These S’mores Chickpea Blondies are proof that you don’t need a campfire to enjoy all the nostalgic flavors of your favorite summer treat. Made with chickpeas, creamy cashew butter, oat flour and plenty of chocolate, then topped with gooey toasted marshmallows and crunchy graham crackers, they’re soft, fudgy and seriously addicting. They’re naturally gluten free, dairy free friendly and made with simple ingredients, making them the perfect healthier dessert for summer nights when that s’mores craving hits.
I’ve been begging Kyle for a fire pit to complete out perfect backyard set-up, and while we haven’t crossed that off the list yet, I have been experimenting with some fun s’mores inspired recipes. No campfire required for this one, just a food processor and an oven! Yet these s’mores chickpea blondies taste like summer nights with toasty marshmallows, melty chocolate & graham crackers in each bite.
I’m a dessert gal through and through, but I love to play around with different, more wholesome ingredients so that my desserts can be a bit more balanced. That’s why we are using fiber-rich chickpeas, creamy cashew butter and unrefined sugars like coconut sugar and maple syrup in these s’mores chickpea blondies. But I promise you won’t even be able to tell that they’re gluten free, dairy free and a bit “healthier.”
After 4 test rounds, these are finally perfect and ready to be added to your summer dessert menu! Let’s be honest though…we really weren’t complaining about all those test rounds. They each got devoured as if nothing was wrong with them. So if you’re looking for a really delicious way to use up that can of chickpeas in your pantry…look no further. I hope you love these s’mores chickpea blondies as much as we did!
Why You’ll Love these S’mores Chickpea Blondies
- They are made with more wholesome ingredients like fiber-rich chickpeas & creamy cashew butter!
- They are naturally gluten free and dairy free, but you won’t even be able to tell.
- They truly taste like summer, with marshmallows, melty chocolate chips & graham crackers in each bite.
- This healthier dessert has 5g of protein & 2g of fiber in each square!
- They are easy to make and all come together in one food processor.
What You Need to Make these S’mores Chickpea Blondies
For the Blondies:
- Chickpeas: Also known as garbanzo beans. You will need one, 15oz can – drained, rinsed & then shake off the excess moisture. These add lots of fiber & some plant-based protein to the blondies!
- Cashew Butter: This adds richness, healthy fats and helps hold everything together. I love using creamy cashew butter because it has a mild flavor that lets the s’mores ingredients shine, but peanut butter, almond butter or tahini should also work, however the flavor will be slightly different.
- Eggs + Egg Yolks: Using a combination of eggs and egg yolks provides a rich, fudgy texture to the chickpea blondies. Reserve the whites for breakfast the next day!
- Coconut Sugar: Naturally sweetens the blondies with a subtle caramel-like flavor that pairs perfectly with the graham crackers and chocolate.
- Maple Syrup: Boosts the sweetness while also keeping these chickpea blondies nice & moist!
- Vanilla Bean Paste: Or vanilla extract.
- Oat Flour: I have only tested these blondies with homemade oat flour – made by simply blending up Bob’s Red Mill Protein Oats until they’re a fine flour. Be sure to use gluten-free certified oats/oat flour if needed!
- Kosher Salt: To make all the other flavors pop.
For the Add-Ins:
- Mini Marshmallows: I just used the classic Jet-Puffed mini marshmallows, but this should also work with Dandies vegan mini marshmallows.
- Dark Chocolate Chips: I like dark chocolate over semi-sweet or milk chocolate so these chickpea blondies don’t taste overwhelmingly sweet. Be sure to choose a dairy free one if needed.
- Graham Crackers: To keep these gluten free, I love using Simple Mills Honey Cinnamon Sweet Thins…they taste even better than the original graham crackers in my opinion! You will want to roughly chop or crush them, so they’re in small chunks.
How To Make these S’mores Chickpea Blondies
Preheat Oven & Prepare Baking Dish:
First, preheat your oven to 350F and grease and line a 9×9″ baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
Prepare Blondie Batter in Food Processor:
Next, add chickpeas, cashew butter, egg + egg yolks, coconut sugar, maple syrup and vanilla bean paste to a food processor and blend until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed. Then add in the oat flour and kosher salt and blend again until just combined.
