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Sweet & salty 4-ingredient chocolate chickpea bark or clusters are an addictively crunchy, dairy-free, high-protein, high-fiber, gluten-free snack!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
The next time you’re craving chocolate (which, for me, is almost daily), try satisfying your sweet tooth by making a decadent snack with a healthy, high-protein twist – chocolate covered chickpeas! While you may be used to chickpeas for a dish like this easy hummus and vegan chickpea stew, I’ve already shared chickpea choc chip cookies, and this chocolate covered chickpea recipe is not to be missed.
This chickpeas dessert recipe is not only deliciously sweet, salty, and loaded with crunch but also high-fiber, high-protein, low-fat, and packed with essential nutrients – perfect to replace unhealthy candy bars. Plus, it’s so easy and affordable – just roast or air fry chickpeas until crispy, coat with melted vegan chocolate, shape into bark or clusters, and sprinkle with flaky salt.
The best part? You can’t even taste the chickpeas. They just add subtle nutty flavor and heaps of crunch for a snack some compare to chocolate-coated malt balls (aka Maltesers!), but much better for you! Now, that is a win-win!
The Ingredients
Refer to the recipe card for the full list of ingredients, substitutes, and quantities.
Recipe Variations
- Vegan chocolate swirl: Swirl two types of vegan chocolate (dark, milk, or white)
- Nut/seed butter: Add a few tablespoons of almond butter, peanut butter, sun butter, etc., either to the melted vegan chocolate or in a swirl for extra flavor, healthy fats, and protein.
- Vegan protein powder: Add ½ a scoop of plant-based protein powder. The vegan chocolate will turn more paste-like but should still work well for spreading.
- Spices: Add a dash of cinnamon, cayenne pepper (for a kick!), or pumpkin pie spice.
- Toppings: Like shredded coconut, dried fruit, freeze-dried fruit, crushed nuts, pretzels, etc.
How to Make Chocolate Covered Chickpeas
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 400F/200C and spread the chickpeas across a flat surface, patting them completely dry with a towel/paper towel. Toss the chickpeas with the oil, spread them evenly on a baking sheet, and optionally sprinkle with salt.
Step 2: Bake the chickpeas for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown and crispy but not burned. Shake the pan every 10 minutes to ensure even roasting.
Alternatively, follow my recipe for crispy air fryer chickpeas.
Step 3: Once roasted, set the crispy chickpeas aside to cool. When almost ready, melt the vegan chocolate using a double boiler or in a microwave-safe bowl (in 30-second increments, stirring between) until smooth.
Step 4: Toss the chickpeas into the melted vegan chocolate, then spread evenly over a parchment-lined 8-inch square pan, optionally sprinkle with flaky salt, and transfer to the refrigerator for an hour to set (or 20-30 minutes in the freezer). Once set, break or chop the vegan chocolate chickpea bark into small pieces. Enjoy!
Alternatively, spoon it into small vegan chocolate chickpea clusters or even make individual chocolate covered chickpeas.
FAQs
Technically, you could probably skip it, but the chickpeas may stay softer. I’ve air-fried garbanzo beans without oil with great results, though.
Use any high-quality semi-sweet or bitter-sweet/dark chocolate (with at least 70% cocoa), though the latter is healthier and includes a lot more antioxidants.
Use sugar-free or refined-sugar-free vegan chocolate, if preferred, for an even healthier vegan chocolate bark.
You could likely make an equally delicious protein vegan chocolate bark with small white beans, like cannellini beans or soy beans (also called soy nuts).
Pro Recipe Tips
- Use good quality vegan chocolate: It’s the dominant flavor, so choose well.
- Use cooked chickpeas: I use canned. You can cook them yourself, if preferred, but don’t attempt it with raw or soaked chickpeas.
- For the crispiest chickpeas: Make sure to pat them thoroughly dry. Moisture can lead to steaming rather than becoming crispy. Also, monitor them – if they brown too quickly while remaining soft, drop the temperature by 10-15 degrees and continue to roast.
- To save time: Use packaged, roasted chickpeas (plain or lightly salted).
Storage Instructions
Store the homemade vegan chocolate bark/clusters in an airtight container in layers separated by parchment paper and store it in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
You can also freeze vegan chocolate coated chickpeas in an airtight container for up to 3 months, and this will help maintain the delicious crunch.
Chocolate Covered Chickpeas
Ingredients
- 1 (15-ounce) can of garbanzo beans rinsed and drained
- 1 teaspoon of olive oil
- Dash of sea salt
- 1 cup of vegan semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (204 degrees C). Lay the garbanzo beans on a flat surface and pat dry with a towel or paper towel. You want your beans to be as dry as possible before roasting.
- In a medium bowl, toss the garbanzo beans and olive oil together. Once evenly coated, lay them out on a baking sheet and sprinkle with salt.
- Once roasted, remove the garbanzo beans and set them aside to cool. While they’re cooling, melt your vegan chocolate chips. You can either double boil them, or microwave them in 45 second increments, stirring in between, until they are smooth and melted.
- Once the vegan chocolate is melted, combine with the chickpeas in a bowl and transfer to an 8×8 baking pan and spread evenly. Bark should be about a quarter inch thick, or as thick as a chickpea is tall.
- Put it in the freezer and break it up once it is completely solid.
Notes
- Use good quality vegan chocolate: It’s the dominant flavor, so choose well.
- Use cooked chickpeas: I use canned. You can cook them yourself, if preferred, but don’t attempt it with raw or soaked chickpeas.
- For the crispiest chickpeas: Make sure to pat them thoroughly dry. Moisture can lead to steaming rather than becoming crispy. Also, monitor them – if they brown too quickly while remaining soft, drop the temperature by 10-15 degrees and continue to roast.
- To save time: Use packaged, roasted chickpeas (plain or lightly salted).
![completed EASY Chocolate Depression Cake [Wacky Cake] sliced against a white surface](https://plantbasedonabudget.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/36-Crazy-Cake-Plant-Based-on-a-Budget-1-2-378x378.jpg)
can you make this without the oil?
Technically, you could probably skip it, but the chickpeas may stay softer. We’ve air-fried garbanzo beans without oil with great results, though. Hope you enjoy it!
The best chocolate bark!
Hello, I was just wondering how long you roast the chickpeas for in the chickpea chocolate bark recipe.
Hello! Roast the chickpeas for 30-35 minutes, enjoy!