Chickpea cookies are something I’ve been making for a while now. They’re brilliant for when you’re craving a treat but fancy something a little healthier. These really hit the spot with both aspects, incorporating some chocolate chips to give an indulgent feel.
They’re not like your sugary regular cookies either. The maple syrup gives them a nice subtle sweetness, combined with the chickpeas and peanut butter for the soft and moreish texture. These may not be for everyone, but I sure love them. I think they are a brilliant alternative for a healthy lunch box dessert. Why not trial them on your kids and sneak some extra nutrients into their diet from the chickpeas and nut butter?
Not sure on whether to try these? I promise you cannot taste the chickpea flavour at all. The peanut butter masks this a lot, in my opinion. Oh and on this note I highly recommend using crunchy peanut butter. Whilst both will work in this recipe, I just adore the nutty texture added to them. You could even throw in some extra chopped nuts if using smooth. These chickpea cookies are even better when using deep roast varieties.
If you can’t have peanut butter – I’ve got your back here! Substitute the peanut for either another nut like almond, or even sun butter for a nut-free cookie. The latter would then make these top 14 allergen free too.
For my vegan protein powder, I recommend using a pea-based protein isolate, or soy if you prefer. I’ve trialled both in this recipe and found they’re interchangeable. If you don’t need a vegan protein powder, I’d recommend trying casein instead as it works the most-like the plant alternative. However, I’ve not personally tried this due to dietary restrictions.
Whilst I make these as a high protein snack, with the incorporation of protein powder, you can also make these with oat flour instead. Simply substitute the ingredient 1:1 for the same results.
I’ve recently loved incorporating more chickpea recipes into my diet. They’re such a versatile legume, making both sweet and savoury dishes. Have you seen my chickpea protein bites, for example? They’re hard to resist!
Oh and before you chuck away the chickpea water, why not whip up the aquafaba into a simple and indulgent vegan chocolate mousse for a zero waste recipe?
Peanut & Chickpea Cookies
Equipment
- Blender
- Mixing Bowl
- Mixing spoon
- Oven
- Baking tray
- Greaseproof Paper
- Measuring scoop Optional
- Wire Cooling Rack
Ingredients
- 1 can Chickpeas 400g before draining
- 180 grams Peanut butter Chunky or smooth
- 80 ml Maple syrup
- 1.5 tsp Vanilla essence
- 1 pinch Salt Optional
- 1.5 tsp Baking powder
- 35 grams Vegan vanilla protein powder Substitute: oat flour*
- 100 grams Vegan chocolate chips
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 180°C (conventional) or 160°C (fan)
- Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper and set aside
- Drain the can of chickpeas (~240g net weight) and rinse thoroughly before use
- Place the chickpeas into a blender and blitz for about 5 minutes until smooth
- Place the blended chickpeas into a mixing bowl and add the remaining ingredients to the bowl, mixing together until fully combined into a batter
- Take a measuring scoop, or table spoon, and equally portion the batter into 9 equal balls, placing them onto the baking tray about 1-2cm apart
- Press down each ball of chickpea dough and shape into a circle as they will not flatten during baking like normal cookies
- Bake for 12-14 minutes
- Remove from the oven and leave to cool on the baking tray for a further 15-20 minutes, before removing to a wire cooling rack for another 30 minutes
- Tuck in and enjoy!
Notes
- Storage: in an air-tight container for 3-5 days
- Not suitable for home freezing as the texture of the cookies may change
