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It’s officially Thanksgiving week!!! Are you excited?!?!
I’m not going to lie…I am a little bit sick of eating desserts!
I know, what’s wrong with me?!
I have been testing and photographing dessert recipes for Thanksgiving and Christmas so much that I’m just not sure that I can eat another bite. Just give me a huge salad already!
Don’t get me wrong I’ve still been eating my veggies but sometimes when I have this much dessert, even of the healthier variety I need a bit of a veggie detox to get me back on track.
This isn’t what I’m supposed to be saying as I publish a dessert recipe on the week of Thanksgiving. BUT it’s true.
TBH that probably won’t stop me from eating some apple pie this week, because I’ve already promised to make one for Thanksgiving. And we all know I can’t resist that apple pie.
Okay let’s talk about these chickpea pumpkin blondies, because trust me they are very delicious and worthy of your attention.
BUT WAIT! There are CHICKPEAS in these blondies?!?!?
Yes, don’t get your shorts all in a knot. You will never know there are chickpeas in these blondies.
I’ve done the whole chickpea blondie thing once before with my chickpea snickerdoodle blondies. They were pretty much like magic.
So why not make some chickpea pumpkin blondies just in time for the holidays?!
They’re pumpkin-y with those warming pumpkin spices we love and it’s studded with chocolate chips. Okay the chocolate chips are optional, but chocolate is always a good choice. The texture of these blondies are soft and fudge-y and dense. They are topped with a crumble topping: oats, pepitas, pecans, cinnamon, maple syrup, and coconut oil. It gets nice and crispy.
Oh and then once they’re done baking you sprinkle some flaky sea salt on top – for balance.
Who knew you could get so much fiber and healhy fats from a pumpkin blondie?!
Oh, chickpea pumpkin blondies, you get me.
These chickpea pumpkin blondies are vegan and gluten free. They require no flour. And the best part is they are a dump-everything-into-the-food-processor-and-give-it-a-whirl kind of recipe. However, the crumble topping does require an extra bowl for stirring, but you can handle that!
These chickpea pumpkin blondies with crumble topping would be great for Thanksgiving if you’re looking for a pumpkin dessert that’s a little bit different than pie.
Don’t worry pumpkin pie, you are still invited to the party. Everyone is welcome!
A warning, these chickpea pumpkin blondies are a bit messy – they are best eaten with a fork and a plate. Those are the best kinds of desserts, am I right?!
I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving weekend!
Chickpea Pumpkin Blondies with Crumble Topping (Vegan + Gluten Free)
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 45 mins
- Total Time: 55 mins
- Yield: 8 to 10 bars 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: Gluten Free, Vegan, Dairy Free, Vegetarian
Description
These blondies fudge-y made with REAL pumpkin and all the warming spices and studded with chocolate chips. They are topped with an oat crumble for a little crunch. Super yum!
Ingredients
- Pumpkin Blondies
- 1 15 ounce can chickpeas
- 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons cup pumpkin puree (NOT PUMPKIN PIE FILLING)
- 1/2 cup almond butter
- 1/3 cup honey (or sub maple syrup for vegans)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 to 3 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- Optional: 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (make sure to get vegan for df/vegan eaters)
- Crumble Topping
- 1/3 cup oats
- 1/3 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
- 1/4 cup pepitas
- 1/2 tsp Cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice
- pinch of Salt
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons Coconut oil, melted
- a few extra chocolate chips (if using)
- Optional: sprinkle of course sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease an 8X8 baking dish and line with parchment paper, set aside.
- Blend the batter: Add all of the ingredients for the pumpkin blondes to a food processor EXCEPT the chocolate chips. Process for several minutes until fully smooth, scrape down sides as needed. Taste (don’t worry, it’s vegan) and adjust the flavors as needed, add more pumpkin pie spice for more warmth and more honey for more sweetness etc.
- Stir in chocolate chips: Remove the blade from the food processor and stir in the chocolate chips (if using). Set the batter aside.
- Make the topping: Add all of the topping ingredients – EXCEPT the chocolate chips and course sea salt – into a small mixing bowl. Mix until well comined.
- Bake: Transfer the batter to the prepared baking dish. Smooth it out into an even layer. Sprinkle on the topping followed by a few extra chocolate chips. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the sides are browned and the center mostly comes clean when a toothpick is inserted. Sprinkle with the course sea salt, if desired.
- Cool: Allow the bars to mostly cool, about 30 minutes before cutting into them. Store them in an air tight container at room temperature for 4 to 5 days.
Many thanks.keep up the good work
Thank you