Craving something decadent? These vegan chickpea protein brownies are gooey, delicious and make the perfect healthy alternative to your classic brownies. Made with almond flour, peanut butter and chocolate chips, these easy double chocolate brownies are super fudgy and moist, but contain no eggs or oil! {vegan & gluten-free}
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Garbanzo Bean Brownies
I’m always on a mission to make desserts more nutritious wherever possible, so I just knew that I had to try out chickpea protein brownies. And I’m SO glad I did!
The chickpeas (AKA garbanzo beans) replace the flour that you typically find in regular brownies, while adding in fibre, protein and other nutrients.
But no one will ever guess that the secret ingredient in these brownies are chickpeas!
After tossing all of the ingredients into a food processor and baking up the delicious brownie batter (which you can totally eat, because it’s eggless and flourless), the end result are ultra fudgy and moist dark chocolate brownies that are loaded with gooey chocolate chips.
Best brownies ever!
They’re so quick and easy to prepare, totally plant-based and incredibly yummy for a weekday treat, or those special occasions.
For more healthy brownies, check out these Almond Flour Brownies and Protein Brownies!
Why We Love this Vegan Brownie Recipe
- Fudgy: Brownies don’t get much more rich and fudgy than these double chocolate brownies! The combination of the chickpeas, cacao, peanut butter, almond flour, maple syrup and chocolate chips creates one chewy, gooey and delicious bite.
- Healthier: This chickpea brownie recipe packs a nutritional punch since it’s loaded with fibre, protein, healthy fats and antioxidants! It’s totally plant-based, gluten-free and refined sugar free so it’s perfect for those with specific dietary requirements.
- Simple: Blend up all of the ingredients in a food processor, transfer the batter to a baking pan and bake! You’ll have a tasty dessert in less than 30 minutes!
Ingredient Notes
- Chickpeas: Form the base of this vegan brownie recipe and replace the refined flour that’s typically used. Use no salt added or reduced sodium canned chickpeas if you can find them. You can also use homemade cooked chickpeas if preferred.
- Peanut Butter: Offers a nutty flavour and contributes to the gooey texture. For a healthier option, use natural peanut butter with no added sugar or salt. The only ingredient on the list should be “peanuts.”
- Almond Flour: Soaks up some of the additional moisture and helps the mixture bind together.
- Applesauce: Replaces the need for any eggs or oil and incorporates some extra sweetness. Use unsweetened applesauce to limit added sugar.
- Maple syrup: Adds just the right amount of sweetness without making the brownies overly sweet. Use 100% pure maple syrup, or sub in honey if you don’t require the recipe to be vegan.
- Cacao powder: Is a great source of antioxidants and contributes to the rich and fudgy taste. Use cacao powder for the most health benefits, or sub in unsweetened cocoa powder if that’s what you have on hand.
- Vanilla extract: Incorporates more flavour and adds a touch of extra sweetness. Use pure vanilla extract or imitation if that’s what you have.
- Chocolate chips: Adds to the fudgy and gooey texture and chocolatey flavour. Use dark chocolate chips for more antioxidants or milk if preferred. You can use regular or miniature.
- Sea salt: This is totally optional, but a little sprinkle of sea salt at the end brings out the sweetness and richness of the brownies. Who doesn’t love that sweet and salty combo?
How to Make Brownies with Chickpeas – Step-By-Step
- Preheat oven 350 degrees F. Line an 8×8 inch square baking pan with parchment paper.
- Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Remove any visible skins from the chickpeas.
- Add the chickpeas to the food processor and process until broken down into small chunks.
- Add the remaining ingredients to the food processor, except for the chocolate chips, and blend until completely smooth. You may need to stop and scrape the edges with a spatula every once in a while to make sure that everything is incorporated.
- Add chocolate chips and fold into the mixture until equally distributed, reserving a few to press into the top once the mixture is in the pan.
- Add the brownie batter to the pan and evenly distribute it using a spatula. Smooth the surface surface and press the mixture into the corners of the pan. Gently press the reserved chocolate chips into the mixture so that they’re on the surface still visible.
- Bake for 21-24 minutes.
- Allow to cool for at least 20-30 minutes before cutting and serving, as they will be very soft and gooey when they first come out of the oven. They need to sit in order to firm up.
- Once cooled, cut into squares and store in the fridge for up to three days or in the freezer for up to three months.
Recipe Notes:
- Remove the skins: Be sure to remove most of the skins from the chickpeas to produce a smoother brownie batter texture.
- Distribute batter evenly: The brownie batter will be fairly thick (this is what makes them so fudgy!), so be sure to use a spatula to evenly distribute the brownie batter across the pan and push it into the corners so that it all bakes evenly.
- Line pan with parchment paper: For easier clean up, line the baking pan with parchment paper. It makes it much easier to remove the brownies from the pan and helps prevent them from sticking!
- Allow them to cool before cutting: The brownies will be fairly soft when they first come out of the oven. Allow them to cool for at least a half an hour before cutting since they will firm up more as they cool.
- Wet the knife: If you wet the knife before cutting the brownies, it will be easier to cut them.
- For thicker brownies: If you like your brownies ultra thick and fudgy, you can also bake the them in a loaf pan, however you will need to increase the baking time to about 30-35 minutes.
Storage Guidelines
I recommend storing the brownies in the fridge for up to three days in an air-tight container or if you wish to keep them in the pan, be sure to cover it with saran wrap so that they don’t dry out.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! One of the amazing things about these brownies is that they can also be frozen, which means that it can help to minimize the temptation to eat them all at once.
