Chocolate Brownie Hummus – This chocolate hummus (yes, really!) makes an awesome snack with fruit, pretzels, and more. (Gluten-free, Vegan)

The first time I heard about chocolate hummus, I was…skeptical. To say the least.

I like traditional hummus, but I’d had some *awful* bean-based brownies a few years back and was convinced that there was not any sweet application for beans that I’d be interested in.

And then I kept hearing about how good dessert hummus is.

I’m always curious when foods start trending, so I’ve tried any brand I come across in the last few years. Along the way, I’ve definitely had some good and some bad options. But our recipe for chocolate hummus beat them all in the side-by-side taste test we had at our house.

I won’t claim that it’s as chocolatey and decadent as chocolate fondue or anything, but this chocolate brownie hummus makes a fun snack or healthy dessert! I’ve been pleasantly surprised that both my kids (who are VERY picky) have eaten this chocolate hummus without complaint.

Here’s what you need to make it…

HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE CHOCOLATE BROWNIE HUMMUS:

CANNED CHICKPEAS. Like most hummus recipes, this chocolate brownie hummus starts with chickpeas. Any brand of chickpeas (sometimes sold as garbanzo beans) will do. You’ll just want to rinse them in a colander to get rid of extra starch.

AVOCADO OIL. I usually use olive oil for hummus, but we’ve found a more neutral option like avocado oil works better with the chocolate flavor.

PEANUT BUTTER (OR CASHEW BUTTER OR ALMOND BUTTER). Then, instead of savory hummus’s traditional tahini, I add nut butter. We like peanut butter best, but almond or cashew butter would also work!

MAPLE SYRUP. For sweetness, we skip the refined sugar in favor of pure maple syrup. Trust your tastebuds here and feel free to add more or less than I do, based on your own sweet tolerance.

DUTCH-PROCESSED OR DARK COCOA POWDER. Dutch-processed or dark unsweetened cocoa powder gives this chocolate brownie hummus a beautiful deep chocolate color. You *can* use regular unsweetened cocoa, but it’ll be a little lighter in color.

VANILLA EXTRACT + SALT. To balance out the flavors a bit, I add plenty of vanilla and a little bit of salt to go with the cocoa.

WATER. Lastly, to help this chocolate brownie hummus blend to super smooth dip-worthy perfection, I recommend adding a few tablespoons of water. You can skip this if you prefer, just know your hummus might not be quite as easy to dip.

WHAT TO SERVE WITH CHOCOLATE HUMMUS:

BERRIES. Chocolate and berries is one of my all-time favorite combinations. Strawberries work really well with chocolate brownie hummus, but you can also try blueberries, blackberries, or raspberries if you like!

APPLES. It’s really pretty to serve 2 different colors of apples with chocolate hummus. Granny Smith apples (green) and Honeycrisp apples (red) are my two favorite choices here.

CLEMENTINES. Orange and chocolate is another great combo. Clementine segments (Cuties or Halo) are yummy here.

BANANA SLICES. A ripe, but still semi-firm banana is perfect with chocolate hummus. (Super ripe bananas will start to fall apart if you try to dip them.)

PRETZELS. This was Milo’s favorite dipper for chocolate brownie hummus. The salty-sweet combination is so good, I totally get it!

GRAHAM CRACKERS OR ANIMAL CRACKERS. Another crunchy dipper idea is graham crackers or animal crackers. (Kinnikinnik, Pamela’s, and Glutino are great brands for gluten-free!)

TIPS & TRICKS FOR THE BEST CHOCOLATE HUMMUS:

HOW TO GET SUPER-SMOOTH HUMMUS. Food processors work great, but if you need super-smooth hummus for texture reasons, I recommend using a blender. It’ll get SO much smoother!

MAKE IT IN ADVANCE SO THE FLAVOR DEVELOPS. Our chocolate hummus tastes great right when it’s made, but for bests results, I recommend making it in advance a bit. The flavor developed even more in just a few hours!

YUMMY WAYS TO CHANGE IT UP! One easy way to change the flavor is by using a different nut or seed butter instead of peanut butter. (Almond butter + cashew butter are nice, but you can go for tahini, sunflower seed butter, etc.) Beyond that, you can try adding crunchy mix-ins (like mini chocolate chips, cacao nibs, or chocolate chunks), or experiment with different extracts.

MAKE IT PRETTY! For garnish or serving chocolate brownie hummus to a crowd, I recommend adding something on top to make it pretty. Try a small sprinkle of mini chocolate chips, some shaved chocolate, a sprinkle of flaky sea salt, or some cacao nibs!

DO YOU HAVE A STORE-BOUGHT CHOCOLATE HUMMUS YOU’D RECOMMEND? I’d mostly always recommend homemade, but our favorite store-bought dessert hummus options are Delighted By brand Brownie Batter Hummus and Snickerdoodle Hummus.

CRAVING MORE? YOU MIGHT LOVE…

Dairy-Free Chocolate Fondue
Vegan Hot Fudge Sauce (Amazing on Ice Cream!)
The BEST Vegan Chocolate Pudding
Chocolate Chia Pudding (Vegan + Paleo)
Healthy No-Bake Cookies

INGREDIENTS + TOOLS TO HELP YOU GET STARTED: