This chickpea cookie dough ice-cream (ish) is creamy, naturally sweet, and easy to make with ingredients you may already have at home. It uses cooked chickpeas, banana, Medjool dates, powdered peanut butter, soy milk, and dark chocolate chips, with no flour, butter, or refined sugar needed.
I like serving it in small scoops straight from the freezer. The frozen banana gives it a thicker, colder texture that sits somewhere between edible cookie dough and a soft frozen snack. It is sweet enough to feel like a treat, but the chickpeas, soy milk, and powdered peanut butter also add protein and fiber.
You can eat it immediately after blending for a softer cookie dough texture, refrigerate it until thicker, or freeze it in individual portions for an easy snack.
Chickpea cookie dough is an edible cookie dough made by blending cooked chickpeas with sweet ingredients and flavorings. The chickpeas here create a thick, smooth base without requiring raw flour or eggs.
This version uses banana and dates for sweetness, powdered peanut butter for peanut flavor, and soy milk to help everything blend. Dark chocolate chips are added at the end so you still get small pieces of chocolate throughout.
It does not taste exactly like traditional butter-based cookie dough, but once it is properly blended and chilled, you don’t taste the chickpeas AT ALL! It’s sooooo good.
This recipe is super useful when you want a sweet snack that is still filling. It contains both fiber and protein, takes only a few minutes to prepare, and can be portioned in advance.
It is also:
This recipe makes approximately 9 scoops.
Cooked chickpeas:
Canned chickpeas make this recipe quick and convenient. Drain and rinse them thoroughly before blending.
If you are sensitive to the flavor of chickpeas in desserts, you can rub off some of the loose skins after rinsing. This is optional, but it can create a slightly smoother result.
Patting the chickpeas dry is not essential because the recipe already contains soy milk, but avoid adding a lot of extra water from the can.
Medjool dates:
Use two dates for a milder sweetness or three if you want the cookie dough to taste more dessert-like.
If your dates feel firm or dry, soak them in hot water for approximately 10 minutes. Drain them before adding them to the blender.
Frozen banana:
A frozen banana gives the cookie dough a thicker and colder consistency. It also adds sweetness and helps the mixture feel creamier without using a large amount of nut butter.
Slice the banana before freezing so it is easier to blend.
A fresh banana can also be used, but the mixture will be softer and may need more time in the refrigerator or freezer before serving.
Powdered peanut butter:
Powdered peanut butter adds peanut flavor with less fat than regular peanut butter. It also adds a little protein and helps thicken the mixture.
You can replace it with regular peanut butter. Start with approximately 2 tablespoons or 32 g peanut butter, and reduce the soy milk because regular peanut butter already adds more moisture and fat.
Soy milk:
Soy milk helps the chickpeas and frozen banana blend smoothly. Start with the listed amount, then add more one tablespoon at a time only if needed.
Different blenders require different amounts of liquid. A high-speed blender may need less, while a food processor may require occasional scraping and a little extra patience. ALSO, you can replace soy milk for almond, oat or coconut milk, just know that the macros will
Dark chocolate chips:
Fold the chocolate chips in after blending rather than blending them into the mixture. This keeps small chocolate pieces throughout the cookie dough.
You can use mini chocolate chips, chopped dark chocolate, or cacao nibs.
Add the drained chickpeas, pitted dates, frozen banana, powdered peanut butter, soy milk, and a pinch of salt to a high-speed blender or food processor.
Blend until the mixture is as smooth as possible. Stop and scrape down the sides several times. Add more soy milk one tablespoon at a time if the blades are struggling to move.
Avoid pouring in too much milk at once. The mixture may look extremely thick at first, but it usually becomes smoother as the chickpeas and banana continue to break down.
Once blended, transfer the cookie dough to a bowl and fold in the dark chocolate chips.
You can eat it immediately, refrigerate it for a thicker consistency, or divide it into nine scoops and freeze them.
The main difference between pleasant chickpea cookie dough and slightly gritty chickpea paste is blending time.
Let the blender run long enough for the chickpeas to break down completely. You will probably need to stop, scrape the sides, and blend again several times.
A food processor often works better for very thick mixtures because the wider bowl gives the ingredients more room to move. A blender can still work, especially if it has a tamper.
If the mixture will not blend:
Adding too much milk is difficult to undo, so work slowly!
Homemade frozen snacks can become icy when they contain a lot of water or are stored with too much air around them. A few small changes help keep this cookie dough softer.
Do not add more soy milk than necessary!
Use only enough milk to get the mixture moving. Additional liquid makes the cookie dough easier to blend but can create a harder, icier texture after freezing.
Use a very ripe banana!
A ripe banana contains more natural sugar than an underripe one, which helps the frozen texture stay a little softer.
Include all three dates
Using three dates instead of two slightly increases the sweetness and can also help the texture feel less icy.
Store the scoops in an airtight container
Press a piece of parchment paper or reusable wrap close to the surface if storing the dough as one large batch. This limits air exposure and reduces freezer burn.
Let the scoops soften before eating
Take a scoop out of the freezer approximately 10 to 20 minutes before eating. The exact time depends on the temperature of your home and how cold your freezer runs.
