Make healthy chocolate hummus in less than 5 minutes at home with ingredients from your pantry (no tahini!). A delicious, easy dessert that tastes like brownie batter and goes perfectly with fruit, pretzels, graham crackers, or a spoon! Plus this vegan chocolate hummus is naturally gluten-free and dairy-free!
For the longest time, I wished my family would eat beans.
Then one day I experimented with black bean brownies and realized that if I made something with beans – but my family couldn’t SEE the beans – they’d eat it without a word.
Enter chocolate hummus!
The Original Chocolate Hummus Recipe
In the most traditional sense, hummus is a creamy puree made with a base of garbanzo beans (a.k.a. chickpeas) and then adds garlic, olive oil, tahini (sesame seed butter), and salt. My family’s favorite hummus recipe skips the tahini and uses more pantry staple ingredients instead.
In my little non-traditional corner of the world, hummus is made with whatever bean I have in the pantry (and/or whatever bean my family will eat) and whatever I have to add to make it taste good. And who doesn’t like chocolate?
No offense to the traditional folks – just keepin’ it real.
The Dessert Hummus Lineup
I was making cocoa hummus before grocery stores like Trader Joe’s and ALDI started carrying it on their shelves. It’s the perfect high-protein snack you can eat right out of the bowl!
My readers love chocolate hummus so much (gauging by 300+ comments and a 4.9-star rating) that I created a whole lineup of dessert hummus recipes (all non-traditional, of course):
Simple Ingredients for Dark Chocolate Hummus Recipe
After testing this recipe no less than 5 times, testing different sweeteners with different amounts and adding vanilla and leaving it out and more cocoa and less cocoa and thicker and thinner…
My picky kid not only gave two thumbs up but asked for seconds on my dark chocolate hummus recipe. Here’s what you need:
- Garbanzo Beans. You can use canned beans, or you can cook dry beans yourself. Black beans also work well in this recipe.
- Maple Syrup. We preferred this, but you can use granulated sugar as well. Honey will likely have too strong of a flavor for this hummus recipe.
- Vanilla Extract
- Baking Cocoa. I usually use raw cacao, but any unsweetened cocoa powder will work.
- Water
- Salt
Note that this recipe does NOT call for tahini. I found that the tahini flavor was too strong for this delicate cocoa brownie hummus, and it was expensive too. Why use it when you don’t need it?
Tip: You can use any type of milk instead of water for this hummus recipe, but we found that the flavor of milk – coconut milk, almond milk, cow milk – came through in the result. Using water gave the truest “brownie” flavor!
How to Make Blender Hummus that Tastes Like Chocolate Brownies
Step 1: In a high-speed blender or a food processor, combine the beans, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and unsweetened cocoa powder.
Step 2: Blend or puree until the mixture is smooth, about 30-60 seconds. Add water 1 Tbsp at a time to create the desired consistency. Taste the hummus and add the remaining maple syrup if desired.
Making Different Flavors of Cocoa Hummus
- Substitute peppermint extract to make mint cocoa hummus
- Substitute almond extract and add shredded coconut for almond joy hummus
- Add cinnamon and cayenne for Mexican cocoa hummus
- Add instant coffee for mocha cocoa hummus
- Add Nutella for hazelnut cocoa hummus.
- Add peanut butter for cocoa peanut butter hummus (or sub another nut butter like almond butter)
Other Chocolate Hummus Ingredients to Consider
- If you want a richer brownie flavor, add chocolate chips to the batter.
- If you want a sweeter hummus, increase the maple syrup.
- If you have caramel, consider drizzling on top with a pinch of salt for salted caramel brownie dip!
- If you want vegan hummus, be sure to skip the milk!
FAQs Regarding Healthy Chocolate Hummus
What do you eat chocolate hummus with?
