Healthy Peanut Butter Blondies (Chickpea Blondies)
Posted Feb 23, 2018, Updated Oct 05, 2021
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These healthy peanut butter blondies are gluten-free, dairy-free, refined-sugar free and vegan friendly! Made with chickpeas but you’d never know it! A delicious healthy dessert recipe.
These healthy peanut butter blondies are one of my all-time favorite dessert recipes that I’ve been baking for 15 years!
I have this habit that I can’t don’t want to kick, of sitting down and having a legit dessert every night after dinner. However, I would like to live past 45, so I love making treats that taste indulgent but are actually good for you, like these chickpea blondies. One of my favorite ways to achieve this goal is by using beans in place of flour in baked goods.
Chickpea Blondies?
These healthy peanut butter blondies use chickpeas instead of flour and peanut butter in place of butter or oil. I know what you’re thinking, do they really taste good? Yes, I promise you that they do!
I really love the combination of honey and coconut sugar as the sweetener, and the addition of 1 tablespoon of almond milk really made the texture perfect. This recipe ended my search for a delicious, healthy, peanut butter cookie that’s high in protein and fiber.
These healthy peanut butter blondies are also vegan-friendly (no eggs)! So you can eat the batter too. I love adding a touch of sea salt to the top of these before baking them, you can’t go wrong with sweet and salty!
How to Make Chickpea Blondies
This vegan blondies recipe is easy to make. Just put all the ingredients (except the chocolate chips) into the container of your Vitamix (or other high-powered blender or food processor) and blend.
It takes 5 minutes to put together and 30 minutes to bake. Which means that you can have a delicious dessert ready to go in no time.
Room temperature. One thing to note is that these blondies blend the easiest when all the ingredients are at room temperature.
If you’re using a solid peanut butter, I recommend melting it a touch before putting it in your blender. Rinse the chickpeas with warm water, and let the almond milk warm up a bit at room temperature too.
Store/freeze
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Reheat in the microwave or oven or enjoy them cold (they are delicious cold too).
Reipe FAQs
Yes, double it and bake it in a 9×13″ pan.
No, you can omit the chocolate chips or use a different add -in like dried fruit, nuts, etc.
Healthy Peanut Butter Blondies: Substitutions
I recommend making this recipe exactly as written. However, if you must, here are a few possible substitutions!
- Chickpeas. Great Northern Beans (white beans, Cannellini beans) also work well in this recipe! However, chickpeas (garbanzo beans} are my favorites!
- Peanut butter. Any nut or seed butter works well in place of peanut butter.
- Honey. Use pure maple syrup for a vegan variety.
- Coconut sugar. Any granulated sugar works well in this recipe. I prefer coconut sugar because it is unrefined.
- Almond milk. Any non-dairy or regular dairy-full milk can be used in this recipe. I have also used non-dairy creamer.
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Healthy Peanut Butter Blondies (Chickpea Blondies)
Ingredients
- 15 oz can of chickpeas (garbanzo beans) rinsed and drained (or 1 ¼ cups cooked chickpeas)
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
- ¼ cup honey (maple syrup for vegan)
- ¼ cup coconut sugar
- 1 TBS almond milk
- 2 tsp vanilla
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ½ cup chocolate chips
- extra sea salt & chocolate chips for the top
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8″ or 9″ glass baking pan and set aside.
- Put all ingredients except for chocolate chips into your blender (Vitamix) or food processor. I highly recommend a great blender like the Vitamix so you get a perfectly smooth consistency.
- Blend until creamy and smooth.
- Once smooth, add chocolate chips and mix by hand.
- Pour mixture into your prepared pan and spread out evenly.
- Sprinkle a few more chocolate chips and sea salt on top.
- Bake in your preheated oven for 20-30 mintues until the edges just pull away from the pan, the top is set and slightly golden brown.
- Let cool for at least 15 minutes, then enjoy!
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You can eat them cold or warm in the microwave for 15 seconds to regain the fresh-from-the-oven deliciousness!
Video
Notes
Ingredient Substitutions
- Chickpeas. Great Northern Beans (white beans, Cannellini beans) also work well in this recipe! However, chickpeas (garbanzo beans} are my favorites!
