Chickpea Brownies, a fudgy, healthy brownie, high in protein, no bean flavor, and frosted with a 2-ingredient chocolate frosting. Egg-free, dairy free and gluten free.
Chickpea brownies are fudgy and have a deep chocolate flavor with zero hint of any bean flavor. The chickpeas add a creamy texture, but there is some cake-like structure thanks to almond or oat flour. And bonus points you can eat this raw batter with a spoon because no eggs!
In fact, this egg-free brownie recipe is high in protein and fiber - 4 grams of protein and 2 grams of fiber and only 151 calories - and dairy free, gluten free and refined sugar free. You can't get a healthier brownie.
These bean brownies are another healthy brownie recipe to add to all my others which include cauliflower brownies, no bake chocolate brownies and sweet potato brownies.
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Ingredients Needed
- Chickpeas. I used unsalted and organic, a 15 ounce can.
- Almond flour. Or use oat flour which you can buy or make by dry-blending rolled oats.
- Cocoa powder. Use regular or cacao powder.
- Peanut butter. Use the healthy type that has only nuts in the ingredients. Or any nut butter flavor.
- Maple syrup. Use pure maple syrup, not an imitation to retain nutrition. Yes you can use agave if necessary.
- Pantry additions. Baking soda, lemon juice, vanilla and salt.
The frosting. I frosted my brownie with my 2-ingredient chocolate ganache. Chocolate chips and milk.
Make it nut-free: Use seed butter and oat flour.
TIP: These brownies taste pretty strongly of peanut butter if you use peanut butter. If you prefer less peanut flavor, use almond butter.
See the recipe card at the bottom for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Chickpea Brownies
For more detail, visit the complete and printable recipe at the bottom of this post, but here are general steps.
Prep:
Open the can of chickpeas, drain, rinse and add to a food processor or blender. Add pinch of baking soda and blend into a creamy mixture.
Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper.
Step 1: Add chickpeas, maple syrup, vanilla, lemon juice and peanut butter to a food processor or blender and spin into a creamy texture.
Step 2: Add the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt and process again. Batter will be thick. Fold in chips.
Step 3: Spoon the batter into the lined pan and smooth the top with a spoon.
Step 4: Bake. The chickpea brownies are done when the top is dark and if you press a finger, the brownies feel slightly firm. Cool in pan, then frost.
Tip: For razor-sharp clean slices, allow baked brownies to cool in the pan for 30 minutes - either at room temperature or in the refrigerator. Frost, then chill again in refrigerate another 30 minutes.
Make Frosting
Step 1: Make frosting by microwaving chocolate chips and adding hot milk - stir and pour frosting on to cooled brownies while still in the pan.
Step 2: Add sprinkles, chill frosted brownies in pan in freezer for 15 minutes or until frosting is set, then slice.
Recipe Tips
- Adding a pinch of baking soda to the canned chickpeas before processing helps reduce the bean flavor.
- Smooth the batter with a spoon once you've add it to the pan as this brownie doesn't rise that much and even out on top.
- Allow chickpea brownies to cool at room temperature in the pan a full 30 minutes before removing them from the pan, and frosting.
- To slice frosted chilled brownies, use a knife to separate the brownies from the sides of the pan, grip the parchment paper to lift out and slice.
Storage
Store brownies refrigerated for one week. Or freeze individually for 3 months.
FAQS
Yes, chickpea brownies are alternative brownies because they are not made with the traditional brownie ingredients such as eggs and all purpose flour and oil. Instead, these brownies contain chickpeas, peanut butter and almond flour.
Yes, this batter is egg free and white-flour-free and is thus safe to eat raw.
More Healthy Brownie Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Chickpea Brownies
Equipment
- food processor or blender
Ingredients
- 1 can (15oz) chickpeas, canned, unsalted
- ½ cup almond flour
- ¼ cup peanut butter* or almond butter
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ¼ cup mini chocolate chips
- pinch of salt
Chocolate frosting
- ⅔ cup chocolate chips
- ¼ cup milk
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Instructions
Prep
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Open can of chickpeas, drain and rinse off with water.
- Line a loaf pan with parchment paper.
Make chickpea brownies
- In a food processor or blender, combine chickpeas, peanut butter, maple syrup, vanilla and salt. Process.1 can (15oz) chickpeas, canned, unsalted, ¼ cup peanut butter*, ¼ cup maple syrup, 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Put processed mixture in a bowl, and fold in flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.½ cup almond flour, ¼ cup cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, pinch of salt
- Once creamy, fold in chocolate chips.¼ cup mini chocolate chips
- Pour the batter into the lined loaf pan. Smooth flat with a spoon.
- Bake for 25 minutes or until brownie top is firm.
Make frosting
- Melt chocolate chips and pour in hot milk. Stir the frosting with a spoon.⅔ cup chocolate chips, ¼ cup milk
- Spread on frosting, sprinkle if you wish, and put loaf pan in freezer for 15 minutes or until frosting is set.
- Use a knife to separate the brownies from the sides of the pan, lift out and slice.
Dee Dine
These chickpea brownies are fudgy and do not taste like beans!