Fudgy Chickpea Brownies Recipe (Vegan!)

Name: Fudgy Chickpea Brownies
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 15 oz can of chickpeas (drained and rinsed); ⅓ cup creamy almond butter (runny, not stiff (I like all-natural without palm oil)); ½ cup real maple syrup; 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract; ⅓ cup coconut sugar; ¼ cup super-fine blanched almond flour (spooned and leveled); ¼ cup cocoa powder; ¼ tsp baking powder ((use ½ teaspoon for more cake-like brownies)); ¼ tsp salt; ½ cup chocolate chips (dairy-free if vegan)

These fudgy chickpea brownies are vegan, gluten-free, and made with a can of chickpeas instead of oil or butter. Each square has 8g of protein and no refined sugar, and the chocolate flavor is rich enough that nobody ever guesses the secret ingredient.

Add me as a trusted Google source

Stack of fudgy chickpea brownies with melted chocolate chunks on top.

Fudgy Chickpea Brownies At A Glance

✅ Recipe Name: Fudgy Chickpea Brownies (Vegan!)
🕒 Ready In: ~35 minutes (10 minutes prep + 25 minutes bake)
👪 Serves: 9 brownies
🍽 Calories: ~274kcal per brownie
💪 Protein: 8g per brownie
🥣 Main Ingredients: Canned chickpeas, almond butter, almond flour, cocoa powder, maple syrup, coconut sugar, dairy-free chocolate chips
📖 Dietary Info: Vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, refined sugar free, oil-free
⭐ Why You'll Love It: Blended chickpeas replace the oil and butter, so each brownie has 8g of protein and 6g of fiber. One food processor, no mixer, no flour to measure, and nobody guesses the secret ingredient.

SUMMARIZE & SAVE THIS CONTENT ON

These were one of the first recipes I ever put on Healthful Blondie back in 2020, and they are still the dessert I make most often. I have baked them more times than I can count since then.

That is how I figured out what actually matters here. Rinse the chickpeas until the water runs clear, pat them dry, and blend the batter until it is completely smooth. Those three things are the difference between a brownie nobody can identify and one that tastes like a bean.

The other thing I tested my way into is the baking powder. A quarter teaspoon gives you a dense, truly fudgy brownie. A half teaspoon gives you something lighter and more cake-like. I use a quarter almost every time, but both work.

If you loved my viral peanut butter chickpea blondies, this is the chocolate version I made right after. I am a little obsessed with hiding beans and vegetables in dessert, so you may also like my vegan sweet potato blondies. And if you want something chocolatey with no secret ingredients at all, my vegan molten lava cakes are the move.

Jump to:

Fudgy Chickpea Brownies At A Glance
Why These Chickpea Brownies Work
Can You Taste the Chickpeas in These Brownies?
Ingredients You'll Need
Substitutions and Variations
How to Make Fudgy Vegan Chickpea Brownies (Step-by-Step)
My Tips After Testing This Recipe
Why did my chickpea brownies turn out dry or gritty?
Are Chickpea Brownies Actually Healthy?
How to Store, Make Ahead & Freeze
Chickpea Brownies FAQs
More Vegan Recipes You'll Love
📖 Recipe
💬 Comments

Why These Chickpea Brownies Work

Chickpeas replace the oil and butter: Blended smooth, they give you the moisture and dense fudgy texture that oil normally provides, which is why there is not a drop of oil or butter in the recipe.
8 grams of protein per brownie: The chickpeas and almond butter do that on their own, no protein powder and no chalky aftertaste.
No refined sugar: Sweetened with pure maple syrup and coconut sugar instead of white sugar.
Naturally gluten-free and egg-free: Almond flour keeps them gluten-free, and the almond butter binds the batter so no eggs or egg replacer are needed.
One food processor, 10 minutes of prep: Everything goes in at once, no mixer and no creaming butter and sugar.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Soo yummy; love this healthy brownie. My family loved it too. You don't taste the chickpeas. I've tried other healthy brownie recipes and this one is the best!

- Beth

Can You Taste the Chickpeas in These Brownies?