- Peanut butter. Any nut or seed butter works well in place of peanut butter.
- Honey. Use pure maple syrup for a vegan variety.
- Coconut sugar. Any granulated sugar works well in this recipe. I prefer coconut sugar because it is unrefined.
- Almond milk. Any non-dairy or regular dairy-full milk can be used in this recipe. I have also used non-dairy creamer.
Store/freeze
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Reheat in the microwave or oven or enjoy them cold (they are delicious cold too).Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Hi Laura! Just made these this afternoon and they look fantastic! I put them in a smaller sized pan (6×8 I believe) so they’d be good and thick! Can’t wait to dig in .. They’re cooling now. I’ll be sure to post a pic on Instagram at some point and tag you in them!
Hey Elizabeth! Thank you so much! It makes me so happy when people try the goodies I share on this little blog! 🙂 I hope you love them!! And making them deep dish is GENIUS! Looking forward too seeing pics of that Oooey Gooey, deep dish, chocolatey goodness! 🙂
Hi.. This recipe looks delicious. Did I miss the nutritional information? Specifically calories per serving. TIA.
Hey Steph! I do not include nutritional information on my recipes! 🙂
Hey Laura, these sound amazing and I can’t wait to try them! I have a bit of a sweet tooth and love substituting with healthier alternatives. I was wondering if you’ve ever frozen them to save for later? Do they taste just as well?
Hey Hannah!! I actually can’t say that they have ever lasted long enough for me to freezer for later! 🙂 I honestly haven’t tried freezing any of my bean-based desserts! I have a batch of them in the oven right now though, so I will stick one in there and give it a whirl and let you know how it goes!
Oh great, thank you! 🙂
Hey Hannah! I just ate the bar that I put in the freezer last week! It was good…not as great like it is fresh from the oven…but I was pleasantly surprised! I recommend reheating in the microwave on a low power for about 30 seconds…or just leave at room temperature until it’s thawed and then microwave for 5-10 seconds!
Good to know! Thanks for trying it out. That way I can make them to save for later 🙂
I’ve already made a batch in the meantime to bring to dinner with friends and we all loved them! No need to freeze anything from that batch 😉
Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Baking with beans is great! Chickpeas, white kidney beans and black beans are the best. I love chickpea blondies and these look perfect! Looking forward to making a batch this weekend!!
I couldn’t agree more!! 🙂 Who know beans could taste so great in sweet treats?! I hope you enjoy them! Please report back if you test drive this recipe! 🙂
Can you believe that I have never heard of the chickpea/peanut butter baking combo? I am definitely trying these because I too am a lover of peanut butter AND chickpeas!
Oh geeze you have some lost time to make up for! Get baking lady! 😉 🙂
These look so delicious! Even better that they are healthy! 🙂
Thanks Cara! 🙂
Love this recipe SO SO much!! I haven’t made chickpea based cookies in FOREVER so I’ll definitely be giving these a try soon!
Thanks so much Liz! I LOVE baking with chickpeas!!! 🙂 Let me know if you give them a whirl!
Can you substitute canned chickpeas with chickpea flour!
I do not recommend substitution chickpeas for chickpea flour!
If you want to live healthy, you must eat healthy. On this healthy peanut butter blondies, your cravings for peanut and butter will be satisfy in this recipe. Enjoying a dessert like this after your meal will sure to make you healthy and satisfied on this recipe.
I agree! I love satisfying cravings with healthy, nutritious foods! 🙂 We shouldn’t have to deprive ourselves….we can enjoy life and the food we eat without sacrificing our health!
I love this! Such a great recipe and love that you made it a healthy alternative. Pinned, Yummed, & Tweeted!! 🙂
Thank you Angela!! I hope you enjoy them! 🙂
I just love this recipe. I love the healthy spin you put on these delicious blondies! So good! Pinning, sharing on my FB, and stumbleing for you! Have a great week!:):)
Thanks so much Ilka! I’m so glad you love it!!! It’s one of my faves and definitely a staple in my house! 🙂 I hope you have an amazing week!!!