These gluten-free, vegan cookies, aka Dark Chocolate Pecan Love Bites, are a healthy family favorite and challenging to keep stocked in the cookie jar! They’re also low FODMAP & are quick and easy to make~perfect for whenever the chocolate craving hits!

Dark Chocolate Pecan Love Bites | Gluten Free Vegan Cookies, Grain Free, Super Easy & Delicious!

Before I divulge my recipe, I thought I would share some of my favorite foods for keeping your beautiful heart in tip-top shape!

Eat More of These Heart-Healthy Foods

  1. FRUIT. Citrus fruit and apples are high in soluble fiber to help decrease LDL cholesterol. And polyphenol-rich berries may lower blood pressure and raise HDL cholesterol.ย (1)
  2. BEANS & LEGUMES. Like certain fruits and veggies, beans are a great source of soluble fiber and contain various flavonoids that help prevent heart disease by lowering blood pressure, improving circulation, and preventing abnormal clotting of blood platelets.
  3. SEEDS. Flax, chia, and hemp all provide plant-based omega-3 fats,ย which, although not as powerful as seafood omega-3’s, may also help with heart health. ย In addition, flaxseed contains phytoestrogens called lignans, which may also help prevent cardiovascular disease.
  4. FATTY FISH. Fatty fish such as SMASH fish (salmon, mackerel, anchovies, sardines, and herring), tuna, and trout all provide 1 gram or more of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. ย Omega-3s provide cardiovascular protection by lowering triglycerides, decreasing inflammation, reducing blood clotting, and lowering blood pressure. ย To choose fish that are heart-healthy, environmentally friendly, and low in contaminants such as mercury and PCBs, be sure to check out theย Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch website.
  5. DARK CHOCOLATE. The darker, the better! Rich in flavanol, the primary flavonoid in cocoa and chocolate, dark chocolate can be a heart-healthy choice.

And now on to these scrumptious gluten free vegan cookies!

Gluten Free Vegan Cookies | Dark Chocolate Pecan Love Bites | Also, grain free, low FODMAP, and absolutely delicious!

My inspiration for this recipe comes from these fabulous peanut butter chocolate chip cookies over at Texanerin. If you like peanut butter, you MUST make them.

Ingredients

My version is equally delicious yet features a different sort of heart-healthy nut~pecans. Oh, and there are chickpeas and dark chocolate, too. Yep, I said chickpeas! Plus a little maple syrup and some ground flaxseed…

How to Make

  1. Add all your ingredients, minus the dark chocolate, to a food processor bowl. Process until creamy.

2. Stir in the chopped dark chocolate chunks and form the dough into balls. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and press out the dough with your clean thumb or the back of a spoon.

3. Bake in the oven for about 10 minutes or until they are light golden brown. Control yourself, LOL, and let them cool for a few minutes before popping one into your mouth. Sprinkle lightly with optional coarse sea salt if desired.

Dark Chocolate Chunk Pecan Love Bites//The Spicy RD

Chocolate Pecan Love Bites

These gluten free vegan cookies with pecans, flax, & dark chocolate are SO easy to make, and guaranteed to satisfy all you chocolate cravings!
4.75 from 4 votes
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Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 12 cookies

Ingredients

  • 1 cup raw pecans
  • 1 cup garbanzo beans, canned, or dried and soaked
  • 3/4 cup dark {70 % or more cocoa} chocolate
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 3 tablespoons ground flaxseed
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt, plus extra, if desired, for sprinkling on top

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine pecans, garbanzo beans, maple syrup, ground flaxseed, vanilla, baking powder,and sea salt in a food processor, and process until smooth, or ~8 minutes.
  • Meanwhile chop dark chocolate in to chunks, then stir into pecan/garbanzo mixture. Form dough in to 12 ~ 1-inch balls and place on parchment lined baking sheet. Press lightly on dough with the back of a spoon, and bake for 10 minutes.
  • Remove to cool, and sprinkle with sea salt, if desired, before serving.

Notes

Low FODMAP Option: Use canned, rinsed, and drained garbanzo beans.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 185kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Sodium: 66mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g
EA Stewart, RD | Registered Dietitian Nutritionist
Course Dessert, Snack
Cuisine American, Gluten Free, Grain Free, Low FODMAP Option, Vegan
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