26.02.2009 Chickpea “Blondies”

You’d think that after eating up to 2 large servings a day of 3 testing batches in a row, I’d be tired of these. But nope: I blame it on the knowledge they are a mostly-good-for-you type of dessert.

These are not meant to perfectly mimic or replace the most sinful blondies ever made, but to offer a healthy and tasty alternative instead. Yup.

Chickpea “Blondies”


Non-stick cooking spray
15 ounces (1 can, 425 g) cooked garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup (96 g) raw sugar
1/2 cup (160 g) strawberry or other all-fruit spread
1/4 cup (64 g) crunchy natural peanut butter or tahini
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (42 g) flax meal (sub with other meal or flour if you’re not looking to make these gluten-free)
2 tablespoons (20 g) brown rice flour (sub with other meal or flour if you’re not looking to make these gluten-free)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C, or gas mark 4). Lightly coat an 8-inch (20-cm) square baking pan with spray.
In a food processor, combine all ingredients and blend until perfectly smooth, scraping sides often.
Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 26 minutes.
Place the pan on a wire rack and let cool completely before placing in the fridge and slicing.
Enjoy cold from the fridge. These blondies freeze well, too.

Yield: 8 servings

  • Jessi says:

    I was so ready to love these, but alas, it was not to be. They were given back — sans two bites or so– by both of the vegan dessert-fiends in my household, with the assessment that they tasted like “regurgitated, re-fried peanut butter and jelly.” Nothing about these resembles a blondie in any way.

    • Celine says:

      they’re made of beans, obviously not meant to exactly replicate a blondie.
      by the amount of positive feedback they have received, it truly shows it’s a matter of personal taste.

  • Shelby says:

    You were linked from the Girly Girl Army Newsletter I get!!! I was so excited to see it =) I have got to make these soon!!!

  • Lucy T. says:

    Ooh, i just made up some bean blondies the other day, too! I wish I’d seen your recipe before I posted, I would have linked to it. (Sadly these are not vegan, but i’m sure you could easily switch up the butter with another fat, and the fromage frais for silken tofu and leave out the eggs. I was going for something between a cheesecake and a blondie…)

    Maple Walnut White Bean Blondies
    http://bunnycucina.blogspot.com/2009/03/white-bean-blondies.html

    I will definitely try your recipe next time. I had the idea to put some peanut butter in mine for a variation sometime, but I think I like your combo even better.

    Great blog!

    • Celine says:

      they look gorgeous. I’m so sad I can’t afford to purchase maple syrup at the moment. after seeing the price more than double, it’s just not feasible anymore.

      • Lucy T. says:

        Oh god, I know. I didn’t buy any for months. I went on a trip to Ottawa, where we used to live (and which is closer to Maple Syrup country than Toronto is), and thought I was going to pick up a few $5 cans from the vendors in the Byward Market, but they had gone up to $9. I finally splurged on a bottle the other day ($10 for 375 mL), but I can’t put it in all sorts of things that I used to for that price. It’s sad.

  • sazzle says:

    YUM! Time for me to stop lurking! Thankyou :) I’m always on the lookout for gluten free nibbly bits that aren’t full of rubbish!

    Do you think the strawberry fruit spread could be replaced with an equivalent amount of banana? I used redcurrant jam but had to cut down on the sugar before they became too sweet.

    Also how much do you reckon the net weight of the chickpeas is once you’ve drained the water? I just used some I had in the freezer and refilled an old can a little way from the top… Still turned out tasty.

    • Celine says:

      thank you, sazzle! you know, I think the weight on the can is the actual net weight, without water. I will verify this the next time I use them.

      I make my black bean brownies with banana and that comes out deliciously, but it might give these a strong taste that not everyone would like. I’d suggest applesauce, but then depending on how liquid it is…you might have to add a little cornstarch or arrowroot to make up for the fact.

  • Lucy T. says:

    Celine,
    My blondies didn’t turn out!! But I was a bad bunny:

    I was running low on sugar so I used agave syrup (despite warnings above).
    I had one tsp of vanilla left, so couldn’t add 2.
    I had no rice flour, and somehow thought soy flour would be ok.
    I didn’t have a square 8 inch pan, so I used a round one!

    The result tasted…weird. One bite was enough. I am presently going to cut them up into squirrel-size snackies. ;-)

    Let this be a lesson to everyone, don’t do a bunch of substitutions and expect a recipe to turn out!! I promise I’ll make them right next time.

    • Celine says:

      yeah, the subs wouldn’t make it work out: too much added liquid with the agave, also probably making them brown up too quickly; and soy possibly adding an extra (odd) flavor. if you have to replace the flour, go for spelt or any wheat, rather. but in the meantime, try covering them with chocolate ganache, or more peanut butter?

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