Thousands of People Tried These Soft Chocolate Cookies. Almost Nobody Guessed What’s Inside.
From the Elisabeth Says Kitchen
It Looks Like Any Other Chocolate Chip Cookie
Set one on a plate and nothing about it stands out. Golden at the edges. Soft in the middle. Dark chocolate melting where it breaks.
Nobody looks twice. They take a bite. Then they ask what’s in it.
The answer is a can of chickpeas.
Most people only find out after they’ve eaten one.
That’s the whole surprise. There’s no white flour in the dough and no refined sugar, and nothing complicated about the baking. Just a short list of pantry ingredients.
What People Are Saying
“I was sceptical that anything with cottage cheese in it could pass as dessert, so I served the chocolate ice cream to my daughter without telling her. She asked for the recipe.”
“No refined sugar in the brownies and they had seconds without a word. That is the whole test, passed.”
Why Chickpeas Make a Soft, Chewy Cookie
Cooked chickpeas are soft and mild, so they take on whatever they’re blended with. Blended smooth with peanut butter and honey, they turn into a thick, tender dough. The dark chocolate goes in last.
In the oven it bakes up soft in the middle and golden at the edges, with the chew of a classic chocolate chip cookie.
Here is what goes in:
- A can of chickpeasSoft and mild. They give the cookie its tender body, and you don’t taste them.
- Peanut butterRich and nutty, with a deep roasted flavor.
- HoneySweetens the dough without refined sugar.
- Dark chocolateMelty pockets in every bite.
The Recipe, Step by Step
Ingredients
- A can of chickpeas, drained
- Peanut butter
- Honey
- Dark chocolate
Method
- Drain and rinse the chickpeas.
- Blend the chickpeas with the peanut butter and honey until smooth.
- Stir in the dark chocolate.
- Scoop the dough onto a lined baking tray.
- Bake until set, then let the cookies cool.
Exact amounts, oven temperature and baking time are in the book.
In Elisabeth’s Own Words
The recipe comes from Guilt-Free Treats, the cookbook by Elisabeth Dunkins. Here is how she introduces the cookies in her book:
“These are the recipes I reach for when I want something baked but don’t want to spend an hour in the kitchen. Four ingredients. One bowl. Real food.”
“This isn’t a complicated book. For most recipes in this book, you need a bowl, a fork, and an oven. That’s it.”
“If something doesn’t come out perfect the first time, try it again.”Elisabeth Dunkins, Guilt-Free Treats
What’s Inside Guilt-Free Treats
Over 100 recipes, organized into 10 chapters, so you can flip to whatever you’re in the mood for. A few of the chapters, with some of the recipes inside:
Chapter 1: No-Bake Treats
11 recipesBanana Peanut Butter Snickers, Avocado Chocolate Mousse, Strawberry Greek Yogurt Ice Cream
Chapter 2: Cookies & Bars
12 recipesBanana Oat Chocolate Chip Cookies, Date Oat Energy Bars, Healthy Apple Crumble Bars
Chapter 3: Muffins for Every Occasion
14 recipesApple Cinnamon Muffins, Blueberry Banana Muffins, Zucchini Walnut Muffins
Chapter 4: Cakes & Loaves
23 recipesStrawberry Yogurt Cake, Lemon Yogurt Pound Cake, Orange Olive Oil Cake
Chapter 5: Chocolate & Date Bakes
7 recipesChocolate Banana Brownies, Date Sweetened Chocolate Cake, Date Pecan Brownies
Chapter 6: Mornings in Elisabeth's Kitchen
8 recipesBanana Pancakes, Homemade Granola, Overnight Apple Cinnamon
Chapter 7: Holiday & Seasonal Treats
10 recipesPumpkin Spice Loaf, Gingerbread Date Bites, Christmas Morning Cinnamon Rolls
Chapter 8: Warm Drinks & Kitchen Comforts
6 recipesBanana Date Hot Chocolate, Apple Cinnamon Warm Drink, Berry Smoothie Bowl
How Every Recipe Is Laid Out
- The basics up topHow many it makes, one portion, and how long it keeps.
- Ingredients firstListed in cups and tablespoons, nothing hard to find.
- Step-by-step instructionsNumbered and written out in full, with no shortcuts.
- Elisabeth’s noteA tip at the end of the recipe.
- Substitution notesOn most recipes, so you can swap what you don’t have.
Here is what a recipe page looks like:
This Is Just One of 100+ Recipes
What Readers Say About the Book
“I'll be honest, I almost didn't buy this. I've tried 'healthy dessert' books before and they always taste like cardboard, or they need seventeen ingredients I've never heard of. This is different. The banana peanut butter mousse tasted like an actual dessert, not a diet substitute.”
“When I saw a recipe for Avocado Chocolate Mousse, I thought, 'Ridiculous. Avocado belongs in salad, not dessert.' I braced myself for a grassy mess, but you genuinely cannot taste the avocado—it's just incredibly rich, silky chocolate.”
“I’m Not a Good Baker”
The book is written for exactly that reader. For most recipes you need a bowl, a fork and an oven. A few call for a blender, and a basic one will do. There’s no stand mixer, no food processor and no special equipment.
Every step is written out in full, with no shortcuts and no assumed knowledge. Amounts are in cups and tablespoons, so there’s no scale to buy.
Each recipe lists how much it makes and how long it keeps, and ends with a note from Elisabeth. And if a recipe doesn’t come out right the first time, the book’s advice is simple: try it again.
“I've made eight recipes so far and haven't had a single flop. That never happens with these dessert books.”
“I Won’t Be Able to Find the Ingredients”
The recipes are built around everyday ingredients from a regular grocery store. Nothing rare and nothing hard to track down.
For this cookie that’s a can of chickpeas, peanut butter, honey and dark chocolate. Across the rest of the book it’s oats, bananas, eggs, Greek yogurt, applesauce, dates and honey. Pantry staples, not specialty items.
“Applesauce, banana, oats, yogurt. Nothing rare, nothing wasted, and every bake has worked.”
“Is This Legit?”
Guilt-Free Treats is Elisabeth Dunkins’s own cookbook, sold directly by Elisabeth Says.
50,000+ orders across all channels
Secure checkout · Real support team · 30-day money-back guarantee
“Elisabeth writes every recipe like she's standing right next to you in the kitchen. Nothing complicated, nothing wasted.”
“Is It Worth the Money?”
The digital edition is $39, once. With over 100 recipes inside, that works out to about 39¢ a recipe.
It’s one payment, and the book is yours to keep. There is nothing to renew.
“The banana bread alone was worth the price.”
“Is It Digital, or a Real Book? Is There a Subscription?”
Both are available. The digital edition arrives by email right after checkout, so you can start baking today. It reads on a phone, tablet or computer, and you can print any page.
The hardcover is a real printed book, delivered to your door with free shipping. Printed books are made to order and shipped free. You'll get a tracking email as soon as your book ships.
There is no subscription. No membership either. You pay once, either way.
Get Guilt-Free Treats – $39 →Get Guilt-Free Treats: 100+ Homemade Desserts
One payment. No subscription. No membership.
About 39¢ a recipe with the digital edition.
Get Guilt-Free Treats – $39 →Quick Answers
How do I get the digital book?
You get instant access by email right after checkout, and you can read it on any device.
Can I print it?
Yes. The digital book is yours to print at home.
How long does the hardcover take to arrive?
Printed books are made to order and shipped free. You'll get a tracking email as soon as your book ships.
Is there a subscription?
No. It’s one payment. No subscription and no membership.
Are there gluten-free or dairy-free versions?
Many recipes include simple ingredient swaps, and Elisabeth also has separate gluten-free and dairy-free dessert books. If you have a medical need, please check each recipe and the specific ingredients you buy.
Do I need special ingredients?
No. Most recipes use everyday ingredients you can find at a regular grocery store.
What if I don’t like it?
You’re covered by our 30-day money-back guarantee.
30-day money-back guarantee
