Maple Walnut Chickpea Blondies

These maple walnut chickpea blondies are made with a base of homemade walnut butter and pureed chickpeas to produce soft, sweet and nutty bars – perfect for snacking! Vegan and gluten free.

I received free samples of California Walnuts mentioned in this post. By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by California Walnuts and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time.

A couple of weeks ago I posted on my Instagram stories asking if you all preferred your walnuts sweet or savory. An overwhelmingly 75% of you voted sweet. So I’m giving you what you want. I’ve put together the most delicious maple walnut chickpea blondies recipe for you.

With social distancing still going on right now, I prefer not going to the store if I don’t have to. If that sound like you (even if official social distancing is over) I have good news: all of the ingredients are probably items you already have on hand.

Everything in the recipe is a staple pantry item (except I keep my pure maple syrup in the fridge). So if you’re at home and can’t or simply don’t want to go out – these blondies are a sweet snack you can still make when a craving arises. You can also try whipping up these apple walnut pancakes, too!

How are California Walnuts Healthy for me?

A handful of California walnuts is a versatile snack and can satisfy any taste preference, from savory to sweet.​ Regardless of your flavor preference, walnuts are the only nut to provide an excellent source of the plant-based omega-3, ALA healthy fats (2.5 grams per ounce).  In every ounce of California walnuts there are 4 grams of plant based protein and 2 grams of fiber.

In each serving of these maple walnut chickpea blondies is 5.3 grams of protein and 3.3 grams of fiber. All 100% plant-based and you wouldn’t even guess it was gluten free, too.

What is the difference between blondies and brownies?

Both blondies and brownies are soft baked goods and can range in texture from ooey, gooey to more fluffy and cake-like. The main difference between the two is that brownies are usually made with chocolate, giving them that brown color.

Blondies usually do not have cocoa or chocolate in the batter, unless in the form of chocolate chips. Because of the lack of chocolate, they usually have a blonde or pale color to them. Both brownies and blondies are delicious in their own rights and deserve a place at the table.

How to make maple walnut chickpea blondies

The base of these maple walnut chickpea blondies is a homemade toasted walnut butter paired with pureed chickpeas. If you’ve never made a homemade nut butter before, you’d be surprised at how insanely easy it is. I prefer to toast my walnuts before making the nut butter. I feel it really releases the flavor of the walnuts, as well as some of the natural oils.

To toast the walnuts, simply preheat the oven to 350°F, spread the walnuts in a single layer on the sheet pan and bake in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes. You will know they’re ready when you can smell the aromatic walnut flavor coming from the oven.

After you’ve taken the walnuts out and allowed them to cool, you put them in a food processor and blend for 2 to 3 minutes. You’ll need to stop to scrape the sides and bottom occasionally. When it is completely smooth and a bit runny, it’s ready. You might see the oiliness of the nut butter – this is normal.

Now, if all you wanted was walnut butter, you’d be done (unless you wanted to add in some salt or other flavorings). But this walnut butter will be used immediately for our blondies recipe. Add all the other ingredients, minus the reserved chopped walnuts, and process until well blended and smooth.

Turn off and unplug the food processor, then stir in the remaining chopped walnuts. Pour into a greased square baking dish, and sprinkle on some extra chopped walnuts for good measure. Then pop the dish into the oven. They bake anywhere from 25 to 30 minutes, then will need to cool for at least 20 to 30 minutes. The cooling part is important because it helps the blondies set. If you tried to slice and eat one straight out of the oven you’d end up with a gooey, albeit delicious, mess.

After they’ve cooled and set up, cut them into bars and dig in!

How do I store Maple Walnut Chickpea Blondies?

These chickpea blondies need to be stored in the refrigerator. After they have completely cooled, cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and store in the fridge for 3 to 5 days. You can eat them cold straight out of the refrigerator or warm them up for about 15 seconds in the microwave.

I love them both ways. I may or may not have eaten pretty much the entire pan by myself over the course of the last few days….just saying. They make a great morning snack. And a great afternoon snack. And a great evening snack. Heck, they are an all. day. long. type of snack in my house.

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Looking for more chickpea recipes? Try these:

Chocolate Peanut Butter Dessert Hummus

Simple Flaxseed Hummus

Spinach and Chickpea Curry

Chickpea Chocolate Chip Cookies