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Incredible Chickpea Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies (Grain-Free, Vegan)

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You can never have too many chocolate chip cookie recipes, right?

Incredible Chickpea Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies (Grain-Free, Vegan) 1

But wait, not only are these delicious and healthy, they are made in ONE bowl, with ONE flour, free of grains, gluten, nuts, dairy, and eggs…and they’re pretty stellar on the sugar front as well.

I grew up in a family that wasn’t all rainbows and sunshine.

Nothing was fundamentally wrong with anyone in the sense of abuse or the like, my parents just didn’t get along well, and though I tried to make the best of my childhood (which I have great memories of overall), I always knew something was amiss between my folks.

Incredible Chickpea Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies (Grain-Free, Vegan) 2

When my dad would take half days from work, it was me he wanted to spend time with.

We’d go out to lunch, to movies, and even shopping together. He was my best friend, which is quite unlike most girls who naturally gravitate towards their mothers.

I loved my mom and spending time with her as well, but I definitely favored my dad.

My dad and I had much more in common, in that we enjoyed the same TV shows, we’re both introverts, and we have a very similar sense of humor, which is one of the reasons I love my husband so much.

Incredible Chickpea Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies (Grain-Free, Vegan) 3

Having a sense of humor is extremely important to me, and I couldn’t have married someone who didn’t make me laugh.

In addition to laughter, my husband and I both put a strong emphasis on healthy eating, another trait I couldn’t have lived without in a mate.

While my emphasis is usually on vegetables, his revolves around his protein intake.

Incredible Chickpea Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies (Grain-Free, Vegan) 4

Though he loves and eats all of my treats, I know there’s a special place in his mouth for the ones that are higher in muscle-building aminos (like these cupcakes or these brownies), so this got me thinking about chickpea flour.

I do so love chickpea flour! High in protein, no eggs needed for binding…how have I not considered using this amazing ingredient in spherical treats before??

Turns out, the stuff makes one hell of a cookie.

5.0 from 1 reviews
Incredible Protein Chocolate Chip Cookies (Grain-Free, Vegan)
 
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Serves: 8 cookies
Ingredients
  • ¾ c. + 1 T. COLD chickpea flour (mine is kept in the freezer) **This is very important, as the cookies will spread/flatten otherwise.
  • healthy ¼ t. sea salt
  • ½ t. baking soda
  • 2 T. natural granulated sugar
  • ⅛ t. powdered stevia extract
  • 3 T. coconut oil, melted before measuring
  • 3 T. maple syrup
  • ½ t. vanilla
  • ¼ c. chopped dark chocolate or chocolate chips
  • 1-2 t. water, as needed
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Mix the dry ingredients together (flour, salt, baking soda, sugar, stevia).
  3. Stir in the oil, maple syrup, vanilla, and chocolate until well combined.
  4. Add in just enough to moisten all of the dry ingredients (the dough should be very thick).
  5. Roll the dough into eight balls and place them onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
  6. Press down on the top of each ball of dough to flatten a bit.
  7. Bake 12-14 minutes until lightly golden.
  8. After removing the baking sheet from the oven, press down on the top of each cookie lightly with a fork to flatten them a bit. This is compacts the cookie, giving it a chewy center and crisp edges.
  9. Cool cookies and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition facts are based on using coconut sugar. WW points (new system): 4
Nutrition Information
Serving size: ⅛ of recipe Calories: 166 Fat: 7.9 g Saturated fat: 5.6 g Unsaturated fat: 2.3 g Trans fat: 0 g Carbohydrates: 20.5 g Sugar: 9.4 g Sodium: 148 mg Fiber: 3.7 g Protein: 4.3 g Cholesterol: 1 mg

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My husband thought these tasted like a ‘healthy Chips Ahoy’. Though I never ate enough of the name brand to make the same comparison, I have to agree that these may be my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe….ever.

Incredible Chickpea Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies (Grain-Free, Vegan) 5

A word of caution when making the dough….DON’T eat it! Chickpea flour tastes horrible raw, so don’t judge these until after baking.

Incredible Chickpea Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies (Grain-Free, Vegan) 6

I enjoy these either fresh out of the oven or fresh out of the fridge (not sure that’s fresh, but whatev).

These have an almost shortbread-like quality, in that they’re buttery without the butter. Yum!

