Quinoa. In brittle.
I know. This is exciting stuff.
Remember my 7-Ingredient Quinoa Granola? Yep, that’s good stuff (and would make an excellent holiday gift!).
Well, while I was testing that recipe, I noticed a few of the edge pieces got especially caramelized and tasted like brittle! It was a little light bulb moment. I never thought “healthy” brittle could be a thing, but guess what? It totally is.
This recipe is simple, requiring just 7 ingredients and about 30 minutes to prepare (plus a little extra for cooling).
It’s naturally sweetened with coconut sugar and maple syrup, calls for coconut oil in place of vegan butter, and is jam-packed with nutrient-dense ingredients like oats, chia seeds, and quinoa! That’s right, there’s protein in this dessert. Does it get any better than that?!
I think you guys are going to LOVE this brittle! It’s:
Crispy
Crunchy
Naturally sweet
Nutrient-dense
Nutty
Satisfying
& Addictive
Though I think this would be delicious year round, I made this brittle with the holidays in mind. Can you imagine your friends’ reactions when you bring quinoa brittle to their dinner party?
‘Yeah, that’s right, there’s chia seeds in your dessert. Deal with it!’
But seriously, they’ll fall in love and sneak bites when you’re not looking – guaranteed.
If you give this recipe a try, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it (once you’ve tried it), and take a picture and tag it #minimalistbaker on Instagram! I’d love to see what you come up with. Cheers, friends!
Quinoa Brittle
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup uncooked white quinoa (if desired, use "sprouted" quinoa for improved digestibility // we love Tru Roots organic brand)
- 3/4 cup pecans, chopped
- 1/4 cup gluten-free rolled oats
- 2 Tbsp chia seeds
- 2 Tbsp coconut sugar
- 1 pinch sea salt (optional)
- 2 Tbsp coconut oil
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
Instructions
-
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (162 C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper, ensuring it covers the entire surface and all the edges (to prevent spill over).
-
Add quinoa, pecans, oats, chia seeds, coconut sugar, and salt (optional) to a mixing bowl - stir to combine.
-
To a small saucepan, add coconut oil and maple syrup. Warm over medium-low heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally until the two are totally combined and there is no visible separation.
-
Pour over the dry ingredients and stir to thoroughly combine and coat. Arrange on parchment-lined baking sheet and spread into an even layer with a metal spoon. Try to get it as even as possible, or the edges will burn and the center won’t crisp up (see photo).
-
Bake for 15 minutes, then turn the pan around to ensure even browning. Bake 5-10 minutes more and watch carefully as to not burn. You'll know it's done when uniformly deep golden brown in color and very fragrant. The edges may appear to be getting too brown, but they’re just getting crisp and caramelized, so don’t be afraid of that!
-
Let cool completely before breaking into bite-size pieces with a sharp knife or your fingers.
-
Once completely cooled, store leftovers in a sealed bag or container at room temperature for 1 week or in the freezer for up to 1 month. This makes an excellent holiday dessert or gift!
Notes
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate.
Nutrition Per Serving (1 of 10)
- Calories: 157
- Fat: 9.6g
- Saturated fat: 3.1g
- Sodium: 25mg
- Carbohydrates: 17.2g
- Fiber: 2.4g
- Sugar: 7.5g
- Protein: 2.9g
I’ve made this several times. It’s delicious and anyone who tastes it agrees. Is it possible to eliminate the quinoa so that it’s full paleo?
Thanks
I haven’t tried that, but it should work! Just replace with more notes?
I rarely spend time in the kitchen but as someone who loves crunchy goodies I decided to try this recipe. It’s really easy to make and I’m quite sure I made several mistakes but still it came out just as it should. It was crunchy, hardened enough to actually make crispy pieces and is really good! I highly recommend it!
Thanks for sharing, Terry!
Delicious and so many possibilities for nuts and seeds. I added roasted pumpkin seeds because I didn’t have chia seeds. Ate all of the first batch and now going to make it again with the chia seeds. LOVE this site, thank you!
Thanks for the sweet note and lovely review! xo
made this brittle today – with a few substitutions since I have nut allergies – swapped out pecans for soya nuts and added some pumpkin seeds per some of the previous comments. Love the flavours, but it isn’t “brittle” – I can cut pieces from the pan, but they don’t break like traditional brittle. Is this normal when cooking with quinoa (this is my first quinoa recipe)?
I had the same issue–it wasn’t crunchy like quinoa brittle should be. I used to buy it packaged at my coffee shop until they stopped making it and this recipe just doesn’t recreate that brittle texture though it does capture the taste.
Hi Rachel, Is it possible that it hadn’t cooled enough yet? Or that you are in a warmer climate? It should be crunchy! Another reader suggested breaking it up and placing in the fridge if it has trouble hardening up. Hope that helps!
they taste amazing!!! ;)
Yay!
Made it for the first time yesterday. Made it for the second time today. This has become an instant hit with me, my husband and 7 year-old son. I tossed in all kinds of nuts and seeds from my pantry. Cut down on the coconut sugar, I added some Whole Foods cocoa chia flax mix that sweetened it up as well. This is infinitely adaptable and irresistible. Nice one!
Thanks for sharing!
I can’t stop making this!! Everyone keeps requesting their own batch too!
TIP: Your middle will likely be soft while the outside is crispy. Just break it up as best you can, please it in the fridge and it will harden it up! You will have perfectly hard/crunchy bites of deliciousness.
Great tip! Glad you enjoyed it!
What size baking sheet for quinoa brittle?
Any standard one on the larger side will work. We used one that is around 10×16 inches.
I made this today and unfortunately found it has a fishy taste. I have tasted this flavor before when I’ve used chia seeds in another recipe. My son was able to taste it as well. Has anyone else experienced this? Aside from that, the texture and other flavors were very nice. I will make it again without the chia seeds. Perhaps mine are starting to turn rancid.
Hi Ashley! If your Chia Seeds smell or taste fishy, this is a sign not to eat them they have gone ‘off’. The smell is due to the Omega 3’s oils in the seeds going rancid and eating them can do more harm than good.
I make this often now for friends and of course my family loves it. Thank you!
Excellent! I didn’t have pecans so I used sliced almonds. Great treat when you need something sweet.
Made this today! Used my silicon baking sheet and it was just lovely. Kids loved it! Making more tomorrow!
Can I use honey instead of maple syrup?
Yes, that should work! Others have had success with it.
I can’t believe that I haven’t commented before now. I have made this so many times and every time I do, everyone who eats it goes ga-ga! It is SO good! I have a double batch in the oven right now and can hardly wait to dig in (even though it’s meant for a party tomorrow night!) Thank you Dana for this genius combo!! SO, SOOOOO good!!!
I made this recipe tonight because I was in the need of a quick healthy treat to satisfy my sweet tooth. To my dismay, the brittle stuck to the wax paper. I should of followed my instincts and sprayed the paper or used my silicone baking mat but I figured because it had enough coconut oil to cover the surface to not stick. Overall, it was delicious. I just ended up scrapping what I could from the wax paper and used some of then in a yogurt parfait and bagged the rest. I’ll try again another time with modifications. Hopefully it’ll turn out better.
Definitely don’t use wax paper! It will stick every time. Parchment paper is best.
Hi Dana. I’m wondering if my silicone mat would work rather? I don’t mind getting some parchment paper, however I like to extinguish my at home options first.
Can I use wax paper in place of parchment paper ??
No you cannot….use parchment paper. Wax paper will stick as it has WAX on it. Wax melts when heated.
This is amazing! Was a super big hit at work! I ran out of coconut sugar and was only able to put less then 1 tablespoon and it still worked out beautifully!
What size baking sheet did you use ??
I made this for a holiday treat party at work and everyone loved it. My family loved it too. It is super easy to make, not overly sweet, and delicious!
Yay! Glad it was a hit, Naomi!
Hi I am wondering how long it will last for I wanted to make it as a holiday gift ?
Hi Lauren! Stored in a sealed bag or container at room temperature, they will last for 1 week or in the freezer for up to 1 month. Hope this helps!
OMG!!!!!! it s amazing!!!! I made it just with honey and aaaaa. help me or I will eat it all in one go :D
thank you so much for share
Glad you loved it, Hanistak!
I made this and it was sooooo good! Can’t wait to give it out as holiday gifts!
Made it. Easy. Turned out great -tastes awesome. My tip – spread as thin as possible – better crunch and flavor than when thicker.
