These dark chocolate espresso chickpea flour cookies are easy to make and the perfect tasty bite to satisfy your sweet tooth. A treat to feel good about sharing with the people you love! They’re made with chickpea flour, coconut sugar, coconut oil (or ghee), one egg, vanilla, espresso powder, and of course – dark chocolate. They’re perfectly soft yet still lightly chewy, with little pockets of chocolate and flaky salt to tie all of the decadent flavors together. Makes 12-16 cookies.
The best chickpea flour cookies
Let’s talk chickpea flour cookies.
Who knew this unassuming flour could be the starting point for such a delightfully easy treat!?
These lovely little gluten free cookies are the perfect mix of soft and chewy. They are flecked with bits of dark chocolate and elevated with espresso powder and vanilla extract.
And topped with just a little bit of flaky sea salt because it makes everything taste better.
They also come together super quickly, which means that they can be ready and cooling on a cooling rack in as little as 20 minutes!
If you love these easy-to-make cookies, be sure to check out some of our other yummy GF treats like these No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies, Salted Gluten Free Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Cookies, Gluten Free Dark Chocolate Scones, or these No Bake Birthday Cake Energy Bites!
Recipe testing notes
Baking with chickpea flour
Most gluten free baked goods call for multiple types of flour, but this recipe is different. Chickpea flour stands on its own, and no additional gluten free flours are necessary to achieve the perfect texture and flavor.
The flavor of chickpea flour is neutral, perhaps slightly nutty, and lends itself well to both sweet and savory recipes.
It’s also relatively inexpensive and can be found at most natural food grocery stores!
Cookie size
I have made these cookies in various sizes, from mini (using a scant tablespoon of cookie dough per cookie) to medium-large (using about 2 generous tablespoons of cookie dough per cookie), and they’ve turned out perfect both ways.
If I’m making them for a crowd and want to stretch the recipe a little bit farther, I’ll make them smaller, but if I’m baking them just for our family or friends, I tend to make them the size they are in the images in this blog post. If you decide to make a smaller version, the only adjustment that needs to be made is to slightly shorten the baking time.
Ingredients
These cookies are made with a fairly classic array of ingredients you’ll find in most cookie recipes. A few simple substitutions make them gluten free, dairy free, and refined sugar free! The complete list of ingredients, along with measurements, is in the recipe card below. These are my ingredient notes and recommendations!
Chickpea flour
Chickpea flour (also called garbanzo bean flour) is an easy gluten free, nut free alternative to traditional flour. It stands on its own without the need to mix in other types of flour and has a neutral, slightly nutty flavor.
This is the brand of chickpea flour I used.
Thrive Market also carries their own brand of Sprouted Chickpea Flour, which I’ve used and love.
Coconut oil or ghee
These are the two types of fat that I have successfully tested for this cookie recipe.
Ghee adds a more traditional “buttery” flavor, and unrefined coconut oil will impart a slight coconut flavor.
To avoid any hint of coconut flavor use refined coconut oil.
Egg
To bind the cookies together and assist with the rise.
Instant espresso powder
Finely ground instant espresso powder works best for this recipe.
I tested this recipe with an instant coffee that I love, but the granules were large and didn’t dissolve well into the cookie dough.
Vanilla extract
For a hint of classic cookie vanilla flavor.
Baking soda
To help the cookies rise.
Kosher salt
To tie all the other flavors together.
Dark chocolate
I love the interesting texture you achieve using a chopped dark chocolate bar for these cookies, but chocolate chips can also be used.
When photographing these cookies I used a dark chocolate almond bar for additional textural crunch from the nuts. Espresso chocolate or another type of chocolate would also be delicious!
To keep this recipe refined sugar free, Hu Chocolate bars would be an excellent choice (I have yet to try a flavor from their brand that I didn’t love!).
Be sure to save a few pieces of chopped chocolate to press into the tops of the cookies before baking for some extra dark chocolate puddles. YUM.
Flaky sea salt
To sprinkle on the tops of the cookies right when they come out of the oven.
Totally optional but also delicious if you like a little salty with your sweet (who doesn’t!)
How to make dark chocolate espresso chickpea flour cookies
With a simple ingredient list, these cookies come together surprisingly quickly with minimal special tools needed. A cookie scoop helps portion the dough, but if you don’t have one, a tablespoon works just as well! I always suggest reading through the recipe at least once before you start cooking so the recipe flows smoothly.
