Healthy High Protein Cocoa Chickpea Cookies with Banana

These cocoa banana chickpea cookies bring together mashed banana, canned chickpeas, cocoa powder, and oats for a soft, fiber-rich, high protein dessert. Each bite delivers deep cocoa flavor with a fudgy texture, using only plant-based protein and wholesome ingredients. As a healthy chocolate snack, this recipe checks all the boxes for anyone looking to make protein-packed treats without refined sugar.

The secret is balance. The banana provides moisture and natural sweetness without overpowering. Chickpeas add density and subtle creaminess. Cocoa deepens the flavor, and oats create structure. This ratio holds the cookies together without needing flour, eggs, or butter.

I kept the sweetness in check, using maple syrup for a rounder flavor that supports the banana instead of competing with it. A tablespoon or two of plant milk is optional but helps if the dough runs dry. It depends on the size of your banana and how well you drain the chickpeas.

This recipe avoids dry, cakey results by using just ½ teaspoon of baking soda. That small amount lifts the texture slightly without turning them fluffy. You get soft cocoa cookies that feel satisfying.

What You Need and Why It Matters

Start with ripe banana. Look for deep brown spots on the peel. The riper the fruit, the smoother the mash and the sweeter the flavor. Avoid underripe fruit. It lacks both.

Use canned chickpeas, rinsed and dried. Drying them with a kitchen towel matters. Too much moisture makes the dough gummy. You’ll blend them with the wet ingredients first to create the base.

The cocoa must be unsweetened. Dutch-processed is fine for a richer taste, but regular works well too. Oats should be old-fashioned rolled oats, not quick or steel-cut. Their texture helps with structure.

Nut butter ties the mix together. I used almond, but peanut butter gives a stronger flavor. For more gentle notes, go with almond. Both work. I don’t recommend tahini or sunflower butter here. Too bitter.

If you like this kind of texture-forward cookie, you might also enjoy these vegan chickpea muffins, which also use mashed chickpeas for bulk.

Spotlight on Chickpeas

Chickpeas carry the bulk of the protein here. Unlike flour, they bring softness and mild creaminess. Once blended, they hold together the dough and add structure without dryness. You won’t taste them.

If you skip this step and stir everything by hand, the chickpeas won’t break down enough. Use a food processor and blend until mostly smooth. A few tiny pieces are fine. Too smooth, and you lose texture. Too chunky, and the cookies fall apart.

For anyone new to using legumes in baking, this is a good place to start. The chocolate flavor hides the chickpeas well, and the banana helps soften the taste.

Try these lemon blueberry chickpea cookies next for a bright alternative.

How to Make Them Right

After blending the base, stir in the remaining ingredients by hand. Add the oats, banana chunks, chocolate chips, and hazelnuts if you’re using them. The dough should feel thick and scoopable. If it cracks when scooped, add a splash of plant milk.

Scoop onto a baking tray and flatten slightly. Don’t expect these to spread much. A gentle press gives them their final shape.

Bake at 350°F for 10 to 12 minutes. The tops will look dry and feel set but soft to the touch. If they feel wet or glossy, give them another minute. Overbaking dries them out.

These bake similarly to coconut flour cookies, which also require a watchful eye for doneness.

How to Tell They’re Done

Check the tops. They should look matte and firm. Press gently. They should resist slightly but not bounce back like cake. If they feel sticky or sink under light pressure, they’re underdone.

Overdone cookies feel dry around the edges. That’s the point where the cocoa flavor begins to dull. Ten minutes works best in most ovens. I rarely go past twelve.

The best test is to cool one completely. If the inside is dense and moist with no raw center, the batch is good.

Common Issues and Fixes

If the dough feels runny, the chickpeas were likely too wet. Dry them better next time. If the cookies spread too much, the banana was oversized. Try one that fits into a standard measuring cup when mashed.

Too dry? Add a tablespoon of plant milk or an extra spoon of nut butter. Crumbly cookies come from overbaking. Watch the timer and remove them while they still look soft.

Simple Variations That Work

Swap the nut butter: almond gives a mild base, peanut butter makes them taste like Reese’s. Use ¼ cup either way.

Add dried fruit like chopped dates or raisins for chew. A few tablespoons go a long way.

Skip the chocolate chips and add a pinch of cinnamon and extra banana chunks for a more breakfast-style cookie.

Sub hazelnuts with walnuts or leave them out for a smoother bite. If you love cookies with almond flour texture, check these almond flour cookies.

Storage and Freezer Tips

Keep them in an airtight container at room temp for up to 3 days. In the fridge, they hold for about a week.

To freeze, lay them flat in a single layer first, then transfer to a freezer bag. They thaw quickly. I reheat mine in the toaster oven for a few minutes to revive the softness.

Over time, the banana flavor fades slightly, but the chocolate deepens.

Practical Tips from Testing

Use a silicone mat or parchment for baking. The bottoms can brown fast.

Avoid overmixing after adding oats. Stir just to combine.

If the dough sticks to your scoop, rinse it with warm water between uses.

Press the chocolate chips on top after scooping for better looks.

Save This Recipe to Try Later

Pin this recipe to your healthy dessert or high protein board so you don’t lose it.

And if you tweak the ingredients or try something new, share your thoughts in the comments. Let’s keep testing together.