Chocolate Hummus
Creamy, rich, and chocolatey, this just-sweet-enough Chocolate Hummus makes an excitingly different dip for fresh fruit or warm pitas.
Why We Love Chocolate Hummus
Last week, my son turned to me, out of the blue, and asked, “Can we have chocolate hummus again?”
The last time we made the fudgy, delicious dip we’d shared it with a platter of whole grain crackers and cut fruit, and my toddler had managed to cover her entire face with the chocolatey goodness.
Not only was was it delicious, our healthy chocolate hummus was chock full of super nutritious ingredients like chickpeas, peanut butter, and antioxidant-rich cocoa powder.
“Yes!” I said to my son, in answer to his request. Completely, totally, yes. “Let’s make chocolate hummus again.”
Is Chocolate Hummus Healthy?
Chickpeas, the main ingredient in Healthy Chocolate Hummus, are a super-healthy food! Chickpeas have been shown to improve blood sugar control, cholesterol, and digestion. They’re rich in fiber and protein that helps you to feel full, and have balanced energy.
My favorite thing about beans is that they’re tied to a longer life!
Beans are amazing. I just love them and I’ll eat them in everything. But if your kids (or you) don’t love them, Chocolate Hummus is a perfect starter recipe.
And it’s easy and fun to make! Read on to learn how.
How to Make Chocolate Hummus
Making Healthy Chocolate Hummus is as simple as blending the ingredients in a food processor.
- Make sure you’re using no-salt-added beans. Most canned beans contain a LOT of salt, and you can sort of imagine how that would taste in a velvety chocolate dip! So you’ve got two options: look for no-salt-added canned beans, or cook your own chickpeas from scratch. I usually go the scratch route, soaking and cooking a whole pound of dried chickpeas in my Instant Pot at once. They only take a few minutes to cook, and as a bonus, I’ve got extra chickpeas to throw into a curry or a salad. Sweet!
- Add the chickpeas to a food processor along with the cocoa powder, peanut butter, maple syrup, vanilla, and milk.
- Let your kids push the button and watch these simple ingredients transform into a rich and creamy chocolate dip! Make sure you give it enough time to get good and smooth- this can take a few minutes! If your hummus is still a little thick, add more milk, one tablespoon at a time, until you reach the desired consistency.
What to eat with Chocolate Hummus
We’ve paired Healthy Chocolate Hummus with all kinds of fruits. Strawberries, apples, mandarin oranges, bananas, raspberries, and pears are all delicious! We also like it with crackers and pitas.
Our favorites are strawberries and apple slices. What are yours?
More Healthy Chocolate Recipes:
- Chocolate Sunbutter
- Thick and Creamy Chocolate Mousse
- Chocolate Chia Cookies
- Double Chocolate Banana Cake
- Homemade Chocolate Milk
Healthy Chocolate Hummus
Ingredients
- 2 cup chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
- 4 tablespoon cocoa powder, unsweetened
- 2 tablespoon peanut butter, all-natural
- 1/4 cup maple syrup, pure
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoon milk or more to reach desired consistency
Instructions
- Add all ingredients into the bowl of a large food processor, and puree until very smooth. Add additional milk, 1 tablespoon at a time (if necessary) to reach desired consistency.
- Serve with fresh fruit, crackers, or pita chips.
Nutrition
www.superhealthykids.com
Natalie Monson
I'm a registered dietitian, mom of 4, avid lover of food and strong promoter of healthy habits. Here you will find lots of delicious recipes full of fruits and veggies, tips for getting your kids to eat better and become intuitive eaters and lots of resources for feeding your family.
Learn More about Natalie
Nut free option??
Hi Bobbie! I haven’t tried it myself, but I imagine sunbutter would make a good substitute.
I have another recipe that uses coconut oil instead of peanut butter.
How long will this keep for? Looks delicious!
Hi Megan! This lasts for about four days in the fridge. We usually eat it before then. 😉
This looks very good, especially on the apples.
I might even be able to get my son to eat something healthy 🙂
Thanks!
I made this recipe with a group of elementary school children and used black beans instead of garbanzo beans, and honey instead of maple syrup. They really liked it! This group are from a low-income area so we had to adjust some ingredients to make it more budget friendly and familiar to what they eat on a regular basis. So try it also with black beans…you won’t even taste the beans!
I love this! Thanks so much for sharing.
Just wondering why does it matter if the kids are from a low income area? All of the ingredients are cheap and enjoyed by all cultures! Great recipe I will be trying this in my after school cooking class where children come from all backgrounds. ?
There’s usually not a grocery store conveniently located in low income areas. The local dollar stores, such as Dollar General, are usually a bit closer. These stores carry a limited variety of foods. Black beans are more common than chick peas and more likely can be found in such stores. There are more barriers to consider than just low income.
