Ultra-chewy Chickpea Blondies are rich and dense just like a traditional blondie, and maple syrup gives them some extra flair. Naturally sweetened, vegan, and gluten-free—and NO ONE will guess they’re made with chickpeas!
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These healthy chickpea blondies are a reader favorite.
And they’re one of my favorites too! Serve them up at a party and I promise no one will guess they’re made with chickpeas!
Even my husband Ben, who has eaten every dessert I’ve baked since the day Zucchini Brownies came to life and thus is attuned to my healthy tricks (Sweet Potato Brownies, Black Bean Brownies, etc.) expressed his shock at the secret reveal.
- Chickpea blondies are low calorie since no butter is required. Once blended, the chickpeas provide the necessary moisture and bind the bars.
- In addition to chickpeas, these blondies are loaded with other healthy ingredients. In fact, they are both flourless (only oats are used) and refined sugar-free (pure maple syrup is the sweetener).
5 Star Review
“They were a HUGE hit!!! I had to keep from chuckling when my family said it was the best dessert at Thanksgiving – beating out the local bakery-made apple, cherry, and pecan pies – because there is no way they would have even tried the blondies had they known about the beans! Ha! (I’ll never tell!)”
— Shannon —
Key Ingredients
You’ll find the full list of ingredients in the recipe card below, but here are some notes to keep in mind.
- Chickpeas. Our sneaky, wholesome addition that helps make the blondies supremely moist. Chickpeas are packed with protein and fiber, which also makes these blondies extra satisfying. They are also the (secret) star in Chickpea Cookie Dough.
- Oats. Rolled oats act like flour in this flourless recipe, giving the blondies structure.
- Peanut Butter. If you prefer to make chickpea blondies without peanut butter, you can swap in almond butter or a nut butter of your choice. To make these completely nut-free, use sun butter.
- Coconut Oil. Thanks to the moisture and structure the chickpeas provide, just two tablespoons of coconut oil are all you need to make these blondies taste as decadent as if they were made with butter. If you do not need the recipe to be vegan, you can swap melted unsalted butter.
- Vanilla + Cinnamon. These blondies wouldn’t be complete without the warmth and coziness that both vanilla and cinnamon provide.
- Maple Syrup + Extract. To keep these blondies naturally sweetened, I used a touch of maple syrup. Plus, adding a bit of maple extract helps boost the maple flavor and makes these blondies bewitching.
Mix-In Ideas
One of my absolute favorite aspects of blondies is the number of options for mix-ins. They’re like a choose-your-own-adventure book! You can try one combination this week, and a different combination for alternative flavors next week.
- Chocolate Chips. Can’t go wrong at all there!
- Peanut Butter Chips. For extra peanut butter-licious flavor.
- Toasted Nuts. Diced pecans or walnuts for more crunch.
- Dried Cranberries. Enjoy some fruity sweetness.
- White Chocolate. Chickpea blondies with white chocolate is one of my favorite inclusions! In the photos, you can see a mix of dark chocolate, white chocolate, and pecans.
How to Make Chickpea Blondies
Start Mixing (photo 1). Pulse the oats in a food processor. Add the beans, peanut butter, oil, vanilla, and extract, processing until smooth.
Blend (photo 2). Add all the remaining ingredients, except for the mix-ins. Blend until thoroughly combined.
Finish the Batter (photo 3). Stir in the mix-ins.
Bake, Cool, and Serve (photo 4). Bake at 350 degrees F for 18 minutes. Once the chickpea blondies have cooled to room temperature, remove them, slice, and ENJOY!
Chickpea Blondie Variations and Substitutes
As written, this chickpea blondie recipe works for all kinds of dietary needs since it’s vegan and flourless. But if you need to tweak the recipe further, here’s some additional guidance.
- Swap in Another Bean. In theory, you could use any canned bean as a swap for the chickpeas, but to keep the blondies blond, you’ll want a light colored bean like reduced-sodium cannellini beans or Great Northern beans.
- Use Gluten-Free Oats. Oats are often processed alongside wheat, so to ensure they’re not contaminated during processing, look for oats that are gluten-free certified.
- Make Them Peanut-Free. Almond butter or another nut butter you like can be substituted.
- Or Make Them Nut-Free. To eliminate nuts altogether, use sunflower seed butter.
Chickpea Blondies
Video
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Ingredients
- ¾ cups old fashioned rolled oats gluten free if needed
- 1 (15-ounce) can low-sodium chickpeas rinsed and drained
- ¼ cup creamy peanut butter or almond butter
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil melted
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon maple extract optional
- ½ cup pure maple syrup
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅓ cup chocolate chips divided
- ⅓ cup additional mix-ins of choice, divided: I used a mix of white chocolate chips and chopped pecans
Instructions
- Place a rack in the center of your oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat an 8-inch-square baking pan with nonstick spray. Line with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on two sides like handles, then lightly coat the paper with nonstick spray. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, pulse the oats until well ground. Add the beans, peanut butter, coconut oil, vanilla extract, and maple extract and process until very smooth, scraping down the bowl as needed. Add the maple syrup, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Blend until the oats are completely broken up and the mixture looks thick and smooth, stopping to scrape down the bowl a few times. It may take several minutes.
- If the mixture feels warm from the food processor, let it cool a bit (the chocolate chips will melt otherwise). Add the chocolate chips, reserving 2 tablespoons to sprinkle on top as desired. Add the remaining mix-ins, again saving a little to decorate the top if you like.
- Scrape the batter into the prepared baking pan (it will be very thick) and, with an offset spatula or spoon, smooth the top. Sprinkle on the reserved chocolate chips and mix-ins. Bake for 18 minutes, until the top lightly cracks at the endges and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Don’t overbake!
- Let the bars cool to room temperature in the pan. Lift from the pan with the parchment paper, slice, and enjoy! The bars taste even better when refrigerated overnight.
Notes
- A prior version of this recipe included a maple glaze; if you like you can add the glaze: combine 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil, 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 ½ tablespoons pure maple syrup, and 1 teaspoon milk of choice, and ¼ teaspoon cinnamon. Spread over the cooled bars.
- TO STORE: Refrigerate blondies in an airtight storage container for up to 5 days.
- TO FREEZE: Freeze leftovers in an airtight freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Thaw and enjoy as desired.
I LOVED THIS RECIPE! Her recipes continually have been tasting amazing. I was hesitant at first due to the chickpeas, BUT I am so happy I tried it. It kind of tastes like peanut butter fudge. I 10/10 recommend. I have been doing her recipes for the past month and each one has turned out amazing. Definitely a good blogger for healthier desserts/recipes that actually taste good as well.
Hi Christina, I think it should work. Let me know how it goes!
Love the flavor but texture okay what can I do about that?