Made with canned chickpeas, peanut butter, pure maple syrup, and chocolate chips, this easy Chickpea Cookie Dough is healthy, adaptable to different diets, and, most importantly, legitimately tastes like actual cookie dough!
You’ll have to trust me when I say this edible chickpea cookie dough does not taste like beans (nor do these Black Bean Brownies and Chickpea Blondies!).
Thanks to the natural sweetness of maple syrup, the nuttiness of creamy peanut butter, and a generous sprinkle of cinnamon and chocolate chips, nobody (not even your picky toddler) will ever know that this sweet treat is actually good for them (just like my favorite Sweet Potato Cookies)!
Get your spoon ready because this “faux dough” is chocolate-chip-cookie-licious!
5 Star Review
“YUM YUM YUM! I was skeptical at first but once I tried the cookie dough I became head over heals for it! This recipe is AMAZING!”
— Mia —
Why I Love This Chickpea Cookie Dough
I have a few edible cookie dough recipes on my site already, but this chickpea cookie dough stands out for a number of reasons.
- Accessible Ingredients. No crazy ingredients here. In fact, you probably have everything you need in your pantry already. (You probably have all the ingredients to make these Healthy Brownies too, just sayin’.)
- Speedy Preparation. Simply toss the ingredients into your food processor. In just a few minutes, you’re ready to dive in. (Same applies to this Chocolate Hummus.)
- Legitimately Delicious. Yes, chickpea cookie dough tastes good! The garbanzo flavor is very mild and almost imperceptible to anyone snacking on it.
Added bonus? This recipe is super adaptable to a wide range of dietary needs.
Those who are looking for a cookie dough that can be nut-free, egg-free, dairy-free, gluten-free, and/or vegan need not look any further!
How to Make Chickpea Cookie Dough
As mentioned, this chickpea cookie dough uses common pantry ingredients.
Here’s what you need to make it, as well as a few substitution ideas.
The Ingredients
- Chickpeas. An ultra-easy, creamy, and sneakily healthy way to enjoy cookie dough flavor! Chickpeas are high in filling protein and fiber, so this cookie dough can satisfy your hunger and your sweet tooth cravings.
- Creamy Peanut Butter. Like in Peanut Butter Protein Balls, the peanut butter adds rich, delicious flavor and creaminess. Any nut butter will work here, and I think an almond chickpea cookie dough with almond butter would be tasty.
- Rolled Oats. Using oats instead of flour makes this recipe safe for raw consumption and brings added health benefits. Oats are packed with fiber, protein, iron, and antioxidants.
- Cinnamon + Vanilla. A dash of cinnamon livens up the flavor, and the vanilla pairs beautifully with all the other ingredients.
- Maple Syrup. Perfect for bringing natural sweetness to the chickpea cookie dough and keeping it vegan. Add a little or a lot to reach your desired sweetness.
- Chocolate Chips. The essential.
- Baking Powder. If baking the cookie dough into cookies (directions below), the baking powder helps the chickpea cookies rise. I also find that adding it makes the recipe taste more like actual cookie dough.
The Directions
- Add all the ingredients except the chocolate chips to a food processor.
TIP!
If you do not own a food processor. You can experiment with making this chickpea cookie dough in a high-powered blender; I honestly didn’t have great success with this method, but one way you could try to work around it is to blend half of the recipe at a time.
- Process until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust sweetness as needed.
- Transfer the mixture to a bowl and fold in the chocolate chips. Serve immediately or bake as cookies (see directions below). ENJOY!
How to Bake the Dough to Make Chickpea Cookies
In addition to enjoying this dough right from the bowl, you can also bake it into soft and chewy chickpea cookies. For the best of both worlds, enjoy some of the dough raw, then bake up the rest!
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Scoop the dough. Small cookies work best. I used a small cookie scoop to make cookies that were each about 2 tablespoons of dough and 1 1/2 inches apart.
- Arrange the cookies on the baking sheet and lightly press the tops. The cookies won’t spread during baking, so lightly press the tops to flatten them slightly.
- Bake for 10 minutes. Then, let the cookies rest on the sheet for 5 minutes, before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. If you like your cookies extra doughy, you can remove them as early as 8 minutes.
- Store at room temperature. I’m guessing these would last for 3 to 4 days, though ours didn’t make it that long…
Chickpea Cookie Dough Recipe Variations
- To Make Nut Free. Swap the nut butter for sunflower seed butter; you also could try swapping it for Greek yogurt or unsweetened applesauce.
- To Make Without Oats (Grain Free). Check out my No Bake Protein Balls, which use coconut flour and taste like cookie dough. You could experiment with ground flaxseeds and almond flour as well.
