Chickpea protein cookie dough

Chickpea protein cookie dough with chickpeas, nut butter, vanilla protein and dark chocolate – creamy, satisfying and quick to make.

At a glance

• Serves 2
• Prep time: 10 min
• No cooking needed
• Total time: 10 min
• Calories: 340 kcal per serving
• Protein: 18 g
• Fat: 14 g
• Carbs: 32 g

Ingredients

• 50 g dark chocolate (sweetened with dates)
• 1 tin (240 g) chickpeas
• 1 splash of almond milk
• 1 pinch of sea salt
• 1 spoonful of honey
• 3 tbsp peanut butter or almond butter
• 1 scoop whey protein or vegan protein (30 g, unsweetened)
• 1 dash of vanilla extract

Method

You’ll need: blender · mixing bowl · sieve

1. Drain the chickpeas thoroughly, rinse them under cold water and let them drain very well. That gives a cleaner flavour and a creamier mixture later.
2. Put the chickpeas in a blender with the peanut butter or almond butter, honey, vanilla protein, vanilla extract and sea salt. Blend everything finely until you have a smooth, thick cookie dough.
3. If the mixture is too firm, add a little almond milk. Blend briefly again until the texture is soft but still spoonable.
4. Transfer the dough to a bowl and fold in the roughly chopped dark chocolate. Don't blend it again, so small pieces remain.
5. Chill the cookie dough until it's a little firmer and the flavours have rounded out.
6. Serve chilled and spoon it straight from the bowl or divide it into small portions.

Good to know

Tastes like cookie dough, but it's made from chickpeas. Creamy, lightly sweet and just right when you want something quick to spoon.

Swaps

Peanut butter → almond butter (a little more vitamin E) | Honey → date paste (more fibre) | Vanilla whey protein → unsweetened pea protein with vanilla (plant-based alternative) | Almond milk → unsweetened coconut milk from a carton (a little creamier)

Allergens

Contains tree nuts (almond milk), plus milk if you use whey and peanuts or more almonds depending on the nut butter; dark chocolate may also contain traces of other allergens. For children, only small portions because of the sweetness and the caffeine from the cocoa; during pregnancy it's generally fine if all ingredients are fresh and the protein powder suits your needs. Contains: milk, tree nuts (almond milk). Honey isn't suitable for babies under 1 year old.

Frequently asked questions

Which nutrients are in chickpeas?

Chickpeas provide fibre, plant protein, folate, iron, manganese and potassium. They also contain resistant starch and complex carbohydrates.

Why use dark chocolate in a recipe like this one?

Dark chocolate with a high cocoa content usually contains less sugar than milder varieties and brings cocoa polyphenols, magnesium and some iron. It's still a calorie-dense ingredient.

How does whey protein compare with vegan protein?

Whey naturally contains milk components and all the essential amino acids, including leucine. Vegan proteins are often made from pea, rice or blends; depending on the product, the amino acid profile, sweetening and how well you get on with them vary considerably – choose an unsweetened one.

Why do some people not get on with chickpeas?

Chickpeas contain fibre and certain oligosaccharides that are fermented in the large intestine. In sensitive people, that can cause a feeling of fullness or bloating.

Is honey a better choice than syrup?

Besides sugar, honey contains small amounts of other plant compounds, but honey is still mainly a sweetener. Nutritionally, the differences from syrup are small in everyday life.