The Secret to Crispy, Crunchy Roasted Chickpeas {+ a Maple Cinnamon recipe}

By Amanda Paa – Updated April 23, 2021
Jump to Recipe

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

A few years ago I had my first taste of crispy, roasted chickpeas at a community food swap here in Minneapolis (which sadly had to dissolve because of state laws, boo). Seasoned with just sea salt and a little olive oil, they were addictive, and intriguing. Surprisingly brittle and crunchy, they reminded me of corn nuts, but wait, they were made from beans!

I tried making them at home several times after that, but couldn’t replicate the texture. The gal who made them said said it was simple, just roasting them at 350 degrees, yet mine kept kept coming out with too much moisture, or burnt trying to get them crispy. She had to have had a certain technique, I was sure of it. Over the years I’ve tried dozens of recipes, on a quest to achieve the texture that your mouth says deep-fried, but the truth says baked in the oven.

Maple Cinnamon Roasted Chickpeas + 3 tips to making them crispy & crunchy

Finally, with ideas collected from several sources, my quest for how to make crispy roasted chickpeas is finished. Like anything, I discovered it takes a little elbow grease and a bit of time (mostly hands off), but it’s so worth it! Today I’m sharing my technique with you, along with a recipe for this maple cinnamon version from my friend Amie of The Healthy Apple‘s new cookbook, “Eating Clean“. I’m also including the faster technique she uses, which produces a nutty, softer chickpea – different and just as lovely. Either way you choose to make them, they’re worthy of eating by the handful.

How to make crispy roasted chickpeas:

  1. Put on some good music, and get ready to PEEL. Yes, peeling each one of the garbanzo beans (interchangeable term for chickpeas) is key in getting these babies to dry out and take in the heat from the oven.  The skins are wet, which means moisture is left underneath that skin if you don’t remove. The easiest way to do this is by rubbing the beans in between a towel, which will start the peeling process for you, then just finish with your hands. And I know you might think I’m crazy, but it’s actually kind of therapeutic, similar to those adult color books.
  2. The chickpeas are roasted without any oil for the first half of baking, which allows them to crisp up without turning greasy, a Melissa Clark trick.
  3. This is also the point at which you’ll add spices or seasonings, otherwise the delicate spices have a tendency to become bitter being exposed to pretty high heat.
  4. Once you’ve added the oil and spices, you’ll bake for 15 more minutes, then open the door and let them cool inside the oven for maximum drying without burning. Alton Brown was the one who taught me this – he always has the answers. 
  5. Store them in a parchment paper bag, like these, instead of in a plastic storage container. This helps keep them dry, and doesn’t let moisture collect. The power of air circulation!

3 Tips For Making Crispy, Roasted Chickpeas {be sure to peel them!}Maple Cinnamon Roasted Chickpeas + 3 tips to making them crispy & crunchy

You can experiment with all sorts of seasonings, but I’m loving this maple cinnamon combination. Reminiscent of Cinnamon Toast Crunch, with just a few wholesome ingredients. Yum. I found sunflower oil to be a nice blank canvas compared to olive oil, letting the pure maple syrup and cinnamon shine. {The oil and syrup come from my partner, Now Foods!}

Now a little about Amie and her just published, “Eating Clean”, which is so much more than a cookbook. I admire her so much, compiling her struggle with auto-immune disease and how she used food and lifestyle changes to help manage chronic illness in such a beautiful way. It comes from a genuine place in her heart, reaching out to those who want to feel better. As someone who has personally battled different auto-immune issues, I could relate. But even if you are as healthy as can be, I think you’ll find a lot of great things in the book, from delicious allergy friendly recipes that anyone would love, to strategies for removing toxins from your house and DIY cleaning solutions. There’s even an A-Z on how to cook pantry staples like grains & legumes, and personal car recipes for toothpaste, deodorant, etc. You can find many of the details, videos, and more recipes from the book HERE.

And perhaps what I love most about Amie’s philosophy, a common theme throughout the book is this – “There is no ONE ideal diet.” As I’ve written about before, just because something works for someone else, your body may respond differently. And just because something is labeled a certain way like, vegan or paleo, doesn’t mean that your it works for your body either. Obsessing over those facts actually brings you down several other rabbit holes…. Something I wish I would have known last year while in the throws of trying to heal my small intestinal bacterial overgrowth by following the Auto-Immune Protocol (AIP).

The bottom line, as Amie says, is that “you are the expert on your body”. There are many different ways to eat healthy and nourish yourself. It’s all about finding your equation, the one that makes you feel satisfied and energized in all aspects, which certainly isn’t encompassed by just one label. If a food makes you feel lousy, or the house you live in, or the people around you, it’s not for you.

Such a great way to reflect on many pieces of life. Grab the book, you’ll be glad you did. These roasted chickpeas would be the perfect snack to your reading session? ;) Enjoy!