No. When the batter is blended completely smooth, the cocoa powder and chocolate chips cover the chickpeas entirely. Three things guarantee it:

Rinse until the water runs clear: Canned chickpeas sit in starchy, salty liquid, and that liquid is what actually tastes beany. Rinse them under cold water for a full 30 seconds.
Pat them dry: Wet chickpeas water down the batter and make the brownies gummy instead of fudgy. A paper towel is enough.
Blend until there are no flecks left: This is the step people rush. Run the food processor 30 to 50 seconds and scrape the sides. If you can still see pale specks, keep going. Specks are what people bite into and identify.

Readers tell me the same thing in the comments over and over: they cannot taste the chickpeas at all.

Ingredients You'll Need

Chickpea brownies need just 10 simple ingredients, and you likely already have most of them. Here is what each one does and what you can swap.

Ingredients for chickpea brownies including canned chickpeas, almond butter, maple syrup, cocoa powder, and almond flour.

Canned chickpeas: One 15 ounce can (about 425g), drained and rinsed. They replace the oil and butter, add moisture and plant-based protein, and give you that dense fudgy texture. Outside the US, a 400g tin works fine.
Almond butter: Use creamy and runny, not the dry stuff from the bottom of the jar. It binds the batter so no eggs are needed, and adds richness (just like my flourless vegan brownie skillet). Cashew butter is the closest swap. Peanut butter works but you will taste it.
Pure maple syrup: Use real maple syrup, not pancake table syrup. It sweetens and adds moisture at the same time.
Coconut sugar: For extra sweetness and a subtle caramel depth that maple syrup alone does not give you. Light or dark brown sugar works too.
Almond flour: Just a quarter cup, and it is what keeps these gluten-free. I love baking with almond flour because its natural fat keeps baked goods soft and moist without any butter. Do not use coconut flour here, it is far too absorbent and will dry the brownies out. My almond flour chocolate cake uses it the same way.
Unsweetened cocoa powder: This is the ingredient that makes or breaks the flavor. A good quality cocoa gives you a deep, rich chocolate taste, and a cheap one will taste chalky no matter what else you do right.
Baking powder: A quarter teaspoon for dense and fudgy, a half teaspoon for lighter and more cake-like.
Vanilla extract: A full teaspoon and a half, which is more than most brownie recipes call for. It helps round out any last trace of the chickpeas.
Salt: Just a quarter teaspoon, but it makes the chocolate taste more like chocolate.
Dairy-free chocolate chips: Half go into the batter, half go on top. They melt into pockets of chocolate throughout.

Scroll to the recipe card for quantities!

Substitutions and Variations

I have made this recipe enough times to know which swaps hold up. Here is what I recommend:

Cashew butter instead of almond butter: My favorite substitute. Same creamy texture, same mild flavor, no difference in the finished brownie.
Peanut butter instead of almond butter: Works, but you will taste it. Make these if you want a peanut butter brownie, not if you want a plain chocolate one.
Brown sugar instead of coconut sugar: Light or dark both work, one for one.
Cacao powder instead of cocoa powder: Slightly more bitter and intense. I like it, but add a splash more maple syrup if you are sensitive to dark chocolate.
Chopped walnuts or pecans: About half a cup, folded in with the chocolate chips.
Flaky sea salt on top: Sprinkle right after they come out of the oven.
Espresso powder: One teaspoon deepens the chocolate without making them taste like coffee.
Nut-free version: Swap in sunflower seed butter and oat flour. They will be less fudgy and more cake-like. This is the one swap I have not tested myself.

How to Make Fudgy Vegan Chickpea Brownies (Step-by-Step)

These chickpea brownies come together in one food processor in about 10 minutes. Preheat your oven to 350°F and line an 8x8 pan with parchment paper before you start.

Chickpea brownie batter blended smooth in a food processor.

Step 1: Blend all ingredients. Add the drained and rinsed chickpeas, almond butter, maple syrup, vanilla, coconut sugar, almond flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt to a food processor. Blend 30 to 50 seconds until completely smooth with no visible chickpea pieces.

Chocolate chips folded into chickpea brownie batter in a food processor.

Step 2: Fold in the chocolate chips. Remove the blade and stir in half a cup of dairy-free chocolate chips by hand. Do not process them or you will lose the chocolate pockets.

Chickpea brownie batter spread in a parchment lined 8x8 baking pan.

