Surprising your loved ones with a homemade dessert is the best way to show your care and affection for them.
Today’s chickpea brownies recipe with nutty garbanzo beans, sweet-bitter chocolate, and other natural ingredients will never fail to amaze. And, if you’re new to baking, don’t worry because the recipe is very straightforward, with only five steps to follow.
Ingredients for Chickpea Brownies
Here are the main ingredients for this dessert:
- Chickpeas: We find canned chickpeas work best for this recipe as dry ones, even after being soaked overnight, are too hard to blend smoothly into the batter. These beans give the brownies a nuttier flavor and denser texture than the traditional version.
- Chocolate and cocoa powder: Both are indispensable ingredients that make up the beautiful dark-brown shade and rich, chocolatey taste of your brownies.
- All-purpose flour: You can substitute all-purpose flour with cake or pastry flour at a 1:1 ratio. You can go gluten-free by replacing all-purpose flour with nuts flour, but it will cause some changes to the texture.
- Milk: Whole milk helps combine all the dry ingredients together to create an ultimately smooth batter.
- Butter: We always go with unsalted butter to have better control over the taste of the baked goods. It’s also crucial to use room-temperature butter because it won’t clump up when mixed while giving your baked goods an airier feel.
- Vanilla extract: The caramelized flavor and floral aroma of vanilla add a sophisticated touch to any chocolate dessert—balancing out the bitterness without overwhelming the main flavors.
FAQ
1. Is Chickpea Brownies Healthy?
Yes, our chickpea brownies are a healthy treat.
Unlike traditional brownies, which use mostly flour as the main dry ingredients, ours combine all-purpose flour with ground chickpeas. This legume is a significant source of protein, dietary fiber, and other micronutrients like vitamins (B6 and C), folate, and choline.
To cut down the sugar intake, we aim for dark chocolate (60-69% cacao solids) and unsweetened cocoa powder. These additions contain a decent amount of minerals and antioxidants, which are linked to several health benefits.
2. Why Are Chickpea Brownies Crumbly?
You may end up with a batch of dry and crumbly chickpea brownies due to these reasons:
- Cutting the brownies before they’ve cooled: When the brownies are hot, all the ingredients are not completely hardened. Hence, it’s more likely to fall apart. It’s advisable to let them rest for at least 30 minutes so their flavor and texture can fully develop before slicing.
- Adding too many dry ingredients: Adding too much flour to the batter can cause the brownies to become cakey.
- Overcooking the brownies: Overcooked brownies will form a hard crust on their edges, which makes them crumbly when cut.
How to Store Leftovers
We recommend keeping the leftovers in an airtight, freezer-friendly container to prevent them from drying out. They will last for 4-5 days in the fridge or up to 1 month in the freezer.
Chickpea Brownies Recipe
Today’s chickpea brownies will melt the heart of any dessert lover with their rich, chocolatey flavor and gooey texture—perfect as a surprise gift for your special ones.
- cook TIME 40 mins
- prep TIME 5 mins
- total TIME 45 mins
- COURSE Dessert
- CUISINE Global
- SERVINGS servings
- CALORIES 209 kcal
INGREDIENTS
- 24 oz canned chickpeas
- 3 oz dark chocolate
- 1 medium egg (beaten)
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter (softened to room temperature)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 3 tbsp whole milk
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
INSTRUCTIONS
Prep:
Drain the canned chickpeas in a colander over the sink, rinse them under running water, then pat them dry.
Beat one medium egg in a small bowl.
Cook:
Blend the canned chickpeas: In a food processor, add 24 oz canned chickpeas and blend them until completely smooth.
Combine the ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, add the chickpea mixture, 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1/4 tsp baking soda, 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 3 tbsp whole milk, 1/4 tsp baking powder, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1 medium egg, and 2 tbsp unsalted butter. Mix well with a spatula.
Add the dark chocolate: Combine 3 oz dark chocolate with the pre-mixed batter. Preheat the oven to 360 °F to prepare for the next step.
Bake the chickpea brownies: Pour the brownies batter into a baking dish lined with parchment paper. Bake it in a preheated oven at 360 °F for 40 minutes. Remove the dish from the oven and set it aside to cool.
Serve: When the dish has cooled down completely, cut the brownies into squares with a knife. Enjoy!
NUTRITION
Tuyet Pham
Chef, Culinary Consultant
Luna Regina
Writer, Author