Chocolate Peanut Butter Quinoa Breakfast Cookies

By
Jolinda Hackett
Jolinda Hackett
Jolinda Hackett has written five books about plant-based cooking and has developed hundreds of vegan and vegetarian recipes.
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Updated on 02/17/22
Chocolate quinoa breakfast cookie

The Spruce

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Total: 30 mins
Servings: 12 servings
Yield: 12 cookies

Adding high-protein quinoa to a basic chocolate peanut butter sugar-free cookie works out just splendidly. These little quinoa cookies are vegetarian, vegan, high in protein, refined-sugar free, and, if you use gluten-free oatmeal, they're gluten-free as well. And they are so easy to make. What's not to love?

Simply made by combining the cooked quinoa, peanut butter, maple syrup, quick-cooking oats, cocoa powder, and salt, and then baked, these cookies are sure to become a favorite in your house. We use smooth peanut butter in this recipe, but if you want to use crunchy peanut butter, feel free to do so. 

Enjoy these healthy cookies for breakfast on the go, as a high-energy trail food, or add it to your repertoire of super-healthy desserts.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups cooked quinoa

  • 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter

  • 3 tablespoons maple syrup

  • 2/3 cup oats, quick cooking

  • 3 tablespoons cocoa powder

  • 1/4 tablespoon kosher salt, or sea salt

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Pre-heat oven to 350 F and lightly grease a baking sheet.

  3. Combine all ingredients—the cooked quinoa, peanut butter, maple syrup, quick-cooking oats, cocoa powder, and salt—in a large mixing bowl just until well combined.

  4. Drop the mixture by a large spoonful onto the prepared baking sheet.

  5. Bake in the oven for 18 to 20 minutes, until lightly firm.

Tips

  • Cook the quinoa ahead of time and keep it in the refrigerator, or use the quinoa leftover from the dinner the night before. 
  • Check the label on your peanut butter to make sure that it's unsweetened if you really are looking to have a sugar-free cookie.

Recipe Variation

  • Use crunchy peanut butter instead of smooth.
  • You can use regular oatmeal in place of the quick-cooking oats if you'd like. The main difference is the size of the flakes, as regular oatmeal will have larger flakes, so the cookies will look a bit different. They also might be a bit chewier than if you used quick-cooking oats.

How to Store and Freeze

  • These cookies can be kept in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to five days. Eat them cold straight out of the fridge or bring them to room temperature before eating.
  • Freeze these quinoa cookies in a freezer-safe container for up to three months. Put in refrigerator to thaw overnight. 
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
132 Calories
6g Fat
16g Carbs
4g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12
Amount per serving
Calories 132
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 6g 8%
Saturated Fat 1g 6%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 90mg 4%
Total Carbohydrate 16g 6%
Dietary Fiber 2g 7%
Total Sugars 4g
Protein 4g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 33mg 3%
Iron 2mg 13%
Potassium 140mg 3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)