We all know and love peanut butter cookies. And you’ve probably even enjoyed vegan peanut butter cookies.
But, I’m betting you haven’t had a Peanut Butter CHICKPEA Cookie!
I’ve had this recipe in my pocket for what seems like forever. I developed the recipe for Plant-Powered Families, but we ran out of space and I had to cut recipes. #boo
And, this vegan peanut butter cookie was in the works even earlier. A reader emailed years ago requesting a healthy vegan version of a peanut butter cookie recipe she had seen using chickpeas. What a novel idea!
Chickpeas in a peanut butter cookie may sound, uh, nutty at first. #seewhatididthere?
But, peanuts are legumes (not tree nuts) just like chickpeas. So, why not #useyourbean and put them both in vegan peanut butter cookies?!
sidenote: I totally want to create a t-shirt with “use your bean”… think?
I was going to post the recipe soon after the release of PPF, but got to thinking about tweaking it. Dang it when I do that! My mind sets off and before I know it I’m changing the flours, the sweeteners, the fat type… and before I know it I have another five versions of a recipe that was already “finished”.
Intervention, please.
Still, when I reworked these I think I did improve the taste and texture, so it’s all good. And my family didn’t complain. #savages
So it began. First I created these vegan peanut butter cookies with a base of spelt flour, then I tweaked to offer a gluten-free version using oat flour. Then I thought “why not chickpea flour“?
Except one cannot eat raw vegan cookie batter than contains chickpea flour. #ick
So that brought me to the 3rd or 4th iteration of the revised cookies. Then I experimented with using dates in place of sugar. Didn’t work here. Sometimes I love it, other times, not so much. After a couple of trials, I went back to the coconut sugar and maple syrup combo.
One thing I didn’t change? Roasting the chickpeas. So don’t you dare skip it either! #bossymama
For real, that step coaxes out a nuttier – er, legume-ier – flavor. Plus, it helps dry the chickpeas just a tad and gives a better overall flavor and texture for these vegan peanut butter cookies. I did opt to add extra roasted chickpeas to top the cookies before baking. That was a very final tweak (not reflected in the photos here).
Oh, and I give the option of adding some chocolate chips. #surprisesurprise
Enough talking and #ing. On to the recipe!
PBC Cookies (Vegan Peanut Butter Chickpea Cookies)!
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup cooked chickpeas (+ 1-2 tbsp for topping, optional); canned fine, rinse and drain before using roast all chickpeas first, see directions - don't skip this step!
- 1/2 cup peanut butter (chunky is great!) can substitute a nut butter, see note
- 2-3 tbsp pure maple syrup see note
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp blackstrap molasses
- 1/2 cup coconut sugar
- 1/2 cup oat flour (or chickpea flour) see note, don't eat chickpea flour batter!
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp sea salt (scant 1/4 tsp if peanut butter is salted)
- 1 tbsp coconut sugar to sprinkle on top of cookies, optional
- 3-4 tbsp non-dairy chocolate chunks or chips, optional optional idea, see note
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place chickpeas on the baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, until they dry out slightly and become a little roasted (mostly want to remove some of the moisture and add nutty flavor). Remove from oven, let cool slightly, and reduce oven temperature to 350. Reserve baking sheet/paper. In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the chickpeas and peanut butter. (If you don’t have a hand-mixer, you will need to first process the chickpeas in a small food processor. The hand mixer will not break down the chickpeas like a paddle on a stand mixer. So, first process with a small processor, then transfer back for hand-mixing). Mix, slowly to start, then at a higher speed until the chickpeas smooth out with the peanut butter. Add the maple syrup (starting with 2 tbsp, see note), vanilla, and molasses and mix again. In a bowl, combine the dry ingredients, sifting in baking powder and soda. Add dry ingredients to wet, and mix through until just nicely combined. If the mixture is dry at this point (it can be depending on the moisture in the peanut butter, whether it is a new or older jar), add a touch of milk to help moisten the mix and bring it together. Add 1 teaspoon at a time, and stop once the mixture has formed a ball. Place scoops of the batter (about 1 - 1 1/2 tbsp full) on the reserved baking sheet/paper. Flatten a little with a fork or your fingers. Bake for 12 minutes, then remove and let cool for a minute or two on the pan, then transfer to a cookie sheet to cool completely.Makes 14-17 cookies
Notes
- Chickpeas Note: You can easily double this batch, or roast extra chickpeas and refrigerate (for up to a week) for another batch later.
