Easy, No Flour, Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Bites
Peanut butter chocolate chip cookies made with garbanzo beans? Chickpea cookies? I see you giving me side-eye and slipping on your judge-y pants. Try the cookies first. THEN ask your judge-y pants if they still need to come to this party.
If you are new to the idea of eating beans for dessert, welcome! An entire world awaits you! Sweet bean pastes https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweet_bean_paste have been used to fill pastries and served as custards in East Asia for a very long time. Red beans are the most commonly used, but black beans, mung beans, and various types of white beans are also common.
Flourless Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
In this recipe, we are going to be using chickpeas or garbanzo beans, which are a type of white bean, as the base of our flourless, egg-free, vegetarian cookie dough.
Why make cookies out of chickpeas?
Photo by Markus Winkler on Pexels
Many reasons! For one, they are delicious, which is a good enough reason if you ask me! I like all sorts of desserts and I love having a lot of options available to me. I especially like being able to accommodate friends with different dietary needs than myself.
Easy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Secondly, they are SO easy. Pop everything in the food processor to mix, plunk balls of dough on a cookie sheet and bake them. It doesn’t get much simpler than that!
Third, they are a great option for anyone seeking a healthier treat.
Compared to standard cookie ingredients, chickpeas are loaded with fiber as well as containing more protein and some vitamins and minerals. This recipe is also much lower in sugar than traditional chocolate chip cookies. These features are helpful if you or anyone you are baking for needs to watch their blood sugar or cholesterol.
It also makes the cookies incredibly satisfying and filling. No empty calories here!
Flourless Cookie
Do you need to consider allergies? These peanut butter chocolate chip cookies are completely grain and egg-free. To make them dairy-free all you have to do is use dairy-free chocolate chips. I haven’t personally tried swapping the peanut butter for an allergen friendly version, so I can’t vouch for the end product, but I can’t see why it wouldn’t work as well. (If you try it, drop a note in the comments to let me know how it went!)
They’re also vegetarian (not vegan, though) so they are a great pot luck hit.
Is there anyone that chickpea cookies might NOT be better for?
Nothing is ‘right’ for everyone. According to Medical News Today people on Beta Blockers should eat chickpeas in moderation because of their rich potassium content.
The additional fiber content could flare up digestive symptoms for people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or colitis. If you are sensitive to fiber content and would still like to try these cookie bites, I recommend cooking the beans a little longer so they are really soft (especially if you are starting from dry) and eating a small amount the first time to make sure your body is cool with the new food.
Mealtime conversation starters
Making changes can feel lonely, you can quickly build relationships by starting conversations.
Some people are able to talk to anyone, while others struggle to come up with what to say. If starting a conversation makes you nervous, don’t overthink it - stay positive, take a breath to help you feel more comfortable, introduce yourself and ask this question.
Question: What do you value most in a friendship?
Flourless Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Bites
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Equipment
- Baking sheet large
- silicone baking mat optional
- Parchment paper optional
- cooling rack optional
Ingredients
- 1½ cups chickpeas cooked and rinsed, see notes.
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup peanut butter variety with no sugar added
- ¼ cup honey
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¼ cup unsweetened coconut shredded
- ½ cup dark chocolate chips 70% cacao
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° F
- Add everything except the chocolate chips to the food processor. Process until completely smooth (be patient!)
- Remove the blade and stir in the chocolate chips.
- Spoon balls of batter onto a lined baking sheet. 24 balls for cookie bites, or 12 for full size cookies. They don't spread, so you can put them pretty close together.
- Bake 10-12 min until the edges begin to brown. (Smaller cookies will be done sooner)
- Cool completely to set. Store the cookies in the fridge in an airtight container.
Video
Notes
Hand Size Portions
Hand Portions
When you look at the nutritional values of a meal to log what you are eating, that is called tracking macros. A lot of people use this method to reach their health goals.
Looking at hand portion size and using this method to gauge how and what you eat is also a great method to help you reach your health goals. Many people who use this method often think this form of tracking meals is easier and more sustainable for a lifetime.
Want to learn more about hand portion size and how to use it to reach your goals? Check out the article How to Get Started with Hand Portion Sizes.
Health Ninja Jeanette Marcotte is a health coach and professional geologist, who is obsessed with helping fellow professional women reclaim their time and energy by weaving healthy choices into their daily lives.
When she is not coaching or looking at rocks, you can find her hanging out in her garden with her dog, collecting new hobbies, and/or reading far too many books at once.
Find other articles written by Jeanette on her coach profile. Hang around for mindset strategies and micro-habits that will transform your health & confidence so that you feel like a Health Ninja, too!
