Chickpea Chocolate Chip Cookies
Yields: about 36 cookies Prep Time: 10 minutes Total Time: 45 minutes
A healthier spin on the classic chocolate chip cookie, these are a fluffy version of the original. Chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans) replace half of the flour and add extra protein and fiber, while maintaining a flavorful cookie.
Ingredients
1 1/4 cup canned chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
1/2 cup softened butter
2/3 cup plus 3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons quality vanilla
2 teaspoons unsulphured molasses
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup chocolate chips
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. In a food processor, combine drained and rinsed chickpeas, softened butter, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla and molasses. Pulse until well combined.
2. In a separate bowl, combine whole wheat pastry flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add in wet ingredients from food processor. Once well mixed, fold in chocolate chips.
3. Drop between 1 -2 T. of cookie dough on a parchment paper or silicone mat lined baking pan, about 2 inches apart (cookies will spread). Bake at 400 degrees for about 8-10 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool on cooling rack. Store in an airtight container.*
*Because there less fat in than traditional cookies, the amount of moisture rapidly decreases with each day, so I recommend storing in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days, in the freezer for longer.
I used to make (healthier) chocolate chip cookies and chickpea muffins all of the time when I was pregnant and needed some extra nutrition when all I wanted were chips and chocolate. Well, I’m not pregnant anymore, and equally, I am not eating for two, so I found a way to combine my pregnancy favorites in a healthier combo, which is also great for the kiddos! I get to still enjoy a twist of a classical chocolate chip cookie, and yet get the nutritional benefits of fiber, B vitamins, protein, and the list goes on.
These cookies have a light crusty outside and have a moist and cake-like inside, like the top of a muffin as mentioned above. There is a bit of molasses, an iron rich natural sweetener, in the recipe to add a depth resonant of the classical cookie but characteristic of a muffin in texture. Originally, I made these with less butter and a tad less sugar, and the result was a much drier and less crusty cookie. By adding just a bit more butter and sugar, the cookie quality becomes stronger and the overall flavor profile is greatly improved.
The kiddos loved these cookies and mouths dropped when they found out beans were a main ingredient. My intention is not to ‘hide’ anything in food. Sometimes we swap out ingredients and see what we can add to boost the nutrition. My girls are tickled when they realize how something can taste so different by altering the complimentary ingredients. They really enjoy being a part of this trial and error process. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it’s definitely an error!
Other recipes you might enjoy:
