Imagine a warm cinnamon blondie, perfectly moist topped with a salted caramel sauce. Now imagine it also having added protein and fibre. Introducing my favourite chickpea blondies- so good, no one will even know they're healthy.
These are still one of my most popular recipes to date. Over a year ago, I embarked on a quest to create the perfect chickpea blondie. I wanted them to be perfectly moist, easy to make but also tasted so good no one would know they had chickpeas in them.
After many trials and many fails, I can officially say I have created the perfect chickpea blondie.
Before we continue, I want to say that as someone who is a strong believer in balance. I 100% think that "real" blondies can fit in a healthy lifestyle.
However, I also think that there's nothing wrong with adding a little extra nutrients to a recipe (especially if they still taste this good).
These chickpea blondies are the perfect balanced dessert- you have to try it to believe it!
Ingredients
Chickpeas- This one is a given-you can't have chickpea blondies without chickpeas.
Oat Flour- I love using oat flour in these for a whole grain, high-fibre option. I have never tested these with any other types of flour but if you decide to try any let me know how it goes in the comments.
Peanut Butter- For these chickpea blondies, I use natural peanut butter ( look for one with 1 or 2 ingredients like this one). You can also substitute peanut butter for cashew or almond butter if that's what you have on hand!
Maple Syrup- Maple syrup adds some natural sweetness to these blondies. You can also use a sugar-free version like this!
Brown Sugar- For that added touch of a richer sweet flavour. In my opinion, this is not optional as the blondies will not be sweet enough without it. However, if you're someone who doesn't like sweet things, feel free to leave it out!
Cinnamon- I use LOTS of cinnamon. I love the mix of cinnamon with the salted caramel flavour it's just so cozy!
Salted Caramel Sauce- This is what brings these babies together. It is 3 ingredients, SO easy to make and makes such a yummy addition to these blondies.
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 F.
In a blender or food processor, combine wet ingredients and mix until smooth.
While the wet ingredients are combining, mix the dry ingredients in a metal bowl.
Once wet ingredients are combined (the batter will be a wet batter consistency) add the wet ingredient mixture into a large bowl and add the dry ingredients.
Add batter to a prepared 8x8 baking dish and bake for 20-25 minutes .
Make vegan caramel according to recipe instructions. Once brownies are cooled, frost with salted caramel sauce and sprinkle with sea salt.
Substitutions and Variations
To make gluten-free: Use certified gluten-free oats.
To make dairy-free: Use dairy-free milk of choice.
To make nut-free: Sunflower seed butter can be used as a replacement for the peanut butter. However, I do want to note that sunflower seed butter can turn green naturally when baking due to the high temperature. Just keep this in mind that your blondies may turn out green!!
To make vegan: Use a flax egg (mix 3 tablespoon of water with 1 tablespoon of ground flax, let it sit until it gels).
Missing an ingredient? Try these:
- Oat flour: Swap for all-purpose flour or gluten-free 1-to-1 flour. Almond flour can be used, however I wouldn’t recommend, as it may create a more crumbly blondie. We're going for the fudge factor here!
- Peanut butter: Almond, cashew or sunflower seed butter all work well.
- Canned chickpeas: You can use dry chickpeas- just make sure you cook them ahead according to package instructions, and use an equivalent amount of the cooked chickpeas.
- Maple syrup: Sugar-free syrup will work, but it won't give the same caramel flavour as classic maple syrup. Another option you can try is date syrup!
Blondies are super versatile, so use your favourite mix-ins! Try adding chopped strawberries, white chocolate, Skor pieces, chopped walnuts, chocolate chips, peanut butter chips…. The possibilities are truly endless!!
Equipment
Storage
These chickpea blondies can be stored in the freezer in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
It's the "blond" version of a brownie! Think of a bar with the same fudgy, rich texture as a brownie, but without the cocoa.
NO! As they help create the base of this recipe, I do not recommend substituting the chickpeas with anything. I promise you can’t even taste them! This recipe is picky eater approved.
In my opinion, chickpeas make the perfect addition to baked goods. They add moisture, allowing you to decrease the amount of oil or butter you are using in a recipe.
Chickpeas are also a nutritional powerhouse- they add protein, fiber, folic acid and manganese. This means that not only are you getting a perfectly moist baked good, but you are also getting some added nutrients. It's a win-win.
Yes! Just add an additional 3 tablespoon of oats before blending to make sure the quantities match.
More Higher Protein Desserts
- The BEST Fudgy Flourless Sweet Potato Brownies
- Super Fudgy Black Bean Two Bite Brownies
- 5 Minute Easy Chickpea Protein Cookie Dough
- The Ultimate 5 Minute Pumpkin Protein Bars
PS. I love seeing my recipes in action! If you decide to make these chickpea blondies, don't forget to snap a photo and tag me on Instagram- @nourishedbynic or leave a comment and rating below letting me know how you liked it!
📖 Recipe
Salted Caramel Chickpea Blondies
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients:
- 1 can (540ml) chickpeas rinsed and drained (approx. 2 cups of chickpeas, drained)
- ¼ cup peanut butter
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ¼ cup milk of choice
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 egg or 1 flax egg
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar
Dry Ingredients:
- ½ cup oat flour
- 1+½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For Topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- In a blender or food processor, combine wet ingredients and mix until smooth. While the wet ingredients are combining, mix the dry ingredients in a metal bowl.
- Once wet ingredients are combined (the batter will be a wet batter consistency) add the wet ingredient mixture into a large bowl and add the dry ingredients.
- Add batter to a prepared 8x8 baking dish and bake for 20-25 minutes .
- Once blondies are cooled frost with salted caramel sauce and sprinkle with sea salt
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