This chickpea blondies recipe is one of the earliest recipes I ever posted when I first started blogging almost 10 years ago! I loved the concept of using chickpeas in desserts back then and I still can’t get my head around how amazing they work in sweet treats. These blondies are made with healthier ingredients, yet you wouldn’t know by how good they taste and their amazing fudgy texture.
I’ve recently noticed a lot of influencers on Instagram making these chickpea blondies. It made me realise that my chickpea blondies recipe has been on the blog for almost 10 years! I haven’t mad them in such a long time and must admit I almost forgot about them until now.
Funny how a recipe or a food trend explodes, then disappears for years and re-emerges again when new people discover the concept. Using chickpeas in baking was one of the first ideas I tried when I embarked on my healthy eating journey. I was surprised then at how well chickpeas worked in desserts and it still surprises me now whenever I make any dessert with chickpeas.
What are chickpea blondies?
Chickpea blondies are a healthier twist on traditional blondies, made using chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans) as a base ingredient. Instead of flour, chickpeas provide the structure and texture, making these treats gluten-free and higher in protein and fibre.
This chickpea blondies recipe is a great healthier alternative to regular blondies when the baking bug hits and you feel like whipping up something delicious in the kitchen that’s also good for you. The recipe is gluten-free and flour-free and offers a good balance of protein, fibre and nutrients. It has lower glycemic ingredients while maintaining a sweet, treat-like flavour. Despite the chickpeas, they taste remarkably similar to regular blondies!
Everyone who’s tried this recipe over the years has really been impressed by them. I also have this chickpea cookie dough balls recipe, which is basically a non-baked version of these chickpea blondies dipped in chocolate.
Why I love making this chickpea blondies recipe:
I’m always looking for healthier desserts that nourish my body, but don’t compromise on flavour. If that sounds like a bit of you too, then you need to try this chickpea blondies recipe! Baking with chickpeas may just become your next baking obsession. Packed with protein, fibre, and deliciousness, these blondies are a wholesome twist on the classic treat. But don’t be fooled by the unconventional star ingredient – chickpeas – because the result is a moist, rich, and slightly nutty dessert that will satisfy any sweet tooth.
Of course they don’t taste exactly like a regular blondie would. I’m using a lot less sugar and no butter or flour that give blondies that decadent rich taste and texture. Having said that, this chickpea blondies recipe isn’t a bad contender considering the main ingredients are chickpeas, cashews and oats – all nutrient dense ingredients.
Using chickpeas along with nut butter creates a soft, fudgy texture that’s so enjoyable, but not super dense and heavy. The maple syrup adds enough sweetness to make them taste like a dessert, without them being overly sweet like most decadent desserts tend to be.
Why you need to try this chickpea blondies recipe:
These chickpea blondies are essentially a lighter, healthier version of traditional blondies, using chickpeas as the base instead of flour. Chickpeas, or garbanzo beans, might seem like an odd choice for a dessert, but once blended, they create a smooth, creamy texture perfect for baking. Not only do they keep the blondies moist, but they also pack in protein, fibre, and essential vitamins, making these blondies more nutritious than your standard sugary treat.
Here’s what makes chickpea blondies a winner:
- Gluten-Free: For those avoiding gluten, chickpea blondies are a perfect alternative to regular flour-based desserts.
- Protein-Rich: Thanks to the chickpeas and nut butter, these blondies offer a protein boost, making them a great healthier dessert or hearty snack in between meals.
- Less sugar: I use maple syrup and a lot less of it compared to the amount of sugar added in traditional recipes. It’s a great lower sugar option, yet still satisfying treat.
- Kid-Friendly: If you’re sneaking more nutritious foods into your kid’s diet, this is a fun and tasty way to do it—without them suspecting a thing!
What you’ll need to make this chickpea blondies recipe:
Chickpeas – Cooked and blended to a smooth consistency, they replace flour and create a moist texture.
Nut butter – Almond, cashew or peanut butter adds richness and makes the blondies super moist. They also add a lovely nutty flavour. You can use tahini for a nut-free version.
Oats – I like to add some oats to give the blondies a better form, but also to add more fibre.
Maple syrup – Or you can use another liquid sweetener like honey or agave.
Vanilla extract – Adds flavour and enhances sweetness, giving the blondies a dessert-like taste.
Chocolate chips – For extra sweetness and texture, similar to regular blondies.
Baking powder – Helps with leavening and lightness.
How to make this chickpea blondies recipe:
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Add the drained and rinsed chickpeas to a food processor along with the cashew butter, maple syrup, vanilla and salt. Blend until you have a smooth mixture.
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Transfer into a mixing bowl and fold in the oat flour and baking powder. Now fold in the chocolate chips
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Using a spatula, smooth the dough in a 8″ square baking tin lined with parchment paper. You can top with more chocolate chips if you like.
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Bake for 20-23 minutes, then leave to cool completely before slicing.
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Enjoy!
How to store your chickpea blondies:
Once cooled, store them in an air-tight container at room temperature for in the fridge for up t o4 days.
This chickpea blondies recipe is:
- Vegan
- Gluten-free
- Dairy-free
- Can be made nut-free (see notes below)
- Easy to make
- Only calls for a handful of ingredients
- Easily adjusted to likes/dietary needs
- A great healthier dessert or snack
- So yummy!
