Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

I stumbled onto this recipe on a Tuesday afternoon when my daughter refused yet another snack and I was staring at a can of chickpeas wondering what on earth to do with it. Something clicked when I remembered how she'd demolish cookie dough straight from the bowl, and I thought: what if I made that feeling healthy? The result was this creamy, slightly sweet chocolate chip hummus that tastes like an indulgent treat but actually feels good to eat. Now it's become the snack that magically appears when friends visit with their kids.

The moment I served this to my neighbor's kids during a playdate, I watched their faces light up in that unmistakable way that happens when they realize something tastes amazing and isn't what they expected. One of them dipped a strawberry, took a bite, and said, "Is this really hummus?" as if I'd performed actual magic in my kitchen. That's when I knew this recipe had staying power.

Ingredients

• Chickpeas: The blank canvas that magically becomes creamy when blended, absorbing all the sweetness and vanilla while hiding the fact that you're eating beans.
• Nut butter: Choose creamy unsalted to keep control of the flavor; almond feels most luxurious, but cashew gives you a subtly sweeter note that edges closer to cookie dough.
• Maple syrup or honey: This is what makes it taste like something special—don't skip it or reduce it thinking you're being healthy, because the sweetness is what makes people reach for fruit instead of crackers.
• Vanilla extract: Real vanilla matters here; it adds that baked-good warmth that makes your brain think you're eating something indulgent.
• Sea salt: Just a pinch to make everything else taste more like itself without announcing salt's presence.
• Milk: Dairy or plant-based works equally well; this is just your texture adjuster, added gradually so you don't overshoot and end up with soup.
• Mini chocolate chips: Semi-sweet is the sweet spot—dark feels too serious, and milk chocolate sometimes disappears into the sweetness.
• Fresh fruit: The dipping vehicle; choose whatever's in season and whatever your people actually eat.

Instructions

Blend the base:

Add chickpeas, nut butter, maple syrup, vanilla, and salt to your food processor and let it run until everything is completely smooth and creamy. You'll need to stop and scrape the sides once or twice—this is normal and necessary.

Adjust the texture:

Pour in milk one tablespoon at a time, blending between additions until you reach that perfect dip consistency, thick enough to cling to a strawberry but loose enough to feel luxurious on your tongue. This is where patience matters more than ingredients.

Fold in the chocolate:

Transfer to a bowl and use a spatula to gently fold in the chocolate chips, so they stay whole and distributed throughout instead of getting crushed into oblivion. This step takes 30 seconds but makes all the difference in the final bites.

Serve and enjoy:

Eat it right away with fruit, or refrigerate up to 4 days if you need to plan ahead; it actually gets even creamier when chilled.

Save to Pinterest

There's something quietly powerful about watching someone taste something you made and realizing it defies their expectations in the best way. This hummus has become my secret weapon when I want to feed people something that feels indulgent without the aftermath guilt—it's become a small ritual in my kitchen, the moment where nutrition and pleasure actually agree.

The Texture Trick

The magic of this recipe lives entirely in how smooth your base becomes before you ever add the chocolate. If you rush the blending, you'll taste little chickpea granules no matter how hard you try to hide them. I usually blend for a full two minutes, stop, scrape, blend another minute, because that's the difference between something good and something that tastes restaurant-quality. Your food processor will do more work than you think necessary—trust that it's the right amount.

Why This Works as Hummus

Traditional hummus is savory and tahini-based, but the chickpea base is the real star—creamy, protein-rich, and endlessly adaptable. This sweet version keeps that nutrition foundation while playing with the flavor profile entirely, which is why you can serve it guilt-free. The hummus doesn't pretend to be health food; it is health food that tastes like you're treating yourself.

Flavor Swaps and Variations

Once you understand the base ratio, you can play with it endlessly. I've made versions with almond butter instead of cashew, tried honey in place of maple syrup to see if anyone noticed, and once mixed in white chocolate chips which somehow felt wrong but taught me why semi-sweet is the right call. The framework stays the same; the adventure is in noticing what small changes do to the whole picture.

• Swap the nut butter for tahini if you want something closer to traditional hummus territory, though it'll taste less like dessert.
• Add a tiny pinch of cinnamon or cardamom if you want warmth without changing the core flavor.
• Try white chocolate chips if you're feeling adventurous, though semi-sweet really is the gateway that makes everyone happy.

Save to Pinterest

This hummus became proof that cooking doesn't have to be complicated to feel special, and that sometimes the best discoveries happen when you're just trying to use up what's in your pantry. Serve it with intention, eat it without apology.

Recipe FAQs

→ What ingredients create the creamy base?

A blend of chickpeas, creamy nut butter, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and a touch of salt form the smooth dip foundation.

→ How can I adjust the sweetness level?

You can customize sweetness by adding more or less maple syrup or honey according to your taste preferences.

→ Is there a nut-free version available?

Yes, substitute nut butter with sunflower seed butter and use nut-free chocolate chips to accommodate nut allergies.

→ How long does the spread stay fresh?

Stored in the refrigerator, it stays fresh and creamy for up to four days.

→ What are good dippers besides fresh fruit?

Try graham crackers, pretzels, or rice cakes for added texture options alongside fresh fruit.