Dark chocolate, raw quinoa, and coconut oil make up these crunchy Best Ever Gluten-Free Chocolate Quinoa Cups! Easy, simple, and deliciously healthy. Paleo, dairy-free, sugar-free, and nut-free deliciousness. You can't beat that raw quinoa crunch!
When it comes to chocolate Quinoa cups, I think of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and Crunch Bars that I used to devour as a child, pre-Celiac. Once diagnosed I thought I would never ever be able to enjoy a treat like this. Then I went to Nutrition School and everything changed. I realized that if I made them homemade I could have what I dreamed of but using real food ingredients instead.
Enter Chocolate Quinoa Crunch Cups.
Now that I make the homemade gluten-free version, I don't ever think I'll go back to a store-bought. The homemade versions of chocolate candy are so decadent. Learning to use real food and whole food ingredients was the ultimate game-changer. These ingredients are so easy to find at your local market which makes candy making accessible. Plus they are so fun to make.
I first introduced my Quinoa cups at my birthday brunch. I hadn't planned on blogging the recipe, It was just something fun I concocted in the kitchen. The idea behind them was to create a gluten-free wannabe Crunch Bar like the kind I used to eat pre-Celiac. Really just the crunchy effect dipped in chocolate was what I was going for, and to my surprise (because I wasn't sure how raw quinoa was going to fare in a chocolate cup) my friends LOVED them. They complimented them. They asked where I bought them!
LET'S TALK CHOCOLATE QUALITY
Since then I have used different types of high-quality dark chocolate including Belgium chocolate, chocolate sweetened with coconut sugar, and chocolate sweetened with stevia. And I'm talking the real dark kind of chocolate that is 72 percent or higher. I even once used 82 percent. All totally delicious. All huge hits.
- You'll want to choose a high-quality chocolate bar or chip because that will affect the taste and the texture
- The darker you go the less sugar they have which is better for your body
- If you are on a sugar-free, candida, or SIBO diet you'll want 80% or higher dark chocolate
- You'll always want to opt for dairy-free chocolate because it isn't inflammatory
- The darker the better because the darker it is the better your heart health
- If you are not on a specific diet you can go with dark chocolate that is 69% or higher
- You'll also want to make sure your chocolate comes from a dedicated gluten-free facility or is certified gluten-free
- The fewer ingredients in the chocolate, the better. Stick with 3-5 ingredients that you can read
NUTRITIONAL BENEFITS OF QUINOA
- Quinoa in case you didn't know is an ancient seed (but considered a grain) that is a naturally gluten-free and an extremely energetic high protein grain that contains all eight amino acids to make up a complete protein.
- Quinoa is the only "grain" that is a complete protein
- Contains the protein content equal to milk
- High in B vitamins, iron, zinc, potassium, calcium, and vitamin E
- Easier to digest
- Ideal food for endurance
- Keeps you full and satiated because of the protein and nutrient content
- Quinoa provides energy and fuels your body unlike any other grain
- Quinoa is a gluten-free grain
Now, this doesn't mean eat all of the chocolate-covered quinoa cups in one sitting!
Ready to make beautiful music together?
Best Ever Gluten-Free Chocolate Quinoa Cups
Equipment
- double boiler
Ingredients
- 4 bars High quality dark chocolate bars gluten-free, dairy-free
- 1 cup white quinoa raw + unrinsed
- up to 2 tbsp coconut oil melted or solid
Instructions
- In a double boiler set to low/medium heat melt 2 chocolate bars to chocolate liquid.
- Add in coconut oil teaspoon by teaspoon to thin the chocolate mixture. You can use up to ½ tablespoon, but you may not need it. This all depends on how much coconut flavor you want, and how thin you want the mixture to be. This mixture should fill all 9 cupcake liners ¼-inch full. Let that be your guide if you are unsure.
- Line a cupcake pan with foil cupcake liners. Spoon the melted chocolate into the lined cups, filling each about ¼-inch full. Place in the freezer to set, about 15 minutes.
- Continue to melt the remaining chocolate 2 bars with melted coconut oil, and set aside with the double boiler on the lowest setting after it has melted.
- Once the cups in the freezer are set, remove from the freezer and fill each cup with 1 ½ Tablespoons of quinoa. It will go everywhere. That is okay.
- Pour remaining chocolate over quinoa so that quinoa is covered and tap the pan on the countertop to even out and smooth the chocolate. Place in the freezer until set or overnight.
- Always store these quinoa cups in a sealed container in the freezer.
Notes
- Lily's dark chocolate (vegan, dairy-free, soy-free, Certified gluten-free)
- Enjoy Life (made in a Certified gluten-free, dairy-free, Soy-Free and nut-free facility),
- Endangered Species (dairy-free, Certified Gluten-Free)
- Vita Organics (dairy-free, vegan, soy-free, gluten-free - made on dedicated gluten-free lines)
- Nibmor (Certified gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan)
- Hu Kitchen (Dairy-free, paleo, vegan, & Gluten-free but made in a facility with wheat on another floor)
- Remember that coconut oil does melt the chocolate outside of the freezer. That means if you leave them out too long they will melt in your hands and not in your mouth. Keep this in mind when serving them.
- If you don't have a double boiler you can always use the microwave method. Doing it this way you would put the chocolate in a microwaveable cup and melt at 15-minute intervals until melted.
- After melting you'd then add the coconut oil to thin the mixture.
Looking for other crunchy chocolate cup options? Try these!
- Sunflower Seed Chocolate Coins
- No-Bake Chocolate Crunch Cups
- Gluten-Free Chocolate Crunch Cups
- OMG Everything Gluten-Free Caramel Crunch Cups
Love & Chocolate Quinoa Cups!
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Stephanie
I would have never thought to combine chocolate & quinoa!! Absolutely love this recipe.
Julie Rosenthal
OMG yes, it's the best combo, enjoy!
Aimee D.
that's interesting. i have to try that. seems like a cross between a reseeses peanut butter cup and a crunch bar.
Katie
These are absolutely fantastic! I love the quinoa crunch!
Julie Rosenthal
So glad Katie, thanks for your lovely comment!
Rosanna
I’m so glad I found this recipe, I was looking for something to serve when my friend comes over who is Celiac too. Now we all get to enjoy something yummy that will also not endanger her! Thank you 🙂
Julie Rosenthal
OMG yes! Send the Celiacs my way, I can feed them all, and you too! That was so nice of you to include her. What a good friend!
Deb
I have to admit I was a little skeptical as I've never put quinoa in a sweet dessert before and I was afraid the kids would scoff and not eat them. I was wrong, they loved them.
Julie Rosenthal
Well, then I'm so glad you finally tried it, tastes like a crunch bar. So glad you gave this a try!
Leah
I cannot wait to try these! I already have the Enjoy Life chocolate and I always have quinoa!
Julie Rosenthal
Two things we all keep in stock right? Yay!
Andrea
these quinoa cups turned out amazing! love how they're the perfect sweetness and quite healthy for you too with the limited ingredient list. love it!