Step 3: Spread and top. Spread the batter evenly into the lined pan and sprinkle the remaining half cup of chocolate chips over the top.

Baked chickpea brownies in a square pan topped with melted chocolate chips.

Step 4: Bake and cool. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Let them cool in the pan at least 1 hour before slicing, or they will fall apart.

My Tips After Testing This Recipe

Use good quality cocoa powder. This is my number one tip for any brownie recipe, but especially these. A good cocoa gives you deep, rich chocolate flavor. A cheap one tastes chalky and no other ingredient can fix it.
Spoon and level your almond flour. Do not scoop it straight from the bag or you will pack it down and add too much. Too much almond flour is the most common reason these come out dry.
Do not overbake them. Pull them when a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs, not clean. Every oven runs differently, so start checking at 20 minutes.
Chill them for an even fudgier texture. Refrigerate the cooled brownies for a few hours before slicing. This is how I like them best, and it makes them noticeably denser.

Why did my chickpea brownies turn out dry or gritty?

Dry and gritty are two different problems with two different causes. Here is how to tell them apart and fix them.

If they came out dry:

Too much almond flour. The most common cause. Scooping straight from the bag packs it down and adds far more than a quarter cup. Spoon it in and level it off.
Overbaked. Pull them when the toothpick has a few moist crumbs on it, not when it comes out clean. Even a few extra minutes matters here.

If they came out gritty:

Underblended batter. This is almost always it. If you could still see pale flecks before baking, those flecks are the grit. Run the food processor 30 to 50 seconds and scrape the sides down at least once.
A blender instead of a food processor. A blender can work, but the batter is thick, so you may need to stop and scrape several times to get it fully smooth.

Sliced fudgy chickpea brownies on parchment paper topped with chocolate chunks.

Are Chickpea Brownies Actually Healthy?

Compared to a traditional brownie, yes. These are still a dessert, but they are a meaningfully better one.

Each brownie has 8 grams of protein and 6 grams of fiber, which comes from the chickpeas and almond butter rather than a scoop of protein powder, the same way my healthy protein ice cream get their protein from cottage cheese.

There is no oil or butter in the recipe at all, and no refined sugar, since they are sweetened with maple syrup and coconut sugar.

How to Store, Make Ahead & Freeze

Storing: Keep them in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature, or up to 6 days in the fridge. I always go with the fridge, since they get denser and fudgier cold.
Make ahead: Bake them a day early. The flavor deepens overnight and they slice more cleanly once fully chilled, so they are a good dessert to make the night before you need them.
Freezing: Slice them first, then freeze in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight or on the counter for a few hours, or microwave one for 15 to 20 seconds if you want it warm.

Chickpea Brownies FAQs

What size can of chickpeas do I need?

One 15 ounce can, which is about 425g. If you are outside the US, a 400g tin works fine with no other changes.

Do I need to remove the chickpea skins?

No. If you blend the brownie batter until it is completely smooth, the chickpea skins break down and you will never notice them.

Are chickpea brownies high in protein?

Each brownie has 8 grams, which comes from the chickpeas and almond butter. That is roughly double a standard brownie and it happens without any protein powder.

Can I use dried chickpeas instead of canned?

Yes. You want about 1½ cups of cooked chickpeas, drained and patted dry. I have only made these with canned, so start there if it is your first time.

Can I use a blender instead of a food processor?

Yes, but chickpea brownie batter is thick, so you will need to stop and scrape the sides several times to get it fully smooth. A food processor handles it more easily.

Can chickpea brownies be frozen?

Yes, for up to 3 months. Slice them first so you can pull out one at a time, then thaw in the fridge overnight or on the counter.

More Vegan Recipes You'll Love

If you loved these chickpea brownies, here are a few more healthy dessert recipes to try next:

Did you make this recipe?

If you make this recipe, be sure to comment and rate it down below. Also, don't forget to tag me @healthfulblondie on Instagram and use the hashtag #healthfulblondie so I can see your delicious creation and share it with my followers!

📖 Recipe

Recipe tested and developed by Tati Chermayeff, creator of Healthful Blondie. A former Division I rower, Ironman triathlete, and recipe developer based in Austin, TX, Tati creates high-protein and healthy recipes that actually taste like the real thing.

Comments

5 from 8 votes (5 ratings without comment)