Chickpea Blondies Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 can chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 150g cashew butter see notes
- 120ml maple syrup
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 50g oat flour see notes
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 80g dark chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180C/160C fan/350F.
- Add the drained and rinsed chickpeas to a food processor along with the cashew butter, maple syrup, vanilla and salt. Blend until you have a smooth mixture.
- Transfer into a mixing bowl and fold in the oat flour and baking powder. Now fold in the chocolate chips
- Using a spatula, smooth the dough in a 8" square baking tin lined with parchment paper. You can top with more chocolate chips if you like.
- Bake for 20-23 minutes, then leave to cool completely before slicing.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
I don’t know if I would bother if you aren’t planning on the caramel sauce. They weren’t sweet enough to my taste and the chick pea flavour was noticeable
You could always add more sweetener if it wasn’t sweet enough for you. I’ve made it many times and everyone who tried them said they loved them and couldn’t tell there were chickpeas in there 🙂
Oh YUM! I made these yesterday for me and my sister but.. they never made it into Blondies as two blondies ate the batter before that haha! I added bit more vanilla extract but otherwise I thought the recipe was quite perfect, we devoured the batter with some berries just the two of us (whooops but we couldn’t resist..)! Next time I’ll (try to) make it into blondies and share a pic in instagram 😉 Thanks for the recipe!♥
Haha! The batter is pretty amazing as well, but you really must trythem baked, so gooey and delicious 😀 Hope you like them! I’ll be waiting for that pic on Instagram 😉 x
I’d love to see the caramel sauce as well! I tried making it and couldn’t get the consistency right.
I’ve made this twice, first time I added too many choc chips, which made it into a delicious brownie. Second time I added less and then found that it wasn’t sweet enough, thankfully couldn’t taste the chickpeas though.
I love the recipe but definitely recommend more sweetener.
Thanks for the feedback Sarah 🙂 I thought it was sweet enough for me but you’re the second person who said it wasn’t sweet enough. I have added a note in the video and the blog recipe to add extra sweetener if the batter is not sweet enough.
Hi Nadia,
I’ve just recently discovered your great blog!
I want to try this recipe and I would like you to do a separate post for the caramel sauce please.
Thank you
Making these at the moment ☺ the batter tastes amazing! Only problem is they are taking forever to cook. Been in 50mins now. Hopefully its not to much longer, they look & smell amazing!
They do firm up quite a bit once cooled down so don’t worry about them looking underdone!
hi nadia,
just wondering what would an alternative for oat flour be please? I don’t react very well to oats..or nuts !
thanks! jade xx
You can try another flour that you can eat, I don’t see why it shouldn’t work; however, I haven’t tried using any other flour myself. Let me know how it goes! 🙂
Bless your soul, Nadia! I just tried these, but with rice flour (I didn’t have any oats), and they were beyond amazing! I could’ve easily eaten the whole thing if I had not promised my sister some.
So glad you enjoyed them Jay 😀 xx
I have made these a few times but added slightly more chocolate. They are truly amazing and I can’t get enough of them.
You can’t have too many chocolate chips 😉 So glad you liked them Heather xx
I made it as a treat for my last workday. Already tried a small small piece and it is sooo good! I’m curious for what my colleguas think about it
Thank you Esther! You’ll have to let me know what your colleagues thought! 😀
Could you add honey as a sweetener???
I haven’t tried honey myself. The dates add a lot of volume and texture so substituting it with a liquid would change the outcome.
But if you found it not sweet enough with the dates could you add honey as well?
I would suggest adding a granulated sweetener like brown sugar, stevia etc. Adding more liquid might affect the texture.
Soooo good! It doesn’t need caramel on top or anything. It’s perfectly sweet as it is. It’s so hard to find healthy desserts using dates. I’m glad I found this one and I’ll look around your blog.
Thank you!
I can’t get canned chickpeas, is it 400g chickpeas in total or is that including the water in the can?
Hi! 400g is the weight of the can, you’ll need 240g cooked chickpeas 🙂 xx
Please could you send me your recipe for the caramel sauce.
I am going to try this, I am trying to cut out all added sugar for health reasons.
Thank you for this recipe, will let you know ow how it goes!
Amazing! Hope you enjoy it Elizabeth 🙂
I made these this morning and ate 3 right after I pulled them out of the over! They are delicious. I used my Instant Pot to pressure cook dried, unsoaked chick peas (set at 25 minutes with 6 minutes of natural pressure release). I followed the recipe exactly but added lots of chocolate chips and salted caramel chocolate chips.
I had seen Blondies with the same ingredients as these in an upscale store in my town. They are expensive. I thought I could find a recipe and give them a try. So happy I did. Great recipe.
Is it 400g drained chickpeas or with water in the can?
Hi Anna 🙂 It’s a 400g can before draining, so it would be around 240g drained, cooked chickpeas.
I see comments about dates but dates aren’t included in the recipe. What am I missing?
Hi Jadelle 🙂 Some of the comments are old, I have updated the recipe since to make it simpler, so there’s no dates in this version.