Cinnamon roasted chickpeas are a healthy and flavorful snack — you’ll find these are the perfect snack to crush cravings and keep you full! 

Recipe Overview

Why you’ll love it: They’re very easy to make and are a nutritious snack.

How long it takes: 35 minutes, mostly hands off
Equipment you’ll need: small sheet pan, mixing bowl
Servings: 4

Cinnamon roasted chickpeas pouring out of white scoop.
Want to save this recipe?
Just enter your email and get it sent to your inbox! Plus you’ll get new recipes from us every week!
Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

With a hint of cinnamon and honey, these coconut oil roasted chickpeas seem like a sweet treat but really aren’t. Add just a bit of sea salt and you have that perfect sweet/salty combo that hits all the buttons.

I’m always on the search for quick, easy, and healthy snacks. Of course they have to be delicious, too. You’d think in this endless quest for great snacks, I’d be better about having them with me at all times.

I was in Napa Valley this past weekend which for us Michiganders involves pretty much two full days of travel. So, of course, I had my carry-on full of great snacks to keep me from hitting the wall.

Oh wait, no, I didn’t. Dream on, girl. On the way out of my house, I managed to get my act together enough to grab one of the blender banana oatmeal muffins I had made for my family and a couple of clementines but that was the extent of it.

These cinnamon roasted chickpeas would have been perfect for putting in my carry-on. Filling, lightweight, durable and oh, so tasty! I wish I would have thought of that before I left.

About Roasted Chickpeas

Roasted chickpeas aren’t only perfect for travel, they’re also perfect for families with nut allergies (like ours!). They offer the protein and crunch that’s reminiscent of a nut and they have the same ease – you can throw them in a bag, in your purse, the car, diaper bag, whatever. They are totally mess-free.

Roasted chickpeas are also super simple to make and it’s easy to make a double batch. The flavor combinations are endless; I want to try some of the seasonings I use with these pumpkin seeds like maple chili powder, curry lime, ginger soy, or pumpkin pie spice.

Maybe some of you are familiar with my crispy chickpeas recipe. Same sort of deal, except that this recipe leans just a tiny bit more to the sweet tooth instead of savory.

For those of you with air fryers, try air fryer chickpeas for even more crispness. 

Close up view of roasted chickpeas on parchment paper.

What You’ll Need

  • Canned Chickpeas: You may know them as garbanzo beans. Same thing, different name. For more about that, take a look at the FAQ section.
  • Coconut Oil: Look for virgin (unrefined) coconut oil to add a bit more flavor to the chickpeas. Refined coconut oil has a neutral scent and flavor. For more about the differences between the two oils, check out this article by Healthline. Since coconut oil solidifies at room temperature, melt it before adding it to the chickpeas.
  • Honey: Just one teaspoon of honey adds a hint of sweetness. Think honey-roasted peanuts!
  • Cinnamon: This warm spice imparts a sweet sensation but with no added sugar. Curry powder could be substituted for the cinnamon for a different taste sensation.
  • Salt: Optional, but everyone loves the sweet/salty combo. Use a coarse salt for the best results.
Overhead view of ingredients.

How To Make This Recipe

Open a can of chickpeas, drain them, rinse with cool water, and drain again.

Chickpeas in a white strainer..

Spread the chickpeas out on paper towels or a clean, lint-free cotton dish towel.

Garbanzo beans spread on a towel to dry.

Roll them around to dry them and loosen the skins. Look for a transparent skin that is easily rubbed off.

Close up view of a chickpea with skin removed.

Make sure the chickpeas are good and dry. The drier they are, the crunchier they’ll get. If you have extra time, let them dry on the countertop for a half hour or more.

Add them to a mixing bowl with the melted coconut oil, honey, cinnamon, and salt (if using). Stir them around until the chickpeas are coated.

Chickpeas in a bowl with cinnamon and coconut oil.

Spread them out in a shallow baking pan or small sheet pan.

Unbaked chickpeas on a sheet pan.

Bake them at 400°F for about a half hour, giving the pan a careful shake every ten minutes or so. The round little chickpeas roll around pretty easily so don’t get too vigorous with the shaking. I’ve ended up with chickpeas all over my oven that way!

When the chickpeas are golden brown and crispy, remove them from the oven and allow to cool before enjoying them.

Garbanzo beans with cinnamon in a small white bowl.

FAQs

Why are my roasted chickpeas not crunchy?

