The Chickpea surprised me with something really sweet the other day.
I know I'm a little late to the roasted chickpea party. I don't know what took me so long to get here or why I put it off for so long. I guess I didn't think I'd like them? I thought I'd be put off by a crunchy chickpea? Maybe they put the taste of Corn Nuts in my mind (Corn Nuts would have to be my least favorite snack food of all time)? Something clicked one day, though, and I said to myself "We're talking about your boo*, The Chickpea, here. How can anything chickpea-related be bad?"
So I ventured forward, and trying to stay as far away as I possible could from anything that might even remotely taste like Corn Nuts, I decided to go the sweet route. Roasted with cinnamon and a little coconut sugar, then glazed with maple syrup, these chickpeas reminded me more of sweet maple roasted nuts. The fact that these chickpeas are were sweet, nutty, crunchy, and could be eaten by the handful, made them incredibly addicting. They are were a great snack and even satisfied my mid-day sweet tooth cravings. It's a good thing I cooked up a ton of chickpeas, because about half of them are going to be used for making multiple batches of these guys.
Ingredients
- 2 cups of cooked chickpeas or 1 15oz can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 2 teaspoons canola oil
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 1/2 teaspoons coconut sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Remove the skins from the chickpeas as much as possible. Lightly drying them with a clean kitchen towel helps loosen them up a bit.
- Place the chickpeas in a bowl and add the oil, cinnamon, sugar, and salt. Toss to fully combine and lay them out on the prepared baking sheet.
- Place them in the oven and allow them to cook for 40 minutes. Remove, drizzle the maple syrup over them and toss them to fully coat each chickpea, then return to the oven for 5 more minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
Update, 10/13/2012: A couple of readers have made these, one said they didn't cook enough at this temp/time, and another said they overcooked at this time/temp. I recommend keeping an eye on them and take them out when you feel they are fully roasted and crispy, but not burnt.
*for the record, I have never in my life used the phrase "boo" to reference a romantic partner, and I promise to never do it again... for the rest of the week.
First time here? Check out the rest of my Chickpea Love Affair Vegan MoFo Entries!
This recipe is being shared with Healthy Vegan Fridays and Wellness Weekends.
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Photography by Chris Miller
jd
I absolutely love roasted chickpeas, & those look fantastic! I can't wait to give your recipe a try - especially since the pictures alone are making me drool!
PS Happy MoFo!
keepinitkind
THanks, JD! I'm so happy that you like them! And Happy MoFo to you too! 🙂
celine
Can't get enough of chickpeas in any form, so I'm looking forward to giving your recipe a go.
keepinitkind
Me either, Celine! I hope you enjoy them! 🙂
Cadry
Oh, yum! Roasted chickpeas are one of my favorite snacks and salad toppings, but I generally stick to roasting them with nutritional yeast, salt, and a little oil. Your sweet version looks fantastic, and I love the nutty brown color it gets. Pretty!
keepinitkind
THanks! They are one of my new favorite snacks too! I need to try your nutritional yeast trick though- I bet those are super addictive!
Cadry
Very addictive! When I first went vegan, I was eating them by the boatload!
Caitlin
these sound like corn pops! i used to love that cereal growing up. these are so much healthier. i should put them in a bowl, pour almond milk on them, and eat it like cereal. now THAT is a good idea <3
also, have you ever watched happy endings? i LOVE the show. there's a character, jane, who calls her hubby "boo" and i thought it was hilarious(she's "married" to damon waynes jr.) i started calling dayv boo because i thought it was so funny, but...he didn't like it. so i don't use the word "boo" anymore. but i did for about 3 days 😉
keepinitkind
The picture of you calling Dayv "Boo" and him not liking it is just too funny! I've never seen Happy Endings because I don't have cable/TV. I just looked it up though- is it similar to Friends? Should I check it out on Netflix?
I LOVED corn pops when I was a kid! I didn't think about it, but they are a little similar! And I NEVER would have thought to put these in a bowl of almond milk- that sounds soooooo good! And healthy! 🙂
Caitlin
it's kind of like friends. it is SO FUNNY. i think you would really like it. i think we have a similar sense of humor, so i'd say to definitely check it out on netflix. my favorite charactor is jane, by the way 😉
keepinitkind
Alright then! I think I'm going to have to give it a try! 😉
Michelle
I finally made Gena's last week for tacos...I was hooked....added to salads..yum
These look great tho....sweet.....maple syrup what's not to like 🙂
Happy endings love that show
keepinitkind
Gena's recipes are always so good- I've never been disappointed. These are pretty great for a healthy way to satisfy your sweet tooth, though!
It sounds like I need to check out that show!
Michelle
I remember you got rid of your tv because you don't watch it....mike without watching football or golf never lol
But im guilty too modern family ...happy endings.... greys ok ok chickpeas stick to the subject 🙂
Im excited to see your recipes love me some chickpeas
Sarah S.
And I thought I was the last to try roasting chickpeas. Now I might really be! Time to change that.
keepinitkind
Whew! I thought I was the only one! I was surprised at how easy they are! 🙂
Shira
YUM! I am so with you on the roasted Chickpea train...I am late to the party! This sweet take looks incredibly good, I would never have thought of that! X
keepinitkind
I always get a sweets craving in the late afternoon, and these have been perfect for that! Roasted chickpeas are definitely worth trying! Thank you for stopping by, Shira! xo
Shira
You will see I got right to it tonight with my chickpeas that I cooked over the weekend....seriously even my husband ate them on his salad tonight. I do not know what took me so long! X
keepinitkind
I love hearing that! I can't wait to make some savory ones to put on my salads, because lord knows I love putting chickpeas in all of my salads! take care, Shira! xo
Courtney
these look awesome! i have tried other chickpeas before and not a fan but I am certain I could be a fan of these!
keepinitkind
THank you, Courtney! If you give them a try, I hope you like them! 🙂
Somer
I so have not roasted chickpeas yet! What the heck am I waiting for. Um, way more awesome after school snack than cookies!!!
keepinitkind
They would be a great after school snack! Sophia liked them, Max didn't care to try them because he claims he doesn't like chickpeas (I know- what is up with that?!). 🙂
Annie
Also a roasted chickpea novice. Wow! They look addictive!
keepinitkind
They are soooo addictive!
Bobbie {the vegan crew}
Gorgeous! I adore chickpeas and roasting them is a favorite way to prepare them (I even have a roasted chickpea recipe scheduled for next week! 🙂 I never thought to go the sweet route with them, but will definitely have to try it.
keepinitkind
Thank you, Bobbie! They're such a great little snack, and this recipe was perfect for my late afternoon sweet cravings. 🙂 I can't wait to see your recipe next week!
Melissa
Yum! I've made savory roasted chickpeas, but have not made a sweet version yet - these sound awesome!
p.s. I sliced my finger opening a can of your "boo" last night so it may take me awhile to forgive him...
p.p.s yes, you should definitely watch happy endings. 🙂
Andrea
As much as I love roasted chickpeas, boiled chickpeas, wok-toasted chickpeas, etc, I've never tried them sweetened — only savory. I should expand my chickpea horizons!
Caralyn @ glutenfreehappytummy
oh my gosh those are calling my name!!! SO DELICIOUS!!
keepinitkind
Thank you, Caralyn! 🙂
Richa`
give me some crunchy chickpeas anyday! very rarely do i make them into sweet snacks. most times its some spicy masala chickpeas:)
all the best on the new job!
keepinitkind
Thank you and thank you! I'm still trying to get the hang of swinging both the blog and a job, but it's awesome! 🙂
Reia@TheCrueltyFreeReview
I've only had savory roasted chickpeas so I'm really intrigued by these sweet ones. I love chickpeas in any form so I'm sure I'd love these too. Great addition to MoFo!
keepinitkind
Thanks, Reia! I need to try the savory ones now!
Alicia
I made these! I burnt 90% of the batch but somehow managed to still burn my tongue trying to shove as many of the non blacks into my mouth at once. SO GOOD. Thanks for a new snack 🙂 I'll definitely be trying these again... any paying more attention to the timer when it goes off.
keepinitkind
Awesome to hear! I'm sorry they got burnt- perhaps your oven cooks a little on the hotter side? I would also recommend tossing them halfway through to cook evenly- an update I'm adding to the recipe. So happy to hear that you liked them! Made my morning!
Courtney Jones
Oh dear, these sound amazing!!! What a fantastic idea!
keepinitkind
Oh, Courtney! You totally need to try them! 🙂
Bex @ Vegan Sparkles
SWEET roasted chickpeas?! YES! Genius! They sound easy to make, too. Perfect for the next movie night. May your love affair continue. I'm excited to see what comes next! 🙂
keepinitkind
Thank you, Bex! These are a perfect movie night snack! 🙂
Stephie
So I've been roasting chickpeas for a while now (usually with a savory spice combo as flavoring, so I'm looking forward to trying this recipe) and I've always had to roast them a lot longer than 40 minutes. I tend to stir them every 20 minutes for about 60-70 minutes. I like them super corn-nut crunchy. At 40 minutes do yours come out crunchy or squishy? I ask because I'm wondering if I'm doing something wrong.
keepinitkind
I'm not much of a pro on roasting chickpeas- I've only just started. If you like yours super hard-crunchy, then going for longer is probably best. These were crunchy, not squishy at all, but certainly not corn nut crunchy. I hope that helps! Enjoy the recipe! 🙂
Heather
Hahaha I had to read that line like three times - i was like did i read that right - did she say Boo? wait who was she calling Boo - oh the chickpea! You are so silly ;0
Loving the maple in this recipe!!!! I have never had roasted chickpeas but I will take your word for it and get ny bit in the kitchen to make these....if I am super lazy do you think i can leave the skins on , will it make a huge difference?
Gabby @ the veggie nook
You know I have only even tried roasted chickpeas once and I bought them! I need to get on the train too! I really enjoyed them, so I don't know what's been holding me back!
These sound amazing- so good for fall!
relysh
Hey hi! These look WONDERFUL and i'm going to try them tonight with canned chickpeas. I have a question though - i want to soak/cook dried ones too, and for this recipe, would you still put the onion, garlic and bay leaf in the crock pot to cook them like you instruct in this post? https://keepinitkind.com/vegan-mofo-post-1-the-love-affair-begins/#
Or would you just leave that part out and just cook them in water?
Thanks very much!! I look forward to more chickpeas!! 😀
keepinitkind
Thank you! If you decide to cook them, I still recommend using the onion/garlic/etc as it only flavors the beans very subtly and they could be quite bland without it. However, if you think you will be too sensitive to it, cooking them without the seasonings would be just fine too. I hope you like them! 🙂
Bridgette
Just made these! Very yummy, thanks for the recipe. I followed your directions exactly and they're very very crispy. I'm also at sea level so that may affect it. I would do them for a little less time. Someone was saying they had trouble getting them crunchy, I would suggest an oven thermometer. Most ovens are not calibrated to the right temp and your oven is never preheated when it says it is. Thanks again!
keepinitkind
Huh. You're probably right about the thermometer. I know my oven does not cook evenly, but it seems to do okay temperature-wise when I use other people's recipes. I'm going to add a little note to the post with your input. Thanks so much, Bridgette! I'm so glad you liked them.
Bridgette fultz
Awesome! Thanks again for the recipe. A little update, had some family over the same day and they all loved them! Can't wait to make them again!
keepinitkind
That is so wonderful to hear! Thank you!
Alexis
Hi, can I use coconut oil instead of canola? Seems healthier 😉
Thanks
keepinitkind
Most definitely- coconut oil would be fine. I would have used it as well except that I was out. 🙂
Nina
Looking forward to trying these! I have a question about storing them (employing false optimism that i won't eat them all at once)--do they need to be kept in the fridge? Thanks!
keepinitkind
Sorry it's taken me so long to get back to you! Life has been so hectic! 🙂 I didn't store mine in the fridge and they kept just fine. I hope that helps!