Chocolate Protein Chickpea Brownies (vegan + gluten-free)
Chocolate Protein Chickpea Brownies- made with less than 10-ingredients, each brownie packs 5 grams of protein! (vegan, gluten-free, oil-free + refined sugar-free)
These chickpea brownies are a perfect example of why you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. I struggled to make them look pretty but I promise I wouldn’t post the recipe if I thought they weren’t worth making.
Not only are they easy to prepare but the texture is surprisingly fudgy. They have just the right amount of sweetness and plenty of chocolate chips for good measure. I may have added a few extra to entice my toddler which, I admit, worked beautifully. He has scarfed down many of these chickpea brownies while I smile inside knowing he is getting a nice punch of fiber, protein, and antioxidants with each bite.
Chocolate Chickpea Protein Brownie Ingredients
- Ground Flax Seed- The first time I made these I used a chicken egg. For some reason I thought the brownies would be better that way, but nope! The vegan version was much more fudgy and just overall better. Moral of the story, you can use either of the three (chicken egg, flax egg or chia egg) but I recommend the vegan versions for best results.
- Garbanzo Beans- Using canned chickpeas helps the recipe come together quickly, just be sure to drain and rinse them beforehand.
- Pure Maple Syrup- Maple syrup not only sweetens the brownies but also adds moisture. I haven’t tested the recipe with honey but given that it is much more viscous I would imagine it would make the batter even thicker and harder to work with. If you wanted to use a granulated sweetener you would have to adjust the liquid in the recipe which would require some tinkering.
- Tahini- Tahini is my go-to for my chocolate baking recipes as I love the subtle nutty flavor paired with cocoa. As our main fat source, it provides moisture as well as a boost of protein and iron. If you don’t have tahini, any drippy nut or seed butter will work.
- Water- We just need a little bit of water (or you can use milk) to help the batter blend in the food processor.
- Cacao Powder- I like cacao powder more than cocoa powder as it is higher in protein and antioxidants. That said, either one will work. Cacao powder is slightly bitter compared to cocoa powder so just keep in mind using the latter could result in a sweeter tasting brownie.
- Chocolate Protein Powder- Truvani is my favorite protein powder as it is certified organic, has simple ingredients and is 3rd party tested. Feel free to use your favorite protein powder, just make sure you are using 66 grams as the amount in 2 scoops can vary depending on the brand.
- Baking Soda- Half teaspoon baking soda helps the brownies rise ever so slightly.
- Fine Sea Salt- Salt helps balance out the sweetness of the brownies. If you are sensitive to salt, or are using a salty protein powder, you may want to reduce the amount of salt you use in the recipe.
- Dark Chocolate Chips- To keep the recipe dairy-free, make sure you are using dark chocolate chips without milk or whey in the ingredient list, such as Enjoy Life.
How to Make Chocolate Chickpea Protein Brownies
- Combine wet ingredients (flax egg, chickpeas, maple syrup, tahini, and water or milk) in a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth.
- Add dry ingredients (cacao powder, chocolate protein powder, baking soda, sea salt). Blend until a thick batter forms. Add chocolate chips and pulse a few times until combined.
- Transfer batter to a parchment lined baking dish. Add a few more chocolate chips on top. Bake for 30 mins. Allow to cool completely before slicing and enjoying.
How to Store Leftovers
Because the brownies are made from minimally processed ingredients, they are best kept in a sealed container in the refrigerator. This will allow them to last for up to 1-week. You can also freeze them for up to 3-months.
More High Protein Vegan Desserts
- 5-Ingredient Chocolate Protein Pudding
- Vegan Chocolate Protein Mug Cake
- Fudgy Sweet Potato Protein Brownies
- Vegan Protein Energy Bites
- Easy Protein Granola
- 5-Ingredient Chocolate Chia Seed Protein Pudding
- Oatmeal Cookie Protein Energy Bites
Chocolate Protein Chickpea Brownies (vegan + gluten-free)
Made with less than 10-ingredients, each brownie packs 5 grams of protein!
Servings: 16 brownies
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon ground flax or chia seed, combined with 3 tablespoons water
- 1 15-ounce can garbanzo beans , drained and rinsed
- ½ cup pure maple syrup
- ¼ cup tahini, or any drippy nut/seed butter
- ¼ cup water, or milk
- 2 scoops chocolate protein powder, (66 grams)
- ¼ cup cacao powder, or unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ⅓ cup dark chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8x8-inch baking dish with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine 1 tablespoon ground flax seed (or chia seeds) with 3 tablespoons water. Whisk until smooth. Set aside to thicken for at least 10-minutes.
- In the bowl of a food processor (or a blender), combine the wet ingredients (flax egg, drained and rinsed garbanzo beans, pure maple syrup, tahini and water or milk). Blend until smooth.
- To the food processor, add the dry ingredients (cacao powder, protein powder, baking soda and salt). Blend again until a thick batter forms. Scrape down the sides and blend once more to assure everything is evenly combined. Add the chocolate chips (reserve a handful for topping later) and pulse a few times.
- Transfer the batter to the lined baking dish. Use a spatula to spread to the sides. The batter will be thick and somewhat difficult to spread but just do the best you can. Like I said, they aren't going to be pretty. Place the remaining chocolate chips on top and press down into the batter.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes. Set aside to cool completely before slicing into 16 pieces, and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition Facts are for 1/16th of the recipe. They are an estimate and will vary depending on specific ingredients/brands you choose.
Nutrition
Calories: 113kcal, Carbohydrates: 16g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 4g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 4mg, Sodium: 139mg, Potassium: 156mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 7g, Vitamin A: 3IU, Vitamin C: 0.2mg, Calcium: 65mg, Iron: 0.4mg
Did you try this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out by leaving a comment below or sharing a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #makingthymeforhealth. I love hearing your feedback!
It looks and sounds scrumptious! I’m not for supplements like protein powders. Would I have to change anything else if I leave out the protein powder completely?
I would replace it with equal amounts cacao powder and leave out the 1/4 cup of water (not the water used to make the flax egg). Then just add a few tablespoons of water if the batter is too thick after you blend.
Will make today!
Looks and reads tasty, will make it for my Bible group I have some prune purée (Dr McDougall recipe) that is used for fat. Could I use that?
It is hard for me to say how that will affect the recipe…I don’t believe there is any fat in prunes so the texture will definitely be different. You would have to be willing to experiment and see how it turns out.