This recipe is a two for one: Instant Pot Chickpeas and the best fakeout Healthy Cookie Dough, AKA Dessert Hummus, you'll ever eat. Get ready to eat cookie dough with carefree abandon!

This recipe is just downright huggable! Let me tell you why.

My daughter gets teased quite often by her friends for items she packs in her lunch box and it burns me to no end.

I've made it loud and clear at my table that they don't have to like everything I make, but saying “eww” or “that looks disgusting” is grounds for immediate dismissal from dinner with the added bonus of dish duty.

Yet time and again my daughter gets “eww”s and “yuck”s from her friends at school over things like dried mangos, bean quesadillas, baked potato with ham and cheese, bread that's not bleached white, etc.

She recently watched a kid cooking competition on the Food Network where one of the girls had been bullied for bringing salads, tuna, spring rolls, etc. The girl won the competition and now makes a lot of money cooking on her own show.

I wish I could give that girl a big hug and thank her for showing my daughter that being different and being yourself is what makes you a warrior. Know what you know, love what you love, and darn it, be proud of it because it's those little things that are gonna build you up to be the remarkable person you have the potential of being!

Okay, so you're wondering, what does this have to do with Chickpeas and Cookie Dough, Marci?

I have a clipped recipe from years and years ago of an April Fools Recipe for Cookie Dough. The “fool” part being that the base of the recipe is chickpeas. Yep, the healthy cookie dough is primarily a vegetable and my kids LOVE this stuff.

Their favorite way to eat it is to spread the “cookie dough” on a round slice of apple and top that with another slice of apple to make an “apple sandwich.”

It's seriously shocking how delicious this is.

Anyways, my daughter put her brave face on, made herself 2 of these Apple Sandwiches for her school lunch, all the while being secretly terrified that her friends might discover her secret.

Well, she came home that day beaming because she had told her friends what the dough was made of, let them try it, and they all thought she was a total rockstar and begged her to bring them some too.

Was she ever proud of herself!

The struggle isn't over by any means, peer pressure is alive and powerful in every step of kid's lives, but my greatest joy comes from seeing my kids trip, stand up again, and crush those barriers along their journey.

I try and make a big production out of every success so they know time and time again, “I can do hard things.”

So yes, when I think of Healthy Chickpea Cookie Dough, I'm taken back to a memory of an incredible role model: my 8-year-old daughter. That's the power of food my friends 😊

Back to the food! We've essentially got two recipes to chat about, so let's get started.

WHY YOU WILL LOVE INSTANT POT CHICKPEAS

Cheaper, better tasting, superior texture, and less salt than the canned version
So easy to cook in the pressure cooker! No babysittting, just set the timer and walk away!
Great reason to eat more Meditteranean Quinoa Bowls (as if I needed a reason)

WHY YOU WILL LOVE HEALTHY COOKIE DOUGH MADE WITH CHICKPEAS

High in protein and fiber, low in sugar and fat, and it looks just like Oatmeal Peanut Butter Cookie dough!
Whole oats get stirred in at the end for that delicious oatmeal cookie dough chew
Great fruit dip for a variety of fruits, pretzels, and graham crackers
Great for packing in lunch boxes or as a quick pick-me-up snack

HOW TO MAKE INSTANT POT CHICKPEAS

Add beans, water, and salt to the pressure cooker pot
Cook to desired tenderness (see recipe notes) and allow for a natural pressure release
Stir, strain, rinse, use

HOW TO MAKE HEALTHY COOKIE DOUGH

Drain and rinse beans
Add beans and other cookie dough ingredients to a food processor
Process until very smooth
Scrape into a bowl and add oats and chocolate chips
Stir in oats and mini chocolate chips
Serve with fruit and crackers

TIPS FOR MAKING A SMOOTH CHICKPEA PUREE – 3 OPTIONS

This is an important skill to master because it will apply to all your homemade hummus needs as well:

Use a food processor and scrape down the sides a few times to make sure it's very smooth
A high speed blender works pretty well with a little extra liquid and scraping of the sides
An Immersion Blender might also get the job done, although I have not tried this one. I'll report back if I try it

MORE WAYS TO SERVE HEALTHY COOKIE DOUGH

On open face apple rings. Top with granola, cranberries, and/or crushed nuts and an extra drizzle of honey
Break into small bites and stir into Homemade Yogurt or frozen yogurt
Between slices of banana – this was a HUGE hit with my kid's friends
Spread on hot toast

VARIATIONS OF CHICKPEA COOKIE DOUGH

Swap the peanut butter for almond butter and the chocolate chips for cacao nibs (warning, my kids didn't like this one, the cacao nibs were too bitter for them. More for me!)
Swap peanut butter for almond butter, honey for maple syrup, and add cinnamon and yogurt covered raisins. Think cinnamon roll
Swirl jelly or Triple Berry Chia Jam through the dough for a PB&J like experience

As you can see, the possibilities are endless! If you want it thinner, add more milk; want it sweeter, add more sweetener, want it for yourself, hide it behind the jar of sauerkraut.

Be sure and let me know what crazy flavors you come up with and how many people you fool. This has been a favorite in my house since my kids were babies, I'm so happy to pass it on to you all now!

Enjoy!

EXTRA TIDBITS

CHICKPEAS VS GARBANZO BEANS – WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE

Short answer, not a darn thing. There's no difference, they are the exact same thing and you can refer to this yummy little bean by either name. However, the theory behind how one bean got itself two names is quite interesting. See this article if you're a fellow food nerd.

TOOLS AND INGREDIENTS USED TO MAKE INSTANT POT CHICKPEAS AND HEALTHY COOKIE DOUGH