Last week I needed some chocolate chip cookies. So with Caroline by my side we whipped up a batch of my favorites. These cookies are so darn good you’ll never suspect the secret ingredient. Care to guess? It’s garbanzo beans aka chickpeas!

Now why would I go and do such a thing? It’s easy. My kids love ’em. I love ’em. And hey, we’re getting fiber, vitamins, protein, folate, iron and manganese [source], all while eating a delicious treat! The bean taste is pretty hidden – it hasn’t stopped my kiddos from eating them by the handful. Whether you having stress eating moment or not, I highly recommend these cookies. Glass of almond milk optional.

Secret Ingredient Chocolate Chip Cookies

I don’t have an Kitchenaid mixer, so instead use my old-school electric mixer. It mixes the chickpeas but does not grind them up – they stay pretty much whole and in tact. At first I was worried about what this would do to the cookie texture, but it’s fine.

Chances are the cookies will be gone in a day. But if you have leftovers, you can store them in a sealed container. The one time I did this though, the cookies got a little gooey. I prefer to store them with the lid off – that way they stay crunchy.

Secret Ingredient Chocolate Chip Cookies

Recipe adapted from Deceptively Delicious.

Ingredients

1 cup firmly packed light or dark brown sugar
3/4 butter
2 large egg whites
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 15 oz can garbanzo beans drained and rinsed
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup old fashioned oats
1 teaspoon baking soda

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl beat the sugar and butter with until smooth. Beat in the egg whites and vanilla, then add the chickpeas and chocolate chips.
Add the flour, oats, and baking soda and mix until dough forms.
Drop cookies onto baking sheet. Bake until cookies are golden brown and just set, 11-13 minutes. Do not overbake! Transfer to cooling rack.