- PB Note: If the peanut butter is a little thick/dry (like when reaching the end of the jar), you may need a touch more moisture in the cookies. If the batter isn’t coming together, add the extra tablespoon of maple syrup.
- Idea: Try adding a chunk of dark chocolate to each cookie, or mixing in some chips!
- Chickpea Flour Note: I know, we love to eat raw vegan cookie dough! But, chickpea flour tastes nasty. Don't do it!
food photography credit: Nicole Axworthy
Are you feeling inspired to bake? Let me know how these work out for you, and how you enjoy them (as in with or without chocolate).
Carolyn says
Yay! finally a GF recipe that is oat free! like many coeliacs i cannot eat even GF oats so I am always dissappointed by the recipes that claim to be GF. This one is amazing!
Dreena says
Hi Carolyn, delighted you are excited about the cookies – enjoy!
Sharon says
Made these tonight with about a 1/3 c whole wheat flour and a few tablespoons of all purpose to bring the flour amount up to 1/2 c. I did not find the substitution made them dry. I also did not use baking powder because I just ran out and it was fine (normally I wouldn’t omit baking powder, but I decided to risk it for these :)). I used the paddle attachment on the stand mixer and while I didn’t find the chickpeas completely incorporated, a little chunk here or there wasn’t a problem. I’d highly recommend!!
Connie says
These are really good!
I came looking for a good gluten free cookie to take to a friend who just had surgery. These are delicious and I’m sure she’ll have no idea that they have beans in them.
Thanks, Dreena!
Karen says
These are the best peanut butter cookies I’ve ever made. Vegan or otherwise. I added chopped roasted peanuts and did sprinkle some raw sugar on top. So good. Will make another batch tomorrow.
Dreena says
Oh wonderful! That’s a delight to read, thank you Karen.
Tammy says
Can the molasses be substituted for something else?
Dreena says
Hi Tammy, you can omit it if you don’t want to us it, it’s a small amount.
TIFFANY TUCKER says
My family loved these! I have a 1 and 3 year old. They turned out WONDERFUL! All of your recipes are spectacular.
Dreena says
made my day, thanks Tiffany
Nichole says
I made these yesterday. The first batch was a bit too dry. I expected them to flatten out while cooking but they didn’t so they were a bit ugly to look at but still yummy to eat. I added some soy milk and flattened them with a spoon on the baking sheet and that solved the problem. They were both beautiful to look at and fabulous to eat. We added chocolate chips. Loved them!
The Vegan 8 says
I love peanut butter cookies and love this healthy twist you put on them! I’d be scared to eat the whole batch! I am not a fan of chickpeas that much, but love them when they have loads of yummy flavor added to them! I agree on the roasting part too, it really does change the flavor. I roast chickpeas beforehand for my falafel and the flavor is amazing!
Vegan Heaven says
What a great combo! These look amazing. 🙂 I haven’t used chickpea flour in so long…
Sophia | Veggies Don't Bite says
I love peanut butter cookies and these look delicious! I could eat them all day long…but I won’t….
Linda from Veganosity says
I love a good PB cookie and these sound wonderful, Dreena. Thanks for sharing your recipe.
Lisa says
So these are cooked chickpeas them roasted in the oven. I’m sorry I thought it was raw chickpeas roasted then ground and mixed with the peanut butter.
Dreena says
Yes, cooked.
Nicole Dawson says
I’m all for the “Use your Bean” shirt! Love it! I can’t wait to try this recipe, so glad you pulled it out of the vault :). We would have to use Chunky SunButter in place of PB, so I’ll have to let you know how that turns out.
Dreena says
thanks, I love the idea of the tee too. Please do let me know how they turn out with sunbutter, I’d love to know – thanks Nicole.
Ashley says
If you recommend not to eat the dough because it’s nasty, how do they suddenly become tasty after baking?
Dreena says
It’s something specific to legume-based flours. If you’re unsure, use the oat flour version.
Lindsey says
I am intrigued. I making these for church small group Saturday night. They are such good sports about my recipes. Yes, definitely make the “Use Your Bean” T shirt.
Dreena says
Oh great! And thanks, I’m going to consider the tee. 🙂
Lois says
Do you use dried chickpeas to make the flour? Making flour in a vitamix dry food blender?
I am kind of confused.
I am very new to this and need to check out this recipe.
Dreena says
Hi Lois, you can buy chickpea flour in most stores. It’s easier than making it yourself and you’re sure to get a find grind. You *can* make it in a high-speed blender, but it’s handy to have it on hand – and it’s not expensive. Also, you can use oat flour if you don’t want to use the chickpea flour.
Lois says
Thanks for the help.
Your recipes are great.
Lois
Laura says
What about processing the whole recipe in a large food processor? I’m concerned the texture won’t be smooth enough otherwise to pass inspection of my 8 yo critic.
Dreena says
If you have a mixer, it will really pulverize the chickpeas – there may be some smaller pieces, but nothing more than the chunky peanut butter!
Lynda says
Hi Dreena ~ This recipe sounds great! I will try it this weekend. Question for you – do you take the skins off the chickpeas or leave them on? Does this affect the end product? We have an upcoming Family Reunion with other Vegan folk soon. I will bring these for a nice dessert. Thanks Dreena
Dreena says
Thanks Laura. 🙂 I don’t fuss with the skins of the chickpeas. You can if you want, but I don’t have the patience for that! You really don’t notice them in the cookies. Might be worthwhile trying out a batch to see how you like them. If you do, roast more chickpeas than you need for that one batch, then you can refrigerate and use more later for another batch or two. Hope that helps!
Amy says
Maybe I’m not reading correctly, but are all the chickpeas supposed to be roasted? Or just roast the ones to put on top? I don’t want to garnish the cookies but am not sure if the chickpeas inside the cookies should also be roasted beforehand. Thanks!
Dreena says
Yes, roast them all, really gives a nice nutty flavour. You don’t need to garnish, but definitely roast the 3/4 cup. I’ve updated the post to make that a little more clear. Enjoy!
mel | avirtualvegan.com says
These look so good! Those crinkly tops are just lovely. I adore chickpeas in desserts and really need to try these soon!
Alisa Fleming says
I’ve always wondered what those chickpea cookie doughs are like when baked – now I think I need to try it as these look great!
Rho says
Can we skip molasas and use honey?
Dreena says
The molasses is there for flavor more than texture, if you want to skip it you can.
Annemarie says
Oh my goodness! That was me! The Windsor Star had a chickpea peanut butter cookie recipe and I asked if you had a vegan version because the idea intrigued me. Thank you so much! I will be making these for Easter.
Dreena says
Awwww! I couldn’t recall Annemarie, I’m so glad you commented. I recalled the email and it was SO long ago that we communicated. Thanks for inspiring me, and I hope they are a hit for you!
P S umida says
I’m not crazy about the taste of chickpeas but I wonder if one could substitute chickpea flour for the chickpeas. Do you have an idea about what the ratio of chick peas to chickpea flour might be and/or if it would work?
Dreena says
That’s why I roast the chickpeas, it changes the flavor quite a bit, making them taste nutty. With this and the flavor of the peanut butter, the chickpea flavor doesn’t come through. Give them a try and see – will be better than trying to sub in more chickpea flour which can taste overpowering. Hope that helps.
Dianne says
Using chickpeas in cookie is pure genius! I can’t wait to try these!
Dreena says
Thanks Dianne! 🙂
Becky striepe says
These look so amazing! PB and chocolate anything gets my vote!
Jenn says
I love this idea! I use chickpeas in several of my desserts (blondies and truffles), but have never tried them in a cookie. You better believe I will be trying these soon. YUM!
Francine says
Are your chickpeas from a can or sprouted?
Sandy says
Could I substitute almond butter for the peanut butter.
Dreena says
absolutely! I’ve done so myself 🙂
Dreena says
Hi Sandy, I usually use canned chickpeas unless I have fresh cooked on hand. You can use sprouted, they can be a little bit drier but you can adjust that in the batter with a touch more maple syrup or pb if needed.