These Carrot Cake Chickpea Blondies are the newest addition to your Easter or spring brunch that you didn’t know you needed. The flavors of carrot make mesh beautifully with the texture of a blondie. Chickpea blondies are one of those things that may be seen as a “diet culture” trend. However, in vegan baking I have found that chickpeas are a super easy substitute for eggs! Especially in things like blondies, where you want them to be dense and fudgy.
Can we take a moment to appreciate this recipe and photography transformation? These photos are both by me, one taken in 2020 and one taken last week. I am so proud of my photography progress, but also in my baking progress! I have started to develop recipes more carefully and with more intent. These vegan carrot cake chickpea blondies are an example of a recipe that I have been playing around with for awhile to get just right. Sure, last year’s were yummy, but this year’s are significantly better. This year’s are something I would be proud to serve at an Easter brunch with friends instead of just a “healthy dessert” I make for myself.
Carrot Cake Chickpea Blondies and a life lesson
In the last year, I’ve learned a lot about myself, food, and food photography. I’ve always had the mindset that food can spread joy and love. This year I learned that I deserve that joy and love too! It’s easy as a food blogger to fall into the traps of diet culture, where everything must be high protein low fat and low white sugar. But what’s actually so wrong with white sugar every once in awhile? As someone who used to suffer from an eating disorder and too many food rules, it feels really great to bake delicious treats made with real sugar for myself and my family. Now THAT is how I show love! Though it’ll be another year of not spending Easter with my family due to the pandemic, these carrot cake chickpea blondies will help bring some joy once more. Be sure to tag me on Instagram if you try this recipe!
Carrot Cake Chickpea Blondies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup chickpeas
- 1/2 cup vegan butter melted
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 3 tbsp non-dairy milk oat or almond
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup shredded carrots
- 1/4 cup raisins regular or golden
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 cup vegan cream cheese frosting of choice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Add all ingredients except flour, carrots, and raisins into food processor. Blend until completely smooth.
- Pour batter into a bowl and stir in the flour just until evenly combined. Add the carrots and raisins and stir just to evenly distribute.
- Pour batter into greased 4x6 baking dish and add your cream cheese swirl in lines. Spiral with a toothpick to make pretty swirls. Bake at 350F for 25 minutes.
- Let cool completely before topping with icing of choice and garnishes, then cut and serve. Enjoy!