Funfetti Tahini Chick Pea Blondies

·

Do you want to eat AND live more colorfully?

Subscribe to my newsletter and explore how to live your most vibrant plant-filled life.
CLICK HERE TO JOIN

(Note: this post was originally published on April 10, 2020. The date above reflects migration to the new platform. This was THE most-viewed recipe on The Rogue Brussel Sprout at the time of migration.)

Nostalgic and Nourishing

Wow, do I ever have a treat for you! These Funfetti Tahini Chick Pea Blondies are my new favorite dessert. They taste like the most perfect, nostalgic "funfetti" birthday cake but are made with nutrient-rich ingredients to nourish both the body and the soul.

Have you made chick pea blondies before? They're my absolute greatest love. If you haven't tried them yet, I hope you will! They're so easy and fast to make, are loaded with protein and fiber, and taste insanely delicious. I'm being completely honest when I say that I vastly prefer a chick pea blondie over a regular blondie because they have such a light, gooey, slightly under-baked texture.

The key to making a good chick pea blondie is to add some healthy fats so that they feel super indulgent. While I formerly achieved this with peanut butter, I've recently discovered that using tahini yields the most lovely result. Yes, I'm aware that chick peas and tahini usually combine to make hummus and not blondies... but I promise these are magical! They absolutely taste like birthday cake in the best possible way.

Creamy Dreamy Tahini (and a Discount!)

The secret to these cute treats is the light roast tahini from Seeds of Collaboration. I was honestly skeptical about ordering tahini online when I can just buy it at the grocery store, but this is unlike any tahini I've had. It's incredibly delicate in flavor and has zero bitterness unlike many other tahini brands. It also has the most beautiful pale color, which is perfect for these funfetti blondies; the light color of the batter really lets the sprinkles shine!

I'm excited to be bringing you this recipe in partnership with Seeds of Collaboration because I adore their sweet, nutty tahini and I fully support their social mission. Please consider getting yourself some tahini to make these blondies and to use in everything else you can imagine. Tahini makes a wonderful, luscious salad dressing too- check out my Somewhere Over The Rainbow Pasta Salad if you need inspiration.

And here's some good news- I can help you get your hands on some of this beautiful tahini! Use the code ROGUE at check-out to get 20% (!!) off your entire order. (Get a couple jars, you'll want to use it on everything; search "Tahini" here on the blog to get loads of ideas!).

They're Easy Too!

These blondies are absurdly easy. Just combine all the ingredients in a food processor until you have a rich, creamy dough. Spread it into an oiled baking pan, decorate the top with a few chocolate chips and sprinkles, bake it, and you'll have the most delightful funfetti blondies. The whole process takes about 40 minutes, the last 30 of which are hands-off.

While blondies are usually considered dessert, I'd argue that these can totally be lunch or a snack as well. They're loaded with protein thanks to the chick peas, tahini, and almond flour, and are minimally sweetened with just maple syrup. In fact, they beat out most pre-packaged protein bars in terms of nutrition by a long shot. These bars keep great in the fridge (assuming you don't inhale them all immediately), meaning you'll have nourishing, easily portable treats ready to go.

Let's Talk Ingredients

Here's what you'll need for this recipe, as well as some thoughts, tips, and possible substitutions. If you make any substitutions, I'd love to hear about it in the comments section below.

  • Coconut oil. For preparing the baking pan. Or, feel free to use butter or a cooking spray. Just make sure to oil it well since this is a sticky batter.
  • Chick peas
  • Almond flour. Make sure it's the light-colored, blanched almond flour instead of the coarser, darker almond meal. I love Bob's Red Mill. I don't suggest trying to use another flour here since the results will be very different.
  • Tahini. Seeds of Collaboration, of course! Remember to use the code ROGUE at check-out to save 20%.
  • Maple syrup
  • Vanilla. Key for that classic funfetti cake flavor! You could also add in a tiny bit of almond extract for a slightly different flavor profile.
  • Baking powder
  • Salt
  • Chocolate chips. Vegan if needed!
  • Rainbow sprinkles. There are numerous good naturally-colored options out there. If you feel very strongly about avoiding all refined sugar, then you can certainly omit these... of course then you'll just be making tahini chick pea blondies, with no funfetti involved.