I love it! Absolutely delicious. I can’t stop eating it!
Hi I cant get coconut sugar, any replacement?? Thank you.
Hi Marisol! You can replace it with organic cane sugar!
Thanks!!! I will try it.
Can we substitute pecans with say walnuts, or hazel nuts?? Thanks.
Also can we use red quinoa?
Yes and yes!
Could you substitute black strap molasses for maple syrup?
Thanks!
Hi! We haven’t tried it but if you do, report back on how it goes!
I made this and love it! I also substituted pecans for pumpkin seeds because I have a friend with a nut allergy!
OMG. I wish I never heard of this recipe. It is so good that I can’t stop myself from getting up and eating more.
Yah, I let it cool for hours :( But I’m not going to give up, will give it another shot as the flavour is so good.
Maybe you spread it too thinly? I kept mine at about 1 cm thick and it spreads a lot during the baking.
I’m so sad, mine never set, it is very crumbly and just falls apart – I LOVE the flavour though – I did add a tsp. of cinnamon not sure if that affected it?
Hi! I am sorry to hear that it didn’t work for you! Did you let it completely cool?
I made this for my friend for Christmas who has a lot of food allergies. I had to sub walnuts for the pecans because of the allergies but it was still amaaaazing. I was worried about the raw quinoa but it worked great!!! I probably could have baked it a bit longer because some pieces were still a little chewy but I was paranoid about burning it. Best part of all: she loved it!!!
Absolutely delicious! I followed the recipe exactly except I didn’t have chia seeds so I swapped in shelled hemp seeds. My partner hates anything that “tastes healthy” but totally loves this – we both couldn’t stop eating!
This recipe has been a hit and greatly enjoyed by everyone who tries it. I love that it’s very easy to make too.
The downside is I can’t stop eating it! :)
OH MY GOODNESS!! I made this at Christmas for a family party, did a single and a double batch and the double was a tad thicker in the pan, so cooked it longer but, what a hit!! My Mother-in-law, scooped up some in a napkin to take home. So now, I made her a tin for New Year’s Day and she will get it tomorrow. Her comment was (in Italian) “It’s so good! I can’t stop eating it!”
this recipe is amazing!!! I add vanilla extract to the coconut oil and maple syrup mixture which gives it a little extra flavor that it needs. Even the skeptics loved this recipe.
I’ve made this twice this week!! First time doubled the recipe, 2nd time tripled! Lol everyone i know is getting some for christmas. It is SOOOO good!!! The first batch i used pepitas and sesame seeds instead of nuts to keep it allergy friendly. 2nd batch i added peanuts as well the pepitas and the sesame seeds. Everyone who has been given the first batch raved about it. Thank you!
This is a wonderful treat! We didn’t have Chia on hand so we used raw pumpkin seeds. My toddler is a fan :D Thank you!
Aaaah!! Terrific recipe!
I didn’t have oats on hand so, because I’m adventuresome, I tried with only quinoa and flax (cause no chia either) and made it without oats. I was a little worried the quinoa would be too dense/hard and not come out good but BOY WAS I WRONG! I subbed out half the coconut oil for some peanut butter and used peanuts instead of pecans (again, what I had on hand) and it came out amazing, like a nice, light, healthy version of peanut brittle. I love, love looooooooooove the texture of the finished product. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever eaten. It’s satisfyingly crunchy, toasty, and delightful. I may never eat anything else again. :P I thought I’d comment since I didn’t see anyone else necessarily who made it with no oats. If you have a ton of quinoa on hand and no oats then go ahead and make this with all quinoa instead! You won’t regret it.
Subbing peanut butter is a great idea! Will def try that next time i make it!
I just made this and it’s insane how delicious it is! I subbed sunflower seeds I didn’t have pecans and I didn’t have coconut sugar but the maple syrup def made it sweet enough and I added hemp seeds as well since I had some in the cabinet. DELICIOUS! Thank you for sharing!
This is a great recipe. My children and grand children all love it and they ask e me to do it again next time we get together.
You, Dana, are a QUEEN. My batch just came out of the oven, and I didn’t know it was possible to enjoy it as much as I am. Also, because I felt like being a little wild, I made a match of your coconut whipped cream to essentially make a dessert chips and dip out of this duo…beware. The combo is far too addicting. Thanks for making dreams come true!
