Chickpea Cookies: Best 5-Ingredient Recipe

Chickpea cookies are soft, chewy and lightly sweet, and you would never guess they are made with a can of chickpeas. The chickpeas are blended with peanut butter, a little maple syrup and oats, then baked until golden at the edges. There is no flour, no butter and no mixer to wash, so you can go from craving to warm cookies in about 25 minutes.

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These chickpea cookies are a good snack for kids and adults alike. Chickpeas add protein and fibre, and the chocolate chips keep the flavour familiar. Serve them with a cup of chai or coffee, or pack them in a lunchbox.

Why You’ll Love These Chickpea Cookies

Simple: only a handful of pantry ingredients and one blender or food processor.
Quick: about 10 minutes of prep and 12 to 14 minutes in the oven.
No flour or butter: naturally free of wheat flour, and easy to make egg-free.
Protein and fibre: chickpeas and oats make them more filling than a regular cookie.
Easy to adapt: swap the nut butter, sweetener or mix-ins to suit what you have.

Ingredients

Makes about 12 cookies.

1 can (400 g) chickpeas, drained, rinsed and patted very dry (about 1½ cups)
½ cup smooth peanut butter or almond butter
⅓ cup maple syrup or honey
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
A pinch of salt
½ cup rolled oats
½ cup chocolate chips, plus a few extra for the top

How to Make Chickpea Cookies

Preheat. Heat the oven to 175°C (350°F) and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
Dry the chickpeas. Drain and rinse the chickpeas, then pat them completely dry with a clean towel. Extra water makes the dough wet and the cookies cakey.
Blend. In a food processor, blend the chickpeas, peanut butter, maple syrup, vanilla, baking powder, baking soda and salt until completely smooth, scraping down the sides once or twice.
Add the oats. Pulse in the oats just until combined. The dough will be thick and sticky.
Fold in the chocolate. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand.
Shape. Scoop 1 heaped tablespoon of dough per cookie onto the tray, 4 cm apart. Flatten each one slightly with a wet spoon, because the dough does not spread much. Press a few extra chocolate chips on top.
Bake. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, until the edges are golden and the tops look set.
Cool. Let the chickpea cookies cool on the tray for 10 minutes. They firm up as they cool.

Tips for the Best Chickpea Cookies

Dry the chickpeas well. This is the most important step for a chewy, not soggy, cookie.
Blend until very smooth. Any visible bits of chickpea will show up in the texture.
Use a runny nut butter. Natural, stirred peanut butter gives the best texture. If yours is very stiff, add a teaspoon of milk.
Don’t overbake. Take them out when the edges are golden, because they continue to set on the tray.
Let them cool. The cookies are soft when hot and become chewier once cool.

Variations

Nut-free: use sunflower seed butter in place of peanut butter.
Vegan: use maple syrup and dairy-free chocolate chips.
Double chocolate: add 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder and an extra tablespoon of maple syrup.
Nutty: fold in chopped walnuts or almonds.
Spiced: add ½ tsp cinnamon and a pinch of cardamom for a chai-style cookie.

Storage

Store chickpea cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. For longer storage, freeze them in a single layer, then transfer to a bag for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature or warm for 20 seconds in the microwave. If you enjoy cooking with chickpeas, try our Authentic Chole Bhature for a savoury option.

Not sure which to make? These Chickpea Cookies are blended from canned chickpeas, peanut butter, maple syrup and oats with no flour or butter, and bake in 12 to 14 minutes. Our Homemade Healthy Cookies are a bowl-and-spoon dough built on almond flour (or oat flour for a nut-free option), applesauce and coconut oil or butter, baked for 10 to 12 minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do chickpea cookies taste like chickpeas?
No. Blended with peanut butter, maple syrup and chocolate, the chickpea flavour is very mild. Most people only notice a soft, slightly nutty cookie.

Can I use dried chickpeas instead of canned?
Yes. Soak and cook them until very soft, then drain and dry them well. About 1½ cups of cooked chickpeas equals one can.

Why are my cookies cakey or wet?
The chickpeas were probably not dry enough, or the cookies were underbaked. Pat the chickpeas dry and bake until the edges are golden.

Are these cookies gluten-free?
The recipe has no wheat flour. Oats can be cross-contaminated, so use certified gluten-free oats if you need to avoid gluten.

Can I make the dough ahead?
You can keep the dough covered in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Scoop and bake straight from the refrigerator, adding a minute or two if needed.