Description
These little clusters marry glossy dark chocolate with airy puffed quinoa for a crunchy, chocolatey snack that’s quick to assemble and fridge-ready. Optional nut butter adds creaminess; a sprinkle of flaky salt finishes them perfectly.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 oz dark chocolate (I like 72% cacao)
- ½ cup peanut butter (optional — any smooth nut or seed butter works)
- 3 cups puffed quinoa
- Flaky sea salt, for finishing (optional)
Instructions
- Prep your workspace: line a baking tray with parchment, or lightly spray a mini muffin tin with oil if you prefer tidy rounds.
- Melt the chocolate: place the chopped chocolate (and peanut butter, if using) in a microwave-safe bowl and heat in short bursts — about 15 seconds at low power — stirring between each burst until smooth. If you prefer stove-top, melt the chocolate over gently simmering water in a heatproof bowl (double boiler), stirring until it’s fully liquid and glossy.
- Combine with quinoa: transfer the puffed quinoa to a large bowl, pour the melted chocolate over it, and fold gently until every piece gets coated.
- Portion out bites: using a tablespoon or small cookie scoop, drop mounds of the mixture onto the prepared parchment, or fill the mini muffin cups. Smooth the tops a bit if you want neater shapes.
- Finish and chill: scatter a few flakes of sea salt over each piece if desired. Chill in the freezer for about 30 minutes or in the fridge for roughly 1 hour, until set.
- Unmold and store: pop the bites out of the muffin tin (slide a knife along the side if needed) and store them in the refrigerator between layers of parchment, or freeze for longer keeping.
Notes
- Quick Tips & Variations
- Make bark: spread the mixture thin on parchment, chill, then snap into shards for a bark-style treat.
- Add crunch: fold in sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, chopped nuts, shredded coconut, or tiny pretzel pieces. If you add lots of extras, add a bit more chocolate so everything stays coated.
- Sweeter option: stir in a teaspoon or two of honey, maple syrup, or agave into the melted chocolate (or use a lower-cacao chocolate) if you prefer milder sweetness.
- Batch workflow: if using a mini muffin pan, remove partially set bites after ~15 minutes in the freezer, transfer to a tray to finish setting, and reuse the pan for the next batch.
- Storage
- Keep these in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, or freeze up to 3 months. Separate layers with parchment so they don’t stick together.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1oz
- Calories: 97kcal
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 56mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0.003g
- Carbohydrates: 7g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 0.3mg