We most often use this hummus as a dip. We love it with fresh fruit like apples, strawberries, and raspberries. Or when we want something crunchy pita chips, graham crackers, and pretzels are our preferred scoopers. Here are some other fun ideas:
1. Make sandwiches or on top of toast
2. Fold into a quesadilla with bananas or strawberries
3. Add to the top of fluffy pancakes or deep pocket waffles
4. Use as a frosting for cakes and brownies
5. Mix into overnight oats
6. Spread on rice cakes
Can you buy chocolate hummus?
Chocolate hummus became a trend, and brands like Sabra, Trader Joe’s, HEB, Boar’s Head, and ALDI now make chocolate hummus among other flavors.
Is Sabra chocolate hummus healthy?
As of this writing, Sabra chocolate hummus contains soybean oil and two preservatives. We avoid soy whenever possible, and there’s no need for preservatives when you can make your own in less than 5 minutes!
How do you store chocolate hummus?
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week or in a freezer for up to three months. Let the hummus thaw overnight in the refrigerator and stir well before serving.
More Tasty Dessert Recipes
- Homemade Chocolate Mousse
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Chocolate Banana Bread
- Best Chocolate Pie
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5 Minute Chocolate Hummus
Make healthy chocolate hummus in less than 5 minutes at home with ingredients from your pantry (no tahini!). A delicious, easy dessert that tastes like brownie batter and goes perfectly with fruit, pretzels, graham crackers, or a spoon! Plus this vegan chocolate hummus is naturally gluten-free and dairy-free!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: approx ¾ cup 1x
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Blender
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup cooked garbanzo beans* (how to soak and cook dry beans) OR 1 can of garbanzo beans, strained, rinsed 3 times, and remove the skin *read notes below on how to remove skin from garbanzo beans
- 3 ½ – 4 Tbsp maple syrup
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp salt
- 4 Tbsp unsweetened baking cocoa powder
- 2 Tbsp water (optional)
Instructions
- In a blender or in a food processor, combine all the ingredients except water, using just 3 ½ Tbsp of maple syrup.
- Puree until the mixture is smooth, about 30-60 seconds. Add water 1 Tbsp at a time to create the desired consistency. Taste the chocolate hummus and add the remaining maple syrup if desired.
Notes
- I’ve tested this recipe with great northern beans, garbanzo beans, and black beans. I prefer to use black beans since the “bean” flavor is more subtle and they produced a creamier texture, but you can really use whatever you happen to have.
- If you use canned beans and there’s salt already added, reduce the salt in this recipe to just a pinch.
- If you choose garbanzo beans, remove the skin from the bean first. You can do this by pinching the bean between your thumb and index finger, and the skin will peel off. This helps to create a creamier texture when using garbanzo beans.
Nutrition
- Calories: 103
Keywords: Chocolate Hummus
This came out very creamy and delicious! I found it mixed best in a food processor. I used great northern white beans, as I didn’t feel like peeling the skin off the chickpeas. I also used agave over maple syrup, doubled the vanilla extract, & used plant based milk rather than water. I also added a dash of cinnamon. Next time I might add peanut butter & see how that comes out! Thank you for this easy appetizer to bring to any get together!
★★★★★
I have made this with chickpeas, but using black beans has become our go-to for this recipe. (Both options are delicious.)
Next time I will try adding some cinnamon. We have found a generous Tbsp of peanut butter (we like Smuckers Natural) is a good option.
★★★★★
I LOVE this recipe and have made it and shared it many times in the last month!! Thank you!
★★★★★
Wondering why your Chocolate Hummus recipe calls for Garbonzo beans and in your notes u indicated your choice of beans for this recipe is black beans. Which should I use?
Reba,
Most hummus recipes are traditionally made with garbanzo beans, so that it why it is listed in the recipe. I noted that I like black beans, as it is a taste preference. Also, in case somebody doesn’t have garbanzo on hand, they could use other beans. Hope this helps.
How long do you think this will keep in the freezer? Thinking of making a batch and freezing in cubes to use for my daughters lunches.
★★★★★
Hello Tina!
You can keep this homemade hummus in the freezer for up to 4 months. Thanks for posting!
