If you’re like us and have a sweet tooth paired with an obsession with peanut butter plus chocolate, then these cookies are a must try! This recipes comes from one of our Sylvia Center interns from the Sage Colleges Dietetic Internship Program. You’re probably reading the recipe title and thinking “chickpeas… in cookies… huh?” We were skeptical at first, too, so just give us a minute to explain. We love cookies but don’t always have the ingredients that traditional recipes call for. We also love the opportunity to incorporate plant-based proteins into dishes, so there’s almost always a can of chickpeas and tub of peanut butter in our pantry. Also, if you’re looking for alternatives to treats that aren’t high in sugar and gluten, these are the best stand in for a guilt-free dessert. Another cool part about this recipe is you can make it nut free by substituting your favorite soy or sunflower seed butter. If those aren’t enough reasons to try these, then please let the short ingredient list and easy instructions hook you, because these cookies are worth it.
We advise eating these cookies warm due to their gooey texture and melted chocolate. If they last in your house for more than a day, they can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge for up to a week. Happy baking!
Gooey Peanut Butter Chickpea Chocolate Chip Cookies
Yield: about 16 cookies
(Adapted from Texanaria Baking Blog)
Ingredients
2 cups canned chickpeas
½ cup natural peanut butter (or any other nut butter) *make sure it is natural (only nuts and salt)
¼ cup real maple syrup or honey
1 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. vanilla
Pinch of salt
½ cup semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with a silicon baking mat or parchment paper.
2. Drain and rinse your chickpeas and pat dry. Make sure they are fully dry. If you really want to make sure these cookies are smooth, remove the skins from the chickpeas.
3. In a food processor, combine chickpeas, peanut butter, maple syrup, baking powder, vanilla and salt. Blend until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed.
4. Either pulse in your chocolate chips or fold them into the batter. Using slightly damp hands (this keeps the batter from sticking to your hands), roll batter into ping pong to golf sized balls (about 16). Place on baking sheet. If you prefer them flattened, you can squish them down a bit.
5. Bake for about 10 minutes, until slightly golden. These will not rise or flatten like normal cookies. Enjoy warm!
