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My chickpea flour chocolate chip cookies are a delicious and healthy spin on the typical chocolate chip cookie.
Besides being gluten free and vegan, they are also super quick and easy to make. You can enjoy one fresh out of the oven in under 30 minutes!
But let’s learn a little more about the bean before we get to the baking…
Chickpea flour, also commonly called garbanzo bean flour, is a useful and fairly inexpensive gluten-free substitute for wheat flour.
Milled from dried garbanzo beans, it is used as a base for different styles of bread, fritters, and baked goods like blondies, as well as a thickening agent for soups, stews, and sauces.
You may also see the terms gram or besan flour in retail, which can refer to multiple varieties of dried and split chickpeas ground into flour that may vary in taste, color, and texture.
For the purpose of this cookie recipe, seek out ground chickpea or garbanzo bean flour, which is available on Amazon.
With its sweet and rich flavor, chickpea flour provides a unique profile to these cookies.
Chewy on the inside, but with a slightly firm and crispy exterior, the texture will remind you of a hearty breakfast cookie, but without the crunchy interruption of any oats, nuts, or dried fruits.
There’s something else that will capture your attention instead: the chocolate! Oh, the dreamy, melty chocolate…
Rather than using chocolate chips, I love chopping a vegan dark chocolate bar to create chunks of all shapes and sizes. I’m also currently obsessed with making my own chocolate chunks!
You’ll get a fun surprise with every bite – a tasty mix of feathery slivers, little chips, or large chunks.
There’s no time to waste, that chocolate won’t chop itself. Read on for the recipe!
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Chickpea Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies (Gluten Free and Vegan)
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 10 cookies 1x
Description
Chickpea flour is the best base for gluten-free chocolate chip cookies. They’re easy to make, with a slightly firm crust and chewy centers.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup chickpea flour
- 2 tablespoons coconut sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons coconut oil, melted and slightly cooled
- 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ounces (about 1/3 cup) vegan dark chocolate, roughly chopped (or sub chocolate chips)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- Sift together the chickpea flour, coconut sugar, baking soda, and salt into the bowl of a stand mixer.
- Add the melted coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla extract to the bowl. Using the paddle attachment at low speed, mix until a thick dough forms.
- Add the chopped chocolate and mix at low speed until combined.
- Using a 1-ounce (2-tablespoon) cookie scoop, portion the dough and place on the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 1 inch of space between each portion. Flatten each ball slightly with the palm of your hand.
- Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the cookies are lightly golden around the edges.
- Remove the sheet pan from the oven. Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring the cookies to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Dessert
Keywords: chickpea flour, garbanzo bean flour, chocolate chip, cookie, gluten-free, vegan
Cooking by the Numbers…
Step 1 – Prep
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
Measure and melt the coconut oil. Let it cool slightly before using it. While the oil is cooling, prepare the remaining ingredients.
With a sharp knife and sturdy cutting board, roughly chop the chocolate. Your cuts do not have to be perfect. A variety of sizes is best for a fun mix of pieces in each mound of dough! Or, if you prefer consistency, you can feel free to substitute chips for the chunks.
Measure and sift together the chickpea flour, salt, baking soda, and coconut sugar. I like to do this step over the bowl of the stand mixer – that way, you’ll have one less bowl to worry about cleaning!
Measure the maple syrup and vanilla extract.
Step 2 – Make the Dough
Attach the bowl with the dry ingredients to your stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment. You can also mix the dough by hand with a sturdy spatula, or use a hand mixer.
Add the melted coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla to the bowl. Combine at low speed until a thick dough forms.
Add the chopped chocolate to the bowl and mix at low speed until combined.
Some of the chocolate pieces may not blend entirely with the dough. Use a sturdy spoon or spatula to firmly fold the pieces into the dough until completely incorporated.
Step 3 – Portion
Using a 1-ounce (2-tablespoon) cookie scoop, portion the dough and place it on the prepared baking sheet, leaving space between each portion. You’ll get ten individual mounds of dough.
Because the dough does not spread too much while it’s baking, I recommend flattening each ball with the palm of your hand to create more of a traditional round cookie shape.
If you prefer a fun and puffy look, you can leave them as is! Bake the cookies for a minute or two longer if you go this route, since they will be thicker.
Step 4 – Bake
Place the baking sheet in the oven, using the middle rack for best results and even baking. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, rotating the sheet pan halfway through.
The mounds will be dry on top and lightly golden around the edges when the cookies are done.
Step 5 – Cool and Store
Remove the baking sheet from the oven. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Enjoy while they’re still warm – the chocolate will still be melty and gooey, perfection in my book! Or, you can store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
How Can I Save Even More Time?
While I’m a firm believer that any homemade chocolate chip cookie deserves to be made with freshly chopped chunks from a high-quality chocolate bar, sometimes you’re just not in the mood to get out the chopping board and knife to do all that extra work.
Stamp the foot, cross the arms, and yell out loud, “But I don’t WANNA!”
Yeah, that kind of mood.
You can easily substitute the chocolate chunks with that time-saving creation, good ol’ premade chocolate chips from a bag. Stick with a vegan option, and use about 1/3 cup for this recipe.
Will the finished product be just as tasty? Just as gooey? Just as wonderful?
You betcha.
Have you used chickpea flour for your alternative baking projects before? Do you prefer hand-cut chunks over premade chocolate chips? Your comments are most welcome – message me below!
No matter how full you think you might be, there is always room for another homemade cookie! Take a look at some of these other gluten-free options next:
Photos by Nikki Cervone, © Ask the Experts, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. See our TOS for more details. Originally published by Shanna Mallon on March 18, 2016. Last updated on November 15, 2021.
Nutritional information derived from a database of known generic and branded foods and ingredients and was not compiled by a registered dietitian or submitted for lab testing. It should be viewed as an approximation.
About Nikki Cervone
Nikki Cervone is an ACS Certified Cheese Professional and cheesemonger living in Pittsburgh. Nikki holds an AAS in baking/pastry from Westmoreland County Community College, a BA in Communications from Duquesne University, and an MLA in Gastronomy from Boston University. When she's not nibbling on her favorite cheeses or testing a batch of cupcakes, Nikki enjoys a healthy dose of yoga, wine, hiking, singing in the shower, and chocolate. Lots of chocolate.
