Chickpea Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies

When I first started my blog, I had just moved to Washington D.C., was utterly confused about what to do with my life and had endless amounts of student loans. I knew that I needed to support myself, make a decent income and be independent. So I took a job in marketing at an engineering consulting firm.

Guys, it was terrible. I mean truly awful.

That year proved to be one of thetoughest years I had ever been through. I was finally alone all by myself, in an unknown city grieving my father’s passing, and needed comfort in any form. So I ate! I ate because I didn’t want to think or feel. I ate because food was the only thing that felt soothing, even though it would never sew up the hole left in my heart.

I ate all the cookies I made, and I mean all of them. I dug my fork into a pan of brownies with no regard for my health, confidence or body. I baked during every moment of free time because I wanted to forget what my heart could not.

If you spend some time looking back in my blog’s archives, you can see that I approachfood much differently now. My love for nutrition was always there, but was somehow got buriedin the comfort of brown buttery baked goods and binging.

These days I still bake frequently; it continues to be one of the loves in my life and I could never see myself giving it up. The difference though, is that Inow focus on both the quality and nutrition of ingredients.I choose nutritious foods that will keep me feeling wonderful on both the inside and out.

That’s exactly where these chickpea flour cookies come in. Yes, you read that right: chickpea flour chocolate chip cookies that are amazingly delicious, chewy and both dairy free and gluten free!

FREE Ultimate Guide to Cookie Baking

What is chickpea flour?

Yes, that’s right: chocolate chip cookies made from chickpea flour. No, I’m not crazy. Just an experimenter, determined to get you into the kitchen and get a little ambitious. Heh.

Chickpea flour is simply a fine flour made from ground up dried chickpeas or garbanzo beans. It’s also known as garbanzo flour, gram flour and besan and is used frequently in Middle Eastern & Indian cooking and baking. It’s denser than regular flour, naturally gluten free and packed with protein. This is the brand we use and love.

Why bake with chickpea flour

There are so many reasons to fall in love with chickpea flour:

It’s nut free. You know I love baking with almond & coconut flour but I know many people have allergies, so this is a great, nut free alternative! I love the texture that it gives baked goods and you will too.
Great for subbing all purpose flour. Chickpea flour is a great sub for baking with! In fact, have you tried my chickpea flour banana bread yet? You can try using chickpea flour in place of all purpose flour in some of my other . I might suggest adding an extra tablespoon of milk or oil when baking with chickpea flour when you sub for all purpose flour, as it can be somewhat drier in texture.
It’s naturally sweet. Another perk of choosing chickpea flour is that you actually can use less sugar, since the flour is naturally somewhat sweeter.

What you’ll need to make chickpea flour chocolate chip cookies

These easy chickpea flour cookies are made with 8 simple ingredients and result in an amazingly chewy and delicious cookie. The texture is even very similar to a bakery style chocolate chip cookie! Here’s everything you’ll need to make them:

Coconut oil: to give the cookies the perfect amount of moisture and flavor. You can also use melted butter or melted vegan butter if you prefer but I love the flavor of coconut oil in these!
Brown sugar: the best sweetener for these chickpea flour cookies. You can also use coconut sugar but I truly find brown sugar to be the best. Don’t forget to pack the brown sugar!
Eggs: you’ll need one egg + one extra egg yolk to give the cookies the right consistency. If you’d like you can easily make these vegan by using 1 tablespoon flaxseed meal + 1/4 cup water. (More vegan instructions in the note section of the recipe!)
Baking staples: we’re also using good old vanilla extract, baking soda & salt.
Chickpea flour: the one and only! Chickpea flour keeps these cookies both gluten free & grain free and gives them such a great texture.
Chocolate chips: feel free to use chocolate chips or chop up your favorite dark chocolate bar. You can also use dairy free chocolate chips to keep the cookies dairy free/vegan.

Can I use regular flour?

Yes, you can likely use regular flour in place of the chickpea flour in this recipe. However, the texture will not be quite same which is why these cookies are meant to be made with chickpea flour. If you’re looking for cookies made with regular flour, try some of these:

coconut oil chocolate chip cookies
brown butter chocolate chip cookies
chocolate chunk coconut oatmeal cookies

Can I make them vegan?