This is incredible. I have made batches for a road trip snack, a toddler dessert, a work potluck, and a holiday gift. I am so grateful for your recipes! Thanks!
I make this all the time but I take it one step further and drizzle it with some homemade chocolate. I make it with cacao, honey ,coconut oil, vanilla and a pinch of sea salt!
Success! My co-workers loved it and asked for more :)
Thank you!
This recipe is amazing it was so yummy! At first I was worried that the mixture was too watery and runny but it came out of the oven and solidified very well. I am making this again asap! lol Thank you so much for this recipe. Very simple and fool proof!
Hi Dana!!
I made a batch of these last week, and they were SO GOOD, I’m going to make a new batch today!!
I did end up swapping some stuff. We were out of coconut sugar so I used brown sugar, and I added a sprinkle of cacao nibs, unsweetened coconut flakes, and some sunflower seeds (which I’m going to leave out this time) because I was in the mood. I did find that the inner part wasn’t brittle-like, more chewy- but I’m pretty sure that’s because I didn’t bake it for long enough (a total of 20 minutes). Anyways, I just wanted to say thanks for this awesome recipe! I’ve given it to family members who wouldn’t touch quinoa or anything remotely healthy looking and they loved it! You rock dana!
To make these nut-free, could the pecans simply be omitted?
I have made this twice now. The first time it came out more like granola than a brittle, very separate pieces. Today it came out soft and pliable. Delicious, but soft. By the way, I added pistachios and hemp hearts, and used slivered almonds instead of pecans. Do you think if I cut down a little on the maple syrup it would make it harder?
I love this brittle !! It’s so easy and tastes fantastic !!! This be a staple in our home like the 5 ingredient granola bars are. Thank you
Excellent recipe, Dana—thank you! With a well-stocked pantry, this can be made with items on-hand, as I did last night to make a crunchy topping for this morning’s bowl of oatmeal. I quartered the whole recipe, baked, and then put the hot baking tray in the fridge to cool all night. It came together quickly, and came out wonderfully.
One possible improvement: I tasted sweetness only, even though I added the pinch of salt (about 1/16 teaspoon for 1/4 of the recipe) suggested as optional. When making again (as I’m sure I will!), I might scale up the salt or cut the sugar mixed into the dry ingredients.
LOVE this.. I’ve been looking for new snack ideas and this was perfect and something new to have! Even my 2 year old likes it :)
I finally got around to making this today. Boy is it yummy. I was a little leery about using the quinoa without rinsing it first but it turned out beautifully and not bitter / soapy taste from the quinoa. Took some to work and all of my coworkers loved it, too.
Are you sprouting the quinoa first?
Second attempt was great!! I used wax paper last time and this time parchment paper. I guess that was it. Tastes delicious !! Love all your recipes !!!
My husband and I love this! I made a bark by melting 60% cacao chips and 100% cacao chocolate and spread it out when brittle is just out of the oven. I also add pumpkin seeds 1\4 cup to my brittle. YUM!!
looks amazing and so easy, will absolutely try to do it :-)! Thanks a lot for all your amazing inspiration and creations!
I am impatiently waiting for my two batches to finish baking! I knew this was a winner after I licked the bowl! I omitted the nuts (allergies) and coconut, swapped in some Super Grains Mix (white and red quinoa, millet and buckwheat), kept the chia seeds (love them!), replaced the oats with one bag of instant maple sugar oatmeal, halved the maple syrup, used brown sugar and canola oil instead. Then I added another batch to the tray (it looked so good!) and used a tablespoon to gently pat everything flat. I flipped mine at 9 minutes and took it out after another 5 minutes.
Hi. Mine got stuck to the parchment paper. Could not peel it off or eat it. What did I do wrong ???
So odd! Did you change anything about the recipe? I’ve never had that issue!
The only thing was I started putting the maple syrup into the mixture without cooking it. I poured it into the pan from the bowl but I had some uncooked maple syrup still in the mixture. Do you think that caused it ?
Hmm, I’m not sure! I haven’t heard of anyone else having this issue. So sorry it stuck!
Hi! Can’t wait to make this tonight! Did you roast the pecans?
Nope!
I made this yesterday and it was delicious and addicting! I didn’t have any coconut sugar, so I just omitted it.
2ND times a charm….5 stars!
THANK YOU so much for this recipe! I just finished baking my first “batch” of this, and its absolutely perfect!! HAPPY DANCE! I tried to rate this 5 stars, but for some odd reason it will only select 4 Actually, this is a TEN STAR recipe!
Delicious and super easy!
Made this brittle tonight and it was amazing. Love the taste and texture! This recipe is really easy to whip up and is a definite keeper for sure!
I bookmarked this recipe a few days ago. We are housebound due to the DC blizzard, so I just made my first batch. I have a specific, lifelong dislike of all things coconut, so I substituted raw, unrefined cocoa butter in its place. I added 1/4 tsp ancho chile powder and a heaping 1/2 tsp cinnamon. Otherwise, no changes.
I gotta tell you, this recipe is fantastic. The brittle is crispy, crunchy, sweet but not sticky-sweet, and filling thanks to all the nuts, seeds, and oats. I’ve just sent around the link to all my friends urging them to hoof it to their kitchens and get to work!
Thanks for great snack; I look forward to trying your other recipes.
I had everything on hand except the coconut sugar. ? Mixed up quickly & was on the cookie sheet in no time. I used pecans, walnuts, almonds & cashews in it. I didn’t have parchment paper so used coconut oil to grease the pan. It smelled heavenly when baking. Had a hard time getting it off pan probably because no paper. However, it was divine and everyone scarfed it up!???? Next time I’ll use the paper. ?
Sooooo good. I really want to eat all of it, but I’ll save some for my family!
Omg Dana! Wish you could see my husband and I right now! We are both clutching a couple of pieces in each hand with one in our mouth shoving each other away from the pan to grab even more! This is totally delicious and addictive! Love love love! Will share on Instagram tomorrow!
I have to tell you, my whole family LOVED this brittle! Since my kids go to a nut free school, I had to substitute pumpkin seeds for the nuts. I wasn’t sure what it would turn out like, but it was AMAZING! I love so many of your recipes….. but if you can do more snack-y things for kid’s lunches minus the nuts, that would be awesome. Thanks! We will continue to eat the recipes with nuts after school :)
I don’t have any chia seeds . Will the recipe be ok without them?
I would sub more quinoa, or something else to compensate!
I just made these. Delicious! Very gooooooood recipe! I will definitely make it again.
This is amazing! I took it to a party and it was devoured! One of the teenage boys first looked at it and said “Quinoa?” and shied away, but my husband said a little later he was munching out on it. Very easy and so yummy.
This was soooo tasty!! Even my traditional eating in-laws couldn’t stop eating it over the holidays! So good! Used a variety of nuts rather than just pecans, turned out great.
I made this today with walnuts, honey instead of maple syrup and omitted the coconut sugar completely. It still came out GREAT!!! Awesome recipe, totally addictive!
Did you use the same measurements for the honey or did you up the amount because of omitting the coconut sugar? Thanks!
I did this recipe as part of my homemade Xmas gifts. It was my first try cooking with coconut oil, so I felt a little out of my comfort zone but it all turned out ok.
I made at least 6 batches, so here are my observations:
– I did have some batches that weren’t setting hard enough, but they came out ok after I broke pieces apart around the edges and put the middle back in the oven for 15 minutes. I figured out I had that problems only with the batches I didn’t spread well enough.
– My oven isn’t perfectly leveled, as it turns out, and I found the mixture did spread to the edges of the cookie sheet when hot. It wasn’t too hard to clean off: hot water did the trick better than with regular brittle.
I tested the following modifications:
– substituted 7 kinds of nuts for the pecans (almond slivers, choped walnuts, macadamia, pistachios, hazelnuts, pecans and cashews).
– tried adding cardamom seeds crushed in a mortar, and saffron. Both worked perfectly with the nutty flavors.
Suggestions:
– I will toast the nuts and rince/dry the quinoa when I do this recipe again.
– I would also try with quinoa flakes instead of whole seeds, to avoid having too many seeds stuck in teeth..
;-)
I mean this in the *best* possible way: this recipe is stupid easy. Aaaaaand delicious. I now understand all the comments of people saying they could eat the entire batch themselves.
