Blonde Chick Brownies

If blondes have more fun … then these blonde beauties are living their best life!

They’re soft, sweet and something that might cause you to have a “blonde moment” for sure.

There are no “dumb blondes” on this tray either, but rather *smart* little treats to indulge in because they’re actually…  healthy!

We’re talking no flour, no butter, no oil, no eggs just whole, natural ingredients full of protein, fiber and antioxidants in the form of … a brownie!

I’ve been working on these for awhile now (not the blonde jokes, they just came instantly ;).

I finally feel like I’ve come up with a formula that’s good enough to share and it’s based off of my favorite  Choc-O-Chick Oatmeal Cookies  , but with a few alterations.

These could not be any easier to make either. The only real work comes with cooking the dried garbanzo beans (if you decide to use dried over canned).

You can do a quick soak though, or cook the beans the night before and it takes less time.

You just blend everything except your chocolate chips in a high powered blender, or a  food processor.

Pour mixture into a greased baking pan.

You can either grate some quality dark chocolate over the top like I did here, or stir in some chocolate chips (I use dairy-free chips to keep it vegan).

Bake for 35-4o minutes and that’s it!

So easy right?! And so darn good!

Here’s what you’ll need for these blonde beauties.

Blonde Chick Brownies:
•2 c. cooked chickpeas
•3/4 c. raw almond butter
•3/4 c. grade A or grade B maple syrup
•1 Tbsp raw coconut nectar or more maple syrup (optional)
•1 & 1/2 Tbsp non-alcohol vanilla
•1 tsp baking powder
•3/4 tsp baking soda
•1/8 tsp pink salt
•1/2 c.  dairy-free chocolate chips

Directions:

  1. Cook one bag of dried garbanzo beans according to instructions. (You’ll only need two cups and can easily freeze the leftovers.)
  2. Blend everything except your chocolate chips in a high powered blender or food processor: chickpeas, almond butter, syrup, coconut nectar (optional) vanilla, baking powder, baking soda and salt until mixture is smooth.
  3. Once smooth, stir in by hand your chocolate chips, or you can grate dark chocolate over the top.
  4. Lightly grease an 8×8 pyrex pan with coconut oil (or 9×7 pan for thicker brownies), if you’re grating chocolate over the top do that now.
  5. Pour chickpea mixture into greased pyrex pan, bake in 350 degree oven 35-45 minutes (40 minutes tends to be the magic number for me).
  6. Let brownies cool on the countertop (they will firm up slightly after cooling).
  7. Cut and serve.
  8. Store and serve these from the refrigerator.

*Yields 16 small brownies in 8×8 pan, 9-12 in a 9×7 pan.

These brownies have such incredible flavor. The vanilla dominates along with the sweetness, while the dark chocolate shavings give it a rich, chocolatey layer.

The texture, depending on how long you cook them, is soft and melts in your mouth. My daughter actually asked me if I put “cookie dough” in them. That’s because they’re undercooked just slightly, which is the way brownies should be, I think.

And there you have it … a blonde worth every ounce of her craziness (what?).  I mean, because they’re crazy-good, not that blondes are “crazy” or anything…

Chickpeas for dessert? Try it!

**Notes:

**If you do not have coconut nectar you can use raw honey, or another sweetener or omit all together.

**To cut down on sugar you can use just 1/2 cup grade b syrup.

**If you want your brownies more CAKE-like, bake 40-48 minutes. If you like them more DOUGHY, bake them closer to 35-40 minutes. You can also pop them in the fridge to firm up before serving.

**You can use CANNED chickpeas, just make sure there are no additives and that the can is BPA-lined free.

**If you like the chickpea thing, try using your leftover chickpeas to make these cookies, similar ingredients and so good, Choc-O-Chick Chocolate Chunk Cookies or, make your own Kale Veggie Patties.