Looking for the chickpea cookies from Pinterest or Facebook? Here’s the original recipe! Scroll to the bottom of the post for a how-to recipe video.
Chickpea cookies! Chickpea cookies with no flour, no oil, no white sugar. These are just full of chickpeas. And they’re my very favorite healthy cookie so far!* I don’t know if they really classify as cookies so I’ll go with cookie dough bites.
And as a bonus, they’re grain-free, gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan. Just in case that matters to anyone out there! And if you’re worried about the chickpeas, don’t be. I don’t like chickpeas and won’t eat them but that didn’t prevent me from inhaling these.
* 2017 update: this post is 5 years old and I have a new favorite. :D You HAVE to try these paleo chocolate chip cookies if you haven’t already! There’s also a vegan option. And for hot summer days, these no-bake oatmeal cookies (naturally gluten-free + vegan) are my favorite!
I used homemade peanut butter in these cookies but store-bought (the kind with just peanuts and salt) works just as well.
Here’s how to make peanut butter! There’s also a video included. All you need is peanuts and a food processor (which you already have to pull out for this chickpea cookie recipe!).
These need the chocolate. Don’t go making them without the chocolate and then tell me that they weren’t sweet or gooey enough! These would be incredibly boring without the chocolate.
And for some weird reason, these cookie dough bites do not taste yummy in dough form. Baking them somehow brings out the sweetness and peanut butter flavor. Or maybe it’s just all that melted chocolate.
One thing I’ve learned since starting this blog is that people really love closeups of melted stuff. So there you go. :)
These aren’t the most beautiful cookie dough bites, but fresh out of the oven, with all that gooey chocolate, I bet you can’t tell that these are made with chickpeas. Or are grain-free. But cold? Yuck. These need to be warm!
You can either freeze the balls and pop a few in the oven whenever it’s on, or simply put them in the microwave until they’re warm and gooey again.
By the way, if you’re a peanut butter lover like I am, you have to try these healthy peanut butter balls. They’re also gluten-free and vegan!
Please read the following before asking a question! It will probably answer it. :)
- Tons of people have posted the nutritional analysis for these. They’re supposedly anywhere between 80-130 calories, which seems like a huge range to me. Please use a recipe analyzer like on CalorieCount if you need more information.
- You can use almond butter, sun butter, or whatever nut butter you like.
- The peanut butter should be the kind with only peanuts and salt. No added fat or sugar.
Be careful because there are some “natural” brands out there which aren’t really natural. I find that this peanut butter is usually expensive so I make my own.
You can make your own in only 5 minutes with a food processor. Check that out here. - Chickpea flour won’t work. I don’t think plain hummus will either.
- I haven’t tried anything other than chickpeas but others have used butter beans, navy beans, red kidney beans, great northern beans, and lentils with success. I generally don’t like goodies made with those types of beans but I love these cookies made with chickpeas. Please use chickpeas unless you have an allergy!
- Doing this in a blender won’t work and might kill the blender. Making these in a Blendtec blender or something equally powerful might work but I haven’t tried it.
- Adding random stuff like eggs… probably won’t work either. ;) Experimenting is great but I think this is a bad recipe to experiment with.
But thanks to the experimenters who left feedback, I’ve been able to update the recipe with alternatives to honey and peanut butter. Thanks everyone!
For my readers who are really sensitive to gluten, you might want to read my post on Is Honey Gluten-free? - For a totally sugar free version, use 30 drops of Stevia and cacao nibs.
- Do not double the recipe! It might be too much for your machine and could damage it.
- For a vegan version, you can’t use honey. Use agave.
- For a dairy-free version, use Enjoy Life chocolate chips. They’re just as delicious as regular chocolate chips. SO good!
And thanks for everyone who has pinned and left feedback. I really appreciate it. :)
Want more gluten-free treats? Here are some of my favorites!
Grain-free Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites (gluten-free with vegan and dairy-free options)
- Prep Time:
- Cook Time:
- Ready in:
- Yield: 14 1" cookies
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups canned chickpeas, well-rinsed and patted dry with a paper towel1
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons (165 grams) natural peanut butter, SunButter Natural or almond butter - room temperature2
- 1/4 cup (80 grams) honey (agave or maple syrup for vegan)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder3
- a pinch of salt if your peanut butter doesn't have salt in it
- 1/2 cup (90 grams) chocolate chips (use vegan and dairy-free chocolate chips, if needed)
Directions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F / 175°C. Combine all the ingredients, except for the chocolate chips, in a food processor and process until very smooth. Make sure to scrape the sides and the top to get the little chunks of chickpeas and process again until they're combined.
- Put in the chocolate chips and stir it if you can, or pulse it once or twice. The mixture will be very thick and sticky.
- With wet hands, form into 1 1/2" balls. Place onto a Silpat or a piece of parchment paper. If you want them to look more like normal cookies, press down slightly on the balls. They don't do much rising.
- Bake for about 10 minutes. The dough balls will still be very soft when you take them out of the oven. They will not set like normal cookies.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature (or in the fridge) for up to 1 week.
Notes
- My can of chickpeas was 400 grams, 240 grams without the water, and I used all but a few tablespoons.
- Don't even try with regular peanut butter! They'll come out oily. You MUST use natural peanut butter. :)
- If you need grain-free baking powder, you can use 1 part cream of tartar + 1 part baking soda + 2 parts arrowroot.
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2106 comments on “The Original Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites Recipe (aka Chickpea Cookies)” — Add one!