Incredible Chickpea Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies (Grain-Free, Vegan) 7

Do you bake with chickpea flour? What important trait do you look for in a mate?

Update: There’s a video for this recipe showing you exactly how to make these delicious treats!

Shared with: Meatless Monday, Savoring Saturdays

 

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  1. Thanks for your thoughts Lauren. Here's the adaptation and now favorited version of your great recipe below omitting maple syrup too. Btw, today I experimented with the 1 cup chickpea flour with 3/4 c buckwheat (needed a little extra to get same consistency) WORKED FANTASTIC. Still have the shortbread-like yummy cookie. Also re the cold flour - as I am adding warm coconut oil, never made sense to have cold chickpea flour as it would just great instantly warm when mixing : ) Recipe: INGREDIENTS: 1 1/2 c + 1/8 c chickpea flour (or mix 1 c chickpea & 3/4 c buckwheat flour) 1/2 tsp sea salt 1 tsp baking soda 1/4 c coconut sugar (sift out most lumps) 1/4 + 1/8 tsp stevia powder 1/4 c + 2 tbsp coconut oil, melted TIP: add remaining liquid ingredients to warmed coconut oil pot 2 tsp vanilla 2 tbsp lemon juice (optional plus rind) to form *thick* dough consistency. (Can use water if no lemon juice) add more if needed for thick consistency 1/2 c. chopped dark chocolate or chocolate chips OR 1 c chopped walnuts, 3/4 c cranberries or raisins, or try CACAO NIBS!
    Reply

  2. I just bought some more chickpea flour and put it in the freezer. I am wondering how long I should wait before making the cookies. Is an hour or two long enough for it to chill?
    Reply

      • I got impatient. I waited about two hours and they turned out great! This is such an awesome recipe! Thanks.
        Reply

          • Actually, I have used room temp chickpea flour and they still turn out yummy and well shaped too. Q: I am about to make another batch but only have one cup chickpea flour left. Do you think I can successfully substitute with a combo of buckwheat and oatmeal flours?

          • Glad room temp flour worked for you Linda! I'm not certain about the flours, as I haven't tried, but oat flour would be my guess as to what would work best!

      • Lauren just wanted to let you know you can cut the calorie count down on your cookies by substituting unsweetened apple sauce in place of the coconut oil. It cuts the cookie down between 90 to 100 calories.

        Reply

  5. This is an amazing recipe! I never thought of using chickpea flour in cookies because of their sweetness. Instead of chocolate chips, though, I put raisins and some cinnamon do they tasted like oatmeal raisin cookies. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe, I have never had a better gf cookie.
    Reply

  6. Ooh I use this recipe all the time! I just added some cream of tartar and cinnamon (instead of chocolate chips) and it turns out this recipe is a pretty great base for a snickerdoole!
    Reply

  7. Hi Lauren, I just baked up these cookies, and they came out great! Buttery taste, chewy inside and crispy outside. My first time baking with chickpea flour was a success. What is the best way to store them? In the fridge or on the counter? I don't want them to lose their texture. Thanks!
    Reply

    • Hi Ellen,So glad you enjoyed them! I just store them in the fridge, not sure if that's 'best' for texture though. Thanks for trying them!
      Reply

      • I left them on the counter stacked between waxed paper in an airtight container, and they did fine, not quite as crispy along the edges, but still yummy. I subbed brown sugar for the white and omitted the stevia, and they are plenty sweet enough. So how many batches did you have to make to know to freeze the chickpea flour and flatten the cookies when they come out of the oven??
        Reply

  8. I love these cookies and I make them all the time! Amazing! But I have always omitted the stevia (I didn't have any at the time), and it's perfect without it and with no additional substitution for it! Just FYI;) Even those in my family on standard diets eat them up.
    Reply

  9. Hi Lauren :) I loooove these and have made them 3x now and was wondering what changes would I need to make to turn this recipe to turn it into brownies, if it is at all possible? Thankyou for your cheerful inspiration. Janet :)
    Reply

    • Hi Janet,Thank you for your sweet words, I'm so happy you like the cookies! I'm not sure about the brownies, but if I figure something out, I'll post it!
      Reply

  10. Oh yum! I wish I had some of these to snack on right now! Thanks so much for sharing it at Savoring Saturdays linky party! Hope you'll join us again.
    Reply

  11. These sound delicious, Lauren! Thank you for sharing them at Savoring Saturdays, I'm going to feature them at this weekend's party. :) Hope to see you there!
    Reply

  13. I love you right now! Thanks for this recipe. The cookies are amazing! Didn't use the stevia and subbed in coconut sugar. I ate 4 and had to make myself stop : )
    Reply

  15. Sounds like my childhood. My BFF was/is my dad. We have so much more in common than my mom and I do.Also, you're killing me with your sweet treats. I know they're healthy but gah!!! :) These look awesome. Thanks for sharing!!
    Reply

  16. I just made these and they were so delicious! I should've taken them out after 12 minutes, they turned out a bit tough, but the man and I loved them! They're so filling that there's no way we could eat a whole batch in one sitting though! haha I found the taste very interesting, actually reminiscent of eggs. I also think that they're a good base for other flavourings. All that being said, thank you so much for the recipe! Hope you had a lovely weekend :)
    Reply

  17. Thanks for your site!I just made these with bob's red mill garbanzo bean flour and they look beautiful!!Sadly they have a very bitter taste. The smell of the chickpea flour is what they taste like. Did I do something wrong?
    Reply

    • Hi Julie! I'm sorry you didn't like the taste. What I'm suspecting is that they weren't baked long enough?... Chickpea flour needs to be cooked through, otherwise, that 'bean-y' taste can really linger.
      Reply

  18. I just baked these ...they are so good , I used 3 table spoons molasses to replace maple syrup and didn't use any of the other sugar . I am looking more for a healthy treat than cookies..just the best I also added a handful of toasted walnuts and refrigerate my cookies on the baking sheet for 20 minutes because my flour wasn't cold ....thank you for an amazing recipe..
    Reply

  21. Just made some chickpea flour chocolate chip cookies using your recipe. O.M.G.!! I have tried other gluten free flours before and found them lacking...too dry, weird aftertaste, etc. These cookies are so delicious and taste like a choc chip cookie using traditional flour, eggs, milk...all the things my body no longer lets me eat without consequences. I gave my husband and kids one and said they were "regular" choc chip cookies, and they all gave rave reviews. Score! I am looking forward to trying out more of your recipes. Keep up the great work Lauren!
    Reply

  22. So very excited to find chickpea flour! Your cookies were the first recipe I tried... twice :) I did add 2 drops of orange essential oil the second time. Both varieties super yummy and a treat I can eat!
    Reply

  23. I had a baby three months ago and I've had this crazy sugar craving ever since. I'm trying not to eat sweets but I decided to cave by making this healthier treat. I made these yesterday and they are delicious! I used coconut sugar and since didn't have Stevia I just used a little more coconut sugar. Like a teaspoon. Anyway, DELISH.
    Reply

    • That's awesome Chawna, I'm in the same boat as you now with trying to cut out the sweets after having my son. Thanks for your comment! :)
      Reply

  24. Wow!!! I made these tonight and they are brilliant! Tasty..crunchy..perfect! I will be making these again and again. Thanks so much for sharing..your a nourishing food angel!
    Reply

  25. I made these today without the chocolate chips and they were delicious! My daughter and I ate them all in one sitting! I think I may add peanut butter to my next batch to see how that turns out. Thank you for this wonderful recipe!
    Reply

  28. Just made these think I added to much water as were very very sticky ,did not use the stevia so doubled on the sugar .They did spread a lot looked nothing like yours (is that because they were to wet)They do taste very good ,have just hidden them in the cupboard so that they last until this evening!!!!
    Reply

    • Any substitutions can mess up a recipe, so I can't tell you exactly what went wrong, but it sounds like your flour wasn't chilled enough or you had too many wet ingredients.
      Reply

  30. Thank you Lauren for sharing this AMAZINGLY delicious recipe! I made them last night for the first time. The batch only made large 4 cookies because that's how I like them! I fed them to my husband and he was in heaven! I didn't tell him that it was made from chickpea flour until he dug into his third cookie. He was pleasantly surprised :)
    Reply

  33. You would be happy to know tbat besan flour (chickpea) tastes great cooked and roasted. My husband's family are Indian and they cook with it ALL of the time. My first time cooking with your recipe today - baked goods are my one weakness so anything that can make that a healthier option is great! The real test will be my 1 and 4 year olds....
    Reply

  34. I made these cookies last night and they didn't come out very good. Ugh I really wanted them to. I had so much hope. They still had the chickpea flour taste even after they were cooked. Is that how yours tasted?
    Reply

      • I had the same problem, unfortunately. Fairly intense chickpea flavor and an almost bitter aftertaste. I'm hesitant to bake them much longer, though, since both color and texture were absolutely perfect. If anything, the cookies were darker than in your photos. Do you think turning the oven down and baking them longer might help?
        Reply

  35. Wow! Just make these with a few modifs:*Lupin flour in place of chickpea flour (I was actually looking for a recipe to make with lupin flour, and decided to search for chickpea flour recipes... thanks, good idea!) *Put 5 tbsp sucanat (will put 4 next time) and no stevia or maple syrup *Replaced coconut oil with 1 tsp olive oil, and a small piece of a banana *Replaced chocolate chips with cocoa nibs and roasted sunflower seedsYummy! Will definitively do again :) Thank you so much for sharing! Lot of love Isabelle
    Reply

  36. I'm looking for recipes to use up the huge stash of chickpea flour in my pantry, thanks to an accidental Subscribe & Save delivery. :-) Pinning this recipe now--it's going on my "use up the chickpea flour" list. Thanks!
    Reply

  37. Hi, I found your blog by accident when I was looking for ways of getting rid of chickpea flour from my cupboard. I am not vegan, nor vegetarian, I am no a 'health freak' either ...but, probably because of, it I decided to give it a go. The recipe sounded odd and very different from what I usually bake. And the result is...FANTASTIC! The cookies are very, very good, so good that I am already planning to make a bigger batch for my friends. Thank you so much for sharing it. I think I will explore your blog a bit further :D (sorry for any mistakes, English is not my first language)
    Reply

  38. First time using chickpea flour. I used honey instead of mapel syrop. They are very good!!! Next time i will use less sugar or honey, they were abit too sweet for my taste but its definatly going to be a next time! Thank you very much for the recepe!!!
    Reply

  39. I've already made 3 batches of these because they don't last long in my house. They are so delicious and easy to make! Thanks for sharing.
    Reply

  40. You are a genius. Just made these and there are so good! I didn't have the chocolate chips so I used dried cranberries instead. I need to order chickpea flour in bulk!
    Reply

  41. Just made these with carob chips, they were fabulous!!! I'm vegan, my oldest son is GF and has a chocolate allergy, DIL is GF, other son is trying to eat healthier after gallbladder removal. We all loved them! My oldest grandson guessed that they were made from chickpea flour but still loved them. Going to try the black bean fudge next. So happy to find vegan sweet recipes that don't use nuts. Thanks for the great recipes!
    Reply

  42. Hi Lauren,I just made a batch of these and they tasted really nice, the only thing that didnt't turn out as planned was the texture. The 'cookies' were more like pancakes, quite soft, not even the edges turned crispy... Any ideas why? Still I really enjoyed them:) Thank you so much for all the wonderful recipes!
    Reply

    • Hi Irene,It sounds like you may have had a mis-measurement of dry to wet ingredients (either too little dry or too much wet). They should come out chewy and crispy, anything but a soft, pancake texture! Glad you at least enjoyed the taste though! :)
      Reply

  43. Hi Lauren, I made these cookies and they were AMAZING! Thank you for sharing :) I do have a question that you will probably think is really odd/stupid where did you get the measuring spoons you use? I have been looking for ones that are stainless steel and have the smaller measuring spoons as well and I cannot find any anywhere! Thanks for all of the great recipes!
    Reply

    • Hi Bekka,Thanks for your comment, I'm so happy you enjoyed the cookies! I got my latest set of measuring spoons off of Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00004SU1I?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B00004SU1I&linkCode=xm2&tag=oatwitafor-20 :)
      Reply

  44. Hi there I just made and devoured these. My 8 year old loved them also. I used olive oil as I had run out of coconut oil but they still tasted great.Thanks so much. Melinda
    Reply

  45. These are amazingly!!!! I just made a batch and am so happy with them. My 3 girls are going to love these and hubby does too - he couldn't even tell they were gluten free. So glad I found your blog. Thank you from New Zealand!,
    Reply

  47. Finally, a Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Refined Sugar Free chocolate chip cookie recipe that is crunchy!!! My 13 year old daughter, who has food allergies, has been longing for a crunchy choc chip recipe, unlike most others, which are soft. These were great and got the big thumbs up from her! Thank you, Lauren, for creating this!!!
    Reply

  48. Lovely recipe you have here. People should take note that if they use chocolate chips, it will no longer be dairy free, most likely. I tried these today with a few alterations, mainly honey and molasses replacing the maple syrup for a more traditional taste. And I had them extra sticky from too much water, but that was ok, because they spread nicely and were thin just how I like them. Chickpea flour is one of the things I've always had issues with thinking of how to use it, as it lasts longer than all the other flours and starches in use. Glad to know I can make tasty cookies now. Thank you.
    Reply

  49. Made these cookies last night for my daughter she is a vegan and has a gluten sensitivity, they were awesome!!! thanks for sharing the recipe!!!
    Reply

  52. Hello Lauren, You mentioned in your blog for the 'chickpea' blondies' that switching to cannellini beans worked or navy beans. Would they work in this recipe also? Thanks
    Reply

    • Hi Donna,This recipe uses chickpea flour as opposed to the actual bean, but Bob's Red Mill does make a white bean flour you might be interested in!
      Reply

  53. Lauren,I made these cookies today and they are delicious! I never would have known there was chick pea flour in the recipe.We are grain free and I have tried many cookie recipes with various nut flours...they are pretty good, but the texture is never quite right. These are perfect and the combination of sweeteners is just right. An added bonus...such an easy recipe!Thank you for sharing all of your hard work!
    Reply

  56. Omg.lauren I just made.these today they tasted.terrific!! And they.were so easy! I gave them to my.friend.who.eats gluten free she was raving over them! Pls keep the great recipes.coming! All the.best
    Reply

  58. I made these the night I saw them on your blog!! I had all of the ingredients on hand. I made them without the stevia and I loved them. The batch size was perfect. Just enough for my husband and I to have a cookie a day for four days. Thank you!
    Reply

  59. Whenever bloggers leave comments on my blog I immediately go look at their blog! So today, when I saw your comment I rushed right over to Oatmeal with a Fork. The funny thing is when I started reading your about page I realized I had read it before! I read it again because you have an amazing/inspiring story! I think I was led to your blog before via foodgawker. I have to admit that I probably got what I wanted then split without a comment. I’m a creeper like that sometimes. Love that you have three different food processors (I do too, and I’m considering another!)! Love that your husband is a firefighter! Mine fought wildfire for ~10 yrs. Before I go I want you to know that I’ll be back to your blog soon. I really just started blogging about healthy food consistently in May. Lastly, your Cheesy Cauliflower Breadsticks (OMG)!!! And these cookies, “PINNED”! OK, Bye!
    Reply

    • Hi Juliana! Lol!! I stalk blogs too and only leave comments if I'm truly inspired, so I getcha! That's awesome about your hubby...when I was reading your blog, the way you write reminded me of me, and then I saw that our family situation is really similar (except you're like some genius nuclear physicist or something). :-) Thanks for stopping by, and good luck with the healthy food! You'll feel so much better for it. :-D
      Reply

  60. I just had a question about stevia, if I don't have any what could be used instead of? Thanks so much, love your site ;) Kat
    Reply

    • Hi Kat,You could use two additional tablespoons of your preferred granulated sweetener, but you might need a tad more water. Thanks for reading! :-D
      Reply

  61. Just made these cookies - they are incredible!! Many thanks for the recipe.. all your recipes. I'm very appreciative. Be well.
    Reply

  62. These look great! I use chickpea flour in baked goods quite often in combination with other flours, but have never used it on its own in anything sweet. Will have to give these a try!Also, I love the stuff about you and your Dad. I was such a Daddy's girl and this brought up some good thoughts :)
    Reply

  63. One of my favorite things about your blog is that your recipes usually make smaller amounts. I like 8 cookies because I don't have tons of leftovers to store or eat really fast! So far everything I have made from your blog is wonderful so I am looking forward to making these too! Thanks!
    Reply

    • Haha, that's so ironic Diana! My husband was just telling me I need to start making bigger batches because everything I make goes so fast!
      Reply

  64. I've never used chickpea flour before, but now I think I'll have to! I love the look of these cookies...and they do look like Chips Ahoy!
    Reply

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