These Cinnamon Chickpea Blondies are chewy, sweet and perfect for snacking! They’re flourless, gluten-free, vegan, full of fiber and protein, while still tasting like something you want to eat! Food allergy friends, this is for you!
I’m a blondie sharing a blondie recipe with you today! Yes, I just went there. Corny Cotter at your service for days! Anyways, this blondie recipe is extra special. In fact, I’d say it’s magical. VEGAN magic! But first, let’s chat about blondies (the baked dessert version) and why they are called blondies. You’re curious, aren’t you?
What Is a Blondie?
A blondie recipe may share similar ingredients with a brownie recipe, but any chocolate lover will tell you that brownies and blondies are very different. Both very delicious, mind you, but different for sure.
While they both include some type of flour, sugar, fat/butter and eggs, blondies don’t contain cocoa or chocolate. Instead, the light-colored dough is flavored with brown sugar or golden sugar.
Ingredients and Substitutions
Below is an overview of the ingredients and recipe. Please be sure to scroll down to the recipe card below for the complete details and nutrition information.
- Canned chickpeas – Drain and rinse them well.
- Nut butter – Feel free to use any variety of nut butter you like, as long as it’s a creamy, no stir kind. Or, sunflower seed butter, for a nut-free vegan blondie recipe
Nut-free option – Be sure to use sunflower seed butter. Note that sunflower seed butter turns flour green once baked. 🙂
- Maple syrup – Substitute with honey if you aren’t vegan.
- Raw cane sugar or any cup for cup sugar substitute
- Oat flour or ground oats – Make sure to look for certified gluten-free varieties to prevent the risk of cross-contamination with other gluten-containing foods.
Can you use coconut flour in place of the oat flour? We’ve made these with coconut flour and they are still delicious, but the texture is more crumbly versus moist.
- Ground cinnamon – Adjust to taste.
- Baking Essentials – Baking powder, baking soda, salt, and vanilla extract are included to enhance the taste and texture.
- Dairy-free white chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, mini chocolate chips, and/or nuts.
Recipe Tips
- If you use brown sugar or a dark maple syrup or honey, the blondies will turn out darker, but are still delicious.
- To reduce sugars, we used monk fruit golden sugar. But any golden sugar will do.
- We’ve made these at least 8 times in the past 2 months and each time they turn out a little different.
- Bake them longer, 30-32 minutes, for a caramelized top and corners, just like a brownie. But, they have a cake-like texture inside! If edges are starting to brown and the middle isn’t full baked, then cover the pan with foil and continue baking until middle comes out clean with knife.
- Bake them less, 22-25 minutes, and you get a gooey inside.
How to Make Chickpea Blondies
Y’all, this is a food processor recipe – one bowl goodness! If you don’t have a food processor, wipe away your tears and pull out a high speed blender instead.
- Prepare the baking pan, your oven, and your food processor. Preheat your oven and line your baking pan with parchment paper. Trust me; you don’t want these delicious bars to stick to the pan!
- Measure and prep the ingredients. Start by rinsing and draining the chickpeas. Then measure out the other ingredients and get ready to create some chickpea blondies!
- Make chickpea blondies batter. This step is super easy. Just place the chickpeas, nut butter, and maple syrup or honey to the bowl of your food processor or blender. Place the lid on the bowl and process until everything is smooth and creamy.
- Mix and combine the dry ingredients with the chickpea mixture. In a large mixing bowl, sift together the sugar, oat flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Then, add the chickpea mixture to the bowl and use a mixing spatula or spoon to combine everything together.
- Spread the batter into your prepared pan and BAKE!
More of Our Favorite
Gluten-Free Dessert Bar Recipes
Cinnamon Chickpea Blondies (vegan )
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 9–11 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Cinnamon chickpea blondies are chewy, gluten free treats, perfect for snacking! This flourless vegan blondie recipe can also be made nut free.
Ingredients
- 15.5 ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed (around 1 ½ cups chickpeas)
- ⅓ cup creamy no stir nut butter or sunflower seed butter for nut-free option
- ⅓ cup honey or maple syrup for vegan option
- ⅔ cup (or up to 1 cup) raw cane sugar or sugar substitute
- ⅓ cup gluten-free oat flour (40 grams) or ½ cup ground rolled oats made into oat flour *see notes
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 3 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup dairy-free white chocolate chips or butterscotch chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and line an 8×8 pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Drain can of chickpeas, and rinse them well under cold water to remove residue.
- Add rinsed chickpeas, nut butter or sunflower butter, and maple syrup to the bowl of food processor. Attach the lid and process until batter is completely smooth. Stop food processor and scrape sides as needed.
- In a large mixing bowl, sift together the sugar, oat flour (or ground oats), baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Add the chickpea mixture to the flour mixture. Add the vanilla extract and optional chocolate/butterscotch chips and nuts.
- Transfer batter to the lined 8×8 baking pan and spread the batter out evenly.
- Sprinkle with sea salt and extra cinnamon on top .
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, until knife inserted comes out clean and edges are golden brown. Note –Baking times vary, depending on what sugar/flour you use. If edges are starting to brown and the middle isn’t done, then cover the pan with foil and continue baking until center is fully baked.
Notes
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: desserts
- Method: oven
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 blondie
- Calories: 161
- Sugar: 18.8 g
- Sodium: 192.3 mg
- Fat: 4.9 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 27.4 g
- Fiber: 2.8 g
- Protein: 3.8 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
I found your youtube video on 12/30/24. I like Blondies more than Brownies, and yes, I’ll try these ASAP!!!!!!!!!!!! Happy New Year to you, Lindsay!!!
Yay! So glad! And happy new year to you too, friend! 😚
So delicious!!!
I didn’t use any honey or maple and no sugar. Instead 200g mashed banana. Used 30g coconut flour and 10g cassava flour. Also used cacao nibs instead of chocolate chips. Will definitely make those again
Oh I love the use of cassava flour! Great idea! And thanks so much for the feedback and rating Nadja!
Hi Lindsay, thank you for sharing your recipe with all of us, I have made this several times and absolutely love the taste, it reminds me of a breakfast cinnamon coffee cake (without all the bad stuff) lol. My question to you is: I follow your recipe almost to the T, except I leave out the sugar (I don’t eat sugar) and it tastes great without adding it, but mine always turns out more on the dry side, is there a way to add moisture like maybe applesauce or milk (IDK) something? If so, which one and how much? Thank you again!!
Hi Karen! Thanks so much for your kind words and I’m glad you like the blondies! As far as reducing sugar goes, sugar and fat make baked goods moist, but you could try using our 1/4 cup to 1/3 cup date paste recipe or applesauce instead. Are you adding the honey or avoiding that too?
Surprisingly, tasty, texture wasn’t too bad! Ty
I’m so glad! Thanks for reporting back Eileen. Yes it can seem to add chickpeas, but it does work! And removing the chickpea skins can help with texture even more, if you have time to go through that extra step before blending.
Can this be made with chickpea flour instead of oat flour? If so, what would be the correct measurement? Thanks!
This recipe is exactly what I was searching for! Thank you for understanding complex allergies combined with a longing for Blondies!!! Making them this afternoon!
I’m so glad! Keep me posted Karla!
Made these today – my first time baking with chickpeas. I am not vegan or gluten or dairy intolerant but I have an inflammatory bowel disease and I’m experimenting with eating less inflammatory foods – like refined sugar, white flour, additives etc. Surprised by how delicious these were and lovely gooey texture.
I’m so glad! thanks for feedback elen!
Wow, the flavor of this is unbelievable. I couldn’t get the middle to firm up so I may try an egg next time, but who cares. The flavor is unreal, love it! Thank you thank you!
By the way, it was a hair sweeter than I thought it was be. Think it would turn out the same if I cut out the cane sugar altogether?
Definitely! you can reduce sugar to your liking, no prob. I also like raw sugar. The middle texture varies depending on sugar too. Keep me posted!
These are so delicious!! I love how healthy they are too!
Thanks, Laura!
Wow! These are amazing! I am blown away at how moist and yummy they are. The chickpeas are a great healthy bonus that my daughter never suspected!
So glad ya’ll loved them!
These turned out amazing. What a great idea to use chickpeas for a healthy twist.
So glad to hear that! Thanks, Cathy!
This was so good!! My kids really loved this treat!
Yaayyy! Thanks Toni!
This is such a great recipe! I’m definitely a visual learner so the video was super helpful! Thanks!
Glad the video was helpful to you! Thanks Suzy!
Can I use chickpea flour instead?
Hi Phyll! I haven’t tried it yet but I think it could work. texture might be more dry. Be sure to watch the baking times. Keep me posted!
I am making these this weekend for my husband. Because of his health he has to watch his diet closely. These will be perfect! Thank you!
You’re welcome! I hope he enjoys them! Keep me posted Beth!
I love adding chickpeas to my baked goods! What an awesome recipe!
I know right?! So good! Thanks, Lauren!