These sweet, crunchy cinnamon roasted chickpeas deliver in the snack department! You only need four ingredients for this healthy, high protein, gluten free and vegan treat! This is an easy snack to make from your pantry staples and a fun introductory cooking project for kids.
Roasted chickpeas are simple, healthy comfort food! They have a satisfying crunch and a lovely sweet flavor that may even “trick” your kids into eating a pile of veggies. For that matter they might “trick” YOU into eating a pile of veggies!
My life revolves around a chaotic mixture of toddler adventures and long work hours. I like my food to be delicious, fast, full of protein and something my kids will also be happy to gobble up.
Chickpeas have become trendy in recent years but they have been a food staple forever! In the 80s my mom and her plant breeding friend were growing chickpeas on our farm. I remember discussing genetic traits and helping plant row after row of chickpea seeds as they experimented. It sounds pretty geeky but I had a great outdoorsey childhood in Oregon.
What’s So Great About Cinnamon Roasted Chickpeas?
Are chickpeas healthy? YEP! In a world full of questionable snacks chickpeas are a simple win. Chickpeas are a healthy snack that still tastes good.
- Chickpeas are packed to the gills with both protein and fiber
- Chickpeas are cheap!
- Chickpeas are an easy pantry staple to keep on hand!
- Chickpeas are friendly for people with food allergies.
- Chickpeas are vegan and gluten free
Pack this great snack for travel, park trips, work lunches. Make it for parties or just at home with your kiddos.
How Do You Make Crispy Chickpeas?
The most important part of a good roasted chickpea recipe is making sure to get them crispy! Try these three tips to get the crispiest chickpeas!
- Rinse them well and then FULLY drain them and then DRY them super well. The less moisture from the beginning the better.
- Try removing the skins before baking. This lets them crisp up better.
- Some people recommend storing chick peas without a sealed lid. They say this maintains crispiness longer. This depends partly on the place you live. If you live in a very dry climate it should work well here. When I lived in the valley of Oregon it was fairly humid and there we had to be careful things didn’t become too moist when left uncovered. You can experiment and see what works best in your climate.
Easier Clean Up For Roasting Chickpeas
Using a silicone baking liner makes for much easier clean up after this project. I find them handy in the kitchen in general.
Garbanzo Beans VS Chickpeas
Garbanzo Beans and Chickpeas are different names for the same bean. We use the names interchangeably in the US. The word “garbanzo” is derived from Spanish while the name chickpea comes from Latin. Both names refer back to the plant with the scientific name “Cicer arietinum.”
Other Easy Snacks to Love
Cinnamon Roasted Chickpeas
Ingredients
- 2 cans of garbanzo beans 15oz each (another name for chickpeas)
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 4 Tbsp. brown or dark brown sugar
- 2 Tbsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp. salt optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 F. Line a standard cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Drain and rinse the chickpeas well. (REALLY WELL). Remove the skins. (This extra step results in dryer, crispier chickpeas)
- Pat the chickpeas dry with paper towels. Make sure to pat firmly and remove as much moisture as possible.
- Put the chickpeas on the prepared baking sheet and bake at 400F for 15 minutes. Meanwhile mix the sugar, cinnamon and salt together.
- Remove from the oven and drizzle the oil of the chickpeas, stir or shake the pan to coat evenly and then sprinkle on the cinnamon mixture. Again roll or stir to coat and place back in the oven for 15 more minutes.
- For the crunchiest chickpeas turn the oven off after the second round of baking and leave the chickpeas inside. Use the handle of a wooden spoon to crack the oven door open a bit.
- After the chickpeas have cooled place in an airtight container and store at room temperature. Keep in mind that the longer they are stored the less crunchy they will be.
- Multiple Batches: Do not overly crowd the chickpeas on the baking sheet. If you want to double this recipe use another sheet.
Your Rating Matters
When you leave a comment or star rating, it means more than you might think. It helps me understand what you’re enjoying, builds trust for other readers, and supports real, tested cooking content. If you have a moment, I’d truly appreciate you sharing your experience. - Mirlandra
Nutrition Estimate
A Note on Nutrition
Nutritional info is an imperfect estimate. Please take it with a grain of salt.
This recipe was originally published in January of 2017. It has been updated in March of 2020 to include more information and tips.
Yolanda M says
Hi! I think this recipe is amazing! I wanted to ask you though I used fresh chickpeas (out of bag) and watered them overnight, I followed your recipe in the morning. I also ran out of brown sugar and used organic raw sugar. When they were finished cooking, I noticed the cinnamon sugar did not stick to the peas as your picture shows. Is there a difference between the canned chickpeas and the fresh and thats why that happened? I tasted one and they still taste like plain chickpeas, non sweet. Is there any way I can fix this? Thank you for your prompt reply!!
Mirlandra says
Hi Yolanda! Thanks for asking (and I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe). I’ve never done this with fresh chickpeas out of the bag and I’m not familiar enough to really know for sure if something happened on that end. I think it could have been that or it could have been the sugar. Depending on the raw sugar it might have a different texture / size / shape. Sugar is a crystal and different types can respond differently. The raw sugar on my shelf is big crystals versus my brown sugar which is very tiny ones. If you are in the mood for experiment at this point you could try taking a coconut or avocado oil spray (or just a regular non stick cooking oil spray) and lightly spraying your roasted chickpeas and then seeing if you can get a mixture of cinnamon / brown sugar to stick! If you do, let me know – I’m curious! And now I’m also curious to try chickpeas out of the bag and see how they work. Good luck!
Yolanda M says
Hi! I did add coconut oil to it but it still doesnt stick. I’m a little sad but I still think this recipe is genius and will try it with canned chickpeas another time. Thanks for responding!
Mirlandra says
No problem. I’m bummed it didn’t work. Glad you are going to try again!
Bee says
Use agave and the remaining ingredients.
MIRDULA says
By fresh chickpea, you mean green and with pods? Then you have to boil them until soft.
If you mean dry whole chickpea you took and soaked in water over night, then you have to pressure cook them at least 5 whistles before you use it for creating any dish.
Mirlandra says
So I actually call for canned chikpea (garbanzo beans in the US) in this recipe. For fresh there is a lot of other work involved. It looks like you might be over in Australia? I’m sorry to say I’ve never been and I’m not as familiar with what you have in the grocery store there. Your beautiful country is on my short list to visit in the next few years! When I get over there I will be spending some time in your grocery stores to learn more about what ingredients you have and how I can write recipes better to accommodate. Cook on!
D says
Put your sugar in the blender and give it a few pulses to get a finer crystal
Mirlandra says
That is a great idea. You can also buy a finer crystal sugar such as superfine or ultra fine sugar. C & H makes one called “Bakers’ Sugar” which is commonly available in your baking isle.
Wendy gagne says
I dont have canned chickpeas, but I’m soaking the dry bean and can’t wait for the results. I like healthy munching when watching my sports.
Mirlandra says
Oh fun! I’m glad you are trying this. Let me know how well it works. It is always so fun to be able to do a recipe with what you have on hand. Finding healthy options I love with a good crunch has been really helpful for me. I love the fresh raw veggies in the summer. Now that it is October I’m finally having to admit that my garden is done for the season. Sad day!
Wendy says
I’m with you on the end of season with veggies from the garden. I did make this recipe. It came out amazing with the dry beans. I did make sure that my beans were very dry. I also rolled them in the paper towel to shed the shell. My house smells amazing with the cinnamon. Thank you for this recipe!
Mirlandra says
Hi Wendy – thanks for sharing! I’m really glad to hear it came out well from dry beans! I cooked up a big pot of sweet potatoes and cinnamon in my Instant Pot last weekend for our daughter (she is 4 months now and starting to eat some real food). It is always a treat to get the house smelling like cinnamon! It is one of my favorite things to do this time of year. In the last week it has been cinnamon apple oatmeal, cinnamon rolls and of course the sweet potatoes! The kids are loving it and my two year old will ask for cinnamon as a spice by name. I think he may end up liking to cook someday!
Kateleigh says
Do you know the nutrients information for this snack? I’m curious if it’s considered low carb?
Mirlandra says
Hi There – sorry for the delay! I’ve been out of the country and am just getting caught up on everything now. I ran the nutrition numbers and updated the recipe for you. I will warn you this is basic computer generated information. The program is not as good as a nutritionist! Garbanzo beans are not a low carb food and nor is the sugar so I wouldn’t consider this a low carb snack. However, it is a good source of fiber and protein so I feel like that is a good contrast to the carbs – kind of a personal choice on that one. Happy Cooking!
Amy says
My picky toddler can not get enough of these. I made a couple changes. I use coconut oil,Himalayan pink salt, coconut sugar, white sugar and cinnamon. We tried different variations but the toddler approves this way. Thank you so very much. Now if I could only get her to eat more vegetables. ?
Mirlandra says
Oh those sound like very yummy changes! Thanks for sharing. I have a 3 year old who used to eat just about everything but now is much more selective and veggies are quite the experience. Hang in there Momma – seems like it is just the season of life! Maybe veggie love just comes later in life to kiddos 🙂 I’ve got to try your coconut oil idea! That sounds awesome!
Sierra says
Hi! I have a quick question, I have tried several different recipes for roasting chickpeas. I’ve had them before bought from the store already prepared, and they were very crunchy. I like them to be VERY CRUNCHY. Otherwise it’s kinda Like chewing on a rubber band. I’ve used canned chickpeas and raw(dried chick peas)(and prepared the dried chick peas accordingly) both have come out not very good. I’m not sure what I’m doing wrong- I follow the recipes. And even cook them the additional 10-15 mins or whatever each recipe calls for. I would really like some help in this- I’ve actually reached out to another chef but on YouTube and never heard anything back. I love chick peas and really want to learn how to actually make them crunchy like the store bought ones- but I haven’t had a very good time doing so. Your response would mean the world to me.
Mirlandra says
Hi Sierra! I will absolutely respond! I do my best to get back to everybody’s comments in a day or two 🙂 I don’t always have the magic answer but I do what I can! I have a few ideas for crunchier chick peas!
1. My first suggestion is to make sure you rinse them well and then FULLY drain them and then DRY them super well. The less moisture from the beginning the better.
2. Try removing the skins before baking. This lets them crisp up better.
3. Some people recommend storing chick peas without a sealed lid. They say this maintains crispiness longer. I’ve not tried it. I’m guessing this depends partly on the place you live. I live in a very dry climate so it might work well here. I used to live in Oregon where it was fairly humid and there we had to be careful things didn’t become too moist when left uncovered.
I would love to know what works best for you! Please drop me a line and let me know how it goes!
One other thing to note. Store bought chick peas may be made in a high end convection oven. If you have a convection oven that might help. An air fryer is basically a convection oven. I don’t know a lot about the commercial process here but my guess is they have some tools you and I don’t have in our kitchens 🙂
Yvonne says
Hello,
thanks for that great recipe. I’ve made them and they were delicious. I used Raw sugar instead of brown sugar and worked aswell.
Thanks again. Have a nice Day.
Greetings from Germany,
Yvonne
Mirlandra says
Hi Yvonne – that sounds delicious! Thanks for telling me. I’ve never been past the airport in Germany but I have a dear friend from Germany who lives here in Idaho in the US now and I would love to visit and see your beautiful country in person someday! Enjoy your cooking 🙂