Vegan chickpea cookies | Sugar-free, gluten-free

Inspiration for these cookies was some leftover chickpeas from my fridge. I guess it is not only me who decides to make chickpea cookies this way. The rest of the ingredients you probably have in your pantry or the fridge, because it is not a fancy recipe with fancy ingredients.

Why I love these chickpea cookies?

• They contain healthy and wholesome ingredients
• Perfect for my little one
• Are vegan, gluten-free, and sugar-free
• It’s a one-bowl recipe
• Perfect for a grab-and-go breakfast or snack

Can you taste the chickpeas?

Would be gross to taste the chickpeas in cookies, right? Well, I agree. And that is why the answer is no, you can’t taste the chickpeas in these cookies. To make sure that the cookies are completely chickpea-taste-free, add some vanilla extract (about 1 tsp should be enough) into the batter before blending it.

Also, the peanut butter gives the cookies a specific smell and taste. Which is perfect for peanut butter lovers. Otherwise, please substitute the peanut butter with cashew or almond butter for a more neutral taste.

Ingredients and substitutions for the chickpea cookies

• Chickpeas, of course. Here, you can use either home-boiled chickpeas or canned chickpeas. I used home-boiled ones because I had some leftovers. But canned ones will work fine, just make sure to rinse and drain them before using, since they have lots of added salt in them. Also, if you use home-boiled chickpeas, and you’ve added salt to them while boiling, rinse and drain them well before using.
• Soft and juicy dates. This is the ingredient that provides a sweetener to the cookies. The best dates are, of course, Medjool dates. But other kinds will work well as well. If your dates are not soft enough, soak them in hot water for at least 1 hour before using.
• Peanut butter. Cookies need some fat, but instead of using too much oil, I decided to add some peanut butter to them. You can substitute the peanut butter with other nut or seed butter (almond, cashew, sunflower, hazelnut). It doesn’t matter if it’s crunchy or creamy, the blender will do its work.

• Coconut oil. I find that coconut oil is the best oil for baking. I use unrefined coconut oil, which means that the oil actually smells like coconut. However, the cookies do not taste like coconut at all. Alternatively, use refined coconut oil or other neutral-smelling oil.
• Plant-based milk. Any type of milk will do its trick. You can even use water. Here, I used homemade soy milk. As a very unrelated note, I made too much soy milk because I soaked too many soybeans. Don’t repeat my mistake.
• Baking powder, baking soda, and salt. If you do not have baking soda or baking powder, use more of the one that you have.
• Vanilla extract. I haven’t used this ingredient in the recipe because I ran out of it. But I highly recommend using it.
• Almond chunks or dairy-free chocolate chips. We’ll use these as toppings. You can also add other nuts, seeds, and dried fruits of your choice here.

How to make vegan chickpea cookies?

1. If you use canned chickpeas or home-boiled salty chickpeas, make sure to rinse and drain them really well first.
2. Next, in a food processor, combine the ingredients: chickpeas, dates, peanut butter, coconut oil, plant-based milk, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. Blend the mixture until it’s smooth and creamy, scrubbing on the sides of the blender as needed.
4. Then, form the cookies. Take some batter with the spoon and place it on the baking tray. Using the outside of the spoon, form the cookie shape. Alternatively, use an ice cream spoon to transfer the batter to the baking tray.
5. Top with some almond chunks, chocolate chips, or other nuts, seeds of choice.
6. Bake at 175 C/350 F, for approximately 18-22 minutes.
7. Let them cool completely on a cooling rack before serving. Enjoy!

How to store the vegan chickpea cookies?

The best option is to store the cookies in the fridge in an air-tight container after they have cooled down completely. Store them in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.

You can also keep them in the freezer for a couple of months. Again, in an air-tight container or in a freezer bag. Take them out of the freezer for about 4 hours before serving. Or just reheat them in the microwave for 3-4 minutes, or in the oven at 175 C/350 F for approximately 4-7 minutes.

FAQ about the vegan chickpea cookies

Can I substitute chickpeas with chickpea flour?

Unfortunately, I haven’t tried it. It should work but in totally another recipe. This recipe is designed around the whole chickpeas, not chickpea flour.

However, if you have a bit fewer chickpeas than written in the recipe (2 cups), you can add some chickpea flour, but make sure to add some more liquid too, since chickpea flour is drier than chickpeas.

Can I make the recipe nut-free?

Yes, by substituting the peanut butter with sunflower butter, or other nut-free butter. Or just add regular butter if you like.

More healthy cookie recipes:
– Chocolate Chip Kale Cookies
– Sweet Potato Cookies

Is the recipe gluten-free?

Yes, it is completely gluten-free.

What can I add as a topping to the cookies?

As you can see in the picture and in the video below, I added some almond chunks, since they are healthy, but also, I like the crunch that they give to the cookies.

There are more options that you can add to the cookies:

• Chocolate chips (I believe this is the most common version of these cookies)
• Walnuts, chopped
• Sunflower seeds
• Pumpkin seeds
• Coconut flakes
• Dried apricots
• Dried raisins
• Cashew chunks
• Or a combination of some listed above.

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**If you liked the recipe, share the result in the comment section below, I would be glad to see the result and you may help others as well doing so.