Step 1: Preheat the oven and line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
Step 2: Melt coconut oil or ghee
In a large bowl, melt coconut or ghee in the microwave until liquid. Alternatively, melt over low heat on the stove top and transfer to large bowl. Set aside to cool slightly.
Step 3: Combine dry ingredients
In a separate bowl, mix together the chickpea flour, kosher salt, and baking soda until combined.
Step 4: Mix together wet ingredients
When the coconut oil has cooled slightly, add instant espresso, coconut sugar, egg, and vanilla extract and whisk until the sugar and instant espresso have mostly dissolved.
Step 5: Combine all ingredients for cookie dough
Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir until no dry bits of chickpea flour are visible. Stir in the chocolate.
Step 6: Portion the dough
Use a 1 1/2 – 2 tablespoon cookie dough scoop or a tablespoon to portion the dough. Use your hands to roll it into balls and space out evenly on prepared baking sheets. You can press a few extra pieces of chocolate into the top of each cookie for extra chocolate puddles.
Step 7: Bake cookies
Bake until they appear set and the edges are slightly brown. Remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
Storage tips
These cookies will keep well in a sealed container on the counter for 4-5 days.
If you want to store them for longer, they can be frozen in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to two months.
If you enjoyed this recipe, we’d love it if you would take 5 seconds to rate and review it below! It’s also super helpful for other readers if you share any modifications you made to the recipe.
Thank you for sharing your kitchen with NK. We’re so grateful you’re here!
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Dark Chocolate Espresso Chickpea Flour Cookies
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 12–16 cookies 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
These dark chocolate espresso chickpea flour cookies are easy to make and the perfect tasty bite to satisfy your sweet tooth. A treat you’ll feel good about sharing with the people you love! They’re made with chickpea flour, coconut sugar, coconut oil (or ghee), one egg, vanilla, espresso powder, and of course – dark chocolate. They’re perfectly soft yet still lightly chewy, with little pockets of chocolate and flaky salt to tie all of the decadent flavors together. Makes 12-16 cookies.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup melted coconut oil or ghee
- 1/2 cup coconut sugar (82 grams)
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon instant espresso
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups chickpea flour (205 grams)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 ounces dark chocolate, chopped (or 2 ounces dark chocolate chips), plus extra for the top of cookies if desired
- Flaky sea salt (optional, to top the cookies)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Melt coconut oil or ghee. In a large bowl, melt coconut or ghee in the microwave until liquid. Alternatively, melt over low heat on the stove top and transfer to large bowl. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Combine dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, mix together the chickpea flour, kosher salt, and baking soda until combined.
- Mix together wet ingredients and sugar. When the coconut oil has cooled slightly, add instant espresso, coconut sugar, egg, and vanilla extract and whisk until the sugar and instant espresso have mostly dissolved.
- Combine all ingredients for cookie dough. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir until no dry bits of chickpea flour are visible. Stir in the chocolate.
- Portion the dough. Use a 1 1/2 – 2 tablespoon cookie dough scoop or a tablespoon to portion the dough. Use your hands to roll it into balls and space out evenly on prepared baking sheets. You can press a few extra pieces of chocolate into the top of each cookie for extra chocolate puddles.
- Bake cookies. Bake for 8-9 minutes, until they appear set and edges are slightly brown. Remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
- Allow to cool for 10 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Notes
I used a dark chocolate bar with almonds in it, but you can use whatever your favorite dark chocolate bar is.
These cookies will keep well in a sealed container on the counter for 4-5 days. If you want to store them for longer, they can be frozen in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to two months.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 10 min
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Cookie
An says
These are delicious! Definitely letting them cool all the way is the hardest part. I omitted the instant coffee bc of the kiddo, and added a touch more vanilla and they are still so yummy! I also used coconut oil in place of butter. They come together quickly too! Thanks Nyssa!
Nyssa Tanner says
Yaaass! So happy you love them! Watching cookies cool = feels like time is standing still
Molly says
These look absolutely amazing! I need some in my life right now. Pinned:)
Nyssa Tanner says
yes girl! I actually thought of you when I was making these. You always create such amazing grain free desserts! Such an inspiration, lady! Keep up the good work and thanks for the l-o-v-e✌ !!