What is Chickpea Milk? Here’s Everything You Need to Know

Choosing the right vegan creamer or plant-based milk to add to your morning coffee is not an easy task. One defining factor truly distinguishes whether or not a product is worth the morning cappuccino: The froth. While many plant-based milks struggle to replicate the frothiness of conventional milk, the Israeli company ChickP claims it has solved this issue once and for all. ChickP specializes in chickpea protein and recently develop chickpea milk that claims to froth exactly like dairy creamers.

ChickP currently owns a patent for a chickpea protein isolate – containing a 90-percent protein content – that can be used to replicate several types of animal products. Founded in 2016 by Ram Reifen, MD, the food tech company has worked to adapt the isolate into different high-demand food products. Now, ChickP's chickpea barista milk will allow coffee-lovers to enjoy their favorite specialty espresso drinks without consuming any dairy.

“Plant-based barista drinks set new challenges,” ChickP CEO Liat Lachish Levy said in a statement. “Consumers want a holistic, better-for-you, yet full flavor experience. Our technologists took full advantage of our new state-of-the-art application lab to overcome organoleptic and technical challenges in creating creamy, dairy-free ‘milk’ for the perfect cappuccino.”

ChickP will showcase the prototype of its frothy vegan barista milk at the first IFT (Food Improved by Research, Science, and Technology) Expo in Chicago this weekend. The company intends to apply the chickpea isolate to other vegan products such as protein powders and sports nutrition bars. The isolate acts as a fully operable replacement for animal-based whey.

“We currently are developing over twenty plant-based applications with leading food and beverage companies with our pure ChickP protein,” Lachish Levy said. “Our customers turned to us to solve major challenges of plant-based products and we were able to provide comprehensive solutions in terms of flavor, complete nutrition profile, and functionality. Together with our customers and partners, we are unlocking the potential of our ChickP protein to offer the best solutions across multiple applications. Our customers confirm that ChickP isolate offers the best dairy-like solution on the market today.”

Using chickpeas in the kitchen is nothing out of the ordinary. Typically used in curries or to make homemade hummus, the protein-filled legume is a pantry staple for millions of consumers. But more recently, the frothiness or creaminess of chickpeas has been utilized in new, inventive recipes. Before the invention of chickpea milk, aquafaba – the brine from chickpeas – helped home cooks develop an egg white substitute.

ChickP took note of the creaminess of aquafaba and decided to take it a step further. Now, the innovative company is applying to highlight the rich texture of chickpeas in its new plant-based milk alternative. The company emphasized that consumers want a protein-rich, tasty, and frothy creamier and the company intends to cater to those demands.

Besides functionality, chickpea milk is also extremely nutritious. The protein isolate allows the chickpea milk to provide a whole protein with all nine amino acids. This new plant-based milk is hormone-, GMO-, lactose-, allergen-, and gluten-free, making it one of the most friendly milk substitutes on the market. ChickP’s new product also looks exactly like traditional milk with a familiar white color.

“Consumers are looking for plant-based milk, but they also demand great taste and texture. Our chickpea S930 and G910 isolate are the most refined form of protein with the advantage of matching color, flavor, and functional properties to food and beverage applications,” Application Manager of ChickP Maor Dahan said in a statement. “This protein has great solubility, exhibiting excellent water dispersion properties across a wide range of pH. It has a low viscosity and an optimized flavor.”

Dairy-free milk is primarily dominated by the four most popular alternatives: soy, almond, coconut, and oat. Despite these alternatives’ widespread popularity, several other food brands such as ChickP have developed innovative plant-based milks that rival these popular dairy-free milks in taste, texture, and froth-ability.

Last October, Lifestock released a vegan milk brand called THIS PKN that delivers the market’s first pecan-based milk. Designed to taste just like cow’s milk, the pecan milk was originally developed to help preserve limited freshwater ecosystems threatened by some nut-milk production. Another company Ripple launched a pea-based milk using its proprietary protein blend called Rippetin. Both milk also rivals the protein content of traditional cow’s milk.

Another vegan milk brand DUG sources its dairy-free milk from an unlikely candidate –potatoes. The Swedish brand claims that its product features a comprehensive nutritional profile, complete with B12 vitamins. Similar to ChickP, the company markets its product to espresso lovers. Though primarily fueled by the major dairy-free dairy categories, the alternative dairy market is expected to reach $52.58 billion by 2028 with the help of unconventional substitutes such as peas, potatoes, and now, chickpeas.

