Peanut Butter Chickpea Blondies That Taste Like Cookie Dough

Peanut Butter Chickpea Blondies That Taste Like Cookie Dough are made with one can of chickpeas, runny peanut butter, Medjool dates, and chocolate chips, so you get a fudgy blondie without any flour and without a long list of ingredients. The chickpeas blend away into a thick batter, the peanut butter keeps it rich, and the dates bring a soft caramel sweetness while the chocolate chips melt into every bite. They bake up with a set top and a soft middle, and then they firm up as they cool into thick squares that are easy to slice and perfect for meal prep.

Why You'll Love These Peanut Butter Chickpea Blondies

• It tastes like cookie dough, not chickpeas. The chickpeas blend away completely, so the flavor stays rich, peanut buttery, and chocolatey.
• It is very easy and made with one can and a few pantry staples. So you only need chickpeas, peanut butter, dates, maple syrup, oats, and chocolate chips, and that is it.
• It is naturally flour free. The chickpeas and oats give it structure, so you get a thick, fudgy blondie without any flour.
• It works for meal prep. It slices cleanly, firms up as it cools, and keeps well in the fridge, so you can bake once and snack all week.
• It is easy to make your own. You can keep the dates, swap in zero calorie maple syrup, add extra chocolate on top, or skip the oats for a smoother bite, and it still bakes up soft in the middle.

Key Ingredients

• Chickpeas:- These are the base of the blondies, and they blend completely smooth so you get a thick, fudgy texture without any flour. Just rinse them well before using and pat them dry for the cleanest flavor (cooked chickpeas nutrition).
• Peanut butter:- Use runny natural peanut butter, because it keeps the batter smooth and gives that rich, cookie dough flavor that carries the whole recipe.
• Medjool dates:- These add soft caramel sweetness and extra chew, so you can use less maple syrup and still get a deeply sweet blondie.
• Maple syrup:- This adds light sweetness and helps the blondies brown. You can also use zero calorie maple syrup in this version, since the dates already do a lot of the sweetening.
• Rolled oats:- These are optional, but they add a little chew and help the blondies hold their shape once they cool.
• Dark chocolate chips:- These melt into the batter and give you those melty pockets in every bite.
• Vanilla, baking soda, and salt:- Vanilla rounds out the peanut butter flavor, baking soda gives a light lift, and salt makes the chocolate and peanut butter taste even richer.

How To Make Peanut Butter Chickpea Blondies

Step 1: Heat the oven and line the pan.
Heat the oven to 180C / 350F, or 160C for a fan oven, and line a 20cm / 8x8 pan with parchment with a little overhang so the blondies lift out easily.

Step 2: Soak the dates. Soak the pitted Medjool dates in hot water for 10 minutes, then drain and squeeze them dry, so they blend completely smooth with no date bits left.

Step 3: Blend the batter. Add the chickpeas, dates, peanut butter, maple syrup, vanilla, baking soda, and salt to a food processor and blend for about 90 seconds, scraping the sides twice, until the batter is thick and completely smooth.

Step 4: Add the oats. Pulse in the oats 3 times to keep some texture.

Step 5: Add chocolate chips. Fold in the chocolate chips with a spatula, so the oats stay chewy and the chocolate stays in melty pockets.

Step 6: Spread and top. Spread the thick batter evenly in the lined pan and scatter a few extra chocolate chips on top.

Step 7: Bake. Bake for 24 to 28 minutes, until the top is set and a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs, not wet batter.

Step 8: Cool and cut. Cool in the pan for 20 to 25 minutes, then lift out by the parchment, let it cool a little more, and cut into 9 squares, 3 across and 3 down.

Tips, Swaps & Variations

Tips for the best texture:-

• Rinse the chickpeas well and pat them dry. This keeps the flavor clean and helps the blondies taste like cookie dough, not chickpeas.
• Blend until completely smooth. Scrape the sides twice and blend for a full 90 seconds when dates are in the batter, so there are no chickpea or date bits left.
• Do not over bake. Take them out when the top is set and a toothpick shows moist crumbs, because they firm up a lot as they cool.
• Cool before cutting. Cool 20 to 25 minutes in the pan, then lift out by the parchment. If you want super clean squares, chill for 20 minutes in the fridge first.
• Use runny peanut butter (see nutrition here). Thick or stiff peanut butter makes a dry batter. If your batter looks too thick, add 10g to 15g water.

Swaps you can try:-

• Maple syrup: Use 40g to 50g pure maple syrup, or swap it for zero calorie maple syrup in this date version, since the dates already add sweetness.
• Peanut butter: Swap for almond butter or cashew butter for a milder flavor, or sunflower seed butter for a nut free version.
• Chocolate chips: Use dark, milk, or white chocolate chips, or chopped chocolate for bigger melty pockets.
• Dates: If you do not have Medjool dates, use banana instead.

Variations:-

• Salty peanut butter: Sprinkle flaky salt on top right after baking for a sweet and salty finish.
• Banana cookies: Mash 1 ripe banana with the same chickpeas, oats, peanut butter, and chocolate chips, scoop as cookies, and bake for 12 minutes for a soft breakfast cookie.

Storage Tips for Peanut Butter Chickpea Blondies

Room temperature: Store the cut blondies in an airtight container with parchment between layers, and they stay soft and fudgy for up to 3 days.

Fridge: For firmer squares that hold their shape best, keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Let a square sit at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes before eating, so the center softens again.

Freezer: Freeze the squares in a single layer until firm, then move them to a freezer bag or container with parchment between layers. They keep well for up to 2 months. Move a square from the freezer to the fridge overnight, or leave it on the counter for 30 to 40 minutes until soft.

Best for meal prep: Cut the blondies after they have fully cooled, then store them already portioned, so you can grab one square at a time without cutting into the whole batch.

Peanut Butter Chickpea Blondies That Taste Like Cookie Dough

Nourishing Glow Diaries

Fudgy, flour free blondies made with one can of chickpeas, runny peanut butter, Medjool dates, and chocolate chips. They bake up soft in the middle, firm up as they cool, and taste like peanut butter cookie dough.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 26 minutes mins

Total Time 36 minutes mins

Course Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American

Servings 9 Servings

Calories 196 kcal

Ingredients

  

• 240 g (1 can) chickpeas, drained, rinsed, and patted dry
• 90 g Medjool dates pitted, about 5 to 6 dates
• 120 g (1/2 cup) runny natural peanut butter
• 45 g (3 tbsp) pure maple syrup
• 1.5 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• salt a pinch
• 30 g (1/3) cup rolled oats optional for chew
• 60 g dark chocolate chips
• 15 g to 20g hot water only if needed to blend

Instructions

 

• Heat the oven to 180C / 350F, or 160C for a fan oven. Line a 20cm / 8x8 pan with parchment with overhang on 2 sides.
• Soak the pitted dates in hot water for 10 minutes, then drain and squeeze dry.
• Add the chickpeas, dates, peanut butter, maple syrup, vanilla, baking soda, and salt to a food processor. Blend for about 90 seconds, scraping the sides twice, until thick and completely smooth. Add hot water only if needed to blend.
• Add oats and pulse 2-3 times to keep some texture, then fold in the chocolate chips. Save some for topping.
• Spread the batter evenly in the lined pan and scatter a few extra chocolate chips on top.
• Bake for 24 to 26 minutes, until the top is set and a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs, not wet batter.
• Cool in the pan for 20 to 25 minutes, then lift out by the parchment. Cool 10 minutes more, then cut into 9 squares, 3 across and 3 down.

Notes

1. Use runny natural peanut butter for the fudgiest texture.

2. Do not overbake. The blondies firm up a lot as they cool.

3. For clean squares, chill for 20 minutes in the fridge before cutting.

4. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature, up to 5 days in the fridge, or up to 2 months in the freezer.

Keyword chickpea blondies, date sweetened blondies, flourless blondies, peanut butter blondies

Nutritional Information (per serving/ 1 blondie):- Calories: 196, Protein: 6.6g, Carbohydrate: 27g, Fiber: 3.5g, Sugar: 14g, Fat: 8.3g, Saturated Fat: 2.5g, Sodium: 190mg

Note: These are estimated calculations, exact values vary by brands used especially for peanut butter, chocolate chips, and maple syrup.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Can you taste the chickpeas?
• No, not when they are rinsed well and blended completely smooth. The peanut butter, dates, vanilla, and chocolate cover the chickpea flavor, so the blondies taste like peanut butter cookie dough.

• Can I make these without dates?
• Yes. Skip the 90g dates and use 80g pure maple syrup instead. Blend for 60 seconds instead of 90 seconds, and bake for 22 to 26 minutes, since the batter has less moisture without dates. You can also use banana. (Medjool dates nutrition)

• Can I use zero calorie maple syrup?
• Yes, it works well in this date version, because the dates already add sweetness and chew. The blondies will be a little less caramel flavored and a little paler on top, and you save about 13 calories per square.

• Why did my blondies come out dry?
• This usually happens from over baking or from using thick peanut butter. Take them out when a toothpick shows moist crumbs, and use runny natural peanut butter for the fudgiest texture.

• How long do they keep?
• They keep for up to 3 days at room temperature, up to 5 days in the fridge, and up to 2 months in the freezer. Store them in an airtight container with parchment between layers to keep the edges clean.