Sweet, creamy dark chocolate hummus is the perfect healthy dessert, snack or party appetizer. It's velvety smooth, rich and made with just a handful of ingredients in 10 minutes or less! Plus, this fun recipe is gluten free, dairy free and vegan so everyone can partake. Dip fresh fruit, pretzels, nuts and more.
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I've tried plenty of savory hummus recipes throughout my lifetime, but sweet hummus is next level. I love satisfying my chocolate cravings with this nutritious dessert spread.
It's excellent as a simple snack or school lunchbox addition, but I truly love dressing it up for parties (it's great for Christmas, Easter, New Year's Eve, Valentine's Day, birthdays and more).
If you want some more sweet and healthy-ish options to serve at a gathering, be sure to check out my Confetti Popcorn, Sweet Cinnamon Popcorn, Greek Yogurt Peanut Butter Dip or Apple Dessert Nachos!
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Ingredients & Substitutions
- Garbanzo beans: also known as chickpeas! Find them in the grocery store by the canned beans. You can also buy dried chickpeas and cook them at home.
- Tahini: a paste made from roasted sesame seeds. It can be tricky to find this ingredient at the store, I recommend checking the condiments section, ethnic foods isles or near the peanut butter.
- Maple syrup: agave syrup will also work and honey can be substituted if you're not worried about keeping this recipe vegan. For a low-sugar hummus you might consider using something like this Agave 5 sweetener.
- Vanilla extract: pure is best but imitation will do the trick.
- Olive oil: extra virgin.
- Sea salt: or kosher salt. Regular, fine grain salt can be substituted but I recommend cutting it in half because it's much more potent.
- Brown sugar: optional bit of extra sweetness.
- Cocoa powder: for rich chocolate flavor! Cacao powder can also be used (though it is much pricier so I tend to stick with the former).
- Water: this ingredient is optional, but I normally end up adding between 2 and 4 tablespoons of water to my hummus. This makes it perfectly creamy and smooth.
How To Make Dark Chocolate Hummus
Keep scrolling for the full recipe card and measurements. We’ll start here with a quick overview.
Measure:
- Measure all ingredients, except for water, into a high powered blender.
- Note: you can also use a food processor, though I have personally experienced better results with a blender as mine tends to make hummus extra smooth.
Blend:
- Puree ingredients for 30-60 seconds, then check consistency.
- Add water 1-2 tablespoons at a time and blend until hummus is thick and creamy.
Serve:
- Transfer hummus to a pretty serving bowl.
- Drizzle a bit of extra maple syrup on top if desired. Serve with fruit, nuts, seeds, chocolate chips, graham crackers and more!
Expert Tips
Blender vs Food Processor: you can use either a blender or food processor for this recipe. I prefer to use my blender as I've found it to make a creamier spread. However, equipment can vary, so you may have better luck with a food processor! Feel free to try both and see what works best.
For extra silky hummus: you can remove the skins from each chickpea before pureeing. I find that adding a bit of water creates a creamy hummus without the extra work of peeling garbanzo beans.
Variations
Nut butter: use peanut, almond butter or cashew butter in your hummus rather than tahini. A natural nut butter, the kind that separates and needs stirring, will work best as it most closely resembles the consistency of tahini. But, any type will get the job done. You may need to add some extra water or olive oil to get a smooth puree.
Flavoring: instead of vanilla, use almond or hazelnut extract! These can be super strong so I recommend starting with just ½ teaspoon and adding more from there, if desired. Feel free to have fun and play around with lots of other extracts.
Lighten it up: this recipe is already quite healthy but you can make it lower in sugar, calories and carbs by using Agave 5 sweetener instead of maple syrup.
What To Dip In Chocolate Hummus
There are so many things you can dip in chocolate hummus. The options are endless! Here are some ideas to inspire your creativity:
- Pretzel sticks
- Pretzel twists
- Soft pretzels
- Toasted pecans
- Almonds
- Walnuts
- Pistachios
- Toasted crostini bread
- Blonde graham crackers
- Chocolate graham crackers
- Fresh strawberries
- Blueberries
- Blackberries
- Apple slices
- Pear slices
You can also use this hummus as a tasty spread for English muffins, toast or pancakes and make your breakfast extra scrumptious.
Storage
If properly stored in a high quality, airtight container, hummus can last for up to a week in the refrigerator.
Hummus is also freezer friendly. Spoon it into an airtight, freezer-safe food storage container or Ziploc bag (pressed flat to save space)! It will keep for 3-4 months when stored frozen. Simply thaw in the refrigerator overnight before serving.
Hummus is a great menu item to make ahead of time when you're trying to coordinate lots of different foods for a gathering.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Garbanzo beans and chickpeas are the same thing. They can be used interchangeably.
I definitely consider Chocolate hummus to be healthy. It's dairy free, gluten free, vegan and refined sugar free. Chickpeas are the main ingredient in this hummus and they're packed with vitamins, minerals, fiber, protein and a myriad of potential health benefits! (Source: healthline).
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More Chocolate Recipes:
- Dark Chocolate Peppermint Bark
- Chocolate Chip Baked Oatmeal
- Chocolate PB Cheesecake Bites
- Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake Jars
- Strawberry Chocolate Banana Smoothie
Delicious Dark Chocolate Hummus Recipe
Equipment
- Blender or food processor *see note below
Ingredients
- 1, 15 ounce can (1 & ¾ cup cooked) chickpeas or garbanzo beans *drained and rinsed *see note below
- ⅓ cup tahini paste *see note below
- ⅓ cup maple syrup *reduce if you prefer less sweet *see note below
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract *imitation will work fine *see note below
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt *or kosher salt. Regular fine salt also works, reduce by half.
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar *optional for extra sweetness
- ⅓ cup cocoa powder
- ¼ cup (4 tablespoons) water *optional for extra smooth hummus *see note below
Recipe notes:
Blender/Food Processor: I prefer to use a blender as I've found it makes my hummus creamier. Some have better luck with a food processor (equipment definitely varies). Feel free to try both and see which works best for you! Chickpeas: you can peel the skin from each pea for a silkier hummus, if desired. I find that adding a little bit of water to my hummus allows for a nice, creamy texture without the extra work of peeling. Tahini paste: this ingredient can be tricky to find at the grocery store. Check by the nut butters, in ethnic food isles or by the condiments! Sub nut butter for tahini if desired. A natural option (one that separates and requires stirring) will most closely resemble the texture of tahini. But, if you don't want to use a natural option, any will work. You may need to add some extra water to your hummus if you don't use a natural nut butter. Maple syrup: you can substitute agave or Agave 5 for a lower sugar option. Honey also works if you're not worried about making vegan hummus. Vanilla extract: sub almond extract (or any other extract flavoring) if desired. I recommend halving the flavoring, doing a taste test, then adding more if necessary. Water: water is optional but I normally end up adding 2-4 tablespoons to create a smoother final product.Instructions
- Drain and rinse chickpeas and place them in your blender.1, 15 ounce can (1 & ¾ cup cooked) chickpeas or garbanzo beans
- Add tahini paste, maple syrup, vanilla, olive oil, sea salt, cocoa powder and brown sugar.⅓ cup tahini paste, ⅓ cup maple syrup, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil, ¼ teaspoon sea salt, 1 teaspoon brown sugar, ⅓ cup cocoa powder
- Puree for 30-60 seconds and check consistency. Add water 1 tablespoon at a time and blend again until you reach desired texture.¼ cup (4 tablespoons) water
- Serve with fruit, nuts, graham crackers and dark chocolate chips. Enjoy!
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Nutrition
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Liberty says
I just saw this at Aldi yesterday, and wondered how it would taste!
Garlic Salt & Lime says
It's VERY delicious!!
Donna says
This looks amazing! I love hummus but have never made it myself! I'm going to have to try this! Pinning now! Thanks!