For children with nut allergies is sun butter a good substitute for the nut butter?
Hi Carrie! I haven’t tried sunbutter, but my guess is that that substitution would work just fine. Please let us know how it turns out!
Has anyone tried this using tahini instead of “nut butter”?
Hey! I’m not a fan of maple syrup or honey- if I use sugar – to I need to make it liquid- like a simple syrup?
Hi Sam! I’ve never tried this substitution, but it makes sense to try a splash of water or milk to keep the consistency smooth. (Since most liquids are much thinner than honey and syrup, I recommend adding liquids sparingly!)
Yesterday I made some dry black beans. Today, I made half a batch of your hummus and added 1 scoop of chocolate whey protein powder. Hooyah! I will spread this on some Graham crackers and tote with 1/2 a banana instead of a store bought protein bar on my outings. Kudos to you for this wonderful recipe…my grand daughter will love it with fresh strawberries.
needs a little milk to open the mixture. I used coconut milk about 40 ml or 1/4 cup
Are there any alternatives to the nut butter? My twins have nut allergies, so I can’t use the nut butter. 🙁
I am so happy to find a recipe for those who are lactose intolerant!. I found out one month ago that my kids and i cant have dairy but we love chocolate so this is perfect. And best of all this recipe is a healthy one. THANK YOU.
I used premade hummus, original, thinking it would be quicker, but forgot it has garlic and it was too spicy for kiddos. So next time, I will use the chickpeas.
You used garlic hummus to make a chocolate dip? Ew
There is no garlic in this hummus. What recipe are you looking at?
YEAH!! I’m bariatric and was looking for a recipe I could eat… safely… within my guidelines and restrictions ~ this one fits since I’m in maintenance! I watch my calories and my macros nutrients ~ It’s all about portions and what’s eaten with it! ???.
Enjoying this immensely!! Thank you!
I’ve never cooked chickpeas in my instant pot. Please tell me how long you soak yours & how long you cook them in your instant pot. This recipe looks yummy!
Hi Shannon,
I soak my chickpeas overnight (arouind 8 hours) and cook them in the Instant Pot for 16 minutes at high pressure, with a natural release. Just make sure the chickpeas are well covered with water, and that you add a drizzle of EVOO to keep the foam down before you lock the lid. It works great! Hope this helps.
Hi,
Is this recipe using canned chickpeas?
I assume you can use almond or cashew butter in replacement of peanut butter too?
Thanks
What do you recomend if the hummus is too thick & needs to be thinned a bit for a smoother consistency?
I add a little coconut milk and blend it smooth. Then I put it in the freezer to get cold… but not too hard. Then I put it in an ice cream cone and enjoy… just like ice cream.
Can I use banana to replace the maple syrup? Thx.
I haven’t tried this substitution, but if you do, let us know if you like it!
Can you add a little water so that the chick peas can easily grind in the mixer or are the liquids enough to make it a paste?
What servings size is your nutritionals based off of?
Thanks!
Hi Chelsea, the nutrition info is based off 6 servings.
What is considered a serving? A 1/4 cup???
Hi Michelle, I’m not exactly sure of the volume per serving, but 1/4 cup sounds close. The recipe makes 6 servings.
Hi
Can I just skip peanut butter?
Hi Rashmi, I would add a different nut or seed butter if you can, otherwise the texture will be missing something.
Hi has anyone tried use powder peanut butter with this. I want to make it got to buy all the ingredients, I can use ague instead of maple syrup?
Can use this on cake also…my son wants to eat well decorated cake
You might need to thin this out in order to have a more spreadable frosting-like consistency. But I think it could work if you’re willing to experiment!
Hi would I be able to use canned chickpeas, just drain them well?
You can, yes! If you can find a low sodium can of beans or a sodium-free can, that would be best.
Can you swap the peanut butter for tahini instead?
I’ve never tried that – the flavor would probably be different but you can definitely try it!
If I make this as a large batch can I freeze it?
Yes- you can freeze hummus! I would freeze it in individual serving sizes and thaw in the fridge. 🙂
This is terrific!
I needed to add water to get the consistency I wanted. I also wanted a darker chocolate so I added a teaspoon of instant coffee. Next time I will just add strong coffee instead of water for the thinning agent.
So glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing your adjustments!
Use WOWBUTTER instead of peanut butter
My kids loved this, and it has very minimal sugar.
Somebody asked why low income kids wouldn’t have access to chickpeas and it’s very common to have what is known as food deserts in poorer areas. So instead of a local market, they may have a 7-11 that’s in walking distance. Not everyone has car access. Its not that all cultures wouldn’t enjoy this hummus, but unfortunately barriers exist. Kudos to the teacher who made it happen for her class though!