The goal is a firm scoop that is still easy to bite or eat with a spoon.
Use regular peanut butter for a creamier result
Powdered peanut butter keeps the recipe lighter, but regular peanut butter adds fat, which creates a softer and richer frozen texture. You can replace some or all of the powder with peanut butter when texture matters more than keeping the calories lower.
This recipe already gets some protein from the chickpeas, powdered peanut butter, and soy milk. There are several ways to increase it further.
Add vegan protein powder:
Add 1/2 to 1 scoop vanilla or unflavored vegan protein powder. You may need additional soy milk because protein powder thickens the mixture.
Start with half a scoop, blend, and adjust from there. Choose a protein powder you already enjoy because its flavor will be noticeable in a no-bake recipe.
Add more powdered peanut butter:
Increase the powdered peanut butter from three tablespoons to four or five tablespoons. Add soy milk only if the mixture becomes too thick to blend.
Use a high-protein soy milk:
Soy milk is usually a better option for protein than almond, rice, or many oat milks. Check the label because protein content varies by brand.
Serve it with soy yogurt;
Add one scoop of cookie dough to unsweetened soy yogurt. This makes it more filling and increases the protein without changing the original recipe.
Chocolate chickpea cookie dough:
Add one to two tablespoons of cocoa powder. You may need an additional date or a little maple syrup because cocoa powder can make the mixture taste less sweet.
Cinnamon cookie dough:
Add one teaspoon of cinnamon and a small pinch of nutmeg.
Peanut butter and jelly cookie dough
Swirl a small amount of raspberry or strawberry jam into the finished mixture rather than blending it in completely.
Chocolate peanut butter version:
Use regular peanut butter in place of powdered peanut butter and add a tablespoon of cocoa powder.
Cookie dough without banana:
You can leave out the banana, but the recipe will need another ingredient for sweetness, moisture, and body. Add more dates and enough soy milk to blend, or use thick soy yogurt. The final texture and flavor will be different.
You can serve this recipe in several ways:
For a more complete snack, pair one or two scoops with fruit or unsweetened soy yogurt.
Refrigerator: Store the cookie dough in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days. USDA food-safety guidance generally recommends refrigerating cooked leftovers within two hours and using them within three to four days.
The mixture will thicken in the refrigerator because the chickpeas and powdered peanut butter continue absorbing moisture.
Freezer: Divide the dough into individual scoops and freeze them on a parchment-lined plate or tray. Once firm, transfer them to an airtight freezer-safe container.
For the best texture and flavor, I recommend eating them within approximately one month, although frozen food can remain safe for longer when consistently stored at 0°F or -18°C. Quality gradually declines during extended freezer storage.
Let each scoop soften at room temperature before eating.
Can you taste the chickpeas?
The chickpea flavor is so mild, you don’t taste it at all (in my opinion)! Rinsing the chickpeas well and using ripe, flavorful ingredients makes a significant difference. Chilling the mixture also helps the flavors settle.
Can I use dried chickpeas?
Yes! That’s what I do. Cook them fully until soft, drain them well, and measure 250 g cooked chickpeas for the recipe.
Slightly softer chickpeas generally blend more smoothly than very firm chickpeas.
Can I use another plant milk?
Yes, although soy milk contributes more protein than many other plant milks. Almond, oat, coconut or cashew milk can work, but the nutrition will change.
Can I use peanut butter instead of powdered peanut butter?
Yes! Use approximately 2 tablespoons or 32 g natural peanut butter to start.
Because regular peanut butter is creamier, use less soy milk initially. Add more only if your blender needs it.
Can I make this without dates?
You can use more ripe banana or add maple syrup, but dates also give the cookie dough thickness and a caramel-like sweetness. Removing them will change both the flavor and consistency.
Can I bake this chickpea cookie dough?
Nope. This recipe was created as an edible, no-bake cookie dough rather than a baked cookie recipe. It does not contain the flour or leavening needed to produce a traditional cookie texture!
Why is my chickpea cookie dough runny?
Too much liquid is the most likely reason. Add more frozen bananas and peanut powder to counter this.
Refrigerate it for a few hours or blend in more powdered peanut butter. You could also try adding a small amount of oats, chia seeds, or protein powder, but each will change the original texture.
Why is my cookie dough grainy?
It probably needs more blending. Scrape the sides of the blender, add a very small amount of soy milk if necessary, and continue blending until smooth.
Removing loose chickpea skins can also help, but it is not essential.
The nutrition will vary depending on whether you use two or three dates, the exact soy milk, and the chocolate you choose.
The estimate below uses:
Approximate nutrition for the whole recipe
Approximate nutrition per scoop, based on 9 scoops
Using only two dates would reduce each scoop by approximately 7 calories and around 1.8 g sugar.
This chickpea cookie dough is a practical option when you want something sweet that you can prepare in advance and store in individual portions.
It is thick, creamy, easy to customize, and made without raw flour or protein powder. The powdered peanut butter keeps it lighter while the chickpeas, soy milk, and chocolate make it satisfying enough to work as more than a spoonful of something sweet.
The most important step is blending it properly. Give the mixture enough time to become smooth, use only as much milk as necessary, and let frozen portions soften before eating.
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