrient-dense ingredients, making them a healthier alternative to regular cookies.
Chickpeas and garbanzo beans are exactly the same. The two names are used interchangeably. Chickpea is the common English name while garbanzo is the common Spanish name.
Yes, chickpea flour can be used for baking, but it will not work for this cookie recipe.
You can freeze your unbaked Chickpea Cookies. Arrange your cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and place it in the freezer until the cookies are frozen solid. Transfer them to an airtight freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen as directed.
Other Easy Healthy Snack Recipes
- No Bake Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars
- Energy Bites
- Easy Monster Cookie Oatmeal Power Balls
- Chunky Monkey Smoothie
- Tropical Fruit Smoothie
- Healthy Breakfast Cookies
- Peanut Butter & Jelly Energy Balls
- Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
- Homemade Cranberry Granola
Chickpea Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup chocolate chips
- 15.5 ounce can of canned chickpeas (rinsed and dried – I patted with a paper towel)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup + 2 teaspoons natural peanut butter (I used Natural JIF)
- ¼ cup honey
- 1 tsp baking powder
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with either parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Place chocolate chips in a food processor and process until pretty chopped up. Most of the chocolate chips should be almost a powder with some small chunks of chocolate chips. Remove from the food processor and place in a bowl and set aside.
- Place rinsed and dried chickpeas in a food processor and process until it becomes a very smooth powder, about 3-5 minutes. Stop periodically and scrape down the sides using a rubber spatula.
- Add the chocolate chips, vanilla extract, peanut butter, honey and baking powder.
- Process until smooth and combined. (you may have to stop it and scrape down the sides.
- Using a cookie scoop, place balls of cookie dough on the prepared baking sheet. Using the bottom of the glass, gently press the cookies down to slightly flatten them.
- Bake for 11-13 minutes. Note: they will be very soft when they are done cooking.
- Let cool on the pan for a few minutes and then place on a wire rack to cool.
Jenn’s Notes
- To Store: Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week
- To Freeze: You can store the cookie dough in the freezer in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator, and stir before forming and baking the cookies.
- When you are baking with sticky mixtures like this chickpea cookie dough, I find it much easier and cleaner to wet my hands and cookie scoop when forming the cookies.
- These cookies do not set like normal cookies; they have a very soft texture (almost like a brownie) and may seem a bit undercooked when you remove them from the oven.
Hi, can I replace the choco chips with cocoa powder instead?
Hi – could you replace the canned chickpeas for chickpea flour? If so, can you give the measurement?
Hi Stefanie – well these are chickpea cookies, so I wouldn’t recommend replacing with flour. If you are looking for a flour based cookie our Brownie Cookies are delicious – https://princesspinkygirlcom.bigscoots-staging.com/brownie-cookies/