These bars are a quick and tasty holiday treat. We tested a few substitutions and it turns out that we like the substitutions better than the original!

Cranberry Chickpea Bars

Dried cranberries give these bars a festive look and tangy flavor.

Print Recipe

CourseDessert, Snack

Servings Bars

Calories110kcal

Equipment

9-inch X 13-inch baking pan

Ingredients

1 cup whole wheat flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 cups cooked beans Any type of bean. We used chickpeas in our test
¼ cup applesauce
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
¼ cup peanut butter
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup brown sugar
¾ cup oats
1 cup dried cranberries (or raisins, fig pieces, or other dried fruit)

Instructions

Wash hands before preparing food.
Preheat oven to 375°F and spray a 9-inch x 13-inch pan with non-stick spray.
In a bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and baking powder and set aside.
In another bowl, mash beans until smooth.
Add the applesauce, salt, sugar, oil, and peanut butter to the beans and mix until combined.
Add dry ingredients and stir until combined.
Fold in dried fruit.
Pour batter into pan and spread evenly.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick or butter knife comes out without raw batter.
Cool before cutting into 24 bars (6 x 4)

Notes

The substitutions we made:

Whole wheat instead of white flour
Low-sodium chickpeas. You could use any kind.
Applesauce instead of oil
Cranberries instead of raisins (We had them on hand so no trip to the store.)
We also decreased the sugar and still loved the flavor!

Note: We’ve decided that the next time we make these, we’re going to add a teaspoon of cinnamon. If you try these, let us know!

Nutrition Facts

Cranberry Chickpea Bars

Serving Size

1 bar

Amount per 1 Serving

Calories

110

% Daily Value*

Fat

Saturated Fat

Trans Fat

Sodium

Carbohydrates

Fiber

Sugar

Protein

Calcium

Iron

Potassium

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Cranberry Chickpea Bars