Cashew Butter Chickpea Blondies

I originally made these blondies way back in September of 2018 on a whim in my understocked college apartment kitchen and they surprisingly turned out so well. A couple weeks ago I was at a cute wellness cafe in Nashville and found Hu Kitchen dark chocolate covered cashews. As I was sitting there mindlessly eating the bag and scrolling through Instagram I started stalking my own as well as other food accounts for some recipe and food styling inspiration. Then I had the genius idea to put the bag down and save it so I could combine those chocolatey little gems with one of my favorite dessert recipes. Finally after a two week long vacation and trip to the grocery store these little babies were born as of last night. I can't lie I'm a proud mom, and I have the food baby from eating so many of these in the past day to show it.

These are seriously so dense, chewy, and soft it's insane. I Don't wanna brag but I think they could to be the photographic example of the word "thick" in the dictionary.

Ingredients

• 1 can unsalted chickpeas (garbanzo beans)

• 1 banana

• 5 medjool dates, pitted + soaked for 2+ hours

• 1/2 heaping cup cashew butter

• 1/4 cup coconut flour

• 1/3 cup plantbased milk (I used homemade oat & cashew milk)

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1-2 heavy shakes of cinnamon

• Pinch of salt of choice (pink, sea, table, etc.)

• 1/3 cup Hu Kitchen dark chocolate covered almonds (can sub any type of dark chocolate covered nut, chopped dark chocolate, or chocolate chips)

• **Preheat oven to 375ºF

Recipe

1. Drain & rinse chickpeas

2. Add the chickpeas to a blender/food processor & blend until smooth (add water to thin if needed)

3. Mash banana until it looks like apple sauce

4. Add mashed banana + medjool dates to blender & run again until batter is smooth

5. Add cashew butter to the batter & blend until smooth

6. Add coconut flour + milk to the batter & blend again until smooth

7. Add salt + cinnamon + vanilla & blend one more time until smooth

8. Grease a pan with oil of choice. Pour your batter into the greased pan & disperse evenly

9. Evenly disperse and press chocolate into the batter in your pan

10. Bake at 375ºF for 30-40 minutes or until outside is crispy and inside comes out "clean" when you stick a fork or knife into it

11. Let the blondies cool, cut them into bars, and try not to eat the whole pan in one sitting

Don't forget to give me a tag or send me a DM on Instagram if you make these. Promise you won't regret it. Happy Sunday and snacking!