Add in S’mores Mix-Ins:
Remove the blade from the food processor and use a spatula to fold in most, but not all dark chocolate chips & chopped graham crackers. Spread batter out evenly in the prepared baking dish. Transfer baking dish to the oven for 22 minutes.
Bake, Add Marshmallows, Broil & Cool:
Top the cooked blondies with a full and even layer of mini marshmallows, as well as the remaining chocolate chips. Switch your oven to broil and broil for 30-60 seconds, just until the marshmallows are toasted. Finally, garnish with the remaining chopped/crushed graham crackers. Let cool for at least one hour before cutting into 16 squares and enjoying.
Frequently Asked Questions:
- Can you taste the chickpeas? No! Trust me on this one. Not at all! Once the chickpeas get blended with all the other ingredients, you would never even know. They simply create an incredibly soft, fudgy texture.
- Can I use a different nut or seed butter? Although I have only tested these s’mores chickpea blondies with cashew butter they should also work with tahini, almond butter or even cashew butter. The taste will vary slightly depending which you use, and I love cashew butter because it’s very neutral and not overpowering.
- Can I use all maple syrup instead of coconut sugar? Unfortunately, no. If you use all maple syrup, the texture will be off. However, you should be able to use normal cane/granulated sugar if you don’t have coconut sugar on hand.
- Can I use almond flour or coconut flour instead? Almond flour and coconut flour perform very differently than oat flour sot they’re not interchangeable in this recipe, sorry!
- Do I have to let them cool before slicing? Yes…I know it’s hard to wait! But letting them cool for at least one hour helps the blondies set up properly and makes them much easier to cut into clean squares.
How Should I Store Leftovers?
Once these s’mores chickpea blondies have cooled, you can store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The marshmallows will soften a bit over time, but they’ll still be delicious. I actually love these straight from the fridge because they’re extra fudgy, so they’re great to make in advance!
Find the full recipe below. As always, please let me know if you tried it by commenting below or tagging me on Instagram, @munchinwithmaddie_.
Looking for More Summer Dessert Recipes?
- Healthy Banana Pudding
- Gluten Free Blueberry Lemon Muffins
- No Churn Cinnamon Roll Ice Cream
- Key Lime Pie Cookies
- Honey Lemon Raspberry Cake
S’mores Chickpea Blondies
Equipment
- can opener
- colander
- spatula
- parchment paper
Ingredients
- 1 can chickpeas drained & rinsed (15oz)
- ⅔ cup unsalted cashew butter (170g)
- 1 large egg
- 2 large egg yolks
- ⅓ cup coconut sugar (50g)
- 2 tbsp maple syrup (40g)
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or extract
- ⅓ cup oat flour (34g)*
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ½ cup dark chocolate chips (85g)
- ½ cup roughly chopped graham crackers (45g, I used Simple Mills Sweet Thins)
- 1 ½ cups mini marshmallows
Instructions
- First, preheat your oven to 350F and grease and line a 9×9" baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Add chickpeas, cashew butter, egg + egg yolks, coconut sugar, maple syrup and vanilla bean paste to a food processor and blend until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed. Then add in the oat flour and kosher salt and blend again until just combined.1 can chickpeas, ⅔ cup unsalted cashew butter, 1 large egg, 2 large egg yolks, ⅓ cup coconut sugar, 2 tbsp maple syrup, 1 tsp vanilla bean paste, ⅓ cup oat flour, ½ tsp kosher salt
- Remove the blade from the food processor and use a spatula to fold in most, but not all dark chocolate chips & chopped graham crackers. Spread batter out evenly in the prepared baking dish. Transfer baking dish to the oven for 22 minutes.1 ½ cups mini marshmallows, ½ cup dark chocolate chips, ½ cup roughly chopped graham crackers
- Top the cooked blondies with a full and even layer of mini marshmallows, as well as the remaining chocolate chips. Switch your oven to broil and broil for 30-60 seconds, just until the marshmallows are toasted. Finally, garnish with the remaining chopped/crushed graham crackers. Let cool for at least one hour before cutting into 16 squares and enjoying.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe?
Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and tag @munchinwithmaddie_ on Instagram and/or hashtag it #munchinwithmaddie.