Maple Cinnamon Roasted Chickpeas ~ and tutorial on how to make crispy roasted chickpeas

Save This Recipe Form

Want to save this recipe?

Enter your email below & we'll send it straight to your inbox. Plus you’ll get more great recipes and tips from us each week!

Maple Cinnamon Roasted Chickpeas

Learn how to make crispy chickpeas, without frying! These are a barely sweet version, with maple syrup and cinnamon.
No ratings yet
Prep Time :15 minutes
Cook Time :25 minutes
Total Time :40 minutes
Author: Amanda Paa

SCALE:

Ingredients

  • 1 15 ounce can drained & peeled chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans)
  • 3/4 tablespoon sunflower oil
  • 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
  • After chickpeas are drained and peeled, rub them gently with a towel to dry. Place on a sheet pan, in a single layer. Roast for 10 minutes. Remove from oven, stir the chickpeas with the oil, then sprinkle the remaining ingredients on top of chickpeas, and stir thoroughly to coat.
  • Place sheet pan back in the oven and roast for 15 minutes.
  • Then shut off oven, open the oven door about 5 inches, and let chickpeas cool inside.
  • Store at room temperature, in a parchment paper bag. This is super important for keeping them crispy!

Notes

adapted from the Eating Clean cookbook.
For a less labor intensive cooking method, use Amy's method by rinsing and drying the chickpeas with a towel, then tossing them with the remaining ingredients. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, remove from the oven and let cool before serving. This produces a nutty, softer chickpea - different and just as lovely.

maple cinnamon roasted chickpeas 7

This post is sponsored by NOW Foods, and they kindly gave me the cookbook as they are teaming up with Amy in promotion of her book. All opinions are my own, and I’m so grateful to work with great brands, as well as all of you who support me! Some of the links in the post are of Amazon affiliates, which I may make a small commission from should you purchase via clicking.

Did you make this?

tag @heartbeetkitchen on instagram and hashtag it #heartbeetkitchen

April 19, 2016

COMMENT & RATE

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

35 comments

  1. Morgan

    Hi stranger!

    If I wanted to start with dried chickpeas, would I just soak overnight and pick up the recipe from there, or do you think I’d have to boil/cook them first?

    • amandapaa

      Hi Morgan! I hope you are well! With these, you would need to cook after soaking, then proceed with recipe. xo

  2. Monique

    This really worked!! THANK YOU!!
    I had some trouble skinning the chickpeas, with the towel method it took me like an hour and I was so discouraged. Once I saw the recipe was gonna work I decided I had to find a better way. I ended up using a method I found on youtube and it worked really well! And I was able to do a whole bunch at once. The video is here:
    https://youtu.be/QG9y5lwSOgM
    Doing it his way at first was still not working. Then I realized I just had to squeeze the chickpeas harder. I was afraid I’d crush them but I didn’t. After that, the skins came right off just like in the video.

    Then I was a little confused by what you meant by “parchment” paper bags, so I just used a regular paper lunch sack type bag, doubled up to prevent grease from soaking through, and it worked!! Super crispy chickpeas for days! I can’t believe it! Thank you sooooo much!!!

  3. AP

    when you say 400 degrees, do you mean 400 degrees by Celsius?

    • amandapaa

      Fahrenheit actually! I just updated.

  4. Marcia

    Starting with dried garbanzos, soak overnight, then follow recipe.

  5. Jennifer

    Hi, I made these but I only peeled about 10 before I gave up. I still followed the recipe and they came out very dry and toasted. I never made these before but I’m excited to try different spices! Thank you!

    • amandapaa

      i know, the peeling can be tedious. glad you liked them without that part of the recipe!

  6. Kelly

    Hi I am wondering about storing the chickpeas after they have been roasted. Do they need to be stored in the fridge or just in the pantry? Also if they are to be stored in the pantry how long wood they last?
    Thank you

    • amandapaa

      Hi Kelly! You can store them in a glass jar in the pantry for 4 days after they’ve been roasted.

  7. Cassie

    I’ve never actually tried roasting my chickpeas, but I can imagine they taste even better than just straight out of the can! The crispiness just pops out so beautifully!

  8. Alison @Food by Mars

    Isn’t this cookbook fabulous? Amie is such a sweetheart and has come through so much.

    Your shots are extra sick in this post, btw. I need to make these – I’m up for anything maple cinnamon, you know that. LOL

    XOXOX

  9. Keith @ How's it Lookin?

    They look great. Making them crunchy is a big plus, thanks for the idea

    • amandapaa

      yes, always after that crunch! enjoy Keith.

  10. rebecca | DisplacedHousewife

    Amanda, seriously, these photos are amazing. They are so rich and beautiful. Brava. Now, let’s talk about nuts…I mean beans that masquerade as nuts. ;) I love this…I tried making them before and they did not get crispy crunchy like I wanted. Yes, peeling makes perfect sense!!! Love all these tips. I can’t wait to give these a try!! xoxoxo

  11. Traci | Vanilla And Bean

    Yup, peeling those little suckers works. Worth the effort? Why yes, I think so! I learned this is another trick to perfectly creamy hummus too! Hooray! Thank you for this Amanda! Love your cinn/maple addition.. soo good! Couldn’t agree more with Amy’s philosophy. Just like we have to be our own health advocates, we know our body best. Figuring out what food works best for us, individually, is something a doctor really can’t do. xo

    • amandapaa

      I know, somewhat tedious, but I waste just as much type on snapchat! lol. And yes, the book is great. Totally worth reading, and cooking from!
      xo

  12. jules shepard

    These look delicious and you are so right -there are secrets to getting those chickpeas nice and crispy. The seasoning may be easy, but the technique doesn’t necessarily come naturally. Thanks for taking the time to outline your tips! And yes, LOVE Amie. She’s a star for overcoming her health hardships and sharing her spirit with us in her new book.
    ~jules

    • amandapaa

      Yes, Amie is such an inspiration to many. So thankful she shares her story on her blog and this beautiful book. Cheers to chickpea snacks! xo

  13. Sherrie

    YOU TAKE THE SKINS OFF – REVOLUTIONARY! My mind is blown, that makes so much sense. I’m trying this immediately. My husband {who is part chickpea} is going to freak out. xx

  14. Jess @ Nourished by Nutrition

    Ahh finally ALL the answers to the perfect crispy chickpeas! You are right, Alton always has the answers. I’ve never thought to turn down the heat and just let them sit. I was going to try slow roasting them, similar to dehydrating them but I think I will skip that and try your method! I’m so intrigued by Amy’s new book! I must add it to my never ending cookbook-want list….ugh there are so many good ones!!! Thanks for sharing!

  15. Amisha Gurbani

    Thank you for your tips Amanda! So looking forward to making crisp chickpeas! My batch always turns out soggy and not fun to eat! btw, your website is just gorgeous!!! :)

  16. The Healthy Apple

    You just made my day!!! This post looks absolutely beautiful and I am so beyond grateful for your support. Thank you for being such an incredible blogging buddy. I’m so happy you loved this recipe and I can’t thank you enough for supporting my cookbook and for your kind words. I’m sending you the biggest hug from NYC.
    Have a beautiful night and I can’t wait to hug you soon.
    Lots of love chica!
    xox

  17. Sarah | Well and Full

    These are great tips!! Nothing beats perfectly roasted + crispy chickpeas ;) (Also, I know I may be a little late to the party, but I LOVE the website redesign!! It’s absolutely stunning!!) <3

  18. Megan @ Meg is Well

    Not going to lie, I’m not looking forward to peeling chickpeas. But I have always wondered how the skins effect the way chickpeas cook and taste. Thanks for all the great tips!

    • amandapaa

      totally worth the time to peel! and honestly, it takes less than 10 minutes. i find that it’s a bit of relaxing too, and gets my mind off other things. and it’s the way to crunchy, crispy bliss!

  19. Sara @ Cake Over Steak

    These sound great! I also find peeling chickpeas to be therapeutic. If you have a good podcast or something going in the background, it’s not really a big deal. I definitely want to make these soon and plop them on some tasty spring salads.

    • amandapaa

      oh, i love the podcast idea! i need to listen to the newest episodes of Food Blogger Pro and A Couple Cooks. thank you for the suggestion!

  20. Chelsea@RunningWithaWhisk

    Roasted chickpeas are so tricky! I am glad to know your tips and love the cinnamon maple combo. This sounds like the perfect morning snack (:

    • amandapaa

      i’m glad the tips were helpful! cheers to crispy, roasted snacks. :) xo

  21. Meg @ Beard and Bonnet

    Awwwww girl, I do love me some crispy chickpeas! I have to try adding the oil and spices halfway through the bake time – I haven’t tried that before. Also, NOW foods!!! Yay!

    • amandapaa

      yes, try that! i think you’ll love how much it helps take out the moisture. hugs to you! xo

  22. Abby @ Heart of a Baker

    Can I confess that I’ve never peeled my chickpeas? Eek! Now I think I need to follow your steps because mine always come out either super great or really blah! I’m going to grab some chickpeas after work and make these for salads this week :) xoxo

  23. Alexa [fooduzzi.com]

    HA! You’re totally right – Alton Brown does always have the answers :) Loving this method, and I’ll definitely try it the next time I’m in the chickpea roasting mood!

    • amandapaa

      Right? I so wish his TV show was still on. Always learned so much! His quirky, scientific approach always drew me in. xo, Amanda