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I’ll admit it: One of the things I was most excited about re-introducing into our diet as we came off our Whole30 last week, is beans and peas.

They’re such a delicious, inexpensive way to add some extra protein into our meals and snacks. Not to mention versatile.

I mean, this recipe pretty much proves you can put beans in anything – it’s a dessert!

I remember being a little shocked several years ago when black bean brownies became popular, but once I tried them, I was hooked. Beans weren’t just for dinner anymore – they’re for dessert and snacks too!

Since then, I have to tell you that chickpeas have become one of my favorite pulses to work with. They’re mild, and take on the flavor of whatever you put with them.

In this case, the addition of vanilla and maple syrup with just a tad bit of baking soda makes them taste just like cookie dough, and with the pea protein powder, they’re not just healthy cookie dough bites, they’re packed with protein!

One of my favorite things to do when I have a few minutes by myself to relax is play around with making new recipes in the kitchen – easy no-bake recipes are my favorite – and that’s exactly how this recipe came to be. Gabe had taken the kids out to the farm, and I was all alone with a can of chickpeas, and a food processor.

It was all I could do not to eat the entire batch for lunch before they got home, but I resisted, and no sooner did the kids walk through the door than they gobbled the rest of them up.

So I guess you could say, the recipe was a success.

So naturally I made another batch to photograph so you could see them – hey, we all have to take one for the team some time. 😉

Gluten-Free No-Bake Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Balls

★★★★★

4.7 from 9 reviews

Author: Elise

Scale

Ingredients

1 can chickpeas (1 1/2 cups, cooked)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/3 cup maple syrup, honey, or agave nectar
1/4 cup pea protein powder (or quick oats)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
2 Tablespoons coconut flour
1/3–1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Instructions

Drain and rinse beans
Process beans, vanilla, maple syrup, pea protein (note: pea protein can have a strong flavor, so if that’s not your thing, use oatmeal), salt, and baking soda in a food processor until smooth
Add coconut flour one tablespoon fun at a time continuing to process until dough begins to come away from sides of bowl
Add chocolate chips and pulse a few times to mix them in
Form dough into small balls
Flash freeze on a cookie sheet before sealing in containers for handy snacks
Enjoy!