- To Make Gluten Free. Be sure to use certified gluten-free rolled oats or use one of the “oat free” substitutions above.
- To Make Chickpea Cookie Dough Balls. Simply scoop and roll the dough into balls of your desired size. Store in the refrigerator (or freezer!) and munch as desired.
- To Make a Healthy Cookie Dough Dip with Chickpeas. Add 2 tablespoons almond milk to the food processor with the other ingredients; continue adding milk, a few teaspoons at a time, until the cookie dough reaches a smooth, thick, yet “dippable” consistency. Serve with pretzels, graham crackers, apple slices, vanilla wafer cookies, or any of your other favorite dessert dippers.
Storage Tips
- To Store. Cover the chickpea cookie dough, and store it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- To Freeze Chickpea Cookie Dough. Thankfully, you can freeze chickpea cookie dough! For ease, I suggest storing it in multiple small freezer-safe storage containers. Then, you can thaw them one at a time as needed. Store the cookie dough in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator, and give it a good stir before serving.
- To Freeze Unbaked Chickpea Cookies. You can also freeze the unbaked chickpea cookies. Arrange your cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and place it in the freezer until the cookies are frozen solid. Transfer them to an airtight freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen as directed.
- Mixing Bowls. These are ideal for preparing and storing the chickpea cookie dough.
- Batter Scoop. If you decide to make these into cookies, this tool is perfect for portioning the dough.
- Food Processor. I’ve had this one for years, and it still works great!
More No Bake Desserts to Enjoy
Master your sweet tooth with this master of dessert disguise.
Frequently Asked Questions
Chickpeas are a magical baking ingredient alternative loaded with fiber, protein, and folic acid, and manganese. They primarily function as a substitute for traditional all-purpose flour, as well as some binding agents (like eggs) and fat. They’re great for those looking for gluten-free baked goods.
No. Chickpea flour does not good in its unbaked form and is too dry, so I would not recommend it for this edible chickpea cookie dough.
My original Edible Cookie Dough is super yummy, but because it contains flour, the ingredients have to be heat-treated first. That’s not the case with chickpea cookie dough. This recipe is flourless, using oats instead. Unlike flour, oats are steamed as a part of their processing before they ever reach the package, so they are safe to eat when you buy them.
Like regular cookies, chickpea cookies are fully baked when they appear set on the edges and no longer have a glossy appearance. If you enjoy your cookies underbaked, you can pull them as early as 8 minutes. If you like a well-done cookie, pull at 10 minutes, or bake a little longer until they reach your desired level of doneness.
While oats are naturally gluten free, if you are sensitive to gluten, you should always opt for oats that are manufactured in a certified gluten free facility to avoid any cross-contamination. Be sure to check your labels.
- 1 15-ounce can reduced sodium chickpeas rinsed and drained (or white beans or 1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas or cooked white beans)
- 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter or nut butter of choice to make nut free, see blog post above for suggestions
- 1/4 cup rolled oats or quick cooking oats to make without oats/grain free, see blog post above for suggestions
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup plus additional to taste
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup dark chocolate chips or mini chocolate chips
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To the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, add all of the ingredients in the order listed, except for the chocolate chips: the chickpeas, peanut butter, oats, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, maple syrup, and vanilla. Process until smooth, creamy, and completely combined. Stop and scrape down the bowl several times as needed. Depending upon your food processor, this may take several minutes and several scrape downs. Taste the “dough.” If you’d like it sweeter, add additional maple syrup 1 teaspoon at a time, until it is as sweet as you like.
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Transfer the dough to a mixing bowl and fold in the chocolate chips (You also can attempt to mix them directly in the food processor bowl, but I find using a separate bowl is easier and more effective in the end). Enjoy immediately or transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to serve. You can also bake the dough as cookies. See blog post above.
- TO STORE: Cover the chickpea cookie dough, and store it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- TO FREEZE DOUGH: For ease, I suggest storing it in multiple small freezer-safe storage containers. Then, you can thaw them one at a time as needed. You can store the cookie dough in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then give it a good stir before serving.
- TO FREEZE UNBAKED COOKIES: You can also freeze the unbaked chickpea cookies. Arrange your cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and place it in the freezer until the cookies are solid. Transfer them to an airtight freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen as directed.
- TO MAKE NUT/GRAIN FREE: See blog post above for tips to make without nut butter and to make grain free.
- TO MAKE COOKIES: This recipe can also be baked as 14 cookies; see blog post above for directions.
Serving: 1(of 14); 2 tablespoons dough or 1 cookieCalories: 101kcalCarbohydrates: 12gProtein: 3gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 1mgPotassium: 126mgFiber: 2gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 5IUCalcium: 36mgIron: 1mg
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