By Elaine Gordon · Published: · Modified:
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These quick and easy No-Bake Fudgy Quinoa-Chia Bites are absolutely delicious and full of amazing health benefits. They offer healthy fats, plant-based protein and dietary fiber.
No-Bake Fudgy Quinoa-Chia Bites
Sometimes I need a chocolate fix and usually those times correspond with when I'm feeling lazy. Well good news! This No-Bake Fudgy Quinoa-Chia Bites recipe is perfect for that moment! A simple, no-bake and speedy dessert recipe that is full of healthful quinoa and chia seeds. These adorable and delectable chocolate bites are bound together with any nut or seed butter and sweetened with a touch of pure maple syrup. I added a touch of vanilla and sea salt to enhance the flavor. They are perfect little bites of chocolate heaven. They are so incredibly fudgy and rich that you will be satisfied after just one.
This one-bowl recipe is gluten-free, nut-free, soy-free, oil-free, butter-free and vegan. They come together in less than five minutes and then you just pop them in your freezer to set. I usually do mine overnight but three hours is enough time for them to harden. You will want to enjoy these fudgy bites straight out of the freezer. This recipe works great for warmer weather months when you don't want to use your oven. It is one of those no-fuss, go-to recipes that I just love. You are not left with a lot of mess and the results are so rewarding for minimal effort. My kind of recipe!
What you need to make No-Bake Fudgy Quinoa-Chia Bites
This chocolate treat can be dessert or a snack. The only ingredients you will need are:
- quinoa (see my complete guide on Quinoa Benefits for Vegans)
- chia seeds
- any nut or seed butter (almond butter, cashew butter, sunflower seed butter etc.)
- unsweetened cocoa powder (or cacao powder)
- maple syrup
- vanilla
- pinch of salt
You simply mix all the ingredients together and then scoop into tiny balls. Place them on a parchment paper lined flat surface and freeze for a couple of hours. That's it! Pretty straight forward and simple!
The quinoa does need to be cooked ahead of time but I always seem to have cooked quinoa on hand from my weekly meal prep. If you don't know how to make quinoa see my blog post on How to Make Perfectly Cooked Quinoa on the Stovetop or How to Make Perfectly Cooked Quinoa in the Instant Pot. Both methods are easy and produce light and fluffy quinoa that is never burnt or soggy.
What are the health benefits of unsweetened cocoa powder?
Unsweetened cocoa powder is used in this recipe and is made by roasting and grinding cocoa beans. Years of nutrition research has shown that chocolate may provide health benefitsfrom antioxidants called flavanols found in the cocoa solids (as opposed to the cocoabutter). When consumed in large amounts, studies have shown that flavanols in chocolate may:
- Lower high blood pressure and decrease levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol leading to decreased risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke
- Promote lung health and protect against asthma
- Decrease the risk of diabetes and several types of cancer
- Benefit the brain and preserve cognitive abilities to lower the risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease
- Improve mood and feelings of pleasure
- Benefit the vascular system by reducing the risk of blood clots and increasing blood flow in arteries and the heart
Many recipes call for Dutch-processed cocoa powder, which is cocoa powder that has been alkalized to remove the bitter taste. This actually substantially reduces the flavanols (about 65% of the flavanol content is lost).
Like most foods, eating the least processed and most pure form is the healthiest. Flavanols provide a dark pigment, so visually you can look for a darker color in your cocoa powder for more nutritional benefits.
Looking for more delicious vegan, gluten-free and refined sugar-free chocolate recipes?
There is no shortage of chocolate recipes on this blog. I truly am a chocoholic at heart and that will likely never change. Here are some of my favorite chocolate recipes that are ALL dairy-free, egg-free, gluten-free, soy-free, refined sugar-free and peanut-free. Many are also nut-free.
- Baked Chocolate Donuts with Chocolate Ganache Glaze
- No-Cook, No-Avocado Vegan Chocolate Pudding
- The Best Vegan and Refined Sugar-Free Hot Chocolate(made in your blender!)
- Dark Chocolate Avocado Truffles
- Classic Chocolate Chunk Cookies
- Protein-Packed Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
- Homemade Vegan Chocolate
- No-Bake Brown Rice Crispy Treats with Dark Chocolate Shell and Flaked Sea Salt
- Creamy Chocolate Fudgesicles
- Dark Chocolate Chunk Almond Flour Cookies with Flaked Sea Salt
- Healthy Chocolate Smoothie
- Healthy Chocolate Mocha Smoothie
- Chocolate Microwave Cake for Two(Chocolate Mug Cake)
- Instant Vegan Chocolate Mousse
- Pumpkin Chocolate Swirl Muffins
- Vegan and Gluten-Free Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Now, let’s get to making this amazing No-Bake Fudgy Quinoa-Chia Bite recipe! They are vegan, dairy-free, egg-free, gluten-free, soy-free and peanut-free. They don't contain any refined sugars and there is a nut-free option as well.
When you make this recipe, snap a pic and use the hashtag#eatingbyelaineonINSTAGRAM to be featured in my stories. You can also comment on and rate the recipe below.
No-Bake Fudgy Quinoa-Chia Bites
5 Stars4 Stars3 Stars2 Stars1 Star
5 from 16 reviews
- Author: Elaine Gordon
- Total Time: 5 mins
- Yield: 10 bites 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
These easy No-Bake Fudgy Quinoa-Chia Bites are a fudgy bite of chocolate heaven. They are naturally sweetened and loaded with healthful ingredients like quinoa, chia seeds, cacao powder and any nut or seed butter. They are soy-free, gluten-free, vegan, dairy-free, refined sugar-free and peanut-free with a nut-free option.
Ingredients
UnitsScale
- 1 cup crispy quinoa or cooked white quinoa (see my post on How to Make Perfectly Cooked Quinoa on the Stovetop and How to Make Perfectly Cooked Quinoa in the Instant Pot)
- ¼ cup unsweetened cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder*
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- ¼ cup any unsalted nut or seed butter* (sunflower, cashew, almond etc.)**
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- pinch of fine grain salt
Instructions
- Line a small baking sheet or any flat surface with wax or parchment paper.
- Add all ingredients to a medium sized mixing bowl. Stir well to combine.
- Use a 1.5 tablespoon retractable scoop to create tiny bite-sized spoonfuls and place onto the lined baking sheet (9-10 total). Place baking sheet on a flat surface in the freezer and allow to set for 3 hours until bites are fully hardened. I usually leave overnight and enjoy the next day.
- Enjoy straight out of the freezer. The fudgy bites will start to soften at room temperature after about 7-10 minutes. I typically take them out one at a time and enjoy immediately.
Notes
*I like the flavor better with unsweetened cocoa powder.
**Be sure your nut or seed butter is runny and not hardened. If it is a new jar stir well to fully incorporate the oils. My favorite is raw almond butter from Trader Joe's.
Pro Tip: sprinkle flaky sea salt on top for that salty, sweet chocolate combo that never disappoints!
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Category: Dessert or Snack
- Method: No-Bake
There may be an affiliate link(s) in this post, which means that if you click on a product link above and complete a purchase, I’ll receive a small commission at no extra cost to you! As always, all opinions are my own. Thank you SO much for reading!
- Chia Seeds
- Nuts
- Quinoa
- Valentine's Day
- Gluten-Free
- Nut-Free
- Refined Sugar-Free
- Vegan
- No-Bake
- Raw
- Easy
- Kid-Friendly
- Quick
