These healthy vegan chickpea blondies with cherries are wonderfully moist, naturally sweetened with dates and banana, and built on a base of chickpeas and oats. Completely flourless, with no refined sugar – and still so good that nobody would ever guess how many wholesome ingredients are hiding inside.
Summer is here! After a few days that felt a lot more like autumn around here, the sun finally showed up again today. So I grabbed my dog, hiked up a little hill with her, and then stretched out in the sunshine with a book. Bliss! And along with the good weather, summer brings something else I look forward to all year: summer fruit, like cherries!
I love cherries. Preferably straight off the stem – but in ice cream or baked into something sweet they are every bit as good. I had also been meaning to try blondies made with chickpeas for the longest time, and as it turns out, cherries belong in these blondies as if they had been made for each other.
Instead of sugar or syrup, these healthy blondies are sweetened entirely with fruit: banana and dates. The result is a wonderfully moist, fudgy texture and a natural sweetness.
Jump to:
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Chickpeas as the base – they give the blondies their moist, fudgy texture.
- No refined sugar – the sweetness comes from dates, banana and cherries alone.
- No flour – oats do all the binding, and with gluten-free oats the blondies are gluten-free too.
- A genuinely healthy snack – rich in fiber and other good nutrients.
- Quick to make – 10 minutes of prep, the oven takes care of the rest.
Ingredient Notes
You only need a handful of ingredients for these wholesome vegan blondies without flour – and chances are you have most of them at home already.
- Cherries: Fresh cherries are best – frozen ones work too.
- Chickpeas: The base of the blondies.
- Oats: They get ground into flour and replace the flour completely. You can also use oat flour straight away. For a gluten-free version, simply use certified gluten-free oats. Almond flour works as an alternative.
- Dates: Soft, squishy dates work best (like Medjool) – if yours are on the firmer side, soak them in hot water for a few minutes.
- Ripe banana: Adds extra natural sweetness. The riper, the sweeter.
- Plant milk: Whatever you have on hand. Water works just as well.
- Cashew butter: Light or dark almond butter is a great alternative.
- Vanilla extract: Rounds out the flavor – do not leave it out.
- Cacao nibs: They add a wonderful crunch! Or use chopped dark chocolate instead.
(You will find the exact quantities in the recipe card further down.)
Step-By-Step Instructions
These banana and cherry blondies come together in just a few steps. The best part: your blender and your oven do most of the work.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Wash, pit and halve the cherries.
- Grind the oats into flour in a blender or food processor.
- Blend the dates, banana, cashew butter, plant milk and vanilla extract until creamy.
- Add the chickpeas and oat flour and blend into a smooth batter. Finally, fold in the cherries.
- Pour the batter into a greased pan, spread it out evenly and scatter cacao nibs over the top.
- Bake for about 25–30 minutes until golden. Then let the blondies cool completely.
Top Tip!
Let the blondies cool down completely, and ideally give them another 1–2 hours in the fridge. That is when they firm up properly and slice into clean, neat squares.
Variations
With these tips you can adapt the blondies to whatever you are craving.
- Other fruit: Raspberries, peaches or strawberries work beautifully instead of cherries. In fall and winter, apples or pears with chopped walnuts make a lovely version.
- Chickpea brownies: Replace half of the oats with cocoa powder and swap the cacao nibs for chopped dark chocolate.
- Gluten-free: Simply use certified gluten-free oats – the rest of the recipe is gluten-free already.
Storage
Kept in an airtight container in the fridge, the blondies stay fresh for 4–5 days.
They freeze well too – wrap them individually and freeze for up to 4 months. Let them thaw at room temperature.
FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions
I would be lying if I said no. You can definitely tell that these are not classic blondies made with flour and sugar. But in this combination the beany flavor really does fade into the background.
You can replace it with unsweetened apple sauce.
Yes – use them straight from the freezer, do not thaw them first. Otherwise they release too much liquid and the batter gets too wet.
More Healthy Sweet Snacks
Snacking that is both healthy and delicious? Absolutely possible! Here are more sweet treats that are good for the soul:
You don't want to miss anything
Then sign up for the Veggie Jam Newsletter!
I hope you’ll give this vegan chickpea blondies recipe a try. If you love this recipe, be sure to leave a comment, rate the recipe⭐️ and tag me on instagram (#veggiejam) with your recreation.
PrintRecipe
Vegan Chickpea Blondies with Cherries (Naturally Sweetened)
These vegan chickpea blondies with cherries are fudgy, flourless and naturally sweetened with dates and banana. No refined sugar, just 10 minutes of prep.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 30 min
- Total Time: 40 min
- Yield: 10-12 blondies
Ingredients
- 1 can chickpeas
- 1 cup (150 g) cherries, pitted
- ⅔ cup (80 g) rolled oats or oat flour
- ⅓ cup (80 g) cashew butter
- 1 ripe banana
- ¾ cup (120 g) soft dates*
- ¼ cup (60 ml) plant milk
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Cacao nibs or chopped dark chocolate
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) convection.
- Wash and halve the cherries. Rinse the chickpeas well and let them drain.
- Grind the oats into flour in a food processor.
- Blend the dates, banana, cashew butter, plant milk and vanilla extract in a food processor until creamy.
- Add the chickpeas and oat flour and blend into a smooth batter.
- Fold in the cherries, setting a few halves aside for the top.
- Transfer the batter to a greased pan (10 x 7 inch / 26 x 18 cm) and spread it out evenly.
- Scatter the remaining cherries and a few cacao nibs over the batter. Press them in lightly.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 26–30 minutes, until golden.
- Let cool completely. Then slice into 10-12 pieces.
- Store leftovers in the fridge.
Notes
Dates: If your dates aren't very soft or you don't have a powerful blender, cover them with hot water and let them soften for a few minutes. Squeeze out excess liquid.
More sweetness: If you like things really sweet, add 1–2 tablespoon maple syrup to the batter.
This post is also available in German (Deutsch).
Comments
No Comments