Ah, the chickpea. We love it in salads, stews, as hummus dip and more. But who knew this beloved legume, also known as the garbanzo bean, is versatile enough to bake sweet treats with? This is a surprising truth proven positive by the ambitious and skilled folks at Rule Breaker Snacks—a company that’s turned the chickpea into decadent brownies and blondies that’ll duly satisfy that sweet tooth.
Also compelling is that the company’s indulgent bean-borne confections are healthy in oh so many ways. For starters, they’re 100% plant-based vegan with no animal ingredients or honey, packed with protein and fiber, and are lower in sugar than their traditional counterparts. They are also entirely free of the top eight allergens (with no wheat or gluten, tree nuts, peanuts or sesame, dairy, eggs, soy, shellfish or fish) and there are no preservatives or GMOs. They’re also Kosher (Kof-K). Rule Breaker brownies break other surprising baking rules, including the fact that there’s no flour, eggs or butter in the recipes. And, going even more maverick, these brownies are round versus square. The audacity!
When considering this confection conundrum, I have to admit that I was a tad skeptical yet eager to taste-test Rule Breaker Snacks for myself. The company offers both chocolate and blondie varieties and, of course, I had to give all of them a go.
I already knew that their recipe “harnesses the power of whole beans along with gluten-free oats,” and had no doubt about the health benefit claims. But, would these desserts actually taste good or would that beany-essence sprout its way through?
My persnickety palate just had to know, so I went all in and tried all three available flavors: both the Chocolate Chunk Blondie and the Deep Chocolate Brownie that each have about half the calories of a traditional blondie; and the Birthday Cake Blondie that’s adorned with white chocolate chips and topped with naturally-colored rainbow sprinkles.
To my shock, amazement and delight there was absolutely NO beany taste in any one of the products. I mean zero. And I was really “searching” for it. Eventually, I gave up the futile plight to peg the chickpea and just gave in, savoring the delicious moment. OK, three delicious moments. Research is research. I should also add the texture was also a delight–chewy and doughy in all the right ways. One would never know these are brownies gone rogue.
For those concerned about allergens that prevent them from enjoying a typical brownie, you can rest easy knowing the Rule Breaker bakery is a dedicated allergen-free facility, which means no products containing any of the allergens mentioned above are allowed there. The bakery is also a dedicated, gluten-free facility that’s certified by The Gluten Intolerance Group. And fully natural with no GMO, these brownies and blondies contain only clean, natural ingredients that we can all pronounce. Given this, it’s somewhat surprising that company materials state the treats will “stay fresh at room temperature for at least six months.”
But, for my part, it’s a certainty that Rule Breakers Snacks would never last that long in my pantry, but rather gracing my grateful gut in much shorter order. The fact that these are a healthier and lower calorie alternative means that I can indulge more often, guilt free. Cool beans!
Merilee Kern is the executive editor and producer of “The Luxe List.”
