Chocolate Quinoa Peanut Butter Bars
Chocolate Quinoa Peanut Butter Bars
Yes, these chocolate quinoa peanut butter bars are crunchy and peanut butter-y. Yes, they’re easy to make. Yes, they’re delicious!
Lightning indeed strikes twice! My chocolate quinoa crunch bars and chocolate quinoa peanut butter cups are among my most popular recipes of all time! You may have even seen them featured on small publications like, I don’t know, Today Show Food.
These tasty chocolate quinoa crunch bar creations have millions of views and they continue to be the talk of the town, so I went ahead and made another variation of that viral recipe…this time in the form of peanut butter quinoa chocolate bars.
Yes, these quinoa chocolate bars are crunchy, and peanut butter-y. Yes, they’re easy. Yes, they’re delicious!
If this if your first time hearing about quinoa crunch bars, then I know the chocolate and quinoa combination may sound odd at first, but trust me on this one! When you toast the quinoa for this recipe, they become crunchy little tidbits reminiscent of those puffed rice pieces in Nestle Crunch bars. But, this copycat version is so much better for you. And just as tasty!
I got this recipe idea from a follower @plantifulplease. I love seeing you all add your own twist to the classic recipe.
Do you have to soak the quinoa first?
Yes! I recommend you soak the quinoa overnight and rinse it with water before using for this recipe. That’s because quinoa contains saponin, which is a compound that some people are sensitive to. While most store bought quinoa comes pre-rinsed, it always pays to be double safe :)
Soaking the quinoa also makes it more tender, which makes these quinoa crunch bars crunchy but not too crunchy. It definitely makes a difference!
How do you drain the quinoa after rinsing?
The holes in most colanders and strainers are too large for draining quinoa. I’ve made my famous chocolate quinoa crunch bars a few times, and I found the best way to drain the quinoa is to simply pour the wet quinoa into a strainer that’s lined with paper towels. Voila!
How do you toast quinoa?
Toasting quinoa is the key to making these crunchy chocolate bars, well, crunchy!
Soak your quinoa in water overnight and pat dry before adding the quinoa to a hot skillet. Toast it for 2-4 minutes. As the quinoa toasts, you’ll begin to hear little popping sounds just like popcorn! That means the quinoa is getting toasted. It will also start to smell nutty. Be sure to stir the quinoa continuously while it’s toasting so it doesn’t get too brown. We want our quinoa to be toasted, not burned!
What chocolate can I use for these chocolate bars?
I’m a big fan of dark chocolate, but you can use any chocolate that you like! Milk chocolate (or semi-sweet chocolate) would be great for this recipe too, if that’s more your thing.
I recommend using chocolate chips and melting them in a double boiler. I used the Lily’s brand for this recipe–it’s sugar-free!
Why add coconut oil to the chocolate?
You’ll probably notice a lot of recipes call for adding coconut oil to chocolate while melting. That’s because coconut oil helps the chocolate harden, and it also makes it shiny!
What type of nut butter can I use?
I’m a huge fan of almond butter, but you can use peanut butter, cashew butter, hazelnut butter… whatever you like!
How long does this take to make?
Toasting the quinoa and mixing it in with the melted chocolate only takes a few minutes. You will need to freeze these bars for about 1 hour until solid. I also recommend allowing it to soften at room temperature for about 5-10 minutes after you take them out of the freezer. This makes it easier to slice them into chocolate bars.
How do you store these homemade chocolate bars?
Slice these chocolate bars and store them in an airtight container in the fridge. They will stay fresh even longer in the freezer!
Peanut Butter Quinoa Chocolate Bars
Ingredients
- 2 c quinoa, soaked* and rinsed**
- 2 c chocolate chips, melted (I used Lily's sugar free dark chocolate)
- 1/2 c peanut butter or almond butter, your choice!
Instructions
- Line a loaf pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Heat a sauce pan over medium high heat (get it HOT) and add in the quinoa. Toast for about 2-4 minutes, stirring frequently so it does not burn. The quinoa should start to make popping sounds as it cooks, like popcorn!
- In a separate bowl, mix together the quinoa and melted chocolate.
- Spread half of the mixture in the bottom of the loaf pan. It may not be enough for the entire pan–mine just filled up about 3/4 of the way, and that's ok.
- Spoon the peanut butter or almond butter on top of the chocolate quinoa (it helps if your nut butter is well-stirred and runny).
- Top with the remaining chocolate quinoa and place in the freezer for 1 hr to set.***
Notes
* I soak my quinoa overnight. Soaking the quinoa makes it more tender, which makes these quinoa crunch bars crunchy but not too crunchy.
**The holes in most colanders and strainers are too large for rinsing or draining quinoa. I’ve made my famous chocolate quinoa crunch bars a few times, and I found the best way to drain the quinoa is to do this: pour the wet quinoa into a strainer that’s lined with paper towels. Voila!
***I recommend taking the chocolate quinoa bar out of the freezer and letting it sit at room temp for about 5-10 minutes. This allows it to soften slightly so it's easier to slice.
I started salt n sprinkles to show that making good food is both fun and easy to do. My recipes are mostly plant-based, and always delicious. I know you'll find just what you're looking for!