Cinnamon Sugar Chickpeas

Okay. I might be a little late posting this, but technically it's still the weekend so it counts. December has been so busy! All the holiday shopping, gift wrapping, parties and get-togethers every weekend have really kept me on the go this month, on top of working and teaching at the studio and, of course, Mom-ing full time.

I know I'm not the only one.

So my healthy holiday treat this weekend is in perfect alignment with all the Christmas craziness: Cinnamon Sugar Chickpeas! It is unbelievably simple. Like, doesn't get any easier, really. Which is exactly what I needed this week. And this particular batch is a sweetened version, but you could season your chickpeas anyway for a nice little snack bowl for your guests. If I'm being totally honest, I originally wanted to do rosemary and parmesan roasted chickpeas.

Mmmm. Still sounds so good.

But I didn't have either! So I threw this one together instead. And I'm gonna be real. They were pretty good. But I still think savory ones would be way tastier. Regardless, I would make these again, and people seemed quite happy with these ones. They disappeared rather quickly. So I'm not complaining!

Ingredients:

2 15 ounce cans chickpeas

2 tbsp maple syrup

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/8 tsp sea salt

1 tbsp melted coconut oil

You can change the amounts of sugar and spice to your liking. I also drizzled a little honey on top of this... AND added a sprinkle of sugar on top at the very end, after all baking. I was really going for it.

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

2. Rinse chickpeas and lay them out on a towel to dry.

3. Combine maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, sea salt, and coconut oil in a bowl.

4. When dry or close to dry, place chickpeas on baking sheet (lined with parchment paper or oiled up with coconut oil) and bake for 45 minutes. They should be crunchy on the outside when ready.

5. Remove chickpeas from oven and coat them in the maple syrup, oil, and spices. I just poured them into the bowl and stirred them up until covered.

6. Put chickpeas back in the oven for about 5-10 more minutes to crystalize the maple syrup coating on the chickpeas.

7. Cool for a few minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Let me know if you end up making these (or another version)! I'd love to hear how it goes.