These easy, gluten free chocolate Quinoa Cookies are soft, chewy and loaded with chocolate! A healthy dessert that even picky eaters will love!
Pin Chocolate Quinoa Cookies
I know what you’re thinking.
“First there were high protein muffins with quinoa, then there was quinoa energy bars and then you even told me to make a sweet quinoa breakfast bake and now you be tellin’ me to throw quinoa in my COOKIES? And that it’s actually really delicious and not weird tasting AT ALL?”
Um. Yes. That is exactly what I am telling you. Which is why they’re called quinoa cookies.
It’s just the facts peeps.
But, like, fer real, yes. I was a little bit hesitant at the whole quinoa-as-a-dessert dealio going on all throughout this post. But then my face munched through the layers of toasted quinoa and coconut and ooey-gooey melty chocolate that somehow ended up on my nose and got, like, REALLY REALLY HAPPY.
Sidenote: if chocolate doesn’t end up on your nose when you eat your dessert, well, you’re doing it wrong.
Health Benefits of Quinoa
I LOVE quinoa, because it is so versatile and can be enjoyed SO many different ways, including these quinoa chocolate chip cookies. It has a mild taste, satisfying rice-like texture, can be cooked up into all kinds of delicious meals to enjoy, and is very nutritious on top of that! Here are a few facts about quinoa that will make you love it even more:
- High in Fiber: Many grains contain a good amount of it, but quinoa is much higher than most in fiber, which aids your body with digestion.
- Gluten Free: It’s a great pasta alternative and is completely gluten free, making it safe to eat for those with celiac disease or those wanting to avoid gluten in their diet.
- Protein Packed: Quinoa is also high in protein and many essential amino acids that your body needs.
- Low Glycemic Index: This is important for those with diabetes, as eating quinoa isn’t very likely to spike blood sugar levels.
How do you use Quinoa in Cookies?
In my house, cookies are a FAVE- I love baking up all kinds of cookies for Mr. FFF on a weekly basis. Some of our faves are flourless gluten free chocolate cookies, brown butter oatmeal cookies with chocolate chunks, and even paleo breakfast avocado cookies with kale. I love getting creative in my kitchen with cookies and coming up with better-for-you recipes! This quinoa cookies recipe uses flour that you make from quinoa for a light, gluten free alternative to regular all purpose flour!
Are Quinoa Flour Cookies good Breakfast Cookies?
I’m the kind of girl that doesn’t want rules about when I can eat cookies. Anybody with me on that?! I mean, I want the kind of cookie that I can enjoy anytime of day, even for breakfast! These delicious cookies use better-for-you ingredients that would be suitable for breakfast, in my opinion! So if you’re wanting one for breakfast, go for it!
Quinoa Cookies Ingredients
These cookies use healthful, wholesome ingredients! Here’s what you’ll need to make this recipe:
- Unsweetened Coconut Flakes
- Oat Flour
- Toasted Quinoa Flour
- Dutch Processed Cocoa powder
- Baking Soda
- Salt
- Light Brown Sugar
- Coconut Oil
- Large Eggs
- Honey
- Coconut Extract or Vanilla Extract
- Water
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips
How to make Quinoa Cookies
Toast
Spread the coconut on a baking sheet evenly and pop it in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit to toast for 3 minutes. If it’s still not browned, bake an additional 1-3 minutes until it starts to brown. Let it cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet and then measure out 1 cup of coconut flakes. Leave the remaining coconut on the baking sheet.
Mix
In a large mixing bowl, add the 1 cup of coconut, oat flour, quinoa flour, cocoa powder, soda and salt and mix. Set aside.
Stir
In a separate large bowl, cream together the sugar, coconut oil, eggs, honey, water and extract until smooth. Add in the dry ingredients and mix until well incorporated. Fold in the chocolate chips.
Chill
Once the dough is prepared, roll it into a ball and wrap it in plastic wrap. Let it chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, so that it’s no longer sticky and easier to handle. Once chilled, remove the dough from the fridge and let it sit while your oven preheats to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Form
Roll into 1 tablespoon size balls and then roll each ball in the remaining toasted coconut. Set them on a baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
Bake & Enjoy
Bake the cookies for 6-9 minutes. They may start to crackle a bit. Let the cookies cool for about 2 minutes on the pan, then transfer them to a wire rack to finish cooling there. Serve up and DEVOUR!
Other Healthy Sweet Quinoa Recipes
Peach Breakfast Quinoa Chia Pudding
Healthy Gluten Free Quinoa Muffins
Ingredients
- 2 Cups Unsweetened coconut flakes divided, 170g
- 1 1/2 Cups Oat flour. 138g,
- 1 1/2 Cups Toasted Quinoa Flour 165
- 1/2 Cup Dutch-process cocoa powder sifted if lumpy, 58g
- 3/4 tsp Baking soda
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1 Cup Light brown sugar raw sugar or coconut sugar, 200g
- 2/3 Cup Coconut oil melted, 150g
- 2 Large eggs at room temperature
- 6 Tbsps Honey 120g
- 1 tsp Coconut extract or vanilla extract
- 2 Tbsp water
- 1 Cup Semi-sweet chocolate chips 170g
Instructions
- Spread the coconut on a small rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 3 minutes, stir, and if still not brown, about for another 1 to 3 minutes, or until coconut starts to brown. It will brown quickly, so keep a close eye on it. Remove from the oven and let the coconut cool for 5 minutes, or until no longer hot. Measure out 1 cup (85g) coconut flakes and keep the rest on the baking sheet.
- In a medium mixing bowl stir together the 1 Cup Coconut flakes, oat flour, quinoa flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together the sugar, melted coconut oil, eggs, honey, extract and water. Add the dry mixture into the wet mixture and stir until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or until it is no longer sticky and it's easy to roll into balls. Once chilled, remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes while preheating the oven to 350 degress (175 C.)
- Form rounded tablespoons of the dough and roll the balls in the remaining 1 Cup of toasted coconut. Place the balls on the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake for 6 to 9 minutes or until no longer wet on the top. They may crackle a little. If you break one open, they may not look fully cooked but they will continue to cook as they cool. Let the cookies sit for 2 minutes on the baking sheet, and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Tips & Notes:
Nutrition Info:
Recipes written and produced on Food Faith Fitness are for informational purposes only.
FOR THIS RECIPE, I RECOMMEND:
STAY IN DA KNOW ABOUT BEHIND-THE-SCENES INFO GOING ON AT FFF BY KEEPING IN TOUCH ON TWITTER, FACEBOOK AND PINTEREST!
This post may contain affiliate links, but I only recommend products that I actually use and <3. Thanks for supporting FFF!
Vinitha says
Hi, I don’t have Coconut flakes… can I avoid it or is there an alternate?
Taylor Kiser says
Hi, Vinitha! I can’t tell you because recipes are only tested as written. Sorry.