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So I have natural PB, I just want to know so my cookies don't come out oily do I mix the oil in that's on top or not….? Would love to know I want to make then for my brother…. he has an amazing taste palit… nomatter ehat I make he knows so I want to see if he can tell!! I will see what he thinks
I make my own peanut butter (just process peanuts in a food processor) and have never had the oil go to the top. I'm guessing you should mix it in! Good luck and hope you and your brother enjoy them. :)
Do you think you could use white beans instead of chick peas?
Someone else mentioned that they did so but I just can't imagine them being as tasty. Can you get chickpeas where are you? I hate chickpeas but still loved the cookies so don't let the chickpeas hold you back. :)
ooh wrong date and time, or is that just a time zone thing ( might want to look into that)? I wrote my first comment 10/28/12 at 8:39 pm
It's a time zone thing! I'm in Germany. :)
You should TOTALLY put these and on yummly.com ( recipe search engine) they would do soooooooo well! I'm going to have to make these soon!
Thanks for the tip! I'll have to see how that works. And I hope you'll enjoy these! :)
Can these be made without peanutbutter? My boyfriend's allergic to peanuts!
People have used almond butter with success! Good luck. :)
I definitely needed to bake these for more than 10 minutes! I took them out after 10 and thought they looked a little off from the picture. I put them in a bit longer, but then got impatient! Today they have darkened up a lot from being under-done. Ahh well, they still taste delicious! Good news, too, I have enough chick peas left to do another batch. :) Thanks for the recipe!
I hope the next batch works out better! They are supposed to be really very gooey. I wouldn't say that mine ever got that not-underdone look. Happy they were still good and thanks for the feedback. :)
I just made these and they taste AWESOME, but after they cooled they turned green! I made them with sunflower seen butter instead of peanut butter, but I have no idea how that could turn them green. Any suggestions?
Green?! Well, I have no idea how that could have happened. Perhaps they would be good for Halloween? :) Sorry that they turned green. You're the first to say that! And sorry for my slow response.
I added coconut to the batter and rolled them in coconut before baking.
I made these and they were very soft and hard to handle when warm. I refrigerated them over night and tried them cold the next day just to test your theory and they were delicious! In my opinion, they are MUCH better cold and plus easier to pick up.
Well I'm happy you enjoyed them cold. :) I guess I'm just a bit obsessed with gooeyness. Thank you for the tip!
These are so great! Just made them yesterday and the most picky person in the world…my husband.. even likes them!! Its a Keeper!!
Yay! I love hearing things like that. I'm also super picky so I know what that's like. Thanks for the feedback!
They look DELICIOUS!!! I can't wait to try them but I dont have a food processor, will just using an electric whisk work???
Sorry for my slow reply! I'm afraid that you really need something that will be able to grind the chickpeas really well. I don't think an electric whisk will work. I wouldn't risk breaking it or having chunks!
Do you think you could use any white bean??
Do you think you could use any white bean??
I don't think so. I've always found white beans to have a disturbing texture (I know, it's just me) and don't see them working in this but you could definitely try! Let us know if you do and good luck. :)
I just made these the other day with my roommates and they LOVED them!! They are our new favorite healthy treat! I was wondering if you have ever tried to replace the peanut butter with pumpkin puree. Since it's fall I am obsessed with pumpkin again! Would it work to do that?
I'm obsessed with pumpkin too! The only problem is that pumpkin and peanut butter have a totally different texture. You've inspired me to try to create a pumpkin version, though. I'll use almond butter, some pumpkin and spices and see what happens. I'm happy that you all liked them! Thanks for the feedback. :)
Could I use store bought Almond or some other butter? We don't do peanuts. Also I was reminded of this recipe, I'm sure you will like it! http://healthyindulgences.net/2009/05/healthy-chocolate-cake-with-a-secret/
Sure! Lots of people have used almond butter with success. The most recent almond butter comment (it's a few above yours) said that it made them more cookie-like so that's good. :) Thanks for the link! I checked it out. I've tried black bean cake before but the beans honestly weirded me out a little. I have to try again!
These are my favorite. Substituted almond butter instead of peanut butter and they came out much more cookie-like. They taste great cold and hot with the almond butter. Thanks for a great recipe.
And thanks for the feedback! Interesting that they came out cookie like with almond butter. I've definitely got to try that. And I'm happy you liked them. :)
Oh my! I just found your blog, and I think I have to make these very, very soon! They must be pretty high in protein because of the chickpeas, which can be a good thing, too. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
I hope you get a chance to make them! And yes, they're very high protein. For me, that's a very good thing because I struggle to get enough. :)
I'm a little late to the party, but wanted to add a suggestion for those wanting to used Nutella. Justin's has a delicious chocolate hazelnut spread that is the consistency of natural peanut butter. I eat it by the spoonful. It's pricey ($10 a jar), but oh so good. I haven't tried it in these cookies yet since I didn't want to waste it if I didn't like the chick peas, but I'll be trying it sometime!
Thanks for the tip! That sounds great but I also wouldn't want to waste it. :)
Not sure where you live in Germany, but my wife (The Antiques Diva) and I live in Berlin (originally from Oklahoma). Tried these today and were thrilled with the result! Thanks!
Also in Berlin. :) So happy that you two enjoyed them! Thanks for the feedback.
Just made these, but added about 1/2 cup protein powder and 2 tsp water. SO GOOD.
Yay! Happy that your sub worked. Love it when that happens. Thanks for letting us know. :)