Description

These 30-Minute Vegan Chickpea Brownies are a surprising and delicious twist on classic brownies, made with chickpeas for added protein and fiber without compromising on fudgy, chocolatey texture. Perfect for a quick, plant-based dessert, they use simple pantry ingredients and come together easily in under half an hour. Ideal for vegans, those with allergies, or anyone looking to sneak some extra nutrition into their sweets.

Ingredients

Scale

Main Ingredients

15 oz canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed well
3 tbsp cocoa powder
3 tbsp dutch-process cocoa powder
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
4 tbsp plant-based milk (almond, oat, soy, or coconut)
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp espresso powder
1/2 cup dairy-free chocolate chips (semi-sweet, e.g. Ghirardelli)

Instructions

Prepare the Pan and Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 330°F. Grease an 8×8 inch baking dish or line it with parchment paper to ensure easy removal of brownies later. This allows your oven to reach the right temperature while you prep the ingredients.
Prepare the Dry Ingredients and Chickpeas: Drain and rinse the chickpeas thoroughly under cold water to remove excess starch and canned flavor. In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, dutch-process cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt, espresso powder, and sugar to ensure an even distribution of dry ingredients.
Blend the Batter Until Smooth: Add the rinsed chickpeas, plant-based milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla essence into a food processor. Blend until the mixture is completely smooth, scraping down the sides as needed. Then add the dry ingredient mixture and blend until the batter is uniform and smooth, without visible chickpea chunks. Lastly, fold in the chocolate chips by hand to keep them intact within the batter.
Bake the Brownies: Pour the batter into your prepared pan and spread evenly with a spatula. Bake at 330°F for 14 minutes; the brownies will look slightly undercooked in the middle, but they will continue to set as they cool. This step helps keep the brownies fudgy and moist.
Cool and Chill Until Firm: Remove the brownies from the oven and allow them to cool completely on a wire rack to prevent cracking and help set the crumb structure. After cooling, refrigerate for 1-2 hours until firm. Chilling helps achieve clean cuts and enhances the fudgy texture.

Notes

Rinse chickpeas thoroughly under cold water for at least one minute to avoid bean-like flavors in the brownies.
Use both regular and Dutch-process cocoa powder for a deeper chocolate flavor, or substitute with all regular cocoa if needed.
For gluten-free brownies, substitute all-purpose flour with oat or almond flour; almond flour may create a denser texture.
Any plant-based milk works; water can be used in a pinch but may affect richness.
You can substitute vegetable oil with melted coconut oil or applesauce for a lower-fat option, but texture may vary.
Use dairy-free chocolate chips to keep the recipe vegan, or substitute with chopped dark chocolate or walnuts for crunch.
Avoid overbaking to keep the brownies soft and fudgy; check at 12 minutes and remove when edges are set but center is slightly underdone.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerated for up to a week; flavor improves after resting.
Freeze individual squares wrapped well for up to 3 months; thaw at room temperature or briefly warm for a gooey treat.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 14 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Keywords: vegan brownies, chickpea brownies, vegan dessert, plant-based brownies, healthy brownies, fudgy brownies, gluten-free option brownies, dairy-free dessert, quick brownies