Vegan Chocolate Chip Chickpea Blondies! Sink your teeth into these good for you, decadent, gooey, protein packed, chocolatey treats. Vegan + Gluten Free + Low Calorie
Last week I spent half my days deleting food pictures. Way too many food pictures. When you're a food photographer, you end up with a random assortment of food pics.
Sometimes a food looks amazing in the moment then later I look at a picture of lettuce and think to myself, really? What was thinking I was gonna do with this?
What's even more troublesome, I have issues hitting the delete button. Like maybe, just maybe one day I'll need that random picture of lettuce. Can we say obsessed?
But we're not here to talk lettuce. We're here to talk blondies! As in, Chocolate Chip Chickpea Blondies! Chewy, gooey, decadent, nutty blondies, oozing with chocolate that melt in your mouth. Hungry yet? Oh you wait!
Click here to pin this recipe!
The original version of the recipe was published in 2014. The pictures were in serious need of a facelift though. I couldn't let them live on the way there were any longer.
The recipes is just too delicious! Made with a base of chickpeas, these goodies are a real nutritional powerhouse.
As in, real garbanzo beans packed with protein, fiber and 10% the daily value of iron in a single serving, and I'll gladly take all the iron I can get.
For those of you who've been around awhile, you know I've been mysteriously iron deficient for years. My recent labs showed it being in the tank again. Then last week I left the gym feeling weak, short of breath and disoriented.
I knew from past episodes it was low iron, but it was the worst I've had in well over a year. Even the guy was worried and stopped to check in on me during the day. Wasn't that nice?
So...I'm back to taking iron supplements regularly, but it's not my favorite thing because it messes with my stomach. I'd rather get it from food so I guess that means I'll have to sacrifice by eating more Chocolate Chip Chickpea Blondies.
Good thing I'm only sharing the recipe with you today 'cuz I'm not sure I'd be willing to give one of these babies to you in real life.
For real, they taste like a chocolate chip brownie only with cleaner ingredients. Maple syrup, nut butter, almond extract and of course, the mighty chickpea. Plus they're only 113 calories each. WOOT! Hand me two or three.
These are perfect for the person who needs to satisfy their sweet tooth but in a healthier way. Okay, I'm not sharing so you better run to the kitchen and get baking!
Click here to pin this recipe!
Chocolate Chickpea Brownies
Ingredients
- 15 ounce garbanzo beans rinsed & drained well*
- 1/2 cup peanut butter or any nut butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips dairy free
Instructions
- Preheat oven 350 F. Prepare an 8x8 baking pan by spraying it with nonstick cooking spray.
- To a blender or food processor, add all ingredients except chocolate chips. Process on high until creamy and smooth. Fold chocolate chips into the batter by hand.
- Bake at 350 F 20-25 minutes until a toothpick can be inserted clean. Cool in the pan 30 minutes prior to slicing into 16 bars.
- Optionally drizzle the tops of he bars with melted chocolate and extra nut butter.**
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to one week.
Video
Notes
- I do not recommend substituting garbanzo bean flour for the chickpeas as the flavor is very bean-y.
- To make the drizzle, melt 1/4 cup chocolate chips with 1 teaspoon coconut oil. You can also drizzle 1-2 tablespoons of melted nut butter over the chocolate drizzle. Drizzle not included in the nutritional value.
- My Amazon shop has more products similar to those used for this recipe and that I recommend to my weight loss clients.
- If you love this recipe, check out my low calorie cookbook for more delicious recipes and weight loss tips!
Nutrition
What I Used For The Recipe
Hiya, just wondering, is it 15 ounces of beans when drained or just the can and water in general? Tanks!
You purchase a 15 ounce can of chickpeas then drain the chickpeas to use for the recipe.
Love the flavor and the ease of this recipe. I've made it twice now and I can't get my "brownies" to set up. They still are gooey, which obviously hasn't detered me enough from making them but didn't know if you had any pointers?
Fantastic to hear you love the brownies! I'm not sure what you mean by not setting up. They will not rise much because they are made with chickpeas so if you want them thicker, then you could consider using a smaller pan to get a thicker brownie or add a bit of oat flour.
My favorite dessert at the moment. It's so healthy and it tastes delicious. Sometimes after the recipe is done I cut a slice and I add some extra peanut butter and chocolate and then I put it in the microwave for a minute. It's amazing.
That sounds amazing! Thanks for letting me know how much you love it. It's one of my favorite desserts on the blog.
Hi Megan! I really wanted to try this out but can I use regular white sugar instead of maple syrup and wil the texture be the same? Also isn't peanut butter high in fats so when we eat this, wouldn't this be a high fat food...? Just curious!! Thanks!
Hi Ashley! I haven't tried regular white sugar. I don't bake with it because it's really bad for you so I can't say how it would turn out. As for the peanut butter, this is a healthy fat and should be incorporated in the diet. I don't know why, but many people still believe high fat foods are bad but they are not.
Thank you for the response! I think I'll try with regular sugar. as for fat, it's just that I already get my fats from meat that I feel like adding more healthy fats is not good.. 😀
Meat is not a healthy omega-3 rich fat like nuts and nut butters. Your cells need these kind of fats to stay healthy and they are good for your heart. Sugar is actually shown to increase your risk for disease development and cause weight gain so this is something I highly recommend against. Eating more fat is shown to reduce weight and improve health status.
I made these for my kids (aged 2 and 5) and they LOVED them! Like begging for more! I had to make a few substitutions based on my pantry (white beans instead of chickpeas, vanilla instead of almond extract and cashew butter) and they were still so delicious. These will definitely be on my baking rotation Thanks!
I also have hashimotos, desiccated thyroid has been my saving grace. Is that what you take?
No. I talk about what I take in this post: https://skinnyfitalicious.com/living-hashimotos-disease/
I’m allergic to most Nuts, could I just use butter?
I haven't tried, but I doubt butter would work and the taste would be weird too. Sunflower butter would work, but they will turn green from the baking soda. Otherwise coconut butter could work, but not sure of the taste. Report back and let me know!
Regarding your iron deficiency- have you been tested for parietal cell antibodies?
Yes.
Hi! Could I substitute the maple syrup for applesauce?
It will probably be too wet and not sticky enough if you do. You might want to sub 1/4 of the maple syrup with applesauce and see how it does. I've never tried it.
Hello do you think you could substitute maple syrup for honey?
Thanks!
I haven't tried, but probably you could.
These look delicious! Since I have to watch sugar, I will sub Lily's dark chocolate chips and light Agave for the maple syrup.
chickpeas are my fav plant based iron. So yes, sign me up! Girl, loving all the updated recipes. Helps me remember which ones I need to make!!! Like these!
p.s have you tried floradix?
I haven't, but someone else mentioned it to me so now I definitely need to check it out!
How many cups/ grams equal a can? Different brands have different measurements 😛 thanks!
1/3 cup is standard for most
Can you use peanut butter instead of almond butter and if so will it still be ok to use almond extract xx
I've never tried, but I'm guessing you could.
I just love your Brownies just perfect for fall! Thanks so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday this week. Hope you are having a great day and come back soon!
Miz Helen