The humble chickpea continues to surprise me. And this recipe adds to that delight and pleasant surprise of what the chickpea bean can do. The truffles start with chickpeas, which blend into a soft base that holds warm gingerbread spices beautifully. The result is a small bite that tastes like the holidays without requiring much effort… okay some effort, but still – not much!
If you have made other chickpea desserts, you know that dryness matters. Patting the chickpeas with a clean towel reduces extra moisture and keeps the texture smoother. Almond flour pulls the dough together if it still feels too soft. It does not change the flavor much, which lets the spices stay at the center.
These truffles work well for gifting. The batch makes enough to fill a small tin or add to a cookie plate. They also hold well in the fridge for several days, which is helpful when holiday schedules start shifting around. You can make them ahead, let them chill, and grab one when you want something small and spiced… I have even 4x’d this recipe and while it adds to the timing, it helps with gifting in one easy task.
And talking about flavor, if you are looking for a deeper gingerbread flavor, increase the ginger a little. If you prefer something sweeter, roll them in cinnamon sugar. If you want contrast, dip them in melted dark chocolate. The recipe is flexible and invites small adjustments based on what you like and prefer.
Chickpea Gingerbread Truffles are simple to assemble and easy to store. They taste familiar without being heavy. They also give you a dessert that comes together quickly, which is valuable on days that already feel full. Let the spices do the work and enjoy a small bite of something warm and steady!
Chickpea Gingerbread Truffles
Equipment
- Food processor, sheet pan, parchment, small cookie scoop
Ingredients
- 1 can chickpeas drained and rinsed well
- 3 tablespoons almond butter or cashew butter for a milder flavor
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon molasses
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 pinch ground cloves
- 1 pinch salt
- 3 –4 tablespoons almond flour to help firm the dough as needed
- Optional coating: melted dark chocolate or cinnamon sugar
Instructions
- Add the rinsed and dried chickpeas to a food processor and blend until crumbly.
- Add almond butter, maple syrup, vanilla, molasses, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Blend until completely smooth.
- Check the consistency. If the mixture is too soft to roll, pulse in almond flour one tablespoon at a time until the dough firms up and rolls in the palm of your hand.
- Scoop the dough using a small cookie scoop and roll into smooth truffles.
- Place on a parchment-lined sheet pan.
- Roll in cinnamon sugar or chill for 20 minutes before dipping into melted dark chocolate.
- Let set in the fridge until firm, then store chilled.
Notes
For an even stronger gingerbread flavor, add an extra pinch of ginger and cloves.
If dipping in chocolate, freeze the rolled truffles for 10 minutes first so the coating sets cleanly.