Cinnamon sugar roasted chickpeas are the perfect healthy snack to for when you have the 3 pm munchies. They’re lightly sweetened, but bursting with cinnamon flavor. This is one addicting snack you won’t be able to stop eating.
Does it mean you’re getting older when you spend your weekend shopping at Home Depot, watching movies, taking long walks and going to bed by 9:30/10 pm? If so, then Burken and I are definitely getting older. That’s exactly what we did this past weekend. Throw in working on the blog and dinner out one night, and that was the extent of our weekend.
But I’ve honestly come to love these types of weekends. Where nothing is on the calendar and we can do what we want around the house. Many weekends, lately, consist of me working on recipes for this wonderful {well I think wonderful} blog you’re on right now. Developing recipes, taking pictures of those recipes, and writing up just what you’re going to read.
Some days are much easier than others to just let my fingers do the talking. They fly across the keyboard at lightning speed, coming up with just the right thing to say, or way to describe the recipe you may be reading about. Other days can hold major road blocks. My fingers sit silent on the keyboard and I can’t seem to come up with one single word to write.
In those instances I end up in the kitchen. Trying to get away from the computer and let my mind rest for a minute. Of course a snack is in order at this point, because the best ideas tend to come after a break and a little sustenance {does anyone else ever think of the movie Legally Blonde when they hear that word??}.
That’s when I turn to these cinnamon sugar roasted chickpeas.
They’re made with maple syrup {for the sugar portion}, cinnamon and olive oil. With only four ingredients, this is a snack I can totally get behind. Just stir the ingredients together in a large bowl and spread out in an even layer on a greased cookie sheet.
Then just pop them in the oven for 25 minutes, and stir halfway through to make sure all sides are getting nice and toasty. The mixture will be pretty sticky at this point, so use a large spatula to stir.
Patience is key
As much as you would like to think your chickpeas are nice and crispy when they come out of the oven after 25 minutes, they’re not done yet. I learned this the hard way. So take it from my experience that the next step is key.
Remove the chickpeas and let them rest for 10 minutes. Then return them to the oven to bake for 10 more minutes. This is what’s actually going to crisp those tiny protein packed beans {this step is very similar to how biscotti is made.} Do not, I repeat, do not skip this step. I’m warning you now that if you decide to go down that path you’ll end up with slightly soggy, not crispy, chickpeas.
So do yourself, and anyone who is ravenous for a 3 pm snack, a favor and take the extra 20 minutes to rest and bake.
Cinnamon sugar addiction
Once your chickpeas have cooled slightly, they’re ready to eat. Let me tell you, these little chickpeas are the crunchy, sweet snack you’ve been craving. I find myself sneaking a few handfuls from the bowl on the counter. Making excuses as to why I need to head to the kitchen.
It seems I have “writers block” now. See ya in the kitchen!
- 2 {15 oz} cans garbanzo beans
- 4 Tbsp. pure maple syrup
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 2 tsp. vanilla
- 1 Tbsp. cinnamon
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Preheat oven to 400°F and grease a large baking sheet.
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In a medium bowl, stir together all ingredients. Spread the chickpea mixture in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet.
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Bake for 25 minutes, stirring halfway through.*
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Remove, leaving the oven on, and cool for 10 minutes. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 8-10 minutes.**
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Let cool slightly and eat right away. Or, cool completely and store in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
*The mixture will be pretty sticky at this point. Use a large spatula to stir.
**Do not skip this step. Baking the chickpeas a second time will dry them out, making them crispy.
**Also note that if you have a darker pan, only bake for 5 additional minutes. If you have a light pan, bake for 8-10 minutes.
Have you ever tried using agave syrup instead of maple syrup? Wondering about lowering the sugar content
Hi Carley,
I have not tried agave syrup instead of maple syrup. I was reading a quick article from Thrive Market about the differences between agave and pure maple syrup. “Both agave and maple syrup have a lower Glycemic Index than regular table sugar and can be enjoyed by anyone following a vegan diet. Because maple syrup offers some nutritional benefits (like vitamins and minerals), it has a slight edge over agave syrup—particularly the more processed varieties.” So I would say you should be good to use pure maple syrup in this case as well.