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Chocolate Chickpea Brownies

4.97 from 119 votes

Prepare to fall head-over-heels in love with these ooey gooey rich dark chocolate chickpea brownies.

Super Fudgy Vegan Chickpea Brownies

Brownies… made from chickpeas???!

I know the concept sounds completely crazy.

But if you’ve tried any of my bean-based dessert recipes (especially the deep dish cookie pie!), you probably already know that the results can not only taste just as good as traditional butter-and-flour desserts, they’re often even better.

The beans add a softness and moisture to the texture that you just can’t get from flour, and people who don’t already know the secret ingredient ahead of time are seriously never able to guess!

Currently Trending: Banana Recipes – 30 Healthy Ideas

Secretly Healthy Vegan Chocolate Brownies

Flourless Chocolate Chickpea Brownies

These brownies are a combination of two reader favorites:

Chocolate Brownie Pie

Chickpea Cookie Dough Dip

In other words, it’s the perfect recipe for anyone who hates making decisions.

They’re also great if you’re following a whole food plant based diet, because you can easily make the brownies oil-free without sacrificing any of the rich texture or decadent chocolate flavor.

Secret Healthy Chocolate Chickpea Brownies

Try frosting them with my Healthy Chocolate Frosting.

Or, the brownies are so deeply fudgy they honestly don’t even need any frosting at all.

I decided to add some because it makes them look much prettier, and also because I will never pass up an excuse to add an obscene amount of chocolate to a recipe any time the opportunity presents itself.

I’m Chocolate Covered Katie for a reason.

(Above – Watch the video of making the chickpea brownies)

Have leftover chickpeas?

Make up a batch of Flourless Blender Muffins, or use them in my favorite Veggie Burger Recipe.

Or, you know, just make more brownies…

The Best Secretly Healthy Chocolate Chickpea Brownie Recipe

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Chocolate Chickpea Brownies

No one ever believes the secret ingredient in these vegan chocolate chickpea brownies!
Cook Time 14 minutes
Total Time 14 minutes
Yield 8 – 12 brownies
5 from 119 votes

Ingredients

  • 1 can chickpeas or white beans
  • 2 tbsp cocoa powder
  • 2 tbsp dutch cocoa or additional regular
  • 1/3 cup flour (white, oat, spelt, almond, sorghum, etc.)
  • 3 tbsp milk of choice or applesauce
  • 3 tbsp oil or nut butter of choice
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp each: salt and baking soda
  • 1/2 cup sugar (for refined-sugar-free, try these Black Bean Brownies)
  • 1/2 cup chocolate chips – not optional (omit at own risk)

Instructions

  • To make the brownies: Drain and rinse beans very well. Preheat oven to 330 F. Grease or line an 8-inch pan. Combine all ingredients in a food processor until completely smooth. A blender can technically work, but both taste and texture will be better in a food processor. Spread into pan. If desired, sprinkle extra chocolate chips on top. Bake on the center rack 14 minutes, then chill the still-underbaked brownies until firm. They taste better the next day, so I highly recommend not sneaking a taste until then! If desired, frost with melted chocolate chips or my healthy chocolate frosting recipe linked above in this post.
    View Nutrition Facts

Notes

*Most flours will work in the recipe, including almond flour for a grain-free option. Readers also had success with coconut flour – use 2 tbsp instead of 1/3 cup, because coconut flour is so absorbent.
Also try these Chocolate Coconut Fudge Bars.
 

Have you made this recipe?

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You know, I can remember a time when there were zero brownie recipes on my blog? How things have changed!

Published on October 2, 2019

Meet Katie

Chocolate Covered Katie is one of the top 25 food websites in America, and Katie has been featured on The Today Show, CNN, Fox, The Huffington Post, and ABC's 5 O'clock News. Her favorite food is chocolate, and she believes in eating dessert every single day.

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129 Comments

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  1. Henry says

    Great recipe, I definitely want to try it this weekend. I have coconut flour that I’ve had for awhile and should probably be used, could that work in this recipe?

    • Henry says

      Nevermind, I found your note in the recipe, one of the pictures was having trouble loading, so I reloaded the page and then accidentally skipped over it. I’ll let you know how the coconut flour works out if I try it!

    • Jason Sanford says

      Sorry we have not tried it so really have no idea how/if it would work. Be sure to report back if you experiment!
      Jason (media relations)

  2. Alana Serper says

    Made these this evening. I didn’t wait for them to firm up over night but they were fantastic. I liked these better than the black bean ones. So good.

