If your toddler loves cookies but you want something a little more filling and nourishing, these soft chickpea cookies are about to be a hit in your household. They’re naturally sweetened, high in fiber, and made with simple pantry ingredients. No flour, no eggs, and everything blends up in one bowl!
I love these for snack time because they actually keep my littles full longer than traditional cookies, and they’re soft enough for the littles eaters too. Pair one with milk, yogurt, or fruit and you’ve got a balanced toddler snack that feels fun and familiar while still supporting their nutrition.
Why You’ll Love These Chickpea Cookies
If you’ve been around here for a bit, you know I love a snack that checks all the boxes: easy, balanced, toddler-approved, and made with ingredients we already have on hand 🤎
These soft chickpea cookies are:
- naturally sweetened
- high in fiber + protein
- soft enough for little eaters (even the littlest of eaters!)
- made in one blender
- freezer-friendly for meal prep moms
You'll also love my banana chickpea blondies and snickerdoodle chickpea blondies for another snack that feels like a treat!
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Ingredients You'll Need
Here's what you'll need to make these soft chickpea cookies for your kids:
- chickpeas - provide fiber, plant protein, and important minerals like iron, which support steady energy and fullness for toddlers
- almond butter or peanut butter - adds healthy fats for brain development and satiety, plus a little extra protein to help make this a more balanced snack
- oat flour - gives the cookies structure while keeping them soft and easy to chew, provides soluble fiber, which supports digestion
- maple syrup or Medjool dates - naturally sweetens the cookies without refined sugar, dates also add a small boost of fiber and potassium
- vanilla extract - enhances flavor and helps mask any bean taste so the cookies taste more like a traditional treat
- baking powder and baking soda - work together to help the cookies rise, set properly, and develop a more classic cookie texture instead of becoming dense or gummy
- mini chocolate chips or raisins - adds a familiar flavor that increases acceptance for picky eaters (raisins also provide a small amount of iron and natural sweetness)
- milk (as needed) - helps the batter blend smoothly and keeps the cookies soft and tender
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Your Chickpea Cookies
- Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Drain, rinse, and pat the chickpeas very dry.
- Step 2: Add the chickpeas, nut or seed butter, vanilla, dates or maple syrup, salt, oat flour, baking powder, and baking soda to a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth. Add 1-2 tablespoons milk if needed to help it blend.
- Step 3: Stir in the mini chocolate chips or raisins. Scoop about 1½ tablespoons of dough per cookie onto the baking sheet and gently flatten since they will not spread much.
- Step 4: Bake for 12-14 minutes until set and lightly golden. Let the cookies cool completely on the pan so they firm up before serving.
Hint for the Best Chickpea Cookies
For the best texture and flavor, make sure to dry the chickpeas really well before blending. Extra moisture is the main reason chickpea cookies turn out gummy or too soft.
Another key tip: let the cookies cool completely on the pan. They will seem soft right out of the oven, but they firm up as they cool and become perfectly holdable for little hands.
If your dough feels too thick, add 1 tablespoon of milk at a time. If it feels too sticky, chill the dough for 15-20 minutes before baking.
These small steps make a big difference in getting soft, cookie-like chickpea cookies every time!
Substitutions
These chocolate chip chickpea cookies are already gluten-free (if using gluten-free oat flour), egg-free, and dairy-free! Make them nut-free by using sunflower seed butter, perfect for schools or daycare lunches.
Variations
Feel free to add different mix-ins to these chickpea cookies to make them your own!
- cinnamon raisin: skip the chocolate chips and add ¼ cup raisins + ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- carrot cake: add ¼ cup finely grated carrot + ½ teaspoon cinnamon. You can also swap in raisins
- peanut butter banana: use peanut butter and add half a diced banana
- double chocolate: add 1 tablespoon cocoa powder and use chocolate chips for a brownie-style cookie
Equipment
A food processor or high-speed blender works best to get the chickpea mixture smooth and cookie-like. You will also need a baking sheet lined with parchment paper for easy cleanup and even baking. A cookie scoop is helpful for portioning the dough so the cookies bake evenly, but a spoon works just fine too.
Storing Your Chickpea Cookies
Store the chickpea cookies in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4-5 days. They stay soft and hold their shape well, making them great for meal prep and lunchboxes. You can also freeze them for up to 2 months. Let thaw at room temperature or warm slightly before serving for the best texture.
Tiff's Dietitian Tip
These chickpea cookies are a great example of how we can turn a familiar “treat” food into a more balanced, filling snack for our littles! Thanks to the chickpeas and oat flour, they provide fiber and plant protein, which helps with satiety and steady energy (something most typical cookies don't offer).
For a balanced toddler snack, try pairing one cookie with:
- milk for calcium and protein
- yogurt for added fat and staying power
- a fruit on the side for vitamin C, which helps support iron absorption
Remember, snacks do not have to be just carbs. Adding fiber, protein, and fat helps keep toddlers fuller longer and supports more stable energy between meals.
FAQ
Yes, but the texture will be softer and more fudge-like. The oat flour helps the cookies hold their shape and makes them easier for little hands to grab! Feel free to sub with all-purpose flour or use ½ cup of almond flour.
Absolutely. Use sunflower seed butter instead of peanut or almond butter for a nut-free, lunchbox-safe version.
Yes! Sub with ¼-1/3 cup of maple syrup depending how sweet you want your chickpea cookies.
They will be soft when warm and firm up as they cool. Let them cool completely before serving for the best texture.
Yes. Store them in an airtight container and freeze for up to 2 months. They thaw soft and ready to eat.
Yes, as long as you use certified gluten-free oat flour. You can sub with regular flour if needed!
Yes. Store the dough in the fridge for up to 24 hours before baking.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with these chickpea cookies:
Chickpea Cookies for Toddlers (high fiber, no added sugar!)
Equipment
- high speed blender or food processor
- measuring cups and spoons
- parchment paper
Ingredients
- 1 15 oz can chickpeas, drained, rinsed, and dried well
- ½ cup peanut butter or almond butter or sunflower seed butter
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 6 Medjool dates or ¼ cup maple syrup soaked and pitted, add a little more for sweeter
- pinch salt
- ⅓ cup oat flour use certified gluten-free if needed
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼-½ cup mini chocolate chips or raisins
- 2-3 tablespoon milk or water as needed for blending if you don't have a high-speed blender
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Add chickpeas, nut or seed butter, vanilla, dates or maple syrup, salt, flour, baking powder, and baking soda to a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth, adding milk 1 tablespoon at a time if needed.
- Stir in mini chocolate chips or raisins. Scoop about 1½ tablespoons of dough per cookie onto the baking sheet and gently flatten.
- Bake for 12-14 minutes until set and lightly golden. Cool completely on the pan before serving.
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