To freeze: Transfer the brownies to an air-tight container once completely cooled and freeze for up to three months, separating the brownies with parchment paper so they don’t stick together if stacking them in the container.
To thaw: Leave them at room temperature for a few hours or warm up in the microwave if you prefer your brownies on the warmer side.
Yes, they taste just like regular brownies, but are even more fudgy and gooey! No one would ever know that chickpeas form the base of these vegan brownies and that they’re completely flourless, eggless and oil-free too.
Chickpeas can be a great substitute for flour in certain dessert recipes, like these brownies. Due to their pasty texture when blended, they also act as a good binding agent, which can minimize the need for eggs. Full of protein, fibre, folic acid and manganese, chickpeas are a great way to enhance the nutritional profile of your baked goods!
Healthier Brownies
These brownies are full of wholesome ingredients that make them a healthier option for when you have that sweet tooth. Let’s break it down:
- Chickpeas: are full of fibre and protein, with 7 grams of fibre and 11 grams of protein per one cup serving, and are also a source of folic acid and manganese. Additionally, they’re lower on the glycemic index which means that they don’t cause massive spikes in blood sugar, which can leave you feeling hungry a few minutes later.
- Peanut butter: the natural kind of peanut butter, which is recommended for this recipe, is free of added sugar and sodium and is rich in unsaturated fats which can promote a healthier heart. Just make sure that you look for the peanut butter that is just made up of just peanuts and no added sugar, salt or hydrogenated fats.
- Almond Flour: like the peanut butter, almond flour is a source of protein, fibre and healthy fats which can once again keep that blood sugar level stable and lower bad cholesterol (LDL).
- Cacao powder & dark chocolate chips: are both great sources of antioxidants, which when consumed in small amounts may help lower risk of heart disease.
- Maple syrup: although still a form of sugar, it does contain some antioxidants, minerals and is lower on the glycemic index than refined sugar. That being said, the body still treats it like sugar which is why we’ve cut the amount down to 1/3 cup. It isn’t all that much when divided across nine servings. Much lower than the amount of sugar you’d find in your typical brownie!
Additional Optional Toppings
Want to jazz up these brownies even more? Try any of the following topping options or a combination of a few!
- Chocolate Frosting without Powdered Sugar
- Walnuts
- Chopped peanuts
- Drizzle of melted dark chocolate
- Drizzle of peanut butter
- Crushed candy cane
For an extra special treat, they’d also taste delicious served with some of this Healthy Chocolate Avocado Pudding or Chocolate Banana Nice Cream!
Recipe Variations
- Different base: Instead of chickpeas, try black beans instead!
- Nut butter: Try almond butter or cashew butter instead of peanut butter.
- Sweetener: Use honey instead of maple syrup.
- To make nut free: Sub in oat flour for almond flour and use Sunbutter or Wowbutter instead of peanut butter.
- Extra protein: Add a scoop of protein powder. You may need to add some extra liquid if you choose to add protein powder as the batter may become too thick, especially if you use a vegan protein powder.
More Recipes You’ll Love
- Healthy Baked Donuts
- Refined Sugar Free Birthday Cake
- Healthy Chocolate Zucchini Bread
- Chickpea Cookie Dough Bites
- Cookie Dough Bliss Balls
Did you make this recipe? Scroll down to leave a star rating and review!
Vegan Chickpea Protein Brownies
Ingredients
- 1 15 oz can no salt-added chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup natural peanut butter
- 1/4 cup almond flour
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cacao powder
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened applesauce
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
- Sprinkle of sea salt to garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven 350 degrees F. Line an 8×8 inch square baking pan with parchment paper.
- Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Remove any visible skins from the chickpeas.
- Add the chickpeas to the food processor and process until broken down into fine chunks.
- Add the remaining ingredients to the food processor, except for the chocolate chips, and blend until completely smooth. You may need to stop and scrape the edges with a spatula every once in a while to make sure that everything is incorporated.
- Add chocolate chips and fold into the mixture until equally distributed, reserving a few to press into the top once the mixture is in the pan.
- Add the brownie batter to the pan and evenly distribute it using a spatula. Smooth the surface and press the mixture into the corners of the pan. Gently press the reserved chocolate chips into the mixture so that they’re on the surface still visible.
- Bake for 21-24 minutes.
- Allow to cool for at least 20-30 minutes before cutting and serving, as they will be very soft and gooey when they first come out of the oven. They need to sit in order to firm up.
- Once cooled, cut into nine squares. Store in the fridge for up to three days or in the freezer for up to three months.
Notes
- Remove the skins: Be sure to remove most of the skins from the chickpeas to produce a smoother brownie batter texture.
- Distribute batter evenly: The brownie batter will be fairly thick (this is what makes them so fudgy!), so be sure to use a spatula to evenly distribute the brownie batter across the pan and push it into the corners so that it all bakes evenly.
- Line pan with parchment paper: For easier clean up, line the baking pan with parchment paper. It makes it much easier to remove the brownies from the pan and helps prevent them from sticking!
- Allow them to cool before cutting: The brownies will be fairly soft when they first come out of the oven. Allow them to cool for at least a half an hour before cutting since they will firm up more as they cool.
- Wet the knife: If you wet the knife before cutting the brownies, it will be easier to cut them.
- For thicker brownies: If you like your brownies ultra thick and fudgy, you can also bake the them in a loaf pan, however you will need to increase the baking time to about 30-35 minutes.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally posted May 2019 and was updated January 2022 to include better tips and photos.
Question have you ever tried replacing the chickpeas with chickpea flour?
I haven’t had a chance to try these brownies with chickpea flour so I’m not quite sure how they would turn out. If you try it out, keep me posted on how it goes!