Have you ever made your own chocolate? If not, I highly recommend trying it out! Making homemade chocolate is such a fun activity and it is an easy way to make your chocolate refined sugar-free and dairy-free without sacrificing any of the delicious taste! I used quinoa in these homemade dairy-free chocolate bites for some added crunch. They are the most perfect sweet treat!
Why You’ll Love This Homemade Quinoa Chocolate Recipe
It’s allergy-friendly.
It’s so delicious (seriously way better than store bought chocolate)!
It’s easy to make.
It’s so fun to be able to say you made your own chocolate!
Kids love them.
It’s a great way to get added nutrients and protein from quinoa while enjoying a fun treat.
Equipment Needed
To make this dairy-free homemade chocolate you will need a mixing bowl and a mini muffin tin. I recommend using a silicone muffin tin because it makes it a lot easier to remove the chocolate after you freeze it. I like this one from Amazon.
Ingredients
Quinoa: I prefer to use organic, if possible. If you buy quinoa in bulk, such as at Costco, it can help save money as well! Make sure you rinse your quinoa before using it! This is to get rid of its natural coating called saponin, which can make it taste bitter.
Cacao Butter: This is an essential ingredient in chocolate and helps to give the it a rich and creamy texture. You can find cacao butter at most grocery stores or grab it on Amazon here. I usually order my specialty ingredients at Thrive Market because I find that is it is cheaper. If you order through my link here, you will get 40% off your first order and a free gift up to $60!
Cacao Powder: Cacao powder contains flavonoids and has so many health benefits! I recommend using a high quality and organic cacao powder, if possible. Again, buying in bulk is the most cost-effective.
Sugar: In order to make this recipe refined sugar-free, I recommend using coconut sugar or date sugar. You can also use regular sugar though too!
Vanilla Extract: This gives the chocolate some extra flavor! You could also play around with different extracts like almond or peppermint.
Salt: My favorite salt is Redmond Real Salt because it has great ingredients and there are no unnecessary fillers. If you use my discount code LESSWITHLAUR you can get 15% off their website.
How to Make Homemade Crunchy Chocolate Quinoa Bites
Preheat the oven to 375º F.
Pour the quinoa onto a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, or until crispy.
While the quinoa is baking, melt the cacao butter and then stir in the cacao powder, coconut sugar vanilla and salt.
Stir in quinoa and pour the chocolate mixture into a mini muffin tin.
Refrigerate or freeze overnight or until hardened. Enjoy these delicious homemade dairy-free chocolate quinoa bites!
Substitutions and Variations
I would not recommend omitting any of the ingredients in this homemade chocolate quinoa bite recipe. The coconut sugar can be substituted for date sugar to keep it refined sugar-free or you can also use regular sugar if you do not care if the recipe is refined sugar-free or that is all you have on hand! If you want the chocolate to be on the sweeter side, feel free to add more sugar.
How to Serve Chocolate Quinoa Crispy Bites
Eat these homemade chocolate bites immediately! I would recommend letting them thaw slightly before biting into them if you are storing them in the freezer.
Storage
Store these chocolate quinoa bites in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or the freezer for up to 3 months for best quality.
Recipe FAQ
Can you make the chocolate in other shapes?
Yes, any mold would work for this! There are several silicone molds on Amazon. You can make them in a bar shape or they have cute holiday-shaped chocolate molds as well. I would recommend silicone because it is easiest to remove the chocolate once it is frozen.
Is this recipe difficult to make?
I know making your own chocolate sounds intimidating, but it is actually pretty simple and definitely rewarding!
Related Recipes
Make sure to try these other delicious gluten-free and dairy-free and/or vegan dessert recipes next:
Gluten-free, vegan and refined sugar-free sweet potato s'mores bars
The BEST Gluten-free and vegan pumpkin squares you will ever try
How to Make Homemade Chocolate Quinoa Bites
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
- 1 cup cacao butter
- 3/4 cup