preheat your oven to 350°f (175°c). grease or line an 8x8-inch baking dish with parchment paper.

blend the chickpeas, vanilla protein powder, maple syrup, dairy-free milk, almond butter, vanilla extract, and arrowroot starch in a food processor or blender until smooth and well combined.

fold in chocolate chips: if using chocolate chips, gently fold them into the batter until evenly distributed.

pour the batter into the prepared baking dish, spreading it out evenly with a spatula.

bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown.

cool the blondies in the pan for about 30 minutes. then, place them in the fridge to cool down further and set. this is an important step :).

slice the cooled blondies into squares and serve. enjoy your high protein vegan blondies!