Thanks for another great recipe!
Wow I have to make this at some point! It looks and sounds absolutely delish!
Absolutely delicious! I wanted to eat the entire batch! Great recipe!
Love this! I made it for a Christmas gift and the recipients thought it was so good! They asked for the recipe… definitely a hit! Thank you!! :)
I made this last night. OMG is it DELICIOUS!! It is sweet without being to sweet, nutty and has that perfect brittle texture. You could literally eat the whole batch yourself.
I made those twice and they never got firm :(
Made it. Love it. Will make it again. Lots.
Came out crispy, once it cooled.
Shared some, they demanded I share the recipe. Did, plus the link to this website.
Keep up the good work.
Can I rate it 6 stars?
Just made this today. I added some pumpkin seeds and chopped almonds. It was fabulous!!! I am making a few more batches to give away. My daughter also thought putting this on top of low-fat ice cream would be delicious! Thanks so much for this recipe. We really love it!
My mother made this recipe using pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds in place of the pecans (she was making it for someone who doesn’t eat nuts) and it was delicious. She was very happy with the results. Thank you.
I made the following substitutions and it turned out delicious:
2 Tablespoons Earth Balance (whipped) butter for the coconut oil
Some dark chocolate chips for the cashews
Regular white granulated sugar for the coconut sugar
Multicolored quinoa (looks like the same kind in the photo at the top of this recipe page) for the white
It is very crunchy, but not so much that I am afraid for my teeth (which is why I avoid standard brittles). Thanks for publishing this recipe!
Your pictures are making me hungry. I want some now!!
Hands down: easy, beautiful and damn delicious ??
This brittle went perfectly as planned… which is saying something considering every year I try to make peanut brittle and have to throw the first batch away! Wonderful recipe for my family treats this Christmas. The past two years I’ve been skewing things toward the healthy in the area of food gifting, and my family loves it! We are all trying to lose weight/stay fit and recipes like this are so awesome! I almost couldn’t believe how tasty this was, then I remembered: duh! It’s from Minimalist Baker, of course it’s fabulous! ;) Thanks for a winner!
That’s wonderful! thanks for sharing, Darlene!
I’m allergic to coconut sugar, what can I use instead.
Organic cane sugar.
I made this as is and I just had to say, it is DELICIOUS!! I literally had to pry myself away from the pan so I didn’t eat it all. I’ll be making more to share with my family on Christmas! Thank you!
Yay! Thanks for sharing, Robin!
Allspice is a delicious addition, especially for holiday gifting. Delicious and enjoyed by all, even those suspicious of “healthy” snacks!
We made it yesterday and it came out soooo yummy. I used tricolor quinoa, rinsed it and added the rest of ingredients. I substituted with organic sugar since I did not have coconut sugar. It worked!
Thank you!
hi there, made the brittle and it is DELICIOUS! However, it didn’t “brittle” it stayed soft, any thoughts? thanks so much, Leslie
This looks really delicious:)) I will try it to take with me to uni! Have a nice day, Sophia
Would walnuts instead of pecans work?
Yes!
The brittle sounds amazing. Unfortunately we have heart disease in the family and try to stay away from oil. What do you think will happen if I omit the coconut oil? Thanks!
It probably won’t work, but if you give it a try, let me know!
Great idea to toast the quinoa first. My batch is just finishing in the oven, but I only used 1 Tbls. coconut oil because I’m normally averse to cooking with any oils…. I’ll let y’all know how this works! And the verdict is…..fabulous!! I’ll be making this again to give as gifts!
Thank you so much for this AMAZING recipe! It is delicious and everyone loves it! Question: if i wanted to reduce the sugar (I am trying to cut back), could I eliminate the coconut sugar or use less maple syrup?
Hmm, If you’re trying to cut back on sugar I’d actually just reduce all of the ingredients equally, since they’re all perfectly proportioned. I’m afraid cutting back on one of those would negatively impact the end result. But if I had to choose, I’d cut back the coconut sugar. Good luck!
Thank you! Will let you know if I have any luck!
Dana, I made it and it was really good! The family loved it. I didn’t have any pecans so I used peanuts instead – they worked great! I’m going to share this on my facebook page.
Jan :)
That’s great! Thanks for sharing, Jan.
