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Irresistible chickpea thumbprint cookies made from canned chickpeas, nut butter and rolled oats. They are flourless, vegan, oil-free, gluten-free and so delicious!
Thumbprints are endearing cookies. Typically petite, round, and dolloped with something sweet in the middle, they are charming with a cup of Earl Grey tea, or perhaps a tall, cold glass of milk.
Not these chickpea thumbprint cookies. Say hello to power thumbprints!
Sure, they are still as cute as can be, but their charm belies their powerful potential. These are not “skinny” cookies. I don’t make “skinny” food. Skinny food is for sitting still. Lying down. Twiddling your thumbs. I prefer power. So if you want the energy to run, ride, walk, swim, hike, game, tri, or triumph over a long day at work or school, reach for a power cookie instead.
Recipe Benefits
- Vegan (egg-free, dairy-free)
- Gluten-free
- Oil-free
- Can be made nut-free
- Flourless
- Easy to make
- 5 grams protein (per 2 cookies)
- 2.8 grams fiber (per 2 cookies)
Ingredients
The exact amounts of each ingredient are indicated in the recipe card at the end of the post. Toggle between US Customary (volume) and Metric (weights) for preferred measurement option.
- rolled oats, (certified GF, as needed)
- baking powder, (certified GF, as needed)
- salt
- canned chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans)
- creamy nut butter or seed butter, (e.g., peanut butter, cashew butter, sunflower seed butter, tahini)
- maple syrup, (see notes for options)
- vanilla extract
- fruit jam, preserves, marmalade, or chocolate spread
What makes these chickpea thumbprint cookies special is the inclusion of one of my favorite ingredients of all time: chickpeas. Canned, drained chickpeas, together with nut butter, take the place of flour in these cookies. Chickpeas are packed with protein and fiber, as well as other nutrients such as folate and copper.
And while these cookies are sweet, they are only faintly so from maple syrup (or honey), the natural sweetness of the nut butter, and your choice of jam filling.
Step by Step Instructions
Note that the complete directions are also in the recipe card below.
- Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- In a high speed blender or food processor, process the oats until finely ground. Transfer to a large bowl; stir in the baking powder and salt..
- Add the chickpeas, nut butter, maple syrup and vanilla to the food processor or blender; process until smooth. Transfer mixture to bowl with ground oats. Stir until mixture is well-blended.
- Shape the dough into 24 (1-inch) balls; place them 1 inch apart on the prepared cookie sheet. Press your thumb into the center of each cookie, leaving an indentation.
- Loosely cover the pan and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 325F (160C).
- Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, until pale golden. Transfer to a wire rack with a spatula and spoon 1/2 teaspoon jam into the center of each cookie.
- Cool completely before serving.
Storage for the Chickpea Thumbprint Cookies
Store the cooled cookies between sheets of wax paper in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days, the refrigerator for 1 week or the freezer for up to 6 months.
Enjoy!
Related Recipes
Chickpea Thumbprint Cookies (Vegan, Oil-free, GF)
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup rolled oats, (certified GF, as needed)
- 1.5 teaspoons baking powder, (certified GF, as needed)
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 15 ounce can chickpeas, (drained and rinsed)
- 1/2 cup creamy nut butter or seed butter, (e.g., peanut, cashew, sunflower seed, tahini)
- 1/3 cup maple syrup, (see notes for options)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup fruit jam, (or preserves, marmalade, chocolate spread)
Instructions
- Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- In a high speed blender or food processor, process the oats until finely ground. Transfer to a large bowl; stir in the baking powder and salt..
- Add the chickpeas, nut butter, maple syrup and vanilla to the food processor or blender; process until smooth. Transfer mixture to bowl with ground oats. Stir until mixture is well-blended.
- Shape the dough into 24 (1-inch) balls; place them 1 inch apart on the prepared cookie sheet. Press your thumb into the center of each cookie, leaving an indentation.
- Loosely cover the pan and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 325F (160C).
- Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, until pale golden. Transfer to a wire rack with a spatula and spoon 1/2 teaspoon jam into the center of each cookie.
- Cool completely before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
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