Gingerbread Chickpea Blondies (V, GF, Oil-free)

Vegan oil-free gingerbread chickpea blondies nourish your body as they satisfy your sweet tooth! They are flourless, vegan, grain-free, gluten-free and low-sugar.

Hello, everyone! I hope this post finds you happy and well, and, for those of you in the United States, safe (and undelayed!) in your return Thanksgiving travels.

I am thankful to be back on my home turf (hello, chilly weather + gorgeous Texas sunshine), cozy (it’s a 100% yoga pants weekend), and (almost) rid of the final remnants of my cold (hallelujah.

I am also thankful for theseVegan Gingerbread Chickpea Blondies.

Gingerbread and blondies are two of my go-to desserts, ever. I love good chocolate, in multiple forms, but, when push comes to shove, I am definitely a brown sugar-molasses-spice person. Combining gingerbread and blondies into one? It is meant to be, and this recipe proves it.

Use Canned Chickpeas for Memorable Vegan Blondies

In addition to wanting the flavors of a gingerbread and blondies, I especially wanted the texture of the latter: tender, slightly crisp top and edges, but a gooey, caramel-like center. It’s a texture combination that is tricky with a traditional, all-purpose flour blondie: a few minutes too long in the oven, and the caramel center is gone.

These blondies are anything but tricky. In fact the converse is true of their traditional counterparts: it is almost impossible to go wrong.

The reason? These are made with chickpeas, not flour.

And because they are mostly chickpeas–high in fiber (resistant starch, particularly), protein, and an assortment of other nutrients–these blondies transcend dessert. Each blondie is superfood-packed treat, just right for energy and refueling at any time of day, and free of any subsequent sugar spikes.

In other words, eat, enjoy and feel wonderful.

Recipe Benefits

• Vegan (egg-free, dairy-free)
• Grain-free
• Gluten-free
• Oil-fee
• Especially straightforward to make

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.

• 1 can chickpeas
• nut butter or seed butter, (e.g., almond butter, peanut butter, or sunflower seed butter)
• molasses, (cooking molasses, not blackstrap; see notes for options)
• spices (ground ginger, ground cinnamon, ground allspice, ground cloves)
• baking powder, (certified GF, as needed)
• baking soda
• salt
• Optional Drizzle: white chocolate chips

Molasses & Lots of Spices for Bold Gingerbread Flavor

I used molasses to give these blondies a robust, gingerbread flavor. You can use an equal amount of maple syrup (or honey, if you do not need these to be vegan)–but if you are ok with it, I strong recommend you stick with the molasses.

I am not a fan of timid gingerbread, hence these have plenty of spice. The ginger and cinnamon are important, but feel free to vary the allspice and cloves, as you like, with other spices (e.g., cardamom, nutmeg, mace).

Step by Step Instructions

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

• Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Line an 8-inch (20 cm) square baking pan with parchment paper.
• In a food processor, process the chickpeas, nut butter, molasses, spices, baking powder, baking soda and salt until completely smooth, stopping once or twice to scrape down sides of processor bowl.
• Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown, slightly puffed, and the surface of the blondies appears dry.
• Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely in pan.
• Use the parchment paper to lift the blondies from the pan.
• If desired, drizzle blondies with optional white chocolate. For easiest slicing, place in refrigerator for an hour before cutting!

These are just what you need for the post-Thanksgiving, pre-winter Holidays transition. As final perks (to woo you into making a batch asap) they are also frugal and incredibly fast and straightforward to make.

Enjoy the final hours of the holiday weekend, everyone!

FAQ

• How should I store the gingerbread chickpea blondies?Store the cooled blondies in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 day (they will be soft), the refrigerator for 1 week or the freezer for 6 months.
• What is a good substitute for molasses?You can substitute an equal amount ofmaple syrup, brown rice syrup, agave nectar, or (if not following a vegan diet) honey.
• Why do you advise against using blackstrap molasses?Blackstrap molasses is too bitter, and not sweet enough, for these blondies.

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