Closing Thoughts

One final thought. My birthday isn't until July, but I'm already planning on making these for myself! I think these Funfetti Tahini Chick Pea Blondies would make the most wonderful birthday treat, either for a party (make a few batches!) or as a gift. Do you know anyone with a birthday coming up? A delivery of these would be the perfect surprise!

I remember going to birthday parties in elementary school that featured that classic, vanilla box-mix funfetti cake and being absolutely enamored with it. These are just as nostalgic and delicious, but loaded with ingredients to keep your body happy. I hope you'll make these soon, since we all need a bit of indulgence and fun right now.

Share It!

It makes me so happy to hear from you and see your creations! Please leave a comment below and let me know what you think about this recipe. If you post a photo on Instagram, hashtag #TheRogueBrusselSprout and tag me (@TheRogueBrusselSprout) in the post text so that I'm sure to see it.

Suggested Pairings

Boozy Nicecream Guide

Unicorn Hummus

Unicorn Cauliflower

Somewhere Over The Rainbow Pasta Salad

Snack Board Guide

Disclosure: Seeds of Collaboration is a long-term partner. I receive free product from Seeds of Collaboration and take a small commission on sales using the discount code. However, all opinions and thoughts are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that keep The Rogue Brussel Sprout running.

Funfetti Tahini Chick Pea Blondies

These decadent, nostalgic funfetti blondies are secretly loaded with good-for-the-body ingredients. They'll make you feel like a kid again! Just don't tell anyone they're made with chick peas...

Author:
Lee

Ingredients

  • Coconut oil for preparing the baking pan
  • 15 oz can of chick peas, drained and thoroughly washed
  • 1 c blanched almond flour, packed
  • 0.5 c creamy tahini
  • 0.5 c maple syrup
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 0.5 tsp baking powder
  • 0.25 tsp salt
  • 0.5 c chocolate chips, plus more for sprinkling on top
  • 2 tbsp rainbow sprinkles, plus more for sprinkling on top

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 and thoroughly oil an 8x8 baking pan. Note that this is a sticky batter, so oiling is critical! Conversely, you can line the bottom of the baking dish with parchment paper, which is fail-proof.
  2. Measure all ingredients except the chocolate chips and sprinkles into a food processor. Process until you have a thick, creamy dough that's homogeneous throughout. No chick pea lumps please!
  3. Remove the blade from the food processor and add the chocolate and sprinkles. Mix everything together with a spoon or spatula until the add-ins are evenly incorporated.
  4. Spread the dough into the prepared baking dish with a spatula; it may need some persuasion. Try to create a layer of even thickness that goes all the way into the corners.
  5. Sprinkle the top of the dough with an additional generous handful of chocolate chips and some sprinkles.
  6. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. Keep a close eye on it toward the end, since you don't want brown edges. They will feel soft, which is okay- this will yield a delightfully gooey blondie!
  7. Cool completely if you want to be able to cut the blondies neatly.
  8. Store the blondies in a sealed container in the fridge; they'll hold their shape better. You can either enjoy them cold, or reheat them for a few seconds in the microwave. They also freeze nicely, as long as you keep them tightly sealed.

Leave a Comment

Please Share Your Thoughts!

Did you make this recipe? Did you make substitutions? How did you serve it? Any helpful tips? Please share your thoughts, since these insights are really useful to both me and to other readers.

Thanks for contributing to our community! Your comment will appear shortly.
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Anonymous
September 15, 2021
Thx for the tahini rec, I always have trouble finding it
Lee
June 16, 2020
To the Anonymous Tahini Lover who asked about alternative flours: I haven't tried, but my hunch is that coconut flour wouldn't work great. It's just such a weird flour in terms of its liquid absorption. I'd think hazelnut flour would be a better option, since it behaves more similarly to almond flour. I've also done them with oat flour, which works well. Hope that helps! Let me know what you find out!
Anonymous
June 26, 2020
Loved this recipe! be careful not to overheat the chickpea mixture in your food processor-- i accidentally melted some chocolate chips with the residual heat. i covered it up with extra rainbow sprinkles. :)
Anonymous
June 15, 2020
Has anyone tried to make these with coconut or hazelnut flour?