This roasted chickpeas recipe is an easy and delicious way to add nutrition to your toddler’s diet. These are soft roasted, to ensure they’re easy for the kids to chew, and they have a sweet-salty flavor that’s super yummy. Yay for easy toddler snacks!
Soft- Roasted Chickpeas
When my oldest daughter was 1, crunchy Roasted Chickpeas were all the rage. They’re usually baked until crispy, which means they can be a choking hazard for little kids, but it’s possible to tweak the method slightly to make a nutritious and super easy kids snack. This version is a little salty, a little sweet, and it’s a nice way to change up how we’re serving beans to kids.
Ingredients you Need
To make this recipe, you’ll need:
- Chickpeas (canned or cooked from dry both work)
- Oil (canola, coconut, or another neutral oil)
- Maple syrup
- Pure vanilla extract
- Cinnamon
- Salt
TIP: You can play around with the flavors, but we like this cinnamon mixture!
How to Make This Roasted Chickpeas Recipe Step-by-Step
Here’s a look at the process of making this easy toddler snack of roasted chickpeas. Scroll down to the bottom of this post for the full information.
- Rinse and drain the beans if using canned. This removes any excess salt and the thick liquid that the beans come in.
- This step is optional but I recommend it if your toddler is very sensitive to textures: Roll the beans around in a clean kitchen towel so the skins slip off. Discard the skins and place the beans into a bowl.
- Stir in the cinnamon, vanilla, salt, oil, and maple syrup.
- Spread on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake.
TIP: These are best served warm, though you can store them and reheat them on future days if needed.
How long can I store these?
Honestly, they are really something special when served right out of the oven and cooled slightly, but you can keep leftovers in the fridge and serve them throughout the week. Just give them a quick 10 second warm up in the microwave or a few minutes in a warm oven—or eat them cold. We do both when packing leftovers for toddler snacks and lunch components.
Are they a choking hazard?
Usually beans are soft and aren’t a choking hazard, but if you are at all concerned, smash them slightly as shown below.
Tips for Making the Best Soft Roasted Chickpeas
- Drain and rinse canned beans to remove excess salt and the thick liquid. Pat dry.
- Roll beans around on a paper towel to remove the transparent shells if your kids are sensitive to textures.
- Enjoy warm out of the oven as a snack or easy meal component.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container and store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days. Warm slightly to serve.
I’d love to hear your feedback on this recipe, so please comment below to share!
Soft Roasted Chickpeas with Cinnamon
Ingredients
- 1 14.5- ounce can chickpeas rinsed, drained, and patted dry (or about 2 cups cooked dried)
- 1 teaspoon canola or coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
- If desired, rub the chickpeas in a clean kitchen towel to remove the skins. (You don’t have to do this, but you may want to if you have a toddler who’s particularly sensitive to textures.) Discard the skins
- Stir together all ingredients in a medium bowl. Spread on a baking sheet or baking dish and bake for 12-15 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature, smashing beans slightly for younger eaters if desired.
Notes
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat briefly for 15 seconds in the microwave or serve cold.
- Drain and rinse canned beans to remove excess salt and the thick liquid. Pat dry.
- Roll beans around on a paper towel to remove the transparent shells if your kids are sensitive to textures.
- Enjoy warm out of the oven as a snack or easy meal component.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container and store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days. Warm slightly to serve.
Delicious! Do these freeze well? Was gonna take them on a weekend trip.
Sure!
I made the mistake of using coconut oil warmed and then added the cold maple syrup. My mix turned into a paste. ugh. They were okay, but would have mixed in better without the coconut oil solidifying.
Can you air fry these?Megan
Sure, I haven’t tried that but I would do 350 for maybe 6-8 minutes to make sure they’re not crunchy or hard for littles
My boy (2 Years old) struggles with a protein. He have eaten a 2 table spoons of it. I am glad. Thank you.
My picky twin toddlers both loved them!!! Mom win! So easy to make too, I had no idea about the shells!
Would these work cold for school lunch boxes?
They could!
Hi Amy,
Thank you very much for this delicious soft roasted chickpeas recipe. I really like roasted chickpea. I’m crazy to eat them with roasted corn snacks and coke. Your recipe seems really awesome. I will try your recipe as soon as possible. I’m sure I will love it. I wish you the best of luck in the future.
I made these this morning for my grand niece and grand nephew. The niece is starting pre-school soon, and her mom will be packing lunches and snacks for her. The chick peas came out wonderfully soft and tasty. Was glad to see in an earlier post they can be frozen. Can the topping mix be used to roast carrots too? I bet that would also be a huge hit.
When my kids were little, they frequently brought more of my lunches I made back home.
I bet the topping would be great on carrots!
So easy and so tasty! My husband (who does not like chickpeas) kept grabbing some as he walked by. lol
I have to make my food for my tot ahead of time for the week so I’m wondering if I can freeze these? They’re amazing!
I’m so glad! Yes, you can freeze them. The texture might soften more as they freeze and then are reheated, but otherwise they should be fine!
These look amazing – do you think these would be soft enough for a 10 month old (with two teeth, ha) to eat? She’s a pretty advanced eater with texture sand flavors but I never know when the right time to introduce more complicated food is! I would omit the honey of course.
Yes, just mash each slightly before you serve them!
hi do i need to soak them if i use dry chickpeas? or i can just roast after i wash?
Use fully cooked chickpeas, not dried. So if you have dry chickpeas, you’ll want to soak them and cook them until soft first.