Sweet Treats

Fudgy Chickpea Brownies (sweetened with dates)

2 Mins read

These fudgy chickpea brownies have been a favorite in our house for years! They’re so delicious, flour-free, full of protein, and sweetened only with fruit!

Fudgy Chickpea Brownies topped with dark chocolate chips
Fudgy Chickpea Brownies topped with dark chocolate chips

Fudgy Chickpea Brownies are so easy to make!

What’s so nice about this recipe, is you just throw all of the ingredients in the food processor, then blend everything together, next add to a pan and finally bake. These brownies are so thick and fudgy, you would never know they’re healthy!

Inner view of the fudgy chickpea brownies
I sliced a brownie in half so you could see how fudgey these brownies are!

Chickpea Brownie Ingredients

  • Chickpeas – You can just drain and rinse a can of chickpeas, or if you soak your own chickpeas, it is about 1 3/4 cup
  • Pitted Dates – Any variety of date works! Just make sure to remove the pit if it’s not already pitted. I recommend soaking the dates in a cup of hot water for about 5 minutes to soften the dates before blending. 
  • Peanut Butter – I am a big proponent of natural peanut butter. No need for added oils or sugar!
  • Cacao Powder – Check to make sure your cacao powder is unsweetened. 
  • Applesauce – Check to make sure your applesauce is unsweetened too!
  • Coconut Oil – This comes in a jar. I measure out the amount of coconut oil and microwave it to change it from solid to liquid. 
  • Vanilla Extract – I’m a big fan of pure vanilla extract. 
  • Baking Soda
  • Baking Powder
Fudgy Chickpea Brownies

Why do I sweeten my brownies with dates?

Dates are a wonderful natural sweetener! They are full of fiber, which prevents blood sugar spikes and aids with digestion. They are also full of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals to aid in immunity and heart health. 

Here are some other recipes that are sweetened with dates:

Peppermint Mocha Cookies

Peppermint Mocha Biscotti

Paleo Gingerbread Cookies

Peanut Butter Twix Rice Cake

Gluten Free Blueberry Bars

Cookie Dough

Brownie Dip

Beet Bounty Bars

Paleo Gingerbread Energy Balls

Paleo Berry Pop Tarts

Paleo Pumpkin Ice Cream Bars

 

Pitted Deglet Nour Dates
Pitted Deglet Nour Dates are a wonderful way to naturally sweetened treats!

How to soften dates for the brownies

The easiest method is just to heat a cup of water, place the brownies in the water, and let them soak while you add all of the other ingredients to the food processor. By the time you add the rest of the ingredients, they should be nice and soft! Drain the water and add the dates to the food processor!

Fudgy Chickpea Brownies
I baked my fudgy chickpea brownie batter in a heart mold to get these cute treats!

Fudgy Chickpea Brownies FAQs

Can I make a double batch?

Yes, I make a double batch most times I make this recipe. It usually takes a little longer to process everything, but as long as your food processor is large enough, it will work! I bake my double batch in a 9″x13″ pan. 

There are still clumps of chickpeas or pieces of dates in my batter, what can I do?

As long as you have a high-powered food processor and you soaked the dates, they just need more time processing. 

Fudgy Chickpea Brownies (sweetened with dates)

These brownies are so incredibly fudgy and delicious, you would never know they are sweetened with fruit and full of protein!
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Course: Dessert
Keyword: dairy-free, gluten-free, grain-free, sweetened with fruit
Servings: 16 brownies

Ingredients

  • 1 can chickpeas drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup pitted dates soaked in hot water for 5 minutes
  • 1/2 cup peanut butter
  • 1/3 cup cacao powder
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 1 tbsp coconut oil melted
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease an 8x8 baking dish.
  • Add all of the ingredients (except chocolate chips) to a food processor and process on high until smooth, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides.
  • Use a spatula to spread the batter out onto the baking dish. Bake for 25 minutes.
  • Cool completely and then cut into bars. Store in the refrigerator.

Notes

These are best stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. 

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