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
& SO good!
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!
Sue C says
Can I leave out the chia seeds or substitute with something else? I don’t like chia but enjoy sunflower, pumpkin, and hemp seeds.
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Yes! We think hemp seeds would work great in this one.
Sherry Duquet says
Oh wow. This may be one of the most delicious things I have ever tasted.
Can you help me troubleshoot?
I followed the recipe to a tee but had to bake it significantly longer to get it to harden up. Even after I did that, it did not 100% harden in the middle. I would love to make this again and again. Any tips?
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
We’re so glad you enjoy the flavor, Sherry! Spreading the mixture onto the baking sheet as evenly as possible should help with that! Another idea would be if perhaps your oven runs cooler?
Lex says
What could I substitute for chia?
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Hi Lex! We haven’t tried any substitutions for chia seeds, but you might be able to use flax seeds!
Jenni says
This is absolutely delicious! How could i add a twist to the recipe to make different flavors like pumpkin or new mexico red chile?
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
We’re so glad you enjoy the recipe, Jenni! We think you could add pumpkin pie spice for a pumpkin version. We wouldn’t recommend pumpkin purée because it likely won’t firm up well. For a chile version, possibly infusing the chile into the coconut oil and maple syrup in step 3? Let us know if you do some experimenting! xo
Heather says
I’m obsessed with this stuff! It is SO good and so easy to make. The only problem is I can’t stop eating it.
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Whoop! We’re so glad you enjoy it, Heather. Thank you for the lovely review! xo
Corelia says
This is delish, but unfortunately I thought I could get away with greasing my baking sheet with coconut oil instead of using parchment paper.
Would not recommend (lol.) The whole family has been scraping it off with spoons for the last ten minutes.
Jennifer says
I make this for every road trip we take. It’s delicious to snack on as a treat. I usually add some flax seeds as well.
Thank you for the great recipe!
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
We’re so glad you enjoy it, Jennifer! Thanks so much for sharing. xo