By Aaron Owens Mayhew, MS, RDN, CD
Updated January 5, 2024
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Backcountry Foodie’s ultralight Brownie Batter Hummus backpacking dessert recipe is absolutely divine and, believe it or not, a healthy snack option! We would compare the hummus to a delicious bowl of brownie batter. Dehydrated hummus is an excellent cold soak mid-day treat or dessert after a long day in the backcountry.
Benefits of taking dehydrated hummus into the backcountry:
1. Protein for muscle recovery.
The garbanzo beans and nut butter provide great sources of vegan protein. Keep in mind that protein consumed post-exercise is important for muscle recovery. It is recommended that 20-30 grams of protein be consumed within two hours of exercise. One serving of this hummus recipe provides 10 grams of protein. What an awesome way to treat yourself after putting in the miles! You might also want to try our Peanut Butter Protein Shake backpacking recipe for post-hike muscle recovery.
2. Healthy fats for sustainable energy.
The fat content of the nut butter and coconut oil provides sustainable energy for those long days in the backcountry. If dehydrating this recipe for the backcountry, it comes in at an impressive 138 calories per ounce. Not bad for a healthy treat! If you’re not climbing the tallest peak, coconut oil can be left out to reduce the total calories of the recipe without changing the flavor. If treating yourself to this yummy dehydrated hummus at home, leaving out the coconut oil is probably not a bad idea unless you’ve just returned from a trail run. Your waistline will thank you.
3. Wholesome ingredients.
Hummus requires limited ingredients that are void of artificial colors, flavors, and sweeteners. Add the ingredients to a blender or food processor, and that’s it! A mouth-watering healthy snack that’s prepared within a matter of minutes.
4. Ease of preparation at home and on trail.
If preparing the recipe for use in the backcountry, spread the mixture onto dehydrator trays and dehydrate at 145℉ (63℃) until completely dry. The dehydrated hummus requires less than 15 minutes to rehydrate with cold water in the backcountry, which is important when your stomach impatiently waits for the next meal.
Our favorite way to eat this treat is to top a Honey Stinger Waffle with a spoonful of rehydrated hummus. Yum! This boosts the meal by 150 calories and 1 gram of protein by adding only a small volume of food. The caloric density of this treat also increases to 142 kcal/oz with the addition of the waffle. Now, that’s an ultralight treat!
Check out a few of our favorite stroopwaffle flavors available in our shop…
Words of advice…
Consider making a double batch, as saving this chocolate hummus recipe for later will be difficult.
Just sayin’!
Backcountry Foodie Recipe
This chocolate hummus is absolutely divine! We recommend that you make two batches because you'll want to eat a serving before dehydrating it for your trip. This low volume treat is also great for bear cans where space is at a premium.
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NUTRITION (per serving)
cal/oz 133
cal/gram 4.8
Calories 440 kcal
PROTEIN 10 g
CARBS 39 g
Fiber 7 g
Added Sugar 12 g
Fat 29 g
Sodium 530 mg
Home Prep Time 10 hours hrs
Field Prep Time 15 minutes mins
WT/SERVING 3.3 oz (93 g)
MEAL PREPCold Soak, Dehydrator Required, No-Cook
Diet TYPESDairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Low-Sugar, Reflux-friendly, Vegan, Vegetarian
Servings4 servings
INGREDIENTS
- 15 oz (232 g) chickpeas (garbanzo beans), canned, drained and rinsed
- ½ cup (40 g) cocoa powder, unsweetened
- ⅓ cup (48 g) cane sugar
- 1 ½ tsp (6 g) vanilla extract
- ½ tsp (3 g) table salt
- 4 packets (128 g) almond butter, or nut/seed butter of choice, 1.1 oz packets
- 4 Tbsp (14 g) coconut oil
- 2 oz (60 mL) water
OPTIONAL
- sugar substitute (substitution), no-added-sugar option
- salt substitute (substitution), reduced-sodium option
INSTRUCTIONS (per serving)
HOME
Put all ingredients, except the nut butter and coconut oil, in a food processor or blender. If preparing the recipe to eat at home, include the nut butter and oil in this step. See meal prep tip below.
Add ½ cup of water to the food processor or blender.
Blend until the mixture is free of lumps.
Spread a thin layer of the mixture onto dehydrator trays.
Dry at 145℉ (63℃) until completely dry. The mixture should be brittle when dry.
Put the dehydrated hummus in a coffee grinder or spice mill and blend until a powder forms. Powdering is not required but speeds up the rehydration process greatly.
Put one 1.6 oz (47 g) serving in a bag or container to be used in the backcountry. Repeat this step for a total of four servings.
Pack 2 Tbsp or 1.1 oz packet (32 g) of nut butter, per serving, to be added when the meal is consumed.
Pack 1 Tbsp (14 g) coconut oil in a leakproof container to be added when the meal is consumed. We recommend double bagging the oil in the event there is a leak.
FIELD
Add 2 oz (60 mL) cold water to the bag or container.
Stir to mix well and let stand until fully rehydrated.
Massage the bag with your fingertips or use a utensil to break up any clumps. The texture of the hummus should be smooth when fully rehydrated.
Add 2 Tbsp or 1.1 oz packet (32 g) nut butter and 1 Tbsp (14 g) coconut oil to the mixture.
Stir to mix well and enjoy by the spoonful!
NOTES
MEAL PREP TIP
- To create a smoother final product, we recommend removing the skins from the chickpeas (garbanzo beans) before adding them to the blender. This step is optional.
NUTRITION
- Total sugar (per serving): 20 g, including 12 g added sugar.
- For a no-added-sugar recipe, replace the cane sugar with a sugar substitute.
- Keep in mind the level of sweetness provided by alternative sweeteners. Adjust serving size accordingly.
- To reduce calories by 120 per serving, do not add the 1 Tbsp (14 g) coconut oil per serving.
Did you make this recipe? We’d love to see it!Share photos from your kitchen or the backcountry below.
ARE YOU SEARCHING FOR A MORE SUSTAINABLE FOOD STORAGE OPTION?
Consider checking out ourbiodegradable food pouches. The small pouches are the perfect size for our low-volume Brownie Batter Hummus recipe.
READY TO EXPAND YOUR BACKCOUNTRY COOKBOOK?
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Aaron Owens Mayhew, MS, RDN, CD,is a registered dietitian and ultralight long-distance backpacker with over 20 years of nutrition and backpacking experience. She’s also the founder and owner ofBackcountry Foodie, an online ultralight recipes and meal planning platform for backpackers. She also enjoys teaching hikers about backpacking nutrition viavirtual masterclasses,YouTube videos, andpodcast episodes.You can follow Aaron’s adventures in the kitchen and the backcountry viaInstagramandFacebook.
15 Comments
Any suggestions on how to do something similar with freeze-dried hummus mix?
ReplyHummus mix typically has lemon, herbs, and spices added which would alter the flavor of this recipe.
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Any idea how much besan flour I would use in place of the chickpeas? It would sure save a step.
ReplyUnfortunately, I can’t say how much besan (chickpea) flour would be needed as I’ve never tried it. Not having to remove the chickpea skins sure would save time.
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I feel like I’m super late to the game since all these other comments are from 2018 but I got here as quickly as I could!
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So what if I seem to be the only backpacker without a dehydrator? Would this work on the lowest oven temp (mine goes down to 170*) for a different amount of time?Looks like I’m now the one late to the game. lol! Apologies for the delayed response. The challenging part with using an oven to dehydrate meals is that the temperature is not low enough and can cook instead of dry the food. Pro tip for purchasing dehydrators if you think you might use one – check Craigslist, yard sales, and Goodwill. I purchased a barely used Excalibur dehydrator from Craigslist for half the price.
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Can I replace the sugar with homemade date paste (kids and a dog), the cocoa powder with carob powder (again; kids and a dog), and the almond butter with sun butter (one more time again; kids and a dog)
ReplyApologies for the delayed response. Carob powder and sun butter could certainly work well. I can’t comment on the date paste as I haven’t used it myself.
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Made a batch yesterday and dehydrated some today for lunch to taste test. Very good indeed, easy to make and easy to pack/eat out on the trail. It’s a keeper for sure. Thanks so much..
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So….I made this for my buddy backpacking trips in 2018 and 2019. I figured it was time for a change in the menu. Tonight I was informed it is mandatory to have brownie batter hummus again this year. I like to eat it for breakfast…..protein and sugar….it gets me on the trail with a pep in my step! Happy trails!
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Yay!! Thanks, Deb, for sharing that our brownie batter hummus has become a staple in your backpacking food bin. 🙂
OMG Aaron….I have rehydrated it and added the nut butter and coconut oil…. I am typing this with one finger so the other hand is available to shovel spoonfuls of this amazing hummus into my mouth without interruption ! This stuff is UNREAL!!!! Now I have to thank you a zillion!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyHahaha! That’s why I recommend making two batches. 🙂
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So I just blended this up…the hubby came in and inquired what it was. Now… he practically gags just on the word hummus. So I told him it was Brownie for my backpack trip. He tasted it, agreed it tasted like Brownie and said it wasn’t bad at all. Its in the dehydrator now…..I’m blown away…..HE LIKED IT and it didn’t even have the nut butter and coconut oil in it yet! PS….ya know how hard it is to lick the blades of a Ninja blender?!?!?!?! Its hard but do-able! Thanks a million for this recipe Sling!
ReplySo glad you guys like it! It really is quite delicious!
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