By Made with protein packed chickpeas, these almond croissant protein blondies make for a sweet and tasty breakfast or healthier snack. They are easy to whip up in the blender or a food processor, and use a staple (yet often missed) ingredient to make them truly taste like your favorite almond croissant!
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Almond croissants are one of my favorite foods. I'm always looking for them in the coffee shop pastry case. Unfortunately, they aren't super nutrient-dense so I set out to create that flavor but with loads of protein and fiber so I could enjoy it as a high protein breakfast.
The good news is our secret ingredient, chickpeas, has both of those nutrients and bakes into an insanely soft texture. Let's bake!
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Almond Croissant Bars
- High in protein: Chickpeas, almond butter, and hemp seeds pack in the protein and make these bars super satisfying!
- Tastes like a pastry: The almond-orange combo gives it that authentic croissant flavor.
- Easy to make: Blend, bake, and enjoy-no complicated steps here!
ingredient notes & substitutions
All substitutions are a 1:1 substitute unless otherwise noted. See the recipe card for quantities.
- Chickpeas: These add protein and fiber. They're also very mild so they add moisture without any bean flavor!
- Almond butter: Almond butter gives the most croissant-like taste, but cashew butter works too.
- Sweeteners: We use maple syrup and coconut sugar to keep these refined sugar-free. Honey and brown sugar work too.
- Vanilla extract: Enhances the overall sweetness and warmth.
- Salt: Ideally, you use both fine salt and coarse, flaky sea salt.
- Baking powder & baking soda: Helps with texture and lightness.
- Hemp seeds: These have the most protein per serving of any seed!
- Almond extract: The key to that classic almond croissant flavor. Be careful. A little goes a long way!
- Orange zest: The secret to the best almond croissants.
- Sliced almonds: A must for any croissant!
- Egg yolk: These add richness without needing butter or oil. Save the egg white to make these cinnamon roll baked protein oats!
- Almond flour: To make the crumble topping extra almondy!
This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions or variations. If you replace or add any ingredients, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below!
high protein ingredient spotlight: hemp seeds
Hemp seeds are a complete protein, meaning they contain all nine essential amino acids. Just three tablespoons have about 10 grams of protein! Their mild, nutty taste makes them perfect for blending into baked goods such as these almond protein bars!
here's how to make protein almond croissant blondies
Be sure to scroll to the recipe card for the full almond bars recipe!
- Make the topping: Simply mix it together using your hands or a spoon until a paste forms. This is our frangipane.
- Make the batter: Blend (or use a food processor because it's a thick batter!) the almond blondie batter ingredients together.
- Bake: Pour blondie batter into pan and top with frangipane. Top with almonds, and bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.
quick recipe video
expert tips
- Blend thoroughly: To get the smoothest texture, blend the blondie ingredients really well. No one wants chunky chickpeas!
- Don't overbake: The bars should be slightly soft in the center when you take them out. They'll firm up as they cool.
common questions
Insert a toothpick and see if it comes out clean. It should be mostly clean but the center of the bars might still feel soft. The edges should be set and golden.
This is an almond paste. It's typically made from sugar, almond meal, and eggs. Ours is very similar but a bit more crumbly to be used as a topping.
my bars are dry!
This has happened to me too! The culprit is usually overbaked bars. The bars should be soft and slightly gooey when they come out of the oven. Try reducing the baking time by a few minutes next time you make them. They will continue to bake after coming out of the oven.
storage
- Fridge: Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days. They are tasty cold or warm!
- Freezer: Freeze in a sealed container for up to 3 months. Let thaw at room temp or warm in the microwave for 15-20 seconds.
make it a coffee date
I love to snack on these bars while sipping a protein coffee without protein powder, a chocolate peanut butter smoothie, or a chocolate cheesecake protein shake. These also work for breakfast! Or keep it simple and enjoy with a bit of almond butter drizzle and whipped cream.
Recipe
Almond Croissant Protein Blondies
Ingredients
- 2 15oz cans chickpeas, drained
- 1 cup almond butter (or cashew butter)
- ⅔ cup pure maple syrup (or honey or agave)
- 4 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ cup hemp hearts (hulled hemp seeds)
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- zest from 1 orange (reserve ¼ teaspoon for topping)
- ⅓ cup sliced almonds
- Coarse sea salt (for sprinkling, optional)
Almond Paste Topping
- 3 tablespoon almond butter
- ⅓ cup coconut sugar (or brown sugar)
- 1 egg yolk
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- ¼ teaspoon orange zest
- ½ cup almond flour
- pinch of salt
Before you start!
If you make this recipe, please take a moment to leave us a review. We love to hear from you!
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9x9 or 8x8 pan with parchment paper or spray with non-stick spray.
- Make the topping by mixing all the ingredients together with a fork or your hands until a paste-like crumble forms. Set this aside for later. Reserve the egg white to make our baked oatmeal!
- Use a food processor or blender to blend the 2 15oz cans chickpeas, drained, ⅔ cup pure maple syrup4 teaspoons vanilla extract, and 1 teaspoon almond extract into a paste. Then transfer to a bowl and mix with 1 teaspoon salt, 1 cup almond butter, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ cup hemp hearts, and zest from 1 orange until a thick batter forms.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread to the edges into an even layer. Top with the almond paste topping and lightly swirl it into the top of the batter just to get it sort of mixed into the batter top. Top with ⅓ cup sliced almonds and bake for 20-25 minutes or until it's golden brown and a tooth pick inserted comes out clean. If the topping starts to get too brown, you can set a piece of foil on top for the last 5-10 minutes of baking.
- Let them cool for 15 minutes before slicing. Top with course sea salt just before serving.
Notes
Freezer: Freeze in a sealed container for up to 3 months. Let thaw at room temp or warm in the microwave for 15-20 seconds.
Looking for more information?
Additional substitution information can be found above in the substitution section of this post.
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate and for informational purposes only.
I can confirm these are amazing!
These looked amazing and turned out even more delicious than I expected! Will definitely make them again.
Amazing, so happy to hear that!