These Chickpea Flour Cookies are delicious gluten-free cookies made with high-protein chickpea flour. They taste like traditional chocolate cookies but are much healthier, packed with proteins from chickpeas, and made with no eggs or gluten.
I love baking with chickpea flour because it brings a lot of plant-based recipes (5 grams per cookie in this recipe) as well as a light nutty flavor. These cookies are very similar to classic choc chip cookies with a chewy middle and very crispy edges.
Ingredients and Substitutions
You only need 7 wholesome ingredients for this simple cookie recipe.
- Chickpea Flour – Chickpea flour provides structure and a boost of plant-based protein. Make sure to sift or shake the flour before measuring to eliminate lumps. Do not substitute with other flours (e.g., almond or oat) without testing, as they absorb liquid differently and will change the texture. Do not use Besan flour, it’s made from split brown chickpeas and won’t work the same.
- Coconut Sugar – This adds a caramel-like sweetness to the cookies and helps with browning. For alternatives, you can use white sugar, brown sugar, or demerara sugar. Note that white sugar will produce a lighter cookie, while coconut sugar will result in darker cookies that spread slightly less. Avoid liquid sweeteners like maple syrup, as they will make the dough too soft and difficult to shape.
- Melted Coconut Oil – It provides moisture and richness. Ensure the oil is melted but cooled slightly to avoid overheating the dough. Vegan butter can replace coconut oil for a slightly different flavor, but olive oil or other liquid oils will not work as they don’t solidify when cooled.
- Unsweetened Applesauce or Mashed Banana – These act as a binder in this egg-free recipe, while also adding natural sweetness. Mashed banana will give a mild banana flavor, while applesauce keeps the flavor neutral. Use applesauce for a more traditional cookie taste. Avoid skipping this, as the recipe relies on this ingredient for texture.
- Baking Soda – To help the cookies spread and rise slightly. Ensure your baking soda is fresh for the best results.
- Vanilla Extract – For more flavors. Skip only if absolutely necessary, as it adds a lot to the recipe.
- Mini Chocolate Chips – Small chips distribute more evenly in the cookies compared to regular-sized chips. Dark chocolate chips are great for a lower-sugar option, or use semi-sweet chocolate for a sweeter treat. Avoid overloading the dough with too many chips, as this can cause the cookies to break apart.
How to Make Chickpea Flour Cookies
While this recipe is really easy to whip up with the recipe card further down, I’ve included below pictures of key steps so you can see what texture you should get for each step.
Combine the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
Incorporate the liquids gradually and stir with a silicone spatula.
Incorporate the chocolate chips into the cookie dough.
Form 8 large cookies and keep them apart enough (more than I did here) as they spread.
Bake the chickpea cookies for 8-11 minutes at 350 °F (180 °C).
If they spread too much, flip a jar upside down on each of them and swirl to reduce their size while they’re hot.
Carine’s Baking Tips
While the recipe card below is all you need to make these cookies, I have a few more tips to make sure they are perfect every time, even if you’re a baking newbie!
- Avoid Tasting Raw Dough – Raw chickpea flour has a strong, unpleasant taste that disappears after baking. The cookies will taste delicious once cooked!
- Shake or Sift Chickpea Flour – Chickpea flour can clump easily, so always sift or shake it in its bag before measuring to ensure even mixing and a smooth dough.
- Keep Coconut Oil Cool – Melted coconut oil that’s too hot can react with the other ingredients and lead to uneven baking. Let it cool slightly before mixing.
- Chill Dough for Better Handling – If the dough feels too soft or sticky, chill it in the fridge for 10-15 minutes before portioning. This step also helps control spreading.
- Measure Carefully – Precise measurements are key, especially for chickpea flour and coconut oil. Use a kitchen scale for best results – the metric measurements are also in the recipe card.
- Shape and Space Generously – These cookies spread a lot, so leave ample space (3-4 thumbs apart) between each dough ball on the baking sheet. For perfectly round cookies, press the dough balls gently with your palm before baking.
- Fix Overspread Cookies – If your cookies spread too much, use a round glass or container to reshape them. Place the glass over the cookie immediately after baking and swirl it around to push the edges back into a circle.
- Bake in Batches – If your oven can’t accommodate two sheets at once, bake in batches to ensure even baking. Rotate the sheets halfway through for consistent browning.
- Cool Completely Before Handling – Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Chickpea flour cookies are fragile when hot but firm up as they cool.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
If you still have issues, I have tips that can help you fix some of the most common problems.
- Cookies Are Too Dry: Check the freshness of your chickpea flour and coconut oil. Measure the ingredients carefully, and ensure you are adding enough applesauce or banana.
- Cookies Are Too Soft: Bake for an additional 2-3 minutes. The cookies will firm up as they cool, but underbaking can leave them too soft.
- Cookies Overspread Too Much: Reduce the sugar slightly or chill the dough before baking. Alternatively, use coconut sugar, which spreads less than white or brown sugar. You can also make large cookies shrink by placing a jar upside down on each cookie and jiggling it around.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
You can store your baked chickpea flour cookies in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. This helps retain their chewy texture. At room temperature, they last for 2-3 days, but they tend to soften a bit.
You can also freeze the cookies in sealed Ziploc bags for up to 1 month. Let them thaw at room temperature before serving. The cookie dough can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours. Let it come to room temperature for a few minutes before portioning and baking.
More Chickpea Flour Recipes
If you like to experiment with chickpea flour, I have many more delicious chickpea versions of classic recipes:
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Chickpea Flour Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 ⅓ cup Chickpea Flour - (note 1)
- ¾ cup Coconut Sugar - (note 2)
- ½ cup Melted Coconut Oil - (note 3)
- ¼ cup Unsweetened Applesauce - or mashed banana
- ½ teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- ½ cup Mini Chocolate Chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F (180 °C). Line a large cookie sheet or two medium cookie sheets with parchment paper. Slightly oil the paper. Set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, add chickpea flour, sugar, and baking soda, and use a whisk to stir everything together until no more lumps of chickpea flour can be seen.
- Add melted, cooled coconut oil, applesauce, and vanilla extract.
- Use a rubber spatula to stir the dough then fold in chocolate chips and keep stirring to evenly distribute them. Do not taste the dough, raw chickpea flour tastes awful, and that's not what it will taste after baking.
- Divide the dough into 8 (for larger cookies) or 12 cookie dough balls. Place each ball on the baking sheets, 3 thumbs away from each other as the cookies will spread a lot.
- Press the top of the cookies to flatten them a little using the palm of your hand.
- Bake the cookies for 8-11 minutes at 350 °F (180 °C) until the sides are golden brown. If cookies over-spread, see the note below on how to fix them.
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