So a blonde walks into a bar.
Or in this case, the blonde is the bar!
I’d tell you these are healthy.
But then, if you try them, you will think I am a liar and you will never believe another word I say. ‘Cause if you taste them, you will NOT believe these blondies are healthy!
Smart blondes do exist
Low in calories, rich in omega-3s, and gluten-free…
These might just be the smartest blondies in the world.
(Not to be confused with the World’s Healthiest Chocolate-Chip Cookies.)
For the past year, I’ve been seeing “black bean brownie” recipes popping up all over the blogworld. At first, I thought about joining in on the fun.
But if you remember my post about new dessert trends, you know I really enjoy putting a different, creative spin on old trends. Hmmm… now how to put a new spin on black bean brownies? The answer was so simple, even a blonde could have thought of it: White Bean Blondies!
After doing a quick google search, I discovered that my seemingly-new idea has, in fact, been done before by a few others. But my bean blondies are still completely different in that they contain no eggs and no flour! The resulting blondie is so moist and… fudge-y.
Genius Chocolate-Chip Blondies
(makes 15-20 squares)
- 1 1/2 cups chickpeas or white beans (1 can, drained and rinsed) (250g after draining)
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/8 tsp baking soda
- level 1/4 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup brown sugar or coconut sugar (See note below, for substitutions)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup ground flax or quick oats (20g)
- 1/4 cup peanut butter (or other fat source) (see nutrition link below, for lower-cal options)
- optional: 1/2 cup chocolate chips (Not “optional” if you’re CCK!)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Blend all ingredients (except chips) until very smooth in a food processor (not a blender). Mix in chips, and scoop into a greased (or tinfoil-lined) 8×8 pan. Optional: for “prettiness” you can stick some chocolate chips on top of the batter as well. Bake for around 30 minutes. They’ll look a little undercooked when you take them out, but they firm up as they cool, and you don’t want them to get hard.
Sugar note: I also made a batch using stevia, which I thought were delicious! But my friends informed me they tasted like bars of soap. Therefore, I’ll keep making the stevia version, but just for myself… a tray of blondies all to oneself is never a bad thing! (Edit: commenters have had success with subbing some of the sugar for stevia, with xylitol, with evaporated cane juice, with banana, etc. Please feel free to try any of the ideas people have left in the comment section. But don’t be upset with me if the experiments don’t work out well. I can only vouch for the results if you make the recipe as written!)
Since the they have garbanzo beans, I could’ve called them “hummus blondies.”
But um, ewww? 
Like, totally!
Time for a serious discussion…
I have a sneaky suspicion that many so-called “dumb blondes” are not really as dumb as they seem. They just act dumb for attention and because they think guys think it’s cute. Sadly, it seems, they’re often right. Many guys are intimidated by smart girls and therefore find ditziness attractive.
Look at Jessica Simpson and Paris Hilton. I’d argue that these girls are much smarter than their actions convey. Both have played up the dumb-blonde image in order to make names for themselves, and Jessica Simpson even scored contracts with Pizza Hut and Chicken of the Sea as direct results of dumb-blonde moments. (It’s not just blondes, either. Think of Snooki!)
Did you know any of these types of girls in high school? I remember the notorious dumb blonde in my high school once remarking, Wait, wood comes from trees? I thought they made wood in factories!” Yet, this girl was in accelerated math and English classes, as well as in the top 10% of the class. Something didn’t equate… or did it? After such statements as these, the boys always laughed. This girl was not dumb; she knew airhead remarks such as the above would win her popularity and romance. On the other hand, girls who are studious, eloquent, and assertive are often labeled as nerds (or worse).
On a much lighter note:
By popular request: Special Diet Recipes.
{ 509 comments… read them below or add one }
← Previous Comments
Next Comments →
I subbed applesauce for the PB, and I personally loved it! The leftovers are in my fridge as we speak.
However, I’m someone who is used to healthy desserts. The BF, who prefers fast food, preferred the PB recipe. But hey, he liked one of them
You rock, Katie.
I tried these at a birthday party tonight, they were delicous!! Had to get the recipe. I am wondering if you could substitute Zylitol for part of the brown sugar. May give it a try. Thank you for such a great treat that you can’t feel guilty eating!
Aww, I’m so glad you liked them! I’ve never tried Zylitol, but I do know a lot of other commenters have had success with other sweeteners.
Holy Heck Yeah! These are so good! And by the way, thanks for categorizing your recipes for special diets. It’s especially helpful to me since some days I’m just looking for a sugar free treat and some days I REALLY need more protein but am sick of having to EAT protein. So, thanks! So much!
Hi Katie!
Just wanted to say hello all the way from South Africa! I stumbled upon your blog a few days ago and it’s wonderful! I have just made your chocolate chip blondies and they are so delicious!!!! Thank you so much for all your lovely ideas!
Michelle
Aww wow, I’m so glad you found me! I’ve always wanted to go to South Africa! (I have a friend from there, and she always tells me how beautiful it is!)
Love your recipes! Soap or not, how did you make the batch with stevia?
Hey CCK! Just wanted to let you know that I wrote a post about your “Genius Blondies” after making them last night! They were really good! I even nicked a tiny piece as a treat on the way to work this morning. Thanks and keep those recipes coming!
You can read the post here: http://whoamanaroundtown.blogspot.com/2011/11/chocolate-chip-blondies.html
Your blog and recipes are amazing! I just made the chocolate chip blondies and they are SO good! If you had a cookbook I would buy it in a flash!!
I just made these. My first try using chickpeas for anything. (never even had hummus). I substituted part coconut butter and part nutella for the peanut utter as we have an allergy here. They are pretty good! One would never know they have chickpeas! As a matter of fact- i just allowed my husband and 3 kids to try it… Haha. I didn’t tell them what it was. They all liked it!
Heyy Katie, do you know if the sweetener here could be replaces with dates/Agave or something??
I really wanted to try baking the sugar-free cookie dough dip recipe in a pan. If you do that, let me know i it works!!
(Also, yes I think others have commented and said they’ve used agave for this recipe.)
Oohh that sounds like a great idea!! I might just have to try that soon!! Although for now I definitely need a break from anything sweet
..
Will let you know if I try it!!
Hi Katie!
Amazing blog, love it <3
What kind of chocolate do you us?! And is it sugarfree?!
It depends on what recipe I’m making and who I’m serving. Sometimes I buy Ghirardelli semi-sweet, sometimes Whole Foods vegan chips, sometimes Enjoy Life or Sunspire… or even 100% Ghirardelli baking discs or Endangered Species chocolate bars, crumbled up for flavored chocolate chips! Or, for sugar free chips: http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2010/05/20/homemade-artisana-cacao-bliss
(But I don’t know if you can bake with them, as the coconut oil might make them melt.)
You fucking horsefaced skeleton whore. Next time you decide to fuck up a recipe, make sure you put your fingers to the keyboard and MENTION FIRST that you need a fucking blender. My girlfriend is pissed. She’s about to come find your stupid ass and kill your whole goddamn family.
You look like you’re fucking 12.
woah there. was that necessary?
It says blend all ingredients (the tool for this is a blender) Learn how to read before you comment.
These look so delicious! Can you use any kind of white bean instead of the chickpeas?
And, I’m a brunette, but I definitely was one of those girls in high school who had book smarts, but no common sense, and I definitely played that up around guys– I’m a little ashamed to admit it!
Yes, definitely!
how much stevia did you use when you made your “soapy” version?:) id like to try it, i’m prepared to risk the soap!
OMG I MADE THIS IN THE MICROWAVE!!! It is amazing!!
I am allergic to nuts, so I used 1/4 cup of frozen bananas and 1 tbsp of coconut oil as the pb replacement. I did not have vanilla so I did not use this in my recipe, although I would have if I could have–but it isn’t missed! I just dumped in a bunch of whole flaxseeds because my seed grinder broke and they have to be put in whole at the beginning with all of the other ingredients or they won’t turn into a meal–I’d say I put in 2-3 tbsp of whole seeds (and I have a cheap, little kitchen aid food processor…the most basic grade). I used 5 drops of stevia and only half a cup of brown sugar as opposed to the 3/4 cup. I also added in 3/4 tsp of cinnamon and 1/4 tsp of pumpkin pie spice. I had 2 cups of frozen chickpeas that I dethawed a bit, which I had cooked myself originally from the dry beans that you buy in bulk at whole foods or other organic stores. I jogged in place and blended this all in my food processor for 3 minutes straight to be exact, until it was a smooth consistency. It tastes GREAT raw. Then, LOL, since my oven is broken, I put some in a ramekin and heated it in the microwave for 2 minutes and 22 seconds. The result is FANTASTIC, it’s like a muffin or a cake, not quite blondie-ish but still WONDERFUL and could totally be delightful with chocolate chips!!!
I feel like I should get an award or something!!!!! WHEW!!!! Gotta love the creativity that spurs from working with what you’ve got!!!!
I love you CCK!!
<3
Lyza
Oh, I also followed the recipe completely through, including the baking powder and soda. Those were just all the amendments I made to it!!!
Here is a link to the photo of what I made!!! Katie this means you can make healthy nut-free microwave muffins out of chickpeas!!!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v468/lovelyspider/1214111846b.jpg
Oh I also want to mention that the chickpeas I used were sprouted before they were cooked. Like, really sprouted. At least an inch of sprout coming off of every bean. Do I not deserve an award or something?! A+ for me!!! LOL
Girl, you are adorable!! As is your microwave idea! Haha yeah, you definitely get an A++.
I made these exactly as the recipe specified and they are AMAZING! To someone who isn’t used to eating healthy food these may taste a little different but they are still tasty and for peanut butter lovers they are addicting…i love how gooey they are…and as a matter of fact i put them in the fridge and freezer and it made them extra chewy! I made a pan 3 days ago and I’ve been the only one eating them…there are only 2 left….
amazing recipe. I used splenda brown sugar, sugar free chocolate chips and rolled oats instead of flax seed. They were so yummy and tasted like I was totally treating myself to a real blondie.
I’m not vegan but I love all your recipes and actually have most everything in my pantry already. I notice many of the recipes offer weights rather than measurements. For this recipe, is the brown sugar 3/4 cup packed or unpacked? Or, do you have a weight? Love all your yummy recipes, thanks for sharing
Hi Marisa!
I don’t really pack it in, so I guess I’d say unpacked.
Honestly, I wish everyone had a food scale; it’s so much easier (and more reliable) to give measurements in grams… but hardly anyone owns a scale, so I didn’t bother to calculate the weight of the sugar.
I was really skeptical about these at first, they turned out amazing!
Even got a thumbs up from my brother in law who “hates chickpeas”
I didn’t tell him until after he ate them of course… : )
Hi Katie…these blondies were great! My daughter was recently diagnosed with wheat allergy and i was in a fix what to give her since she loves cookies and cakes. These were perfect healthy, wheatless and sweet. Also it reminded me of an Indian sweet made up of chickpeas only the chocolate made it taate even better.
I made these last night and although I liked them, I definitely would say they taste like more of a healthy snack bar than a dessert. My parents both thought that they were gross
I don’t think anyone would be tricked into thinking these were ‘normal’ blondies.
I have to disagree. I’ve made these blondies more times than I can count, since she first posted the recipe, and I’ve served them with rave reviews to a lot of my friends. For Thanksgiving, my boyfriend asked for them specifically!
And in regards to your statement: “I don’t think anyone would be tricked into thinking these were ‘normal’ blondies.” Did you not see the 374 comments above yours? Just wondering!
I tried to make these today and they came out sort of dry when I was mixing all the ingredients together. I added half peanut butter and half apple sauce for the oil part but I had to add a lot more apple sauce for it to come out a nice consistency. Is there something I’m missing?
Hmmm… I don’t know why they would be dry. Did you use canned chickpeas? Can you tell me more specifics about exactly what you did? It’s hard to figure out what could’ve gone wrong when I wasn’t there… but they definitely shouldn’t be dry!
I just made these blondies for a New Year’s party, and they’re already a hit! So delicious and TOTALLY guilt free. Thanks for the recipe, and Happy New Year!
These are insane!! I made them last night and my 5 year old daughter ate 2!! I used 1/2 cup brown sugar and 1/4 cup date sugar:) Will definitely make these again. Cannot wait to try your other recipes, thank you Katie!!
Hi Katie!
I just made these and they didn’t turn out for me. I’m writing because I’ve made quite a few of your recipes and they’ve all been fantastic. I used flaxseed meal. I’m not very familiar with flax-should I have used something else? My dough was my first indicator-it was a lot darker than yours and my overall brownie texture is a lot less smooth. Any ideas?
Thanks so much-love your blog and keep sharing on Facebook with my friends.
It’s very hard (or really, impossible) for me to know what could’ve gone wrong, since I wasn’t there to see
. So many things could have been the issue… What food processor did you use? And did you drain the beans fully?
I use ground flax, so that shouldn’t be an issue.
Hi Katie-
Thanks so much for the response. It might have been the beans. I used canned, rinsed and drained beans but used a tiny cuisineart chopper/blended so they probably just weren’t blended enough. Time to just bite the bullet and buy a food processor. Thanks so much for the response!!!
just made these and ate one straight outta the oven, fantastic! (the dough was to die for as well) i changed it a little bit…only did 1/2 cup of brown sugar (they are plenty sweet for my taste), and 1/4 cup chocolate chips PLUS 1/4 cup butterscotch chips!! my new favorite “cookie” recipe fo sho!
I made these today subbing the peanut butter all for applesauce…not sure if that wasn’t why I liked them, but I didn’t. I mean the chocolate was obviously good, but they did taste like chick peas :/ love your recipes for the most part though
Can you really say it’s a fault of the recipe if you made such a big change as subbing the fat for applesauce?
I specifically wrote that I wouldn’t recommend that.
If it’s the fat in the PB you’re worried about. I used 2 tablespoons all natural PB, and then 2 tablespoons PB2 (mixed with 1 tablespoon water to make it sticky again) and mine were amazing.
I made these today with white navy beans as that is what I soaked and cooked for the week. I didn’t have any flax and after some thought I just omitted any type of grain entirely. I did the 2 tsp vanilla because that is a flavor I love. I would say overall I undercooked them a bit too much, which in no way ruined them.
I cut the 8*8 into 16 servings, most of which have already been eaten. I REALLY liked them chilled. They were sitting in my freezer. Without any flour, oats, etc. mine are probably more like a fudge. Really it is peanut butter and chocolate fudge. My favorite things. Thank you.
wow, those look amazing! Gluten-free and chickpeas included? Genius! I’ll make some for my upcoming trip to Berlin so I’ll never run out of healthy, delicious snacks
Thanks so much for your awesome recipes!
I am making these today! I am pregnant and need all the protien I can get. Plus I need to watch my sugar intake as that’s an issue for me too. I am loving all the recipes I am finding on your blog. Thank You!
PS I am a natural light blond, which is pretty rare for an adult. I have to say all the “dumb blonds” I have known definitely bleached their hair. Like, totally unfair that they are giving us all a bad rap!
I made these over the weekend & they are WONDERFUL!
I made them using a mini-muffin pan and I used mini chocolate chips. What a fantastic recipe! Definitely making these again soon & making a DOUBLE BATCH – plus I think I only used 1/2 cup brown sugar – might even try a lesser amount – they were nice & sweet. Cannot thank you enough!
These were pretty darn good Katie! I made a batch last night. I don’t feel guilty eating all of them either
Thanks for the recipe hun.
made these last night = amazing!! soooo good. My husband couldn’t believe they didnt have any flour or eggs and it almost blew his mind when i told him they were made of chickpeas!
Hi Katie,
I made these today and they were so wonderful and delicious. We had them with the voluminous ice cream ( which I made in an ice creamer maker with a pinch of xantham gum which give a really creamy texture) and even my husband said he loved them. Thank you.
Kate
Katie… You are a genius!! I never leave comments but I couldnt resist.. I’m obsessed with these blondies! The latest time I made it with almond butter and no chocolate chips – perfection! If only they lasted more than a day in my house. Thanks so much xo kath
is it okay if i share this with a recipe site?(:
Hi Kayla,
I’m not sure what you mean… Do you mean posting the entire recipe? or just linking to it?
i mean posting the recipe, but i’d put ur site in it(: btw i love ur recipes!!
I guess it depends on the site! If it’s something like sparkpeople, sure go ahead!
But if it’s another blog or someone who’s going to feature it, I’d rather just be linked.
Thanks for such a sweet comment!
Can I sub white beans and chickpeas for soybeans in this and the cinnamon roll cake? Thanks
I’ve not tried it… I guess you could. If you do, please report back!
These are good
Mine baked a little faster than 38-40 minutes (about 30) but that might just be my oven. You should try doing recipe with black beans in brownies, another good trick!
I made these tonight, and they were brilliant! I did actually substitute the peanut butter for apple sauce as I didn’t have any PB in the house, and they were fantastic. Totally going to become a regular, thanks <3 Hearted.
So, I know I’m months and months late with this comment, but I only found your blog a few weeks ago when you guest posted on Gina’s skinnytaste.com in late December. This was the recipe that caught my eye the most simply because I have all the ingredients on hand in my pantry as normal staples (I make hummus OFTEN as it’s a favorite in my family).
I made these last night for the first time and “left the pan out” for my husband to find when he got home from teaching. He’s food adventurous enough that I knew he wouldn’t have a problem with the ingredients even before hand, but I wanted him to have no preconceived notions when he tried them. Yeah. He LOVED them. Oh, and of course they were a huge hit with my 3 1/2 year old and my 16 month old. ^_^ We ate the rest of them for breakfast. This recipe will definitely become a regular go-to when I am smitten by my sweet tooth. And it’s GOOD for you!
Thanks SO much for this creative recipe!
Aww that makes me so happy!
I have never commented on a blog before but I just had to write a comment here after making this recipe. I have made many healthy desserts before but I never really liked any of them. Either they are dry, tough, taste weird or have a blizzare texture. This was absolutely fabulous. I have an enormous sweet tooth and am VERY picky about my treats. I was extremely skeptical but hopeful. I made the mixture in the food processor and was very reluctant to taste it. I gave the spatula that I used to scoop the mixture out a little lick. Much to my surprise, it tasted like cookie dough! I love the fact that I made this out of ingredients I already had in my kitchen and didnt have to go around searching for something I have never heard of. I was also worried that I messed the recipe up because I used great northern beans, cinnamon applesauce, and regular oats (because that was all I had) but the recipe still turned out perfectly. My 3 and 5 year old said they thought it was better than good. Next time I make it,which will be soon, I may decrease the sugar a bit to see if we would notice. Thank you so much for sharing your talent with us.
Wow, thank you so much for taking the time to comment! I am so excited you all liked the blondies!
These were amazing! I reduced the sugar to 1/2 cup since my poor food processor only holds 3 cups and it was getting a little crowded. My finacee is lactose intolerant and we each gobbled down 2 bars while they were still warm. He couldn’t believe there wasn’t any milk in them, this recipe is definitely a keeper!
I used this recipe to make chocolate chip cookies and they tuned out great. They only need to cook about 13-14 min.
Just remember that the omega 3′ s are not the marine but plant based & they are different. The heart benefits are from marine omega 3′s. Your desserts look so good Katie. I am baking some Wednesday to serve to my church study group. Some can’t have gluten & these sound great. Will let you know what they say. I am making the deep dish chocolate cookie pie & the chocolate chip blondes.
Hi Katie! I’m completely new to your site, but already I can say that I love, love, LOVE your stuff! I have only made today’s blondies and yesterday I made Your chocolate fudge pie…except I tried it without the pie crust and just used little Tupperware containers for individual servings when I wanted one…WOW!!! Definitely addicted to the sinfully delicious, but healthy creations you’ve blogged about! My husband can’t believe that the desserts are healthy and I have my son eating tofu and garbonzo beans!!
thanks for your efforts into this site! I’m definitely a fan!! 
Aww thanks!!!
Just put these in the oven, hard to stop eating the dough.. Seriously tasty!
The one bad thing – it was a little to thick for my blender, and sadly it made some popping sounds, let off some smoke and died
So just tried these with black beans & no chocolate chips. it turned out great the dough was amazing, but ended up baking them think I liked the dough better.
Finally tried this recipe! SO GOOD! instead of using 1/4 cup nut butter i used 2 tbs cashew butter and 2 tbs coconut butter and they were AMAZING
Oh and also, after following this site for a little while, i became a vegetarian!
Hi Katie!
Found your cookie dough dip on pinterest which lead me to YOU!
These are baking in the over as I type this! Your blog is awesome!
Question: How do you recommend storing these blondes? Fridge? Covered?
Thanks,
Jamie
Very loosely covered for a day or two then fridge leftovers
i’ve never commented before, but i just wanted you to know that you rock.
i’ve recommended your blog to a few people and they think so, too. (of course.) have a great day!!
Aww Jamie, thank you so much!!
Katie,
I love your website and have made a few recipes…I absolutely LOVE the Peanut Butter Breakfast Pudding! Seriously, I could eat it 3 times a day! I really want to try this recipe and see if I can get the Hubby to eat something ‘healthy’. Of course, I won’t tell him they are healthy, it will be a serious challenge, lol. The Grandkids loved the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dip. I was wondering if you have a fiber count on the Chocolate-Chip Blondies I didn’t see that in the nutritional info page. Thanks in advance for your reply. Keep up the wonderful work with your recipes.
Teri
Sorry, I actually don’t… that recipe’s an older one, and I calculated it before I started providing full nutritional info. But this is the site I use now: http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-calculator.asp
Thanks Katie, I’ll definitely check out that site
I have a batch of these in the oven right now! It’s my first time baking with beans so I’m excited to see how it turns out. I told my boyfriend I was going to make him some cookies and he saw me take out the can of beans and my food processor……so if he likes them, I know they are a winner! I’ll let you know how it goes
i am thrilled about the beans! i love the fudgey texture they bring. my only complaint was that i could taste the flax (and i’m not the biggest fan of flax)….i think it’s because i didn’t grind the seeds into a fine enough meal, but other than that…these were great!! boyfriend loved them and so did i. i’ve passed the recipe onto some friends. Oh- and i baked them a half batch at a time because i have a small oven and i reduced the bake time to 30 minutes and they were perfect!
i am so excited to experiment!! i want to make gluten-free healthy “reeses cups” for my boyfriend. i’m going to play around using beans. if by some miracle, i strike gold would i be able to be a guest poster or featured blogger on your site?
Try replacing the flax with quick oats!
okay! thanks, i will try that. <3
Hi Katie,
I am a little confused at how you got to your nutritional content as when I calculated everything out it was much higher in calories and sugar then yours? Did you assume no chocolate chips and stevia in your nutritional content?
All are based on 16 bars on a per bar basis:
- 20 calories for chickpeas
- 24 calories for peanut butter
- 30 calories chocolate chips
- 39 calories brown sugar
= 115 calories
Still not bad, just wondering what you used different to get to your calorie content.
Thanks – they are very yummy!
As is common practice with nutritional info, when a range is given you use the higher amount. So it’s for 20 squares… but with the sugar, not stevia
.
I added flax oil instead of vanilla extract, agave instead of brown sugar, and I added some blended oats, chia and coconut. I like adding flare and I got confused half way through : / We are trying it topped with Banana Coconut Ice Cream I made
I made these today and added 1/4 cup water because I don’t have a food processer and used a blender. I baked them for an extra 5 min and thye came out great. I gave them to my co-workers and they couldn’t figure out that I used chikpeas until I told them.
I just made these today! My children helped me and commented a few times with “ewww, gross” as we put the beans in. However, they absolutely love them! And being on WW, I love that they are only 1 point+. Thanks for another fantastic recipe!
I’m a somewhat new food blogger, and I love reading other food blogs and spending the weekends in the kitchen. I made your blondies last night for my roommates. We are all in LOVE! I can’t believe these are healthy. I am so posting a link to your blog this weekend. This is my new go-to dessert for sure! Thanks for sharing
Aw thank YOU for such a sweet comment, Emily
.
