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!
37 comments are awaiting moderation!
Can you sub anything for the peanut butter? My daughter is allergic to nuts.
There are some subs listed in the recipe. :)
These cookies are AMAZING!!! My friend made them for me and they weren’t just ‘good, if you’re allergic to…’. They are just outright GOOD, even for those of us that don’t need to substitute ingredients due to allergies.
Thank you for sharing your incredible wealth of knowledge. This would be truly tedious to compile on our own.
Please keep baking and developing such awesome recipes!
Haha. Why, thank you! I’m so happy you thought the cookies were good and not just good for people who have allergies! And what a kind comment. Thanks so much! You made my day. :)
Why shouldn’t I blend the chickpeas? I can buy only chickpeas on grams so i cannot buy canned ones. Can i blend them?
I don’t think I understand your question. What do you mean by blending or not blending the chickpeas? If you can’t buy canned chickpeas and you instead buy dried beans, then you need to cook them according to the package instructions and then use them like it says in the recipe directions. :)
Most blenders aren’t very strong, that’s the reason for saying not to blend them. However, something like a food processor would work to mix/blend them
Nice close ups of melted stuff!
Haha. Thanks! :)
Hello,
Have anyone else used stevia (powder or liquid form) without any other changes to the recipe, and have it turn out okay? I will make these this weekend. I have a feeling the dough might be a little dry, and I might have to add a bit of almond milk. I do not see a picture of the dough before it is baked, so I might have to use my better judgement. Thanks.
Hello! There’s a stevia option listed at the bottom of the post (4th bullet point from the bottom). I haven’t tried them that way but some other commenters have and liked them! I’m not sure about how much liquid to add. The dough should be quite firm and sticky.
Update. I saw the option for stevia but I did not see a comment that mentioned the actual result. I used 30 drops of stevia and added 3 T of almond milk since I did not use honey. I kept everything else the same. They came out amazing. I am not sure if adding the milk was necessary, but I will make these again soon. I will look at your other recipes.
That’s great! I hope you’ll enjoy the other recipes just as much. :) Thanks for your feedback!
hi, would i be able to use almond flour for this recipe?
Hello! Unfortunately chickpeas and almond flour aren’t interchangeable. You could use a different type of bean, if you’d like, though. :)
Yum, can’t wait to try these!
I hope you’ll enjoy them! :)
Making them this afternoon!
Did you use canned chickpeas with sodium ?
I do! Enjoy. :)
These are amazing! I subbed stevia powder, PB2 and omitted the chocolate chips bringing these to about 40 calories each (15 cookies … after eating a few teaspoons of dough … )! Wonderful texture and amazing flavor. And now, I’m trying a recipe for aquafaba meringues with the leftover chickpea water (it also makes great whipped “cream”)! Thanks!
Wow! You got them really low in calories. That’s great. :) Thanks so much for your sub tips! Good luck with those meringues. :)
Erin, I’m wondering how much PB2 you used! Would love to try this! Any other changes made?
Making these right now! I have a colicky newborn so I’m going wheat free. Can’t wait to eat these! I also put Brewers yeast in them so help my milk supply. The dough itself is amazing!
That sounds like a great addition! How much did you add? I hope you enjoyed them and that your little one starts to feel better soon! Thanks for your comment. :)
I added two scoops with the scoop the brewer’s yeast came with. I had to add a little water because it dried it up a bit, and they came out AMAZING! Might try chia seed or a little ground flaxseed next time! :)
Neat! Thanks for the reply and the tip. I’ll make note of it for down the line. ;)
These are AWESOME!! Best grain free cookies I’ve made so far (and I have tried a ton)! Thank you so much for sharing the recipe! Any chance that you’ve come up with a chocolate chocolate chip version?? Or any chance you might have any ideas? :)
I’m so happy you liked them! And I do have a grain-free (and paleo!) chocolate chip cookie recipe. And I think they’re waaay better than these chickpea cookies, to be honest. ;) Here you go: perfect paleo chocolate chip cookies. Enjoy! And thanks for your comment. :)
I can’t find my chickpeas so I used pinto beans. I also used chocolate syrup stevia and date molasses instead of honey. Worked. Cookies came out great! This recipe is foolproof. Thanks Erin.
Oooh! I’ve never heard of date molasses. I need to check that out! I’m happy that the cookies worked with your subs. Thanks for your tips and your feedback!