For more plant-based happenings, visit The Beet's News articles. 

Califia Farms Almond Creamer is made with real almonds and coconut cream to give a rich, full-flavored texture and has 2 grams of added sugar. The consistency is so thick it’s more like a heavy cream rather than a creamer substitute. Regardless, it froths up well and is very creamy. The almond taste is noticeable but the creamer isn’t bitter or grainy. You don’t need to use a lot of it; a little goes a long way!

Silk Original Dairy-Free Original Soy Creamer has only 1 gram of added sugar, but sadly it does not froth up well when I heated it due to a thinner, more watery consistency. It didn't combine well with coffee, no matter how much was added. Because of the underwhelming flavor, this was my least favorite.

This Natural Bliss Coconut Milk Creamer/Sweet Cream is the best one I’ve found for both frothing and taste, especially if you miss the consistency and flavor of half-and-half. It’s creamy and has a hint of coconut, but no overwhelming coconut flavor. Note: it is made with pea protein, unlike the other ones, which is probably why it’s thicker. Always check ingredients if you have food allergies because unexpected ingredients such as peas can be hiding in the product, and you would never know by the taste.

So Delicious has been marketing dairy-free frozen desserts, yogurt alternatives, and smooth plant-based beverages for over 30 years. Besides the coconut milk, they also have “Original,” “Snickerdoodle.” “Caramel” and “Creamy Vanilla” flavors. I only sampled the coconut milk flavor. This is the only one in this taste test with 0 grams of added sugar. It has a very rich coconut taste and froths up nicely in coffee like milk. It’s not as thick as some of the others but is a good alternative to ultra-sweet creamers if you want to be careful about your sugar intake. The coconut flavor is powerful but not overwhelming.

Natural Bliss Oat Milk Creamer, Vanilla Natural Flavor, with 4 grams added sugar is similar to Coffee Mate’s Coconut creamer but without the coconut flavor. It’s super-rich and creamy with a hint of oat flavor but not bitter at all. My new favorite! This is the best one I’ve found for frothing and taste especially if you miss the consistency and flavor of half and half. It’s like the real thing as it’s creamy, fluffy and not grainy. Remember to shake it up before putting in your frother. Use a little and be happy with your non-dairy latte!

The Original Oat-Ly Oat Milk Barista Edition contains 4 grams of sugar but its full-flavored taste makes it a rich choice. It doesn’t market itself as a creamer but it does advertise as the choice for the barista community. It’s slightly less frothy than real milk when mixed but the flavor is pleasant, not bitter, and I would choose it again.

Silk Oat Yeah Oat Milk Creamer, the Vanilla One has 4 grams of added sugar and is also at the top of my list. While it’s sweet, it’s also incredibly rich which means you can use less of it in your coffee. It was thick and creamy when frothed and it adds a fluffy cap to your coffee as lattes make with real cream. Note that pea protein is an added ingredient in this creamer as well. This can rival the real thing but choose this one only if you like a strong vanilla aftertaste!

The Silk Almond Creamer Vanilla boasts that it’s “America’s #1 Almond Creamer. But with 4 grams added sugar you may want to use it sparingly. It did taste sweet and was nice and thick, so someone who likes rich creamers will love it. The vanilla aftertaste was pretty strong. And it's a little too syrupy sweet for my taste.

Nutpods is the closest you'll get to the real thing! Tasters immediately gave this dairy-free creamer a 5 out 5. The texture is smooth and mixes with coffee instantly. Unlike soy creamers, this almond and coconut-based creamer doesn't separate once your done stirring. Nut Pods is the most comparable to half and half in the whole list of creamers!

Forager is cashew milk and coconut cream based that mixes for a unique and flavorful taste. The consistency was on the thinner side, and if you're a heavy cream or half-and-half devotee this is probably not the creamer for you, although those who like a lighter flavor will enjoy it.

This creamer is rich, round and doesn't taste too overtly of coconut. You only need a splash to achieve a nice, creamy effect in your coffee, and there's no watered-down consistency, so if you swear by heavy cream or half & half, give this Trader Joe's option a try! At only $1.69 per carton, this product is a steal.

The thickest consistency of the bunch, resembling a heavy cream rather than half and half. Malk has only 5 ingredients, making it super clean and healthy! The almond flavor might be overpowering to those who like less flavor in their creamer. Add the Maple Pecan flavor to your coffee for an even sweeter taste.