Healthy Quinoa Chocolate Chip Cookies

Healthy Quinoa Chocolate Chip Cookies are a fun new version of everyone’s favorite cookie! Quinoa gives them a chewy texture with a delicious nutty flavor that goes perfectly with the melty chocolate chips.

This is not your typical chocolate chip cookie recipe, it’s got a fun new twist that I think you’re going to love! In the same way that you would use whole oats in an oatmeal cookie, we are using cooked quinoa in these cookies. It gives them the most perfect soft and chewy texture, and a really complex nutty flavor. They are absolutely as good as an oatmeal chocolate chip cookie.

Healthy Quinoa Chocolate Chip Cookies

I also love that the quinoa adds extra protein and nutrients to a decadent dessert, which is always an added bonus. It took me a few trials to get this recipe just right. I wanted them to be soft and chewy, but not too crumbly. The combination of oat flour, unsweetened shredded coconut, and cooked quinoa are the perfect trio. The coconut really comes in clutch with the added chewy texture.

They are naturally sweetened with coconut sugar, and also have a subtle coconut flavor from coconut oil. Then add in those chocolate chips that get gooey and melty, top with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt, and you are going to be in Heaven.

Ingredients for Healthy Quinoa Chocolate Chip Cookies

• Cooked Quinoa – you will use cooked and cooled quinoa in the same way you would use oats in an oatmeal cookie, they give great texture!
• Oat Flour – making your own oat flour in the blender or food processor only takes like 30 seconds, and its a nice change up from almond flour.
• Coconut Sugar – my favorite natural granulated sugar.
• Unsweetened Shredded Coconut – I LOVE the coconut in this recipe, it really adds something special.
• Baking Soda – to help keep them chewy and soft.
• Eggs – also for the fluffy factor.
• Coconut Oil – I love using coconut oil in cookies instead of butter.
• Vanilla Extract – we can’t have cookies without vanilla!
• Chocolate Chips – DUH
• Flaky Sea Salt – don’t skip this step, trust me!

How to Make Healthy Quinoa Cookies

• You will start by cooking the quinoa. Combine 1/2 cup of uncooked quinoa and 3/4 cup water in a small pot. Cover with a lid and let the liquid come to a boil, once boiling, turn the heat down to low and let it simmer for about 15 minutes. Fluff it with a fork once all of the liquid is absorbed and transfer it to another bowl to let it cool. The quinoa needs to cool completely before you mix the cookies, so you can make it ahead of time to make it a bit easier.
• Next, make the oat flour by blending the whole oats in a blender until it turns into a flour consistency. Pour it into a large mixing bowl. Next, add the cooled quinoa, coconut sugar, shredded coconut, sea salt, and baking soda. Whisk to combine.
• In a smaller bowl, whisk together the eggs, coconut oil, and vanilla extract. Pour the egg mixture into the dry ingredients. Use a wooden spoon to mix together the dough.
• Add in the chocolate chips and mix again until the chocolate chips are evenly distributed. Put the bowl in the fridge for AT LEAST 30 minutes, preferably an hour or more to chill and firm up.
• While the dough is chilling, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Use a medium size cookie scoop to scoop the dough onto a baking sheet. Repeat with the rest of the dough, do not flatten the top of the cookies with your hands. Leave them in a ball, they spread quite a bit on their own.
• Bake for 9-11 minutes, then let them cool for another 5 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring them to a wire rack to cool. Sprinkle the flaky sea salt on top to finish.

Tips & Tricks for Making Quinoa Cookies

• Cool the quinoa completely after cooking it. If it is still warm, the cookie dough won’t be able to firm up and it could potentially cook the eggs. Let it cool in the fridge until it is at least room temperature, if not a bit chilled.
• Let the coconut cool off to room temperature after melting, it could cook the eggs if it is too warm.
• Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes in the fridge. This is a very important step because it will help the dough firm up. If not, your cookies will spread out way too much and not stay together.
• Don’t flatten the cookies on the baking sheet, they spread quite a bit. Just leave them in the ball shape after using the cookie scoop.
• Let the cookies cool for at least 10 minutes after baking before taking them off the baking sheet, they will be very soft and could potentially crumble if they are still too warm.

Looking for more cookie recipes?

• [Grain-Free] Chocolate Chunk Almond Butter Cookies
• Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies
• Grain-Free Cranberry Lemon Cookies
• Grain-Free Shortbread Cookies
• [Vegan] Banana Nutella Cookies

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Healthy Quinoa Chocolate Chip Cookies

Servings 15 cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup cooked and cooled quinoa
• 1/2 cup oat flour *see notes
• 1/3 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1/3 cup coconut sugar
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup coconut oil , melted and cooled
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup chocolate chips
• flaky sea salt to sprinkle on top

Instructions

• You will start by cooking the quinoa. Combine 1/2 cup of uncooked quinoa and 3/4 cup water in a small pot. Cover with a lid and let the liquid come to a boil, once boiling, turn the heat down to low and let it simmer for about 15 minutes. Fluff it with a fork once all of the liquid is absorbed and transfer it to another bowl to let it cool. The quinoa needs to cool completely before you mix the cookies, so you can make it ahead of time to make it a bit easier. 
• Next, make the oat flour by blending the whole oats in a blender until it turns into a flour consistency. Pour it into a large mixing bowl.
• Next, add the cooled quinoa, coconut sugar, shredded coconut, sea salt, and baking soda. Whisk to combine.
• In a smaller bowl, whisk together the eggs, coconut oil, and vanilla extract. Pour the egg mixture into the dry ingredients. Use a wooden spoon to mix together the dough. 
• Add in the chocolate chips and mix again until the chocolate chips are evenly distributed. Put the bowl in the fridge for AT LEAST 30 minutes, preferably an hour or more to chill and firm up. 
• While the dough is chilling, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Use a medium size cookie scoop to scoop the dough onto a baking sheet. Repeat with the rest of the dough, do not flatten the top of the cookies with your hands. Leave them in a ball, they spread quite a bit on their own. 
• Bake for 9-11 minutes, then let them cool for another 5 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring them to a wire rack to cool. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt to finish.

Notes

• You can buy oat flour, but it is so easy to make yourself. Just blend whole oats in a blender or food processor for a few seconds until it turns into flour.