These are so wonderful. thank you thank you! I think I love you. Just for you to know, I accidentally grabbed cannellini beans out of the pantry instead of the chickpeas and opened the can before I realized I had the wrong beans I will try the chickpeas next time but they are so great with the cannellini beans. I also eliminated the chocolate chips to save on calories and sugar, and used agave because that’s what I had on hand… These are soooo soooo good!!!
Haha. Thanks! I’m thrilled you liked them so much! It’s great to know that cannellini beans worked well. And no chocolate chips?! You are strong. I could never do that. ;) Thanks a ton for your feedback!
Hi Erin! I really do love your recipe and have made it several times in 3 days. Again just as an FYI, I also tried the recipe with defatted PB powder and just made peanut butter according to the directions. It works; so if anyone is looking to cut out additional calories/fat this would be another alternative. Although your recipe is quite perfect just the way it is so I am not trying to change it.
What a great tip! Thanks so much. Now I’ll be able to answer that question for others who ask. :) I’m happy you’re enjoying the cookies and thanks again!
What’s the difference between regular and natural peanut butter?
Natural peanut butter only has salt and nuts in it and is quite liquid. Regular peanut butter has added fat and sugar and is firm. :)
Thank you! I didn’t know that there are different kinds of peanut butter because here in Germany we only have natural peanut butter, thus the good one ;)
I replaced the honey with Sweety fiber – absolutely delicious!
It’s such a great idea to use chickpeas as the basic ingredient of a cookie!
Hey there! I live in Germany, too, and most stores here sell the “regular” kind and not the natural kind (unless we’re talking about bio shops!) I’m happy you enjoyed the cookies and thanks so much for the honey replacement tip. :)
I tried microwaving them – 30 seconds – it works! Chocolate chips get all melty and a bit of the vanilla extract taste evaporates! Mmmm… the perfect quick treat:)
Thank you!
Great idea! Thanks a bunch for the tip. Sure beats eating them all straight out of the oven. ;)
They are absolutely angelic! Hubby was very sceptical because they were vegan friendly and we are definetly not vegans or vegetarians or any of that, but after tasting one he had to be reminded to leave some dough bites for others. We liked them at room temperature better btw. And i thought raw dough tasted very nice. Wonder if using cashew butter instead of peanut made all that difference. Anyway, they were out of this world! Keeper:)
Better at room temperature?! Haha. It must have been the cashew butter. ;) Or maybe I’m just the odd one since most of the commenters like them at room temp! I’m happy to hear that your skeptical husband approved. :) Thanks a bunch for your feedback!
CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE ARE MY FAVOURITE
YOU TEACH ME LOT THROUGH THIS BLOGG
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHEARING
I’m happy you’re learning something! Thanks for your comment. :)
I made these tonight and they are so delicious. Melt in your mouth, soft, warm…. everything I wanted and more. It’s such a perfect treat. Quick and simple. And I am sooooo happy I didn’t have to wait for them to set and cool. I’m trying your chocolate peanut butter cookie sandwiches next!
Haha. Waiting for cookies to set is silly and totally unrealistic. I never do that in real life (though I write it in my recipes ;)) I’m so happy you liked the cookies! Thanks a bunch for your feedback. :)
My 3 and 1 year olds love these (as do my husband and I)! A biscuit I don’t feel guilty giving them! Thank you.
Ps. For any Aussie readers, semi sweet chocolate= dark chocolate. I use the aldi organic dark chocolate and blitz it in the food processor first to resemble choc chips.
Thanks for the tip for the Australian readers! I’m so happy that you and your family enjoyed the cookies. :) Thanks for your feedback!
Does it have to be mixed in a food processor or will a blender work?
A high-powered blender might work but I’m not sure and wouldn’t recommend it (I’m afraid the mixture might be a little too thick).
I didn’t have a food processor :-( so I went old school and mashed the stuff by hand (a great little pre-binge workout lol)…it worked fine! They’re delicious!
Haha. Good that you got a little workout in first! :) I’m happy it worked for you. Thanks for your feedback!
Add the 165 g of peanut butter. I thought it seemed like way too much and added about 100, but the cookies ended up not holding together. I also added 4 teaspons of whole wheat flour to absorb the wetness of my chickpeas (I probably should’ve dried them a bit better). That said the taste was seriously amazing; the flavor is so delicious and similar to a regular chocolate chip cookie. I’ll definitely be making my chocolate chip cookies grain free from now on!
I’m happy that they worked out in the end! I hope you’ll enjoy the version with the full amount of peanut butter even more. :) Thanks a bunch for your feedback!