- 2/3 cup dark chocolate chips, see note before starting
- 3 tbsp natural peanut butter with no added oils
- 1 1/4 cups puffed quinoa, see note before starting
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the chocolate in 20–30 second intervals, stirring between each interval with a silicone spatula, until chocolate is completely smooth.
- Stir in the peanut butter until fully combined.
- Add the puffed quinoa to the chocolate mixture and stir until evenly coated.
- Using a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop, portion the mixture onto your prepared baking sheet.
- Press each mound with the back of a metal spoon to flatten and shape into a disk, about ¼ inch thick. Smooth sides of the cookies as needed to try to make them perfectly round.
- If the mixture is sticking to the spoon, clean the spoon to prevent sticking.
- Refrigerate for 20–30 minutes, until the cookies are set and firm.
The cookies are then ready to eat.
Store uneaten cookies in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.
Chocolate note: I recommend using dark chocolate chips (sometimes labeled bittersweet chocolate chips) that contain between 60-63% cocoa.
Puffed quinoa note: I like purchasing puffed quinoa to save time, but you can also make your own puffed quinoa, with the recipe below.
Homemade puffed quinoa:
1 1/4 cups (210g) raw quinoa (the weight of the raw quinoa is heavier than after it is popped, which is why the gram measurement is different for the puffed quinoa)
- Heat a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat.
- Working in batches, add 3–4 tablespoons of quinoa in a single layer.
- Let cook for 1-2 minutes, shaking the pan constantly, until the quinoa starts to pop and puff.
- Once most of the grains are puffed and lightly golden, transfer to a bowl.
- Repeat with the remaining quinoa.
- Let the puffed quinoa cool completely to room temperature before using.
- The quinoa burns quickly, so it’s important to constantly be shaking and stirring the pan.
- It works better if you preheat your pan before adding the quinoa - they will start popping right away which helps avoid burning