Chickpea Brownies Recipe: How to Make Vegan Chickpea Brownies

Chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, are legumes common to savory dishes, such as falafel and hummus. Chickpeas are relatively mild in flavor and blend well into baked goods, like chocolate chip cookies and muffins, adding only a touch of earthy flavor but additional protein and carbohydrates.

Aquafaba, the liquid that surrounds canned chickpeas, is another common ingredient in baked goods, especially vegan or vegetarian dishes, such as chickpea brownies, chickpea blondies, and black bean brownies. A popular vegan substitute for egg whites or whipped cream, aquafaba does little to affect other flavors while still contributing lightness to airy dessert recipes.

Chickpea brownies incorporate a can of chickpeas (or garbanzo beans) plus chocolate flavoring. Beyond that, you can customize the recipe’s other ingredients to meet your personal flavor preferences and dietary restrictions. Here are four variations on chickpea brownies to try:

1. 1. Flourless chickpea brownies: Removing flour from a chickpea flour brownie recipe makes them gluten-free and grain-free. Flourless, gluten-free brownies are fudgy, gooey, and dense, similar to a flourless chocolate cake. Serve flourless chickpea brownies with ice cream or whipped cream to cut the brownie’s richness.
2. 2. Nut-free chickpea brownies: Some chickpea brownie recipes call for nut butter, such as peanut butter or almond butter, or nut flour (for example, almond flour) to add flavor and structure. An alternative is to omit the nut butter or use sunflower seed butter or tahini instead. In terms of flour, other nut-free options include oat flour, chickpea flour, and all-purpose flour.
3. 3. Sugar-free chickpea brownies: If you want to avoid refined sugars like brown sugar and granulated sugar, try an alternative sweetener, such as maple syrup, mashed bananas, applesauce, or coconut sugar. Consider also using unsweetened cacao powder or cocoa powder plus sugar-free chocolate chips.
4. 4. Vegan chickpea brownies: Leverage dairy-free substitutes for both butter and eggs if you want to make a vegan version of chickpea brownies. A flax egg, vegan butter, avocado, and applesauce are all alternatives. Cocoa powder is already vegan, but many chocolate chips are not, so use vegan chocolate chips instead. Note that many brands of dark chocolate are vegan, but it’s wise to still check the label to be certain.