Classic no-bake cookies get a healthy upgrade with the addition of quinoa flakes. They’re the perfect sweet treat for the holiday season. Gluten-free & vegan.
You know what makes Mondays in December better than all the other Mondays? Christmas music! I currently jamming out to A Very She & Him Christmas and it’s making my Monday morning so much better. Mariah is next! I’m also sipping coffee… a HUGE cup.
Baking cookies for Christmas is one my favorite holiday traditions. I know I’ve mentioned it before, but every year the ladies in my family get together for a holiday cookie bake. We bake all morning before our family holiday celebration and bring a bunch of treats to share with everyone. There are a few cookie staples that we make year after year (like Nanny’s Crescent Cookies) but we always try out a few new recipes as well. I like to make at least one healthier option so a few years ago I revamped our recipe for the Chocolate No Bake Cookies, one of my absolute favorite holiday cookies. This year I’m doing it again… with the help of Ancient Harvest.
I fell in love with using quinoa flour for gluten-free baking a last year (these Quinoa Gingersnap Cookies sealed the deal) and now quinoa flour is one of my go-to flours. It works in pretty much any recipe! This year I wanted to test out quinoa quinoa flakes, which are similar to oatmeal. I immediately decided I needed a quinoa no bake cookie and went to work creating a version with quinoa flakes and desiccated coconut.
They turned out to be quite delicious… obviously. Peanut butter, chocolate and coconut together is never a bad thing. Am I right?
The quinoa flakes and coconut make the perfect base for the cookies. I love the added coconut flavor and the small texture of the quinoa flakes. The cookies look like little mounds and taste like chocolate macaroons.
And since they’re sweetened with only coconut sugar and little maple syrup they’re not overly sweet, which is nice this time of year when practically everything we eat is super sweet. It’s also nice because you can feel okay about having theses cookies as snack or for breakfast with coffee. Quinoa flakes are technically a breakfast food after all. 🙂
Everyone who has tried them agreed that they are flavorful, tasty and would make a great addition to a spread of holiday cookies. The best part, you don’t even have to turn on your oven to make them!
Classic no-bake cookies get a healthy upgrade with the addition of quinoa flakes. They’re the perfect sweet treat for the holiday season. Gluten-free & vegan.
1/2 cup coconut sugar, date sugar or other unrefined sugar
1/2 cup creamy almond butter or peanut butter
1/2 cup coconut oil, in a liquid state
1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
2 Tablespoons maple syrup
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
pinch of sea salt
coconut flakes for topping
Instructions
Combine quinoa flakes and shredded coconut in a large mixing bowl.
Add sugar, almond butter, coconut oil, almond milk, maple syrup, cocoa powder, vanilla and sea salt in a sauce pan. Heat over low-medium heat until everything is combined and melted.
Pour chocolate mixture over the quinoa flakes and coconut. Stir until everything is well combined.
Drop dough by spoonfuls on to a prepared baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Use your hands to shape the cookies into desired shape — I like making them into little mounds. Top each with a coconut flake, if desired.
Place baking sheet in the fridge or freeze until cookies are set (about 30 minutes), then serve. Store any leftover cookies in the fridge for later.
Nutrition
Serving Size:1 cookie
Calories:113
Sugar:5g
Fat:8g
Carbohydrates:10g
Fiber:1g
Protein:2g
These No Bake Coconut Quinoa Cookies are part of Ancient Harvest’s #QuinoaCookieSwap — a fun sweepstakes with sweet baking prizes including a KitchenAid Stand Mixer. Head over to their Facebook page and pin your favorite cookie recipe to enter.
Hi Brittany, These look so delicious. I was wondering though can you please tell me normal quinoa you soak to make them more digestible, and I understand you just can’t soak quinoa flakes but are they as digestible as quinoa even though they are not soaked, and how would it be possible if this is the case. Thank you
Hey Maroula! I haven’t experienced any issues with digesting quinoa flakes and there is no need to soak them! You can read more info about quinoa flakes here.
These are so adorably delicious! And easy!! I love the added protein that quinoa offers to desserts like these. Still have to try your quinoa gingersnaps!
Yummy! These cookies look really good. And I love that they aren’t even that unhealthy! Other cookies usually contains so many more calories and they don’t really have any healthy ingredients in so these are perfect for a little healhtier option. Thanks for sharing 🙂
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Hi Brittany,
These look so delicious.
I was wondering though can you please tell me normal quinoa you soak to make them more digestible, and I understand you just can’t soak quinoa flakes but are they as digestible as quinoa even though they are not soaked, and how would it be possible if this is the case.
Thank you
Hey Maroula! I haven’t experienced any issues with digesting quinoa flakes and there is no need to soak them! You can read more info about quinoa flakes here.
These sound wonderful!! Quinoa flakes are on my grocery list!
These cookies look great! I love desserts that aren’t too sweet this time of year, it’s the perfect balance to sugar everything!
I’ve never heard of quinoa flakes!! These look like a delicious power cookie – so want these for after a workout!
These are so adorably delicious! And easy!! I love the added protein that quinoa offers to desserts like these. Still have to try your quinoa gingersnaps!
This looks like a great recipe! I’m always searching for healthy recipes to share with my family.
i still have never tried quinoa flakes, I’m missing out big time! Im all for no bake goodies, these cookies look delish!
Yes!! You have to try them sometime soon. They’re awesome as a hot breakfast option and work great as a sub for oats in recipes too!
Yummy! These cookies look really good. And I love that they aren’t even that unhealthy! Other cookies usually contains so many more calories and they don’t really have any healthy ingredients in so these are perfect for a little healhtier option. Thanks for sharing 🙂