Wowza! I just made this and I am so delighted with the results. I love peanut brittle, but all that sugar and corn syrup is a total turn off, so when I came across this recipe I was excited to give it go. I did toast the quinoa (all I had was red quinoa), pecans and oats first but other than that followed your recipe to a tee. It turned out light and crunchy and sweet. The combo of the maple syrup and coconut sugar made for perfect sweetness. This Quinoa Brittle will make great gifts as well as a delicious candy type snack for the family that actually has some nutritional intensity. Thanks so much for sharing! :D
So great! Glad you liked it, Katie.
Oh yummy! What a great idea to use quinoa for a delicious crunch. This brittle looks so tasty and crispy and easy to make :)
haha I meant refined sugar!
OMG I LOVE brittle but I hate how much regined sugar is in it. AND the quinoa makes me very happy! Thanks for sharing! I can’t wait to try this one!
Love this recipe. I made it last night using half honey/half maple, and it is super delicious. The only thing is—it was not crisp or brittle at all. It was more chewy, a bit like an extra-sweet granola bar. It did get crisp after I put it in the freezer for a while, and it stays pretty crisp if I keep it in the fridge. Did yours get completely hard and crisp like a brittle? Any ideas on where I went wrong? I kept it in the oven until it was quite toasty and brown all over. Thanks!
i am wondering this myself. mine is delicious but texture is sticky and chewy, not crispy like i thought it might be. however, the edges are… maybe next time i will spread it thinner…
Hmm, I haven’t tried it with honey, so perhaps that was the issue? Mine was completely hard like brittle…
I absolutely love this healthy take on brittle! Definitely trying it soon!
OMG! I love how this looks! I grew up eating peanut brittle (favorite indian snack) and I cannot take my eyes off of your pictures because they ARE gorgeous AND its a brilliant recipe! LOVE <3 Pinned!
I spent most of the past few days making fussy recipes with expensive ingredients that didn’t come out very well. I threw this together on Sunday evening and it salvaged my whole weekend! It’s super easy, tastes good, and is so pretty! Thank you!!!
Yay!!!!
I’m always looking for more ways to add protein to my snacks (or dessert). This is perfect! Love the pecans, too.
I just made a batch of the brittle. So delicious! I can’t stop nibbling on it! It seemed really runny and that there was too much liquid when I poured it out on baking sheet, but hardened up and turned out perfect! This recipe is a keeper!
Glad you stuck with it! So happy you enjoyed it, Elizabeth!
Hi Dana!
I have just made your quinoa brittle for my family and we absolutely fell in love this beautiful one!.
I didnt have pecan nuts in my kitchen so used cashews and alomonds which worked totally fine.
Thank you for sharing the recipe and you are amazing!.
Hope you and your family will spend lovely Christmas.
This looks so unique and delicious, you’re creativity is out of this world. We don’t get quinoa around here, but I do have amaranth, does that work?
I haven’t tried it myself, but yes, that should work! Let me know if you give it a try.
OMGiggles! This is now in my tummy & my tummy is very, very happy! This is ridiculously delicious and addicting. I am going to the store in the a.m. to buy more Quinoa & tomorrow I will be making more batches for Christmas gifts. I can’t believe how effortless this recipe is to make. I have made Almond Rocca from scratch for parties for the last 4 years per request, & could never partake myself. (sniff) But now, I’m on happy overload! Thank you Dana!!!!
Yay! So glad you enjoyed it! xoxo
Do you think I could substitute uncooked millet for the white quinoa?
Actually, yeah that should work! Let me know if you give it a try!
I am one of those quiet followers – making recipes from your site, but not always commenting. I have really enjoyed the diversity of recipes you share – thank you so much. Today, I am making the quinoa brittle right now – and it looks great. I did rinse the quinoa and let it dry first. But, I noticed when I added the coconut oil and maple syrup to the mixture, it was very watery. It was then that I went back up to your ingredient list and noticed that the coconut oil was 30 ml and the maple syrup indicated 60 ml (or 1/4 cup). Please confirm whether the maple syrup amount is 1/4 or 1/2 cup. I added other dry goods including; unsweetened coconut, flaxseed, sunflower seeds and sliced almonds to offset the liquid. I am crossing my fingers for a positive outcome – I’ll keep you posted. Until then, please confirm maple syrup and coconut oil amounts for future cooking. Thank you!
