Preheat your oven to 350°F and lightly grease an 8x8 inch baking dish with coconut oil or cooking spray. This ensures your brownies won't stick and gives you an even bake while you prepare the batter.

Add the drained and rinsed chickpeas, nut butter, maple syrup, melted coconut oil, and vanilla extract to a food processor. Blend until completely smooth with no visible chickpea pieces—this creates the creamy base that mimics traditional brownie texture. I like to make sure the chickpeas are really well rinsed so you don't taste any bean flavor that would interfere with the chocolate.

Add the almond flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and espresso powder directly to the food processor with the wet mixture. Pulse and blend until everything is fully combined into a smooth, thick batter with no dry streaks. The espresso powder deepens the chocolate flavor without making the brownies taste like coffee, which I find really improves the richness.

Transfer the batter from the food processor to a bowl, then fold in the chocolate chips with a spatula until evenly distributed throughout. Pour the entire batter into your prepared 8x8 inch pan and spread it into an even layer using the spatula or the back of a spoon.

Bake for 21-23 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached—you want them fudgy, not dry. The brownies will continue to set slightly as they cool, so don't overbake. Let them cool in the pan for at least 15 minutes before cutting into squares.