These Flourless Chickpea Pancakes are made from canned chickpeas, meaning they contain plenty of protein and they taste delicious, making them a wonderful post-workout or weekend morning breakfast recipe.
I absolutely adore these chickpea pancakes, and I know you will too.
If you didn't already know, I love adding chickpeas to recipes. Whether it's straight out of the can like in this mediterranean chickpea tuna salad, or roasting them like these roasted chickpeas recipe, I find them to be incredibly versatile.
Did you know you can also use them in place of flour in pancakes?! That's right -- these chickpea pancakes are made without flour.
See, I'm always looking for ways to sneak in natural sources of protein. That's not to say I dislike protein powder (see my protein overnight oats as proof that I do), but if you can get protein in the form of food, then why wouldn't you?!
I've seen a handful of recipes that call for chickpea flour, but I think using canned chickpeas is a little more practical because 1. it's cheaper, and 2. not all grocery stores sell chickpea flour.
Recipe features
- They're packed with protein -- 1 cup of chickpeas boasts 39 grams of protein! You can read more about the benefits of chickpeas in this Healthline article.
- Delicious on their own
- Even more delicious when topped with peanut butter + maple syrup
- Perfect for weekend mornings when you're craving something sweet, but need something that will keep you full
Ingredient notes:
Chickpeas - Canned; any brand. I've tested this recipe using both the 89 cent canned chickpeas, and then the slightly pricier organic chickpeas and both turned out great.
Eggs - Think of the eggs as the glue that holds everything together in this recipe. If you consume eggs, definitely make the recipe with them. If you do not, you could try using a vegan egg substitute, though I haven't tested them myself.
Peanut butter - Can sub any kind of nut butter.
Maple syrup - The recipe calls for only 1 tablespoon, so you can use your sweetener of choice if maple syrup isn't your thing.
Milk - Any kind! I used almond milk and it worked great.
Step-by-step instructions
Step 1: Rinse the chickpeas. The first step is to pour the chickpeas into a strainer, then run water over them for 20 seconds or so, which will remove any of the liquid from inside the can.
Step 2: Blend. Transfer the chickpeas, along with the remaining pancake ingredients, to a high-power blender and blend for about 30 seconds or until the batter is smooth.
Step 3: Cook. Grease a griddle or nonstick skillet with a little coconut oil, then heat it over medium heat. Pour batter onto the griddle and cook the pancakes for 1-2 minutes per side.
Tips and FAQs
-Always, always, always rinse the chickpeas before adding them to your blender; we want to remove the liquid from inside the can.
-If the pancakes seem to be browning too quickly, reduce the heat from medium to low.
-Some people say toppings are the best part of any pancakes recipe. Here are a few fun topping ideas: banana, peanut butter/almond butter, chocolate chips, maple syrup, fresh berries, or chia seeds.
Can I make these vegan?
I've tried a few different vegan variations, but unfortunately none of them have yielded the same results. If you happen to try an egg replacement and it works, please let me know!
What should I serve alongside these pancakes?
Truthfully, any other breakfast food you can think of! Some of my favorites include my tofu scramble, baked vegan donuts, sun-dried tomato frittata, or my cauliflower crustless quiche. Any of these would be delicious alongside chickpea pancakes!
More easy pancake recipes:
If you made this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and star rating below. Thanks!
Flourless Chickpea Pancakes
Ingredients
- 15 oz. chickpeas drained and rinsed
- ½ cup peanut butter
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 eggs
- â…“ cup + 2 tablespoon milk of choice
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
Instructions
- Pour chickpeas into a strainer, then rinse them off completely; then, pour chickpeas into a blender.
- Add the remaining ingredients into the blender and pulse for 30 seconds or until the batter is smooth.
- Grease a griddle or skillet with coconut oil or nonstick spray, and heat over medium heat. Pour batter onto the griddle, and once it starts bubbling, use spatula and carefully flip the pancakes over. Once both sides are cooked, remove from heat. Continue process until batter is gone.
- Top pancakes with extra peanut butter, fruit and/or chocolate chips and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
UPDATE NOTE: This post was originally published in April 2015. It was updated with new text and photos in January 2021.
Denise Dodson says
If you save the liquid from the chickpeas and add cream of tarter you can beat them lime egg whites to form a meringue. The meringue is great on vegan pies and can be baked for meringue cookies
Derp says
I wonder what would happen if I used some of the brine the chickpeas come in. Aquafaba, an egg alternative that you can whisk into whipped form and make fancy macaroons actually comes from the brine chickpeas set in the can!
Erin says
Ohhhh that's such a good idea! Please let me know if you try it + how it turns out.
Sophie says
Just tried these and am very happy with the outcome! Surprisingly good considering there’s no flour in there. I topped one with quark, vanilla and strawberries and another one with peanutbutter bananas and cinnamon. So good. Also they kept me full for hours, probably due to the high amount of protein. Thank you!
Ria says
Hi all! These pancakes are way healthier so don't expect them to taste like the usual pancakes. They had an omelette-like texture for me and they do have an aftertaste of chickpeas, but overall, I'd rather make these than the usual ones. They're very filling! However, they may cook twice as long and will be more fragile (maybe because I used an egg replacer powder).Patience is key! I used a piping bag instead of scooping them onto the griddle and cooked them covered on low heat around 5-7 mins per side. Don't skip the toppings. Happy experimenting!
Erin says
Thank you for this comment!! Good to know you were able to make these vegan-friendly -- I know other readers will appreciate the tips.
Robert Lee says
Thanks for the Healthy recipe. I'd ease up on the maple syrup due to being a T2 Diabetic.
Bob's Red Mill has powdered chickpea if you'd want to use this product. Again thanks Erin for another great healthy recipe. Keep them coming.
Kathleen says
These look incredible! Chickpea and peanut butter anything and I'm sold haha. I will endeavour to find a good vegan egg replacement!
Erin says
Thanks Kathleen -- definitely let me know if find one! I'd love to include it in the notes section.
Ria says
Hi Kathleen, been using Bob's Red Mill egg replacement powder in pancakes and baked goods with no problem. Hopefully you have those in your local stores.
Christina says
Kathleen, I have a lot of success with flax-egg as an egg replacement in many of my baked goods, especially in pancakes. It's just 1 Tbsp flax seed meal soaked in 3 Tbsp water until becoming gelatinous. I love the nutty flavor.
Veronica says
I love that dish
aeryn says
I was wondering what the serving size to calories ratio is for these pancakes?
Erin says
The calories listed in the recipe card are for 1 pancake (it's an estimation), and the full recipe makes around 12 pancakes. Hopefully that helps!
Loredana Dame says
Would baking powder be ok to replace the baking soda? It seemed too much of it. We could really taste it in the pancakes. Overpowered the peanut butter flavor. Overall we liked them. My daughter was so impressed that i could turn chickpeas into pancakes 🥞🥞😅
Erin says
Yes! I think baking powder would work just fine.
Janei says
I didnt even need a topping. These are great. Used chia seeds instead of egg.
Had to let them sit for a bit. Great recipe
Erin says
That's great -- glad you liked them! Thanks for the tip -- I'll have to try these with chia seeds next time.
Bex says
How much protein would this offer between the chickpeas and pb? Great bariatric recipe
Erika Harms says
How would these hold up in the freezer?