When you bite down on a roasted chickpea, expect a crunch similar to a peanut. They shouldn’t be super hard or airy. Roasted chickpeas should be crisp on the outside with a meaty tender inside.
So how do you achieve that? Removing the skins is essential. It’s kind of a pain but totally worth it. If you have little helpers in the kitchen, they’d probably enjoy that job.
Make sure the chickpeas are as dry as you can get them. Use a clean dry dish towel to rub them dry and remove the outer layer at the same time.

What is the difference between chickpeas and garbanzo beans?

The only difference is the name. They are the same thing called by two different names. You’ll hear them called chickpeas more frequently in the U.S. and garbanzo beans in Spanish-speaking countries. This legume has been around for thousands of years and is popular in many cultures.

Do chickpeas need to be soaked before roasting?

If you are beginning with dried chickpeas instead of canned chickpeas, they will have to be soaked and then cooked. You can soak them in water overnight or do a quick soak, boiling the beans for 5 minutes and letting them soak for one hour. Use plenty of water because the beans absorb the water and triple in size.
After soaking, choose your favorite method for cooking them: stove, slow cooker, or pressure cooker. Once they have been cooked, they can be roasted.

Close up view of crispy cinnamon chickpeas.

Make It Your Own

  • Make your roasted chickpeas vegan by replacing the honey with a different sweetener such as maple syrup or agave.
  • Substitute a teaspoon of vanilla paste for the cinnamon for vanilla roasted chickpeas.
  • Make cinnamon sugar chickpeas: Mix 1 teaspoon cinnamon with 2 tablespoons brown sugar. Coat the chickpeas with melted coconut oil, then add the cinnamon sugar mixture and stir to coat. Spread on baking pan which has been lightly sprayed with non-stick spray. Bake as directed.

Storage Tips

Roasted chickpeas are crunchiest the same day you make them. To keep them as crunchy as possible, store them at room temperature in a loosely covered container, like a bowl covered lightly with a paper towel.

On-the-go healthy snacks

Looking for more snacks that you can munch on while you’re out and about? Try:

More Snack Recipes

Recipe

Cinnamon Roasted Chickpeas

4.55 from 24 votes
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Cinnamon roasted chickpeas are a healthy and flavorful snack — you'll find these are the perfect munchie to crush cravings and keep you full! 
Save this recipe!
Get this sent to your inbox, plus get new recipes from us every week!
Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

Ingredients 

  • 1 can (16 oz.) chickpeas, low sodium if possible (garbanzo beans)
  • 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil (see note)
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 pinch of salt, optional

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 400°F. Rinse and drain chickpeas. Spread out on a lint-free towel and dry well, rubbing to remove skins.
  • In a medium bowl, toss chickpeas with melted coconut oil, honey, cinnamon, and salt until well-coated.
  • Spread on small rimmed baking sheet in single layer. Bake for 25-30 minutes, shaking pan every 10 minutes to stir chickpeas. Bake until crispy and golden brown.
  • Let cool completely before enjoying.

Notes

  • Either refined or virgin (unrefined) coconut oil may be used. Refined coconut oil has a neutral taste and odor, while virgin coconut oil will taste somewhat tropical.
  • Roasted chickpeas are crunchiest the same day you make them. To keep them as crunchy as possible, store them at room temperature in a loosely covered container, like a bowl covered lightly with a paper towel.
  • Replace the honey with maple syrup or agave to make this recipe vegan.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 136kcal, Carbohydrates: 17g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 315mg, Potassium: 166mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 18IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 44mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Did You Make This?Share a comment and rating below! I love hearing what you think!
Free email series

5 Time & Stress Saving Cooking Secrets

Free email series of my best tips!

FREE BONUS!

4.55 from 24 votes (24 ratings without comment)

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




The maximum upload file size: 1 MB. You can upload: image. Drop files here

6 Comments

  1. Elaine says:

    Can I use vegetable oil instead of coconut oil? How would it change the taste? I just don’t have coconut oil and I can get some right now but I really wanna use my chickpeas

    1. Rachel Gurk says:

      Yes that should work fine! Did you try it?

  2. Charlotte Hall says:

    This looks great, but I’m confused on amount of carbs. Recipe lists carbs as 17, but net carbs listed is zero. Can you explain? Thanks!

    1. Rachel Gurk says:

      That’s an error, thank you for pointing it out! There are carbs in chickpeas. :) Nutritional information is calculated only as an estimate, so if you’re closing watching carbs for health or medical reasons, you should calculate yourself using your exact ingredients, and/or consult a doctor or dietitian.

  3. Ildikó says:

    I have honey allergy, would you recommend something else to substitute for it? Many thanks

    1. Rachel Gurk says:

      Maple syrup would be tasty! Enjoy!