Healthy Quinoa Brownies
These healthy quinoa brownies are going to be your new favourite treat! They’re rich, fudgy, and loaded with quinoa!
Healthy quinoa brownies.
As in, brownies…that are made from quinoa. Are you understanding me right now?! MADE. OF. QUINOA.
Yeah, I’m pretty excited about it, because not only are these brownies totally flourless, but they also take one of my favourite grains (quinoa) and turn them into chocolately deliciousness.
Why I love these quinoa brownies
Chocolate is a staple in my kitchen. I like to make sure I’m getting my chocolate fix on the reg. So having healthy chocolate recipes that can give me my daily chocolate fix is so important in my home!
I’m also a huge quinoa fan. Quinoa is packed with all kinds of amazing nutrients. It’s high in protein, contains almost twice as much fibre as other grains, and is packed magnesium, iron, and B vitamins. Oh, and it’s also gluten-free! Can it get any better? Why yes, yes, it can…by mixing it with chocolate of course!
This is one of my favourite new recipes. I made these quinoa brownies to bring to my friend’s cottage up north and everyone loved them! They made the perfect comforting dessert on a snowy winter day. These Quinoa brownies have no flour, no refined sugar, and no dairy. They are fudgy and rich but are healthy enough to eat for breakfast. (#winning.)
I love this recipe because not only does it satisfy your chocolate craving, but they are nutritious too! I also have a Vegan option if you do not eat eggs, so you can make these brownies no matter your dietary restrictions!
A few notes on the recipe:
So these brownies start with a base of quinoa. For this recipe, you’ll need half a cup of uncooked quinoa or about 1 cup of cooked quinoa.
You can prepare this recipe either in your food processor or in a blender. both will work fine! You’ll want to make sure you are using a good quality cocoa powder to make these brownies, so they have a nice rich chocolatey taste!
Enjoy! xo
Healthy Quinoa Brownies
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Total Time: 45 mins
- Yield: 12 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
These quinoa brownies are sure to satisfy your sweet tooth while still being healthy!
Ingredients
- 1/2 c quinoa (uncooked)
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1/2 c coconut sugar
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup coconut oil (melted)
- 1/4 cup almond milk
- 2 eggs (or flax eggs)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp vanilla
Instructions
- Cook your quinoa according to package directions, and let cool completely.
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees, and line an 8 x 8 pan with parchment paper.
- Start by adding your quinoa to the food processor, and blend until it forms a paste.
- Next add the rest of your ingredients to the food processor, and continue to blend until everything is incorporated.
- Pour your brownie mixture into the pan, and bake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Let cool, cut into squares and enjoy!
Notes
These brownies are great topped with a little cocoa powder or powdered sugar!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 brownie
- Calories: 139
- Sugar: 11g
- Fat: 7f
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 2g
Have you ever converted these to blondies? What would you substitute instead of the cocoa?
Hi Shayla, I haven’t tried so I couldn’t say!
I am not into coconut oil or sugar. Can I substitute applesauce or Greek yogurt? And for sugar … maple syrup or honey?
Hi Deb, I wouldn’t recommend substituting the oil in the recipe for applesauce.
Hey, any replacement for Maple syrup?
Hi Heena, you can use honey, brown rice syrup or agave instead!
Hi!
Looks like a great recipe.
Is it also ok to blend the uncooked quinoa and then mix the resulting flour with all the other ingredients?
Thanks
Caro
Hi Caro, I’d recommend sticking with the recipe directions 🙂
Made this in a tiny Bundt cake pan and added pinot noir-macerated cherries — it turned out well! Slightly modified the recipe with walnut oil, vanilla syrup, oat milk, and red quinoa based on ingredients I randomly had that day. xx
Sounds beautiful! Happy you enjoyed!
As a “new” vegetarian I’ve been trying out a lot of recipes, and this was my first dessert/snack! It is definitely a keeper I followed the recipe exactly and the brownies turned out perfect, moist but firm, and light. These will be super to grab before my morning run. Thanks!!!
Hi Lou, thank you for the review! Glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe! 🙂
My husband love it. he asked for something more proteic … I found this recipe it is just perfect!
Thank you so much for the review Hadassa!
Is there good substitutes for the coconut ingredients? I can’t do any coconut but these look amazing!
Hi Amanda, if you can eat dairy you can use melted butter, otherwise you can use any neutral tasting vegetable oil!
Unsweetened applesauce is a good replacement for oil.
I have quinoa flour instead of quinoa you have to cook. Does that mean I should add more liquid to the recipe?
Hi Aubryanna, I haven’t tested this recipe using quinoa flour in place of the quinoa, I’m not sure how this will alter the recipe.
do you taste the coconut oil in these?
Hi Deanna, not really however if you want to guarantee zero coconut taste make sure to use refined coconut oil-this type has no smell or taste!
Easy to make and tasted very nice! I will definitely make again.
Hi Fiona, thank you for your review of this recipe! So happy to hear you enjoyed them 🙂
As someone who was up north that time you brought them, I can honestly say these brownies are unforgettable.
I made these brownies yesterday and the are BY FAR the best healthy brownies I have ever made! And I’ve tried them all – beetroots, sweetpotato, chipea, blackbean, nothing beats these with quinoa!
I used a little less coconutoil (I ran out) and exchanged the maple syrup with Sukrin Gold (low-cal sweetner) and then I used my luxorius cocoapowder from Valhrona!
I love these and with my changes it’s only 150 calories pr slice (and that’s for 8 slices!!) and 4 grams of protein!
THANK you for this receipe – i think I might have been looking for it for years!
Hi Christina, thank you so much! I’m so happy you love this recipe as much as I do!
Oh, and if anyone was wondering – yes, they are also freezer-friendly, just let i thaw for 2-3 hours 🙂
Hi Christina. Brilliant! That’s great to know 🙂
Wow, how did I miss these! I love quinoa recipes, and to use it to make brownies is ingenious Jess! Thanks for sharing! Dee xx.
Thanks Dee! These are an oldy but a goody!! I’ve fed them to people and no one knew they weren’t “regular” brownies!
These look wonderful! And so healthy <3
Thank you so much! They’re healthy enough to eat for breakfast 🙂
Hi there big square of fudginess! I want to steal you from Jess and gobble you up! I am a huge fan of flourless chocolate treats, less flour always equals more fudgey, but I’ve never used quinoa instead! So easy to make too, now I’m just imagining a big dollop of nicecream on top 🙂
These would be delicious with some nicecream on top! Such a wonderful idea Natalie!!!
This looks really good! But I have to ask you, it’s 350 degrees Fahrenheit right? Sorry if it’s a stupid question. 🙂
Hi Charlotta! Yes Fahrenheit! There’s not stupid questions 🙂 enjoy!
Quinoa replaces flour in brownies? Huh, I never thought of that! What an incredible brownie recipe! The chocolately-ness is UNREAL!
yes! No flour here! JUST quinoa! and let me tell you, you could serve them to somebody who loves regular brownies and they’d never even know it’s quinoa!