Simple Chickpea Chocolate Chip Blondie Bars

If you had told me a while ago that I would be putting chickpeas into dessert, I probably would have been a little skeptical. 😂 But lately, I have been having so much fun experimenting with different ways to use legumes in everyday recipes.

It actually started with a conversation with a friend who inspired me to think outside the box a little more when it comes to using legumes. Since then, I have made a whipped feta and chickpea dip, a green lentil crockpot stew, and now I am taking chickpeas into the dessert realm with these simple chickpea chocolate chip blondie bars.

And honestly? I am pretty excited about them.

Thank you to my friend for encouraging me to start experimenting with these kinds of recipes! I love finding simple ways to add a little more nutrition to foods my family already enjoys.

Simple Chickpea Chocolate Chip Blondie Bars

These chickpea chocolate chip blondies are soft, chewy, and full of chocolate chips. They don’t use any flour, and the chickpeas blend right into the batter, giving these blondie bars a delicious texture without leaving you with an obvious chickpea flavor.

I like using a combination of dark chocolate chips and mini chocolate chips, but you can use whatever chocolate chips you have on hand.

And don’t skip the coarse sea salt on top! That little bit of salty sweetness is so good with the chocolate.

Why I Love Chickpea Blondies

One of my favorite things about these chickpea blondie bars is that the chickpeas add a little extra protein and fiber to what is still a sweet treat.

There are about 6 grams of protein in a half cup of chickpeas, so the 1½ cups used in this recipe provide around 18 grams of protein from the chickpeas alone.

I love that kind of bonus nutrition in a dessert. It doesn’t turn these into a health food—they’re still blondies!—but adding some protein and fiber to a sweet treat is something I can get behind.

Ingredients for Chickpea Chocolate Chip Blondies

You only need a handful of simple ingredients to make these chocolate chip chickpea blondies:

• 1½ cups chickpeas, drained and rinsed (about 1 can)
• ½ cup maple syrup
• ⅓ cup almond butter or peanut butter
• ⅓ cup chocolate chips
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• Coarse sea salt, for topping

I especially love using a combination of dark chocolate chips and mini chocolate chips, but feel free to use your favorite.

How to Make Chickpea Chocolate Chip Blondie Bars

1. Prepare Your Baking Dish

Preheat your oven to 350°F.

Line an 8×8-inch baking dish with parchment paper. You can also simply butter or grease the sides of the dish.

2. Blend the Chickpea Blondie Batter

Add the chickpeas, maple syrup, almond butter or peanut butter, vanilla extract, salt, baking powder, and baking soda to a blender.

Blend until the mixture is smooth and creamy.

3. Stir in the Chocolate Chips

Pour the batter into a bowl and stir in the chocolate chips.

I like to use a combination of dark chocolate and mini chocolate chips for a little variety in each bite.

4. Bake the Chickpea Blondies

Pour the mixture into your prepared 8×8-inch baking dish.

Sprinkle a little coarse sea salt over the top before baking.

Bake for 25–28 minutes, or until the center is set.

Keep an eye on them toward the end of the baking time. You don’t want to overbake these chickpea chocolate chip blondies because you want them to stay soft and chewy.

5. Cool and Add More Sea Salt

Let the blondies cool for about 30–45 minutes before cutting into them.

Once they’re baked, sprinkle a little more coarse sea salt over the top. You don’t have to add more, but I like to.

Then slice, grab a cup of coffee, and enjoy! Keep them in the fridge, so they hold their shape better.

How to Store Chickpea Blondies

Because these chickpea blondie bars have a chickpea base rather than a traditional flour base, I like to store any leftovers in the refrigerator.

The cooler temperature helps them hold together a little better and gives them a nice texture.