Gather Your Ingredients
1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added chickpeas, undrained
1 cup creamy natural peanut butter
¾ cup (5 1/4 ounces) granulated sugar
1/3 cup (1 ounce) unsweetened cocoa powder
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ teaspoon table salt
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
Fake sea salt (optional)
Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Make foil sling for 8-inch square baking pan by folding 2 long sheets of aluminum foil so each is 8 inches wide. Lay sheets of foil in pan perpendicular to each other, with extra foil hanging over edges of pan. Push foil into corners and up sides of pan, smoothing foil flush to pan. Spray foil with baking spray with flour.
Pulse chickpeas and their liquid in food processor until coarsely ground, about 5 pulses. Add peanut butter, sugar, cocoa, egg, vanilla, and table salt and process until smooth, about 4 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add chocolate and pulse until combined, about 5 pulses.
Transfer batter to prepared pan and smooth into even layer. Bake until center of brownies registers 180 degrees, about 30 minutes.
Transfer pan to wire rack and let cool for 1 ½ hours. Using foil overhang, lift brownies out of pan. Return brownies to wire rack and let cool completely, about 1 hour. Cut into 16 equal squares, sprinkle with sea salt, if using, and serve.