Yes, absolutely! Feel free to make a flax egg by combining 1 tablespoon flaxseed meal + 1/4 cup water in a small bowl. I’ve found this ratio works best for these cookies! Allow mixture to sit for 5 minutes before using in place of the egg in the recipe. I REALLY LOVED the vegan version of these cookies so much; they’re a little doughy in the middle and oh so good!

What do chickpea flour cookies taste like?

I realize how crazy these cookies sound, but when I first tested them, I went absolutely BONKERS over how incredible they are. I wouldn’t lie to you because we’re friends, and friends tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. The cookie Lord knows.

So trust me when I say that you won’t taste an ounce of bean flavor when you take a bite into these. They taste just like the real deal chocolate chip cookie you love but are gluten free and filled with protein! Another perk of choosing chickpea flour is that you actually can use less sugar, since the flour is naturally somewhat sweeter.

How to make chocolate chip cookies with chickpea flour

Mix the wet. In a large bowl, you’ll whisk together all of your wet ingredients until they’re nice and smooth.
Mix the dry. In a separate large bowl whisk all of your dry ingredients.
Add them together. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix with a wooden spoon until a nice dough forms.
Bake & eat! Scoop your dough balls onto a prepared cookie sheet, bake and enjoy!

Freezing tips

Freeze the dough.To freeze the dough, simply roll it into individual balls and place them on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Chill the dough in the freezer for 30 minutes. Once the cookie dough balls firm up, transfer them to areusable freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, simply thaw out the dough and bake the chickpea flour cookies as directed. You’ll likely just need to add a few extra minutes of baking time!
Freeze the baked chickpea flour cookies.You can also freeze your baked cookies for later. Wait for them to cool completely, then transfer them to areusable freezer-safe bag or container lined with wax or parchment paper. I like to place them in a single layer to avoid any cookies breaking. Cookies will keep well for up to 2 months. Once ready to eat, simply thaw out at room temperature and enjoy.

More gluten free cookies to try

The Best Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies You’ll Ever Eat

Grain Free Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

Flourless Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Flourless Monster Cookies

Healthy Soft Banana Bread Cookies

I hope you love these delicious chickpea flour chocolate chip cookies! If you make them be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you like them. Enjoy, xo!

Chickpea Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies | Ambitious Kitchen (8)

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Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

ServesServes 12 cookies

Magical chickpea flour chocolate chip cookies that are crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside and filled with puddles of chocolate. These easy chickpea flour cookies are dairy free, gluten free & grain free and make the best healthier dessert!

Ingredients

1/2 cup coconut oil, melted and cooled
1/2 cup packed brown sugar (or sub coconut sugar but brown sugar has better flavor for these!)
1 egg, at room temperature (see notes for a vegan version)
1 egg yolk (only the egg yolk!)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups chickpea flour (or garbanzo bean flour)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup chocolate chips, dairy free if desired (or sub a 3.5 oz 72% dark chocolate bar, coarsely chopped)
Coarse sea salt, for sprinkling on top

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
In a large bowl whisk together the melted and cooled coconut oil, brown sugar, egg, egg yolk and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy; for at least 1 minute. Tip: Make sure your coconut oil is not HOT. It should be melted but on the cooler side so that your egg won't cook when you mix everything together. You can bring your egg to room temp by running it under warm water for 1-2 minutes.
In a separate bowl, whisk together chickpea flour, baking soda and salt.Add dry ingredient to wet ingredients until well combined. Fold in chocolate chips.
Use a medium cookie scoop to scoop dough and then use your hands to roll the dough into balls; place on the prepared parchment lined baking sheet. Very gently just barely flatten just the tops of the cookies or you can bake them as is for thicker cookies. Bake for 9-11 minutes or until edges are slightly golden brown. Allow cookies to cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool. Makes 12 cookies. Store in airtight container.

Recipe Notes

To make these vegan: feel free to make a flax egg with 1 tablespoon flaxseed + 1/4 cup water. I've found this ratio works best for these cookies. Allow mixture to sit for 5 minutes before using in place of the egg. Be sure to also use vegan chocolate chips!

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookieCalories: 170calCarbohydrates: 16.5gProtein: 3.1gFat: 11.4gFiber: 2.7gSugar: 9.3g

Recipe originally published on Jun 20, 2016, republished February 3, 2021

Recipe by: Monique Volz // Ambitious Kitchen | Photography by:Eat Love Eats