Peanut butter blondies that are made from chickpeas hence making them flourless. This super fudgy and moist vegan treat is also secretly healthy !
Beans used in baking ? I used to think that it is impossible and weird. One day, I had finally gather the courage to try it. Turns out , it is actually not as bad as i expected it to be.
In fact, it is actually REALLY GOOD. You cant really taste the beans in the baked goods. The beans also gave the baked goods a creamy texture that is moist and rich when you bite into it.
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Blondies vs traditional brownies
The main difference between brownies and blondies is the addition of cocoa powder / chocolate. Blondies are just technically brownies with the chocolate flavor. They are both super fudgy and dense when it comes down to texture.
🍅 What you will need
- You can use quick oats or rolled oats in this recipe. Oat flour can also be use in place, but you will need a little less than stated / add more liquid.
- You can substitute the peanut butter with other kinds of nut/seed butter, but it will not peanut butter flavored anymore. I do recommend checking out my salted caramel chickpea blondies, which is nut free hence perfect for those of you who cant have peanut butter.
- Either canned or chickpeas cooked from scratch can be used.
Optional add-ins / toppings
- Vanilla extract is a great addition and will make your kitchen smell amazing !
- Add in some cinnamon powder to make them fall themed.
- Chocolate chips. I mean, who doesnt love chocolate ?!
- If you prefer them to be extra sweet, feel free to add a 1-2 tablespoons of maple syrup.
- I really love topping mine with a thick layer of peanut butter . Or you can use this peanut butter frosting by Joy Food Sunshine.
- Other toppings that are perfect for this recipe are chopped nuts ( especially peanuts ), desiccated coconut or even extra chocolate chips !
🔪 How to make
Start by soaking your dates in hot water to soften them. But if your dates are really moist, feel free to skip this step.
Blend your oats in the food processor / high speed blender until it turns into flour. It typically takes about 20-60 s on medium high speed, depending on the food processor / blender you are using. ( I recommend using a food processor in this recipe, trust me it will make your life easier ! )
Place in the rest of the ingredients, into the food processor along with the oat flour. Blend until a smooth, cookie dough texture forms. Add in some plant based milk / water, a tablespoon at a time if the batter is too dry. Stir in your add-ins now, if using.
Transfer your batter into a lined / greased 8x8 square pan and smooth it down using a spatula / the back of a spoon. Bake it for 20-25 mins, or until it is golden and a toothpick comes out clean. ( A few crumbs are ok. )
Let it set in the pan for 10-15 mins before transferring it to a cooling rack. After the blondies has cooled down, spread a thick layer of peanut butter / frosting and top it with toppings of choice. Slice and enjoy !
❔ Commonly asked Q&A
Store leftover on the countertop for 2-3 days, and in the fridge for up to 1 week. And yes, they can be frozen ! To freeze them, simply place them on a large plate in one layer and let them sit in the freezer for about 2 hours. Now they are frozen, you can transfer them to zip lock bags / freezable containers.
To reheat them, simply let them thaw on the counter at room temperature. You can then choose to reheat it in the microwave or just eat it cold !
Yes, they are naturally gluten-free. One thing to take note of is to make sure your oats are certified gluten-free as cross contamination may happen in normal oats.
Simply stick a toothpick in and it should comes out clean. A few crumbs is ok. Another telltale sign that your blondies are done is when the sides have slightly pull away from the pan.
🍽 More healthy vegan desserts
- Vanilla Coconut Bliss Balls with Dates and Cashews
- Quick and Eggless Low Sugar Peanut Butter Cookies
- Vegan Sweet Potato Brownie Cookies
- Eggless Protein Tahini Blondies
📖 Recipe
Flourless Peanut Butter Chickpea Blondies
Ingredients
- 2 15 oz canned chickpeas ( about 3 cups cooked chickpeas )
- ½ cup peanut butter
- ½ cup rolled / quick oats
- 1 ½ cups dates
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp vanilla extract ( optional )
- pinch of salt
Toppings ( optional )
- peanut butter
- handful of chopped peanuts
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180c.
- Soak your dates in hot water for about 20 mind to soften them. ( If your dates are moist enough, you may omit this step.)
- Place the oats in a food processor / high speed blender and pulse until a flour like consistency forms. Depending on your blender / food processor, it should take less than 1 min.
- Add in the rest of the ingredients in the food processor / blender. Pulse until a smooth cookie dough texture forms. Add in some plant based milk / water, a tablespoon at a time if the batter is too dry.
- Transfer the batter into a lined / greased 8x8 baking pan. Smooth it out using a spatula.
- Bake it in the oven for 20-25 mins or until golden or a toothpick comes out clean.
- Let it set in the pan for 10-15 mins before transferring it to a cooling tray.
- When the blondies are cooled to room temperature, spread the peanut butter and top it with chopped peanuts, if using.
Notes
- I highly recommend using a food processor. It will definitely make your life easier 🙂
- Blondies can be stored at room temperature for 2-3 days. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 1 week, and can be freeze for up to 3 months.
- Feel free to add some chocolate chips or vanilla extract to spice things up !
- Both canned chickpeas and chickpeas cooked from scratch can be used.
- Calories calculated excludes the toppings .
What can I use to substitute the dates? Can I use raisins the same way?
I would not recommend using raisins, but you can use 1/2 cup of maple syrup or agave syrup instead 😉
I used a food processor but my machine still got toast! I used an immersion blender instead. But I think the best way to get a smooth consistency was to blend everything separately. Extra work but saves your machines! I tried the batter and depending on the peanut butter you are using, it tasted like reese's peanut butter cups to me! I might use chocolate as a topping. Thanks for this recipe!
Thanks for the feedback ! I am really happy you really like the recipe.... Yes it will taste great with some chocolate 😋
These were very delicious and so satiating! Will make these again for sure. Enjoyed by my non-vegan family 🙂
I am really glad you like it ! 😁
Hi my daughter can’t have oats or almonds can I replace oats with coconut or cashew flour or cassava maybe
Thanks
You can try substituting it with coconut flour, but I recommend starting with 1/4 cup as coconut flour can soak up lots of liquid ! You might also need to add more plant based milk / water if the mixture still turns out to be to thick. Hope that helps !