I think it’s worth mentioning that this recipe is GLUTEN FREE, EGG FREE and DAIRY FREE. That is wonderful news for someone with a mom and sister with food allergies. This is a great treat for family get-togethers
Oh yes, definitely dairy-free! All my recipes are egg and dairy free
.
I love this blog! I have celiacs disease and it’s been such an ordeal trying to figure out quality dessert substitutes. This is the first recipe I’ve tried, the first time I made it as is, and the second time I substituted sugar, peanut butter, and chocolate with ripe banana, walnuts, and blueberries. Both turned out amazingly.:)
My wife is blonde and she’s super hot…and smart.
Katie, THANK YOU for these! After wanting to try them for months (too many other recipes of yours to try) I finally made them tonight and WOW they are amazing. I made them with brown sugar blend Splenda and they turned out perfectly
Your Skinny Snickerdoodles are next, followed by the Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bars!
I would love to make some of these recipes, but I don’t own a food processor (just a blender & my 2 hands). Are there any options for those of us who don’t have/don’t have place to store it, etc?
Kathy I used my blender, it just takes A little water in with the chickpeas and I did it in two goes so that it wouldn’t stick too bad.
It depends on the recipe. I did not have luck with this one when I used a blender. Some things just NEED a food processor. But for other recipes, I love my Magic Bullet.
I have made these 4 or 5 times now and I still LOVE them! I share them with anyone I can get to try them and I’ve been told they’re as good as the blondies that Applebee’s makes! Even my sugar freak toddler loves them, which makes me happy because he thinks he’s getting junk food but I can feel good about giving him these because they’re healthy! I have been adding an egg white just to get things moving in the blender (because for some reason before now I thought the directions said to make this in a blender… Apparently the big “NOT a blender” part didn’t stand out enough lol) and they turn out great! I’m also going to experiment with adding banana to reduce the sugar and eliminate the egg white, although at only 19 calories I don’t feel bad about adding the egg white anyway! Thanks for an amazing recipe, this is definitely a keeper!!!
Heyo, how many bars does this recipe make? Just so I know what the serving size is for the nutritional info.
Thanks! xx
Genius Blondies
(makes 15-20 squares)
Just made these and were amazing!! Totally rich and fishy and tasted so naughty! I made them with 2 tbspns agarve and 2 tbspns brown sugar, they were a bit sweet, I wud use about half that next time but still yummy! Thanks Katy x
Ha ha that was meant to say FUDGY not fishy! Predictive text!
LOL!
Windows LiveWriter does the same thing… Once when I was writing about Girl-Scout Cookie Larabars, I almost posted about my “delicious chocolate SAMOSAS!” Maybe not so delicious…
I just made these and they are phenomenal. I had to use oats because I didn’t have any flax. But still beautiful! I have to say, dear Katie, that you are in fact a genius. I’m not a vegan, I’m not even a vegetarian. Just a girl looking for some dessert recipies that I don’t have to feel guilty about. lol Found em! I happened to stumble across your blog through pinterest (love pinterest!) and its safe to say that I think this is my favorite food blog ever!
Aw Heather, thank you so much! I wish I were a genius… it would’ve helped me a lot in AP chemistry
.
Bleck, forget chemistry. Who needs chemistry when you come up with amazing things like this?! I love baking so much. I do it waaaaay to often lol. So being able to find things like this put the biggest smile on my face! Because I am also chocoholic.
My friend ( who is a vegan) and I were also just talking about the aforementioned black bean brownie and we have yet to find a decent recipe for those!
Hi Katie,
I love making these SO much. Was wondering if there a reason why you say not to use a blender in your instructions? I have been using the food processor, but would love to just be able to use my Vitamix instead (then I can send the food processor home for my parents to use). Before I try it in the Vitamix, do you caution against it? Thanks a bunch!
I tried it and the beans on top wouldn’t blend. Too full. Maybe do it in batches?
Do I need to refrigerate these because of the beans?
You can leave out overnight, but after that I’d advise fridging
.
I made these for the second time today, & love them! Thanks Katie!
I made these last night and I thought they were absolutely delicious! My husband didn’t care for them but oh well, more for me right?;) They’re so filling too that one really is satisfying and they turned out so soft and moist too! Yummy!
has anyone attempted to make a version of this using black beans? I’ve seen chocolate cakes made with black beans but they use a ton of butter and eggs and are still really heavy on calories and fat.
I haven’t, but I’d love to hear about the results if you experiment!
I’ve made them with black beans and a few tablespoons of cocoa powder. The black beans have a much smoother texture than the chick peas, but it was really good. One of my favorite combos is to double the recipe and do one can of black beans and one can of chick peas plus the cocoa for a big pan of brownies. YUM.
Hi Katie,
does anyone know what I couldve done wrong? I followed the recipe exactly except using applesauce instead of peanut butter.
I recently discovered your blog and have been addicted!! Made your fudge lara bars yesterday and they were amazingg
I was really keen to try a “bean” recipe so just made these blondies..after blending the batter it smelt strongly of chickpeas so I added more vanilla and some cocoa powder to try and get rid of the smell. When I took them out of the oven ad tried some I thought they were overly sweet and just tasted of beans
thanks!! keep up the great work katie xx
Unfortunately, if you used applesauce instead of peanut butter, you didn’t follow the recipe exactly
. That’s a huge change.
Oh okay thanks! will try half pb next time
“will try half pb next time”
Half? Just sayin, if you don’t follow the recipe, you can’t blame it if it turns out bad.
If its the extra calories you are worried about get some pb2 and do half regular penut butter half pb2 mixed with water to make it sticky again. The recipe require the fat to work correctly.
Hi Ashley! Also, if you used a store brand, I’ve had a similar problem with one of the store brands. I’ve had a ton of success with Goya and Bush’s brands, though, even if they’re a bit more expensive. One of my friends who’s gluten free had the same issue with the store brand chick peas.
In high school the ‘dumb blonde’ was always me. I had brown hair but my remarks were similar to those of a blonde. I was 3rd in my class, took all AP classes, but I just had ‘blonde moments.’ I would say completely ridiculous things without even noticing how stupid they sounded. Many things I could figure out on my own but I just asked instead. So, in conclusion, I’m book smart, not common sense smart.
These are AWESOME!!! Thank you Katie! I can’t believe they are healthy. Yum!
Is the nutrition info based on 15 or 20 squares?
20
I made these a couple weeks ago & Ive made them 4 times since! They are so delicious. Your whole blog is awesome! There is not one thing on here that I don’t want to try, I guess I’ll be baking alot:)
Thanks so much!
I’m so glad you liked them!
I just tried this recipe and it’s amazing. Photographed and posted my results for the world to see. Thx for sharing your recipes, Lauren!
I made these again but left out the chocolate (I know I’ve probably lost you there). I put in some lime zest and a few tbs of lime juice for a key line bar effect and they were tasty. I used coconut butter for the nut butter part. Mmm. If I do that again I’ll add some genuine white chocolate chips and macadamia nuts! Even if I’m outa limes I might do that anyway. Like wt chocolate macadamia nut blondes! Yes! Now I have to go back to the store.
Haha you didn’t lose me! I was actually wondering how a lemon version would work, so I love love love your lime idea!!
Is the nutrition info for 1 peice?
Made these the other night and used Nutella instead of Peanut Butter to make them Hazelnut brownies. Tasty. Thanks for the recipes.
Can I ask a dumb brunette question? How many ounces should this can of chick peas I am shopping for be?
Thanks.
A regular-sized 15 or 16oz can
i just made these….let me say OH.MY.GOODNESS. THESE WERE INCREDIBLE! i didnt have flax or any of the substitutions so I just omitted that part and they were fabulous! They were the texture of gooey and fudgy brownies and were absolutely delicious! Katie you are a dessert genius! I did however add extra chocolate chips
These really look good! But, I am not a huge fan of peanut butter. Do you have a healthier “true” blondie?
Sorry, at the moment I don’t have one without the beans (i.e. a more traditional blondie recipe). I’ll work on it! In the meantime, you can always use this recipe and just cut into bars! Maybe halve the recipe? http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2011/05/31/deep-dish-cookie-pie/
Do you think it would turn out okay if I use nutella instead of peanut butter?
I haven’t tried it so I can’t vouch for the results. But it *sounds* like it’d taste good!
I substituted a whole banana for the sugar and it turned it out fantastic!!!!
I kind of went on a CCK cooking binge tonight. I made a batch of blondies. I did about 1/3 chocolate chip (we only had 2 T choc chips here) and the rest snickerdoodle but I added cloves and cayenne to mine, ever heard of labor cookies? Yes, like so spicy they send you into labor, that’s what they are called lol. What can I say-I tried everything to get my second son out. They are my favorite cookies so I wanted to play with that. They turned out great, not mushy like a lot of comments said. I’ve never had a blondie before but these were great!
I also made the fudge babies but left out the nuts, I can’t stand taste or texture of nuts. OMG – why didn’t I make these sooner?? I could literally survive on those.
You are GENIUS with making desserts healthy. I love your blog because you seem so nice and down to earth, like somebody you could be friends with. A lot of other bloggers have this air about them when they write or things they say, or advertise all over the place which turns me off but I keep coming back to your blog every time I get an email.
Thank you, that really means a lot to me, Ashley.
I made these they were delicous!! Mine didn’t look quite as photogenic though! I dont think I blended the mixture well enough! Here they are http://www.cashewcookie.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/chocolate-chip-blondies.html ! But yum! They were scrummy!
