Chickpea Blondies
Chickpea Blondies- made with wholesome ingredients, these blondies are a good source of fiber and protein! (vegan + gluten-free)
Not long after I started my blog, I published a simple recipe for chickpea bars made with just 5-ingredients. When the recipe received zero reviews after several months, I figured it must not be as good as I thought. So I deleted the recipe from site. Permanently.
Shortly after that, I received multiple messages asking me what happened to the recipe. Little did I know, people actually made them, and enjoyed them enough to come back and make them again. Welp. That was a lesson learned on my part.
It took me a while (cough, 12 years, cough) to come back and redevelop that recipe, but here we are. I made a few changes to improve the texture, which is what had me doubting the last recipe. I ended up adding a few more ingredients, but I think I nailed it and I’m excited to share them with you!
Chickpea Blondie Ingredients
- Oatmeal– You can use rolled oats or oat flour. Be sure the oats are certified GF if necessary. Using oat flour will result in a smoother texture.
- Garbanzo Beans– I like to use canned chickpeas to help save time. My favorite brand comes in glass jars but I developed the recipe to use a standard can, since the glass jars are not as easily accessible.
- Nut or Seed Butter– I use a combination of tahini and peanut butter but feel free to use almond butter or cashew butter, if you prefer. Just make sure they are 100% nuts or seed as added oil will alter the results of the recipe.
- Applesauce– Unsweetened applesauce helps bind the bars and add moisture.
- Pure Maple Syrup– You can also use honey, if desired.
- Baking Soda– This helps the blondies rise a little and brown on the edges.
- Salt– I like my sweets salty so I use 1/2 teaspoon but feel free to adjust the salt to your preferences.
- Dark Chocolate Chips– Be sure to use dairy-free chocolate chips, if needed.
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How to Make Chickpea Blondies
**Scroll down for full instructions in recipe card below**
- If using oats instead of oat flour, grind the oats to a fine crumb in a food processor.
- Add the drained and rinsed chickpeas, nut/seed butter, applesauce, maple syrup baking soda and salt. Blend until smooth.
- Stir in chocolate chips by hand.
- Transfer to a lined 8×8-inch baking pan. I recommend using a metal pan (rather than glass) for best results.
- Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes.
- Allow to cool completely before slicing.
- When ready to slice, run a large knife under hot water. Dry off then use to slice the bars into squares. The warmth from the knife will prevent the dough from sticking to it.
- Leftovers can be stored in airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or frozen for up to 3 months.
Chickpea Blondies
Ingredients
- ½ cup rolled oats, or oat flour*
- 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- ½ cup applesauce
- ½ cup nut or seed butter, I use a combination of peanut butter and tahini
- ⅓ cup pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼-½ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup dark chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8-inch metal baking pan with two sheets of overlapped parchment paper.
- In the bowl of a food processor, grind the oats to a fine crumb (If using oats…skip this step if using oat flour.)
- To the processor, add the drained and rinsed chickpeas, ½ cup applesauce, ½ cup nut/seed butter, ⅓ cup pure maple syrup, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ baking soda and ¼ teaspoon salt. Blend until a smooth batter forms.
- Stir the chocolate chips in by hand, reserving 10-12 for decorating the top. Transfer the batter to the lined baking pan and spread out until the top is even. Sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips on top.
- Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, until center is set and edges are light golden brown. Allow to cool completely before slicing.
- When ready to slice, run a large knife under hot water. Dry off the knife, then use to slice the bars into 16 squares. The warmth from the knife will prevent the dough from sticking to it.
- Leftovers can be stored in airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or frozen for up to 3 months.