Would agave syrup or honey work in place of the.maple syrup?
Hi Cheryl,
Yes, both could work – depending on which flavor you prefer. The flavor of honey will stand out more than agave. Hope this helps. 🙂
I love chocolate hummus, and it is getting harder to find in the store, so I’m looking forward to trying this recipe. My other favorite flavor is caramel. Do you have a caramel hummus recipe?
Hello Cara,
We’re happy to hear that you enjoyed this chocolate hummus recipe! We don’t have a recipe for caramel hummus at the moment. You should try the homemade salted caramel recipe. 🙂
https://dontwastethecrumbs.com/create-your-own-homemade-salted-caramel/
I have had both apple pie hummus and pumpkin hummus, both are great, but not a constant at the grocery, so am going to have to make my own. Using you recipe as a basis. Thanks!
I’ve never eaten humus. What would you eat this with?
You can eat it plain with a spoon, or on sweet/plain crackers, or rice cakes, or even bread. Can also be nice with sliced fruit, or spooned onto banana. Some people also might like to dip pretzels in it. Definitely worth playing around with!
Another great dessert hummus! I think I am just going to work my way through all your hummus recipes for my lunches while it is so hot at the beginning of the school year. I used sugar free maple syrup, but will try the real deal next time. Might also try adding a bit of cayenne pepper for a kick.
★★★★★
Hi Corri!
We’re SO glad you’re enjoying our hummus recipes. Thanks for sharing! 🙂
A little trick I use when making any kinda of hummus to make it even creamier….I boil the beans for 15-20 minutes with a teaspoon of baking soda to soften the shell, then rinse several times with cool water before adding to the blender. Also when I’m blending the beans a add ICE cold water!
★★★★★
Hi – how long would this keep in the fridge? Thanks!
Hello Vanessa,
This will last in the fridge anywhere from 3 to 4 days. Hope this helps!
When you say you soak and cook a big batch of beans then divide in 1 1/2 cup pkgs and freeze them, how much dried beans do you start with- 1 lb pkgs?
Hi Vicky,
Yes, you can start with a 1lb package of dried beans. 🙂
I made this this morning for my sliced apples and it is fantastic!! Definitely my new “go to” for a quick but healthy (sweet tooth) snack. 👍🏼
★★★★★
Hi Melissa,
We’re so glad you love this recipe! Thanks for sharing. 🙂
You don’t use Tahiti in this recipe?
Super fast and easy. My 4yo has a lot of feeding aversion and chocolate hummus is a recent fave and I ran out. He enjoyed making it with me, we did add a bit more maple syrup than the recipe called for but he is thoroughly enjoying it.
★★★★★
I was thinking of using this as ‘frosting’ on a birthday cake for my toddler.
Does it hold? Or would I need to make it a frozen dessert?
Hi Kathryn,
I would think that the cake would have to be served right out of the refrigerator, and stored in the fridge since the hummus is made with beans. I have never served it as a frozen dessert. Let us know how it turns out, if you try it that way. Otherwise, I think it could be used as a ‘frosting,’ but it would have to be kept cold and served that way. Hope this helps! 🙂
First time soaking chicknpeas r they supposed to be firm ?n has anyone tryed the caned chick peas?
I tasted hummus last month, yum!
I like to add 2T of walnut butter that I make, and plan to try sunflower seed butter too. I have chickpeas soaking right now, so tomorrow I will try chocolate because a pan of fudge is calling and no no no I do not need to make fudge. Maybe a spoon of hazelnuts too.
Chickpeas will be firm after soaking. They soften up after cooking. Canned chickpeas do work also. It is what I usually use, but I need to remember the tip about removing the skins. My hummus wasn’t as smooth as the stuff I have gotten from the store.
Love the recipe. I made it exactly, well with one little change. I added some espresso to intensify the chocolate flavor. I love that you used maple syrup as rhe sweetener. This is my go to recipe foe chocolate hummus after trying several before and after.
★★★★★
Espresso sounds like a great addition !! Thanks