My kids insisted I comment. My daughter (5 years old) wants to kiss you for this yummy recipe. Both my kids (son
offer many thanks and wanted to say these are delicious!
I want to say thanks as my daughter otherwise hates chickpeas and I’m always trying to find more ways to get protein into her.
Much enjoyed!
Awww! Kisses back!
Katie, I found your blog last night and am so excited to try these blondies!! They were my favorite before I went gfcf, and am so excited to find a great recipe. Thank you for all of the time you put into your recipes- I greatly appreciate it!!
I have to admit, I was a little skeptical making these blondies since I don’t really care for chickpeas and I didn’t have any white beans on hand. I had to make something, though, because I promised my girls that I’d bring home some dark chocolate from work and I forgot (yes, I get to work at a chocolate factory!).
I was still a little worried when I put them in the oven, but when I took my first bite I was sold! They are so yummy! Thank you for such a great recipe!
Made these for a company pot luck for our corporate wellness challenge. The initial reaction was “ew, chickpeas!” — until they tried them — the whole pan was gone! Thank you for these wonderful, healthy recipes!
I’m a new fan of chocolatecoveredkatie.com!
I made these tonight and they were a hit. My picky 8-year-old was a shocked to learn that these had chickpeas in them as he was to learn that your fudge pie had tofu in it (that pie disappeared awfully quickly!). Such a fan of your blog!
Aw thank you so much!
Um. WOW. Just made these and they are rocking my world as I type this. Just delish and so so easy. I don’t even have a food processor and had to use my junky blender. I also didn’t grind the flax, I just tossed them right in! As for sugar- I used a half a cup of slightly packed brown and about 4 drops of stevia. My hubby could not believe they were derived from garbanzo beans! I couldn’t believe how good they were and easy to make!
PS- I garnished with a few scattered butterscotch chips on top while they were cooling and I think it added the perfect touch <3
I tried these with the following substitutions: I used 60 gr. chopped dates instead of the brown sugar. I also used 4 Tbsp. of PB2 mixed with the water in place of the organic peanut butter. They turned out really well. I added up the calories of the entire recipe with my substitutions and I came up with 133 calories for 8 bars. Thanks for posting this recipe. I love your blog!!!!!
Hi Katie,
I was so excited to make these and followed the recipe exactly except used garbanzo bean flour. They had a weird taste to them and I’m wondering if anyone else tried the bean flour instead of actual beans. They tasted terrible. I can’t eat them at all and I’m bummed to have wasted all of those good ingredients :/ Plus I was really looking forward to yummy fudgy blondies.
If you didn’t follow the recipe, how can you blame it for the results?
Just sayin.
Delicious!! I tried these for the first time last night and they are so yummy. I had to stop myself from eating the whole pan last night. Even my non-vegan boyfriend couldn’t believe how yummy they were. He did say they were really chocolatey (I know, not a word). I added some extra chocolate chips and maybe overdid it. Either way- delicious! I am going to try this recipe out my boyfriend’s mom this weekend for a Mother’s Day treat. She has a major sweet tooth. Thank you for another great recipe!
This is the first CCK recipe I’ve tried and WOW these are sooooo amazing!!! Your work has been accomplished- I cannot believe they’re healthy. Keep up the great work I LOVE your blog! Thanks!!!!
Good lord! The deliciousness!! I could have sat there with a spoon and eaten the batter on its own! I used raw honey and stevia to sweeten it and I’m solidly in love!!
You are a little chocolate angel! Thank you!!
I love this recipe I think I will try it next week.
Do you think it would be ok to sub tahini for pb?
Posted your chocolate chip blondes on Facebook! (1)
Posted your chocolate chip blondies on Facebook! (2)
Oh my goodness, Katie! These are SO good! I cannot decide whether I like these or your cookie pie better. These are a little less, uh, beany I suppose.
I ate 1/4 of the batch! Good thing I have a great metabolism
I followed most of the recipe but looked at the substitution page and did this:
Instead of 1/4 cup pb I did 1/8 cup of both pb and Apple sauce.
Instead of 1/4 cup ground flag I did 1/8 cup of both ground flax and pulsed rolled oats .
Instead of 3/4 cup brown sugar I did 1/2 cup brown sugar and 1/4 cup coconut sap sugar.
I was wondering if maybe dates would work for the sugar?
I wanted to try the stevia version but I didn’t want to have to throw them away if I didn’t like them. How much stevia did you use in yours? And how much of the sugar could you replace with stevia (powder) and still have the blondes taste pretty much the same as ones with all sugar?
I just wanted to take a minute and tell you what a hit these are with my whole family. They are extra special to me because they are one of the first treats I have made for my daughter, who was diagnosed this year with Type 1 diabetes, that I can give her guilt free and know they won’t spike her blood sugar. For that, I wanted to say a big THANK YOU!
Aw Lisa, that just put the biggest smile on my face
.
← Previous Comments
{ 121 trackbacks }