  3. Lori Hoch Stiefel says

    I made this recipe using oil, almond milk and all purpose flour, and didn’t make the frosting. It was off the charts amazing! The non vegan naysayers were reluctant to try it but after one bite they were hooked. These will definitely become my new go to brownie recipe!!

  4. Amy says

    Thanks for the recipe, we loved them! New vegans here and your site has been such a helpful resource for us. Next on the list is the chickpea cookie dough.

    • Jason Sanford says

      I don’t see why not. We haven’t tried here, but in general for baked goods it’s just a 1-to-1 sub. Be sure to report back if you make them!
      Jason (media relations)

  5. Anne says

    Hello Katie, i am just baking this fabulons Brownies and if i am able to follow your recommendations, we will wait till tomorrow evening to taste it as we invited family… do i have to keep it in the freedge ?

  6. Laura says

    Baking a double batch of these riiight now for my Grade 8 students! They’ll never be able to tell the main ingredient 😀 we’ve spoken a fair amount about what each individual can do for our planet and veganism came up. They challenged themselves to a vegan week. I was so impressed that I promised them a vegan treat if they managed – and they did!

    • Jason Sanford says

      Lol well they are described as super fudgy 😉
      Try her tinder brownie recipe for more of a traditional-tasting brownie!

  7. Disha says

    Hi,
    You know what i like the most about your articles on recipe is the photo illustration that is so amazing. my mouth filled with water. this is so amazing and tasty. I can’t resist my self to have it.

  8. Hélène says

    I will definitely be making these again! The mouthfeel was like fudge and the chocolate pieces really add to the texture. They’re delicious and they don’t feel heavy at all, unlike most brownies. This is great if you’re having a chocolate craving but don’t want to suffer the consequences. Also, they really are better the next day (and the day after).

  9. Tamar Havkin says

    Hi I leave in England so different cans… Can you let me know how much in grams is 1 can chickpeas or white beans?
    Also, could I substitute the granola with something else? perhaps almond flour or anything else? Thanks so much
    Tamar

  10. Kay says

    This recipe is AMAZING!! I’ve had gluten allergies for a while now, and found lots of ways to work around that, but then when I discovered I have an egg allergy too, eating became SO much harder!! Most all gluten free recipes call for extra eggs! So I started giving up on baking. Yesterday I was determined though, to find and test a recipe. This was the only one I had all the ingredients for, and it was perfect. It’s been so long since I’ve eaten a proper brownie, that I was totally tricked into feeling like it was the real deal. These do not disappoint! I used coconut flour as well. It adds a little extra grittiness you come to expect with coconut flour, so next time I’ll try something else, but still amazing no less! Thank you for sharing your amazing recipes!!!

  11. Ariel says

    In pairing this recipe with the healthy chocolate frosting, do you recommend doubling the frosting recipe or is a single batch sufficient?

  12. Sammi says

    All I can is that these are ridiculously good.
    Note: I am not vegan, nor do I follow a special diet – I just love healthier options and these are BOMB!

    For reference, I did use coconut oil and white flour. I would typically go for oat flour but I felt like being extra decadent tonight.

    These are great! Highly recommend.

  13. Ariana B says

    Just made these and they are sooooooo good!!! You can tell that they are a healthier brownie but they are still fudgy and delicious and you definitely cannot tell they’re made of beans!!!!!! Will definitely make again thanks so much for the recipe. Keeping this in the recipe rotation!

    • Jason Sanford says

      We haven’t tried that particular one so don’t know about the flavor, but we’d love to know if you do try!
      Jason (media relations)

  14. Jade says

    Turned out yummy! I forgot to add salt and baking soda ?, but still yummy. I used date paste instead of sugar and chunky almond butter. I’ll try again with all of the ingredients haha!

  15. Linda says

    Just to let you know, that in Canada, we can also buy beans in 19 oz. cans, so that’s why it’s nice to know the size can you’re using.
    Cheers

  16. Adan says

    I’m excited to make these! I’m making the chickpeas from scratch with my instant pot, so I’m assuming I would need about 1 and 1/2 cups to equal one 15oz can? Also, is it recommended to de-shell the chickpeas to get a smoother consistency or are the shells needed for the fibre and structural integrity of the brownies?

    • Jason Sanford says

      Correct amount! I never peel my chickpeas when making dessert hummus or even regular hummus (I do use canned chickpeas though), and it’s not required here, but you definitely can!
      Jason

  17. Aimee B. says

    These are really good and went together easily and quickly. I actually love the raw batter as well and plan on using that as a dip sometime. Super yummy! 🙂

  18. Claudia Cruz says

    Wow! I had three cans so I tripled the recipe, came out so yummy! And moist! Give this a try and nobody would know they are vegan!!

  19. Autumn Mathews says

    These brownies are truly the best brownies you will ever have! They are so moist, fudgy, easy, and amazing! I have made these multiple times and people never know they are made from chickpeas! I added more chocolate chips, used almond flour, half oil half peanut butter, regular sugar, and came out to have 16 brownies with about 120 calories per brownie. About to make another batch right now!

  20. Savannah says

    Could I use banana, vegan butter, or even water in place of the milk? We just ran out of the hemp seeds we use to make our milk!

  21. G says

    A fantastic recipe! I have to admit I was sceptical but you’ve made me a convert. This will be my go-to brownie recipe from now on. Thank you so much for sharing and keep up the great work!

  22. Denise Tennant says

    I only have a small food processor. Would it work to process just the chickpeas and then use a hand mixer to mix all of the ingredients together?

    • Emily Davies says

      This might be too late, but in case you’re still interested, I did that and it worked fine. I only have one of those small smoothie blenders. I blended some oats to make flour, then blended the chickpeas with the milk and oil (when I did it with just the chickpeas it jammed up the blade). Then I tipped it into a mixing bowl with the dry ingredients and mixed by hand.

  23. Ashley says

    So they’re still in the oven but the batter was amazing. It was so thick that scooping it in I realized it would make a wonderful raw frosting. Instead of sugar 1/4 tsp stevia powder and 1.5 Tbsp applesauce. Used almond flour and peanut butter in place of oil.

  24. Mandy says

    These are delicious! I used 1/4 cup of maple syrup instead of the sugar, flax milk instead of applesauce, and sunflower seed butter instead of oil, and I threw in rolled oats instead of oat flour because I was using a food processor so I figured it would combine anyway. I baked it for longer than 14 minutes so they’d be a little more solid, and I loved how they turned out! Super fudgy and chocolately but guilt-free 🙂

  25. Anna says

    Fantastic recipe. I try a lot of online recipes but I have never liked any of them enough to leave a review. This one is a really great use of chickpeas. You end up with a high protein dessert that tastes great but isn’t filled with butter or lot’s of flour.

    Thank you for taking the time to create such a wonderful recipe!

    • CCK Media Team says

      We haven’t tried here specifically, but in most baking (as long as there’s no yeast in a recipe) it’s an even sub and should be ok!

  26. Maria Warkentine says

    Katie. I love your blog! you didn’t say what SIZE can of chickpeas to use. I currently have a 500 something gram whopper can so am afraid you really meant for the standard 15 1/2 oz???

  27. Carolynne says

    These turned out great! And definetely yummier the next day. Next time I try the recipe I will add some nuts too. I used plain wheat flour but wondered if it would work with coocnut flour? As they were initally a bit dry..

  28. Christi M says

    Thank you I just made these for my twelve year old never eaten a brownie before- multi food allergy daughter and they will become a regular in her life- thank you!

  29. Hana says

    These were actually incredible!!! Only just managed to leave some to enjoy tomorrow but they were seriously delicious 10 mins after taking out of the oven too. Can’t believe they’re even better than the black bean brownies!! Much love xxx

  30. Lauren E says

    Hi Katie,
    I was wondering if these could be made into cupcakes instead, or at least baked in a muffin tin? I’m in a rental home at the moment, and my supplies are limited, but I’d still like to bake these. I thought I’d ask your thoughts.
    Kindly,
    Lauren

    • Lauren E says

      I decided to simply buy an 8×8″ pan and make them as directed. I did so, and I think you’ve created a very nice recipe. Thank you very much! Also, recently, I made your Vegan Sugar Cookies to celebrate dental assistant’s week in my dental office, and they received high praise–and no one even knew they were Vegan!

  31. Noor says

    Really good. I tried the recipe yesterday. Only thing I would change is decrease slightly the amount of sugar but that’s my personal preference. This is definitely a keeper. Also I kept the aquafaba to make eggless macarons 😁 so two desserts with one can of chickpeas!

  32. Chanuli says

    These brownies were so good! I was looking for a healthy version of a brownie for a very long time and found this amazing recipe(can’t really tell the secret ingredient apart)!! Can’t wait to try out more and more recipes from your website!

  33. AnneeMae says

    Is the oven temp really set at 330 degrees or is that a typo??? I have a batch in the oven right now, so I hope 330 is correct. 🙂

  34. Mattie says

    I’ve made these brownies countless times at this point (did a white bean version once and chickpea version many times) and highly recommend them. However, I decided to try this yesterday using red lentils. I made a double-batch, so I used 500 g of cooked lentils (the equivalent amount of chickpeas) and kept everything else the same (though doubled, of course). The batter was very liquidy (which I was expecting), so it was definitely a pour into the pan (still using an 8×8-inch pan) rather than scooping. I set the oven to 350 degrees F and baked for around 40 minutes. It was still soft in the middle, but set, so I pulled it out. The brownie batter fell somewhat (again, no surprise given the fudgey centre), and eaten warm, it had a lentil flavour. But trying it this morning, it tastes pretty darn good. Worth a try if, like me, you tend to have a bunch of lentils on hand compared to chickpeas.

  35. Susan Aitchison says

    Made these this afternoon. Easy to make but next time I would zap the chickpeas with the liquid before adding the other ingredients to make it easier on my old food processor. Told my husband he is not allowed to touch until tomorrow! Mix tasted good before baking so fingers crossed.

  36. Sahla says

    hello! i wanted to try out this recipe, so I wanted to know if I could use Chickpea flour, instead of chickpea. If so how could I sub?
    let me know. Thanks!;)

  37. Nicole says

    Made these into 7 muffins/cupcakes! Baked at the same time and they we’re firm enough out of the fridge in 15-20 mins. Even the carnivorous fiancé enjoyed!

  38. Angeline Loh says

    Hi thanks for the yummy recipe! I baked for 14 mins as described and then put in fridge to chill/set. After a few hours it was still like the batter in the middle, consistency of a spreadable paste. only edges were anything like solid enough to cut/pick up. Is this how it’s meant to be? I popped back in fridge and will taste again tomorrow. Tasted great though! I could imagine spreading this on toast!

    • CCK Media Team says

      Hi, was your oven preheated? And are you in a high elevation or made any changes? Also, how is it the next day??

      • Angeline Loh says

        thanks for replying! Yes oven was preheated and at sea level. Next day it was still soft, unable to pick up, but we just scooped large spoonfuls out and ate it haha. I will try again with a little longer baking time and/or a little more flour. That might help?

  39. Eva says

    5 stars
    These are my new favorite! Making this recipe weekly. Super delicious and impossible to guess that there are chickpeas inside!

  40. Rena Shikuma says

    How will these hold up if they’re frozen and then defrost in the fridge overnight? Will the texture/taste change at all?

  41. Cindy says

    Hi,
    Is the cooking temp 330? I’m used to 350, and just wanted to confirm before I made these – they look awesome!

  42. Kay says

    5 stars
    I’ve made these a few times now, mostly with chickpeas,
    But this last time I used white Italian beans, super yummy
    So rich, never needed to add a chocolate topping
    Thanks for a great recipe

  43. Hilary says

    5 stars
    Really really awesome recipe! I ran out of vanilla extract so I used almond extract and it turned out amazing! Katie, you are a treasure 💜 Thank you for these recipes that are simple, healthy and truly delicious!

  44. Sharyn says

    5 stars
    This is THE best recipe ever. I had my doubts about the brownies being better the next day, but it is absolutely true. They are rich, moist, and fudgy. You would never know they have beans in them unless someone told you. I used Trader Joe’s vegan chocolate chunks in them instead of chocolate chips, and they were divine.

  45. Emily L. says

    Hi!!
    I was wondering if it’s possible/anyone has tried this with dates instead of sugar!
    Did it work? Which ratio did you use?
    Thank you so much!

    • Meg says

      Yes, I did! This was my first attempt at chickpea and date substitution and they were really good. I think it made them softer (not too soft), and they were definitely sweet enough. I also used mini chocolate chips to better distribute the chocolate.

      I’m ready to explore more really healthy recipes!

    • CCK Media Team says

      Hi, you can use cooked garbanzo beans that you cook yourself. We have never tried soaking but not cooking them.

  46. Elizabeth Foust says

    5 stars
    First time rating because of how moist and delicious these brownies are! Made them to try and help my diabetic friends be able to eat something sweet, but nutritious! Filling protein packed filled dessert. Can’t wait to make these again and again. I was very surprised with the texture!

  47. Madhavi says

    5 stars
    Made the chickpea brownies, one batch using wholewheat and one with sorghum. Both taste amazing, sorghum a little bit crumbly but taste no change. thanks for the recipe. Going to save this.

4.97 from 119 votes (107 ratings without comment)

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