Straightforward Chickpea Flour Rolls

Light and tender chickpea flour rolls are an straightforward addition to soup, salad, or dinner. Baked in a muffin tin, the little soda breads need no yeast or kneading and are vegan, gluten-free, grain-free, and made without added oil. Enjoy them plain or with an everything bagel topping.

Introduction

A little bread alongside a bowl of soup or a big salad can make the whole meal feel complete. I love how easily these chickpea flour rolls fill that role: stir together a plain batter, divide it among muffin cups, and let the oven do the rest. No yeast, kneading, or rising time to work around.

Soda bread is already wonderfully straightforward, and chickpea flour makes it especially forgiving. There is no gluten to overdevelop as you stir, so you can mix the batter thoroughly without worrying about tough rolls. Chickpea flour also does double duty here, providing the flour and helping the bread hold together without eggs.

I make a small batch of six rolls, but you can easily double the recipe when you need more. Leave the tops plain or sprinkle them with everything bagel seasoning for a savory, seedy finish. Either way, the most useful bit of planning is plain: have the oven hot and the muffin tin ready before you combine the batter.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Vegan:Egg-free and dairy-free, with no egg replacer to prepare separately.
• Gluten-free and grain-free:Chickpea flour takes the place of grain flour; choose a grain-free nondairy milk to keep the entire recipe grain-free.
• Made without added oil:No oil or butter goes into the batter.
• No yeast or kneading:Baking soda gives the rolls their lift, with no rising time or dough kneading required.
• Quick to make and bake:No mixer or food processor needed. A standard muffin tin makes six individual rolls that bake in 14 to 16 minutes.
• Straightforward to keep on hand:Enjoy a small batch now or freeze some for another meal.

Ingredients

The exact amounts of each ingredient are indicated in the recipe card at the end of the post.Toggle betweenUS Customary(volume) andMetric(weights) for preferred measurement option.

• Nondairy milk:Forms the liquid base. Choose a milk that suits your dietary needs, including options like soy milk, almond milk, hemp milk or cashew milk.
• Vinegar:White vinegar or apple cider vinegar provides the acidity for the soda bread batter. Stir it into the milk first.
• Chickpea flour:Also called garbanzo bean flour, gram flour or besan, it is made by finely grinding dried chickpeas. It gives the rolls their structure and distinctive savory flavor without wheat or eggs.
• Flaxseed meal:Use ground flaxseed, rather than whole seeds, to help bind the batter.
• Baking soda:The leavener for these yeast-free rolls. It starts working when the wet and dry ingredients meet.
• Fine sea salt:Seasons the bread.
• Maple syrup:A small amount rounds out the flavor. Another dry or liquid sweetener can be used.
  • Optional : everything bagel topping:Adds seeds, dried onion, and a salty finish. Use a purchased blend or the kitchen-made mixture in the recipe notes.

How to Make Chickpea Flour Rolls

Note that the complete instructions are also in the recipe card below.

1. Prepare the oven and tin.Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Generously grease or spray six cups of a standard muffin tin, or use silicone liners or parchment paper liners.
2. Mix the milk and vinegar.Stir them together in a small bowl or cup and let stand for 5 minutes.
3. Whisk the dry ingredients.Combine the chickpea flour, flaxseed meal, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
4. Make the batter.Add the milk mixture and maple syrup; stir until blended. Divide evenly among the prepared cups and add the optional topping.
5. Bake promptly.Put the tin in the preheated oven immediately. Bake for 14 to 16 minutes, until puffed and golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
6. Cool and release.Let the rolls cool completely in the tin set on a cooling rack. Run a knife around the edge of each cup and remove the rolls.

Taste and Texture

Expect light, tender little rolls with a savory chickpea flavor. The small amount of maple syrup does not turn them into sweet muffins. Plain rolls are straightforward to pair with dinner, while an everything bagel topping adds a seedy crunch and onion flavor.

Storage

Let the rolls cool completely before storing them in an airtight container.

• Room Temperature:Store for up to 2 days.
• Refrigerator:Store for up to 1 week.
• Freezer:Store for up to 3 months.

Serving Suggestions

Serve the rolls alongside soup, a hearty salad, or roasted vegetables. They are also straightforward to pack for a picnic. Keep them plain when you want a plain accompaniment, or use the everything bagel topping when a little extra savory flavor suits the meal.

Flavor Variations

Add 1 1/2 teaspoons dried mixed herbs (e.g., Italian herb seasoning or herbes de Provence) and 1 teaspoon of garlic powder to the batter.

Sprinkle the batter with everything bagel seasoning before baking. To make your own blend, combine 1 tablespoon dried minced onion, 2 teaspoons sesame seeds, 2 teaspoons poppy seeds, and 1 teaspoon coarse salt. Sprinkle on as much as you like; you do not need to use the entire mixture.

Add two tablespoon of nutritional yeast and 1 teaspoon of mustard (any variety, adds sharpness to enhance the cheese flavor) to the batter.

Reduce the Toal amount of milk to 2/3 cup. Increase the total amount of the maple syrup to 3 tablespoons and add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon to the batter.

Tips for Success

• Preheat first.Have the oven at 400°F (200°C) and the tin prepared before mixing the batter.
• Prepare the cups generously.The rolls can stick firmly to the tin. Grease or spray the cups thoroughly, or use silicone muffin cup liners.
• Bake right away.Once the milk mixture meets the baking soda, the leavening begins. A delay can leave the rolls shorter and heavier.
• Cool completely.I know it is tempting to remove them early, but unlined rolls stick until they are cool. Run a knife around each cup before lifting them out.
• Double for a larger batch.Double the ingredients and use 12 standard muffin cups; keep the individual roll size the same.

Ingredient Substitutions

• Vinegar:Use white vinegar or apple cider vinegar, or replace the vinegar wth an equal amount of lemon juice or lime juice.
• Maple syrupalternatives:Replace the maple syrup with another dry or liquid sweetener of choice in the same measured amount, such as coconut sugar, date sugar, granulated cane sugar, agave nectar, or brown sugar.
• Nondairy milk:Choose one that suits your needs. For nut-free rolls, use a nut-free milk such as soy milk, hemp milk or oat milk; for grain-free rolls, avoid grain-based milks such as oat milk or rice milk.
• Water:I think water could work in place of the milk, but I do not have a tested result to share. I suggest using nondairy milk for the recipe as written.
• Chickpea flour and flaxseed meal:I suggest keeping both for this recipe. If you need a bread without flaxseed, myChickpea Flour Sandwich Breadand3-Ingredient Chickpea Flour Breadare great flaxseed-free alternatives.

Frequently Asked Questions

I suggest using a muffin tin. The batter is too loose to hold a freestanding roll shape on a baking sheet; the cups support it as it bakes.

I suggest sticking with the individual rolls for this gluten-free bread. A full-size loaf can be tricky with vegan, grain-free batter: the larger volume may not rise well in the center, or it may sink. I do not have a reliable loaf baking time to give you.

They need to cool completely before removal, even when the cups are greased. Let the tin rest on a cooling rack, then loosen each roll with a knife. Use silicone muffin cup liners if you prefer to avoid waiting for the rolls to release from the tin.

They can be: choose a nut-free nondairy milk and check the other ingredients and optional topping for your needs.

Ultimate Collection of Chickpea Flour Recipes

Chickpea flour is one of my go-to ingredients for gluten-free baking. You can see all of mychickpea flour recipesHERE.