Hi Jennifer! Thanks for asking, and sorry to confuse! The 2 Tbsp coconut oil (30 ml) is correct, and the 1/2 cup maple syrup is correct also, however the metric measurement was incorrect. Sorry! It’s 1/2 cup maple syrup (120 ML). Hope you love it!
Fab! This actually made me hungry.
Looks really good. Need to make those
OH wowww I LOVE this idea! Such a unique recipe, would never have thought eating quinoa in brittle haha, definitely on my to-make list! :D
This is brilliant!
I had all the ingredients to make this tonight, great recipe
I’ve made this using shredded NORI in place of Quinoa and sliced almonds in place of pecans. So good. This sounds even better with Quinoa and pecans. Will be making this for Xmas.
Lovely! Hope you enjoy my version, KJ.
What an intriguing idea, KJ! Thank you!
Isn’t uncooked quinoa really hard to digest and therefore not good to eat?
You can eat uncooked quinoa seeds and you benefit from all of the nutrients – provided that the seeds are cracked or partially ground. The uncooked seed have a shell that protect them. If the shell is still intact when you swallow it, it’s not harmful, but the quinoa seed will simply pass through your body without being digested (and therefore without providing you with any nutritional benefits). So you could use cracked or partially ground seeds to avoid that.
Thanks for sharing Natalie!
So is it best if I grind or crack the quinoa in a mortar first?
Do you have to use “white” quinoa. I have red on hand?
My three kids are mostly move out of the home now and I am learning to cook again for just two. I am having fun trying your vegan recipes. Looking forward to purchasing the cookbook next year. Thank you so much for sharing your recipes.
That should work!!
Could you use unsweetened coconut flakes in place of the oats? My sister in law is allergic and I’m trying to think of yummy snacks to make this sounds perf except for the oats!
Hmm, it’s worth a shot. However, coconut flake tends to cook faster than oats and could get burned. But if you give it a try, let me know!
Looks soo…. good! I too want to know if I need to rinse the quinoa before using it. I’ll hold off making till I hear from you. Thanks for the answer.
You can certainly rinse and dry it before adding. I didn’t rinse mine, because I’m usually not too worried about it. But certainly do if you prefer!
My daughter made me this recipe and I just made another batch, it’s delicious. I looked up eating raw quinoa, and this is what I found. “Raw quinoa cannot be digested properly and its undigested starches are likely to cause you gastrointestinal discomfort. Moreover, raw quinoa is covered by a substance called saponin, a toxic soap-like substance that can bind with some of the minerals you eat, preventing them from being absorbed, according to “Nutrition Research.” Can you tell me if cooking this in the oven is really cooking it? I usually cook where it sprouts open and gets soft.
I personally wouldn’t eat it raw either. But I buy sprouted quinoa or you can sprout it at home. That will solve the issue you listed. If you want to sprout your own there its easy and there are tutorials online, just do a search for it on the Internet.
Okay, now it is sprouted but it is not dry so I can’t use it for this recipe? Will this recipe work with ‘soft’ quinoa???
Looks great and easy and I believe I have all the ingredients. :)
Did you rinse the quinoa first? I’m looking forward to trying this!
I didn’t, but rinse and dry first if you’d like!
i made this today. rinsed the quinoa and toasted it in a low oven till dry. then proceeded with making this AWESOME TREAT!!!
today i was out of pecans and subbed raw pumpkin seeds and unsalted peanuts and WHOA!! really really tasty! reminded me of munching on a piece of peanut brittle when i was a kid which i havent done in more decades than i care to admit :) was worth the wait!!
My excitement about this is SO real!! I’ll definitely be making this. I’d like to say I’ll give it as gifts, buuuuut chances are I won’t want to because it’s so good. Gorgeous photos as always too!!
Ha! Thanks Leah! xoxo
I made this … it’s awesome… however … I think I will include sesame seeds as well next time ( adjust quinoa amount )
Brilliant idea , thank you ?
Quinoa brittle?? I’m screaming. This is such a unique take on traditional brittle! It looks delicious :) Thanks for sharing!
These look like a great healthy snack and doesn’t seem to hard to make ~
This is such a neat take on brittle! Love it!