Chickpea Chocolate Chip Cookies

Rich, fudgy Chickpea Chocolate Chip Cookies with brownie-like insides & surprisingly healthy ingredients. Quick & easy to make, no gluten, no oil, no dairy & no eggs! 

Chickpea Chocolate Chip Cookies? Um yes, you heard me right. We are making double chocolate chip cookies with chickpeas.

But before you run away, let me sell them to you... We're talking thick and fudgy cookies with rich, deep, chocolatey flavour and almost brownie-like middles. They are seriously delish!

And no. You will have no idea that chickpeas are hiding out in there.

So if you've ever found yourself wondering what you can do with a can of chickpeas here's your answer!

This combination might have made you raise your eyebrows, and you're not wrong. I get it. Cookies made with chickpeas does sound like a strange concept but trust me on this one.

The chickpeas are what give these cookies their great fudgy texture, and if you've been around for a while you'll know that I'm no stranger to adding chickpeas to sweet recipes.

They've found their way into my:

• Vegan New York Cheesecake
• Healthy No Bake Bars
• Snickerdoodle Hummus
• Lemon Cheesecake Smoothie
• Creamy Lemon Cheesecake Pops
• Dessert Chocolate Hummus

What ingredients & equipment do I need?

For detailed measurements and instructions, scroll to my printable recipe card at the bottom of the page or click the "jump to recipe" button at the top of the page.

Here's what you will be needing to make this chickpea cookie recipe and why:

• Chickpeas - The main ingredient in this recipe and what gives these cookies their fudgy texture and a great nutty flavour. They also add moisture, bind everything together and add a lot of protein!
• Oat flour - Gives these cookies a great flavour and texture. If you don't have a bag of it handy, simply pour some quick oats or rolled oats into a blender and blend on high until flour-like. There is no need to sieve it for this recipe. Use what you need here then store the rest in a jar. You can also use all purpose flour or spelt flour if you prefer. Just be sure to weigh it to get the correct amount. One cup of oat flour does not weigh the same as one cup of spelt or all purpose flour so this is important.
• Cocoa powder - For that lovely chocolatey flavour!
• Sugar - For sweetness. Any sugar will do. White, brown, coconut etc. Don't replace it with a liquid sweetener because the cookie dough will end up too wet.
• Nut or seed butter - Nut butter keeps these cookies moist and fudgy, replaces the need for any oil or vegan butter and adds great flavour too. Almond butter is my preference here Any nut or s Cashew butter makes the most neutral-tasting cookies, but peanut butter, almond butter, and/or sunflower butter also work well here.
• Aquafaba - Used as an egg replacement for binding and also to provide some moisture to make blending easier. You can use a flax egg instead if you prefer.
• Baking soda and baking powder - When you don’t use eggs in baking you need to make up for the leavening they would otherwise provide by adding both of these. This combination gives them some lightness and helps the texture.
• Vanilla & salt - Flavour!
• Espresso powder or instant coffee - This is optional but recommended. Don't buy it especially but if you have some at home use it. It's not to make the cookie taste like coffee. It's such a small amount that they won't. It's used because a tiny bit of coffee enhances the flavour of chocolate really well.
• Chocolate chips -  Essential for texture and flavour. Use your favourite brand. Many dark chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate chip are naturally vegan. You can also chop up a dairy-free chocolate bar if you prefer, although it will melt more than chips do.

To make these cookies you will need a food processor. I don't recommend using a blender because the mixture is way too stiff. I also don't recommend doubling the recipe because it will end up too much for your food processor to handle in one go.

Are chickpeas and garbanzo beans the same thing?

Chickpeas and garbanzo beans are exactly the same. The two names are used interchangeably. Chickpea is the common English name while garbanzo is the common Spanish name. See this Harvard T.H article to read more about the origins of chickpeas, their health benefits etc.

How to make Chickpea Chocolate Chip Cookies

These healthy chocolate chip cookies couldn't be easier to make. Here's how:

Step 1 - Add all of the ingredients except the chocolate chips, to a food processor and process until you have a smoothish cookie dough.

Step 2: Add the chocolate chips and pulse a few times to distribute.

Step 3: Use an ice cream or cookie scoop to portion out onto a cookie sheet.

Step 4 - Flatten the top of each cookie with a fork.

Step 5 - Add some extra chocolate chips to the top of each one then bake.

Success tips

• Don't try making these cookies in a blender. The mixture is way too stiff, even for a high powdered blender.
• Chickpea flour won't work in place of the chickpeas in this recipe so don't try subbing it.
• An ice cream or cookie scoop makes for even, neater cookies.
• Don't overcook them. It's better to under-bake slightly with this recipe so the centers stay nice and fudgy.
• Allow to cool on a wire rack but enjoy one warm first ;O)

Ways you can adapt this recipe

These chocolate chip cookies made with chickpeas are perfect as they are but feel free to make them your own by:

• Sprinkling them with a tiny bit of flaky sea salt just before you put them in the oven for a sweet/salty twist.
• Using your favourite nut or seed butter
• Adding dried fruit or nuts to the cookie dough
• Adding vegan marshmallows to the cookie dough or sticking some on top before baking
• Adding a few drops of peppermint or orange extract
• Turning them into ice cream cookie sandwiches
• Crumbling onto smoothie bowls or nice-cream

Storage and freezing

Storage - Allow the cookies to cool completely on a wire rack then store in an airtight container. They will keep well for a few days.

Freezing - I prefer to freeze these cookies unbaked. Make them as instructed up to the point they are laid out on the baking tray. Then put the entire tray in the freezer. As soon as the cookies are solid, remove them from the tray and store in freezer bags or containers. When you need them remove from the freezer, lay out on a baking tray while frozen and bake for a 3 to 4 minutes longer than the recipe calls for.

Hungry for more?

For more vegan chocolatey cookie recipes, check out these great options:

1. Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies
2. Chocolate Chip Cookie in a Mug
3. Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies
4. Healthier Chocolate Caramel Cookie Cups
5. Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies with Cranberries & Rosemary

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Chickpea Chocolate Chip Cookies

Melanie McDonald

Rich, fudgy Chickpea Chocolate Chip Cookies with brownie-like insides & surprisingly healthy ingredients. Quick & easy to make, no gluten, no oil, no dairy & no eggs! 

5 from 8 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 9 mins

Total Time 24 mins

Course Baked Goods, Snack

Cuisine vegan

Servings 16

Calories 119 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 2 cups / 330 g canned chickpeas drained and rinsed well. Be sure to save 2 tablespoons of the aquafaba (chickpea liquid).
• ½ cup/ 55 g oat flour * or all purpose or spelt flour
• ½ cup / 50 g cocoa powder
• ½ cup / 100 g sugar , any will do
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 tablespoons natural nut or seed butter ** see recipe notes
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• 2 tablespoons aquafaba , (the liquid from a can of chickpeas)
• ¼ teaspoon espresso powder or instant coffee granules OPTIONAL BUT RECOMMENDED, you can omit it but it does enhance the chocolate flavour
• ¼ teaspoon fine salt
• ½ cup / 100 g dairy-free chocolate chips

RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT

• Food Processor
• USA Pan Cookie Sheet

INSTRUCTIONS

 

• Preheat oven to 350°F (176 °C) and have a large baking tray lined with parchment paper ready.
• Add all ingredients, except the chocolate chips, to a food processor and blend until fairly smooth and starting to ball up. You might need to scrape the sides down a few times. Then add the chocolate chips and pulse a few times to distribute them throughout.
• Using an ice-cream or a cookie scoop, scoop dollops of the mixture onto the baking tray. If you don't have a scoop, roll balls with your hands using about 2½ to 3 tablespoons of cookie dough each. Leave about 2 inches space around each one.
• Use the back of a fork to push down on the top of each one twice, in a cross shape, so they end up about ½ an inch thick then stick some extra chocolate chips in the top.
• Bake for 9 to 10 minutes. If you prefer a drier cookie with no brownie-like insides then you can bake for up to 14 minutes. When you remove them from the oven they will be very soft. DO NOT try to remove them from the baking tray. Leave them alone for about 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.

NOTES

*Make your own oat flour by blending/processing rolled or quick oats in a blender or food processor until a flour like consistency. It does not need to be sieved for use in this recipe. 

**Any nut or seed butter will do as long as it's natural without additives. Use your favourite variety. Cashew butter, almond butter, peanut butter, sunflower seed butter and tahini are all good. Please note though that this recipe has only been tested with natural nut butter containing one or two ingredients. Nuts or nuts and salt. Nut butters with lots of additives might not give such good results.

Storage - Allow the cookies to cool completely on a wire rack then store in an airtight container. They will keep well for a few days.

Freezing - I prefer to freeze these cookies unbaked. Make them as instructed up to the point they are laid out on the baking tray. Then put the entire tray in the freezer. As soon as the cookies are solid, remove them from the tray and store in freezer bags or containers. When you need them remove from the freezer, lay out on a baking tray while frozen and bake for a 3 to 4 minutes longer than the recipe calls for.

NUTRITION

Serving: 1cookieCalories: 119kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 4gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 2gSodium: 148mgPotassium: 129mgFiber: 3gSugar: 10gCalcium: 28mgIron: 1mg

Tried this recipe?Rate it & leave your feedback in the comments section below, or tag @avirtualvegan on Instagram and hashtag it #avirtualvegan

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Originally published January 31st 2017. Updated with video and republished on May 20th 2020.