I had an idea to do a social experiment recently. I saw chocolate hummus at the grocery store, and I thought to myself “I could make that.” So, I did. And I had grand plans of taking it to my friends to try and not telling them the base was chickpeas.
But, after experimenting and adding a little of this and a little of that, I tried one bite and totally lost it. I couldn’t even keep it to myself. I immediately messaged friends, family, even a couple acquaintances (ok, not really acquaintances, but I wanted to yell it from the rooftops).
I mean sweet hummus?! Who would’ve thought?? Not little old me who hadn’t even had anything other than traditional hummus (or eaten hummus with anything other than pita) until college.
Since then, I’ve made it several times and nailed down the proportions. I even had a panel of friends taste several versions until it was perfect. Update: this has been one of my most popular recipes (and while I don’t like to play favorites, a favorite of mine!).
So, here is where I convince you to make it, because it’s totally changed the dessert and snacking game for me.
It’s sweet, perfectly chocolate-y, nut-free, and has the consistency of chocolate frosting after setting in the fridge. I don’t know what it is about the fridge, but letting it sit in there for a couple hours before eating makes it even better. I love it with strawberries, cherries, apples, pretzels, or by the spoonful. Not to mention, it’s so simple and healthy, with a boost of protein and fiber from the chickpeas. My friend, Jenn, (one of my highly esteemed and super honest taste testers – hi, Jenn!) loves it on toast and with sliced bananas.
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- ¼ cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips, measured then melted
- ¼ cup agave nectar, or other sweetener of choice
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 can chickpeas (1½ cups), drained and rinsed very well (See notes!)
- 2-4 tablespoons water
- Optional: chocolate chunks or mini chocolate chips for topping
- In a food processor, combine the cocoa powder, melted chocolate, agave nectar, coconut oil, and vanilla extract. Pulse until fully mixed.
- Add chickpeas to food processor, adding 1 tablespoon of water at a time to help process.
- Process until smooth and creamy (be patient! I'll usually let it run for 1-2 minutes and walk away). The dip will thicken considerably in the fridge, so adding water will prevent it from getting too thick (I usually add ~3-4 tablespoons).
- Transfer to a container and let cool and harden in the refrigerator for ~1 hour before eating. Leftovers will keep in the fridge for about 1 week.
**I've found this works best in a food processor (rather than a blender) since it's a small amount of chickpeas and liquid.
And finally, I’ll leave you with this outtake of someone trying to steal my cherries…
Nadia says
June 21, 2016 at 1:10 pmWow!! Sounds interesting! I have to try it ASAP!
Christine says
June 21, 2016 at 6:36 pmChickpeas and chocolate make a surprisingly amazing combination in this dip! I love it, and can’t wait to hear what you think!
Dana says
June 21, 2016 at 6:22 pmTHIS IS HAPPENING! Can’t wait, looks awesome.
Christine says
June 21, 2016 at 6:38 pmDo it! I can’t wait to hear what you think! I am a little bit obsessed with it.
Alice @ Hip Foodie Mom says
June 21, 2016 at 9:28 pmtotally going to try this! love the flavor combo here!
Christine says
June 22, 2016 at 6:23 pmI’m endlessly amazed by how versatile chickpeas are! Hope you love it as much as I do!
Victoria Myers says
June 23, 2016 at 5:29 amThis sounds so amazing! Love that you mentioned Jen…and the paw in the picture…and I love the new logo! LOVE to it all my friend!
Christine says
June 24, 2016 at 8:46 pmThanks, friend! Lots of love to YOU!
Ranya says
June 24, 2016 at 7:14 pmAm so excited about your discovery/creation!! Allergic to coconut?, what do you recommend as a substitute?
Christine says
June 24, 2016 at 9:09 pmI haven’t tried an alternative to coconut oil, but I’d suggest trying a neutral-flavored oil (like a vegetable oil) as a substitute. You could try 1/2 the amount (1 TB) to start with and see if you feel like it could use more after adding the chickpeas and processing a bit. I’d love to hear how it turns out!
Marsha Ward says
June 30, 2016 at 7:06 amHi Christine,
We are loving your blog here in Florence! I tried to use my Vita- Mix for the chocolate hummus and i kept smooshing it with the plastic smoosher and it finally ate it up in big chunks! it was delicious although I had to pick out the remains of my masher thing …
Christine says
June 30, 2016 at 7:53 amMarsha, I’m so happy to hear you’re loving it! It’s been fun. As for the chocolate hummus – I’ve only made it using my food processor because I didn’t think it had enough liquid for my Vitamix. You could always try to add a bit more water to help it blend (1 TB at a time), but it sounds like this one may just work better in a food processor. I also heat my chickpeas up a bit before processing to soften them. I’m glad you liked it even though it was still chunky, but I can guarantee it’ll taste 100 times better when it’s smooth 😉 I hope you’ll try it again!
Nadine says
February 9, 2017 at 12:34 pmI was one of those people who was skeptical about chickpeas and chocolate, but this is so good! It’s amazing with strawberries. Leila loves to skip the strawberries and just eat the dip.
Karen Thurmond says
January 14, 2018 at 8:05 pmChristine
I made the chocolate hummus and it came out yummy. The same outfit that was selling that in the store makes a “snickerdoodle” version. Trying to adapt your recipe for this. Any suggestions?
Karen in Memphis TN
Christine says
February 3, 2018 at 11:09 amHey Karen! Thrilled that you love it! I was thinking maybe I should try my hand at a snickerdoodle “hummus” soon…
Jill Cousins says
May 21, 2018 at 10:33 pmMy first attempt at chocolate hummus was good, but not great. So I was eager to try a different recipe…and I think this was it! Delicious chocolatey taste, smooth texture. What’s not to like? I prefer the dip on pretzels, but it’s so tasty, I could just eat spoonfuls of it at a time!
Christine says
May 28, 2018 at 3:54 pmGlad you love it! I totally eat this by the spoonful… it’s hard not to!
Denise N says
June 17, 2018 at 11:12 pmThis was the best dessert hummus I’ve EVER made! Great recipe!
Christine says
June 19, 2018 at 8:36 amSo glad you loved it!
Marsha says
February 5, 2019 at 11:49 amThis is so good, I can’t stop making it! Pineapple, strawberries and whole wheat pita chips are my go to dips! Thanks for working this recipe out
Christine says
September 8, 2019 at 10:54 amIsn’t it the best? I’ve been seeing chocolate hummus in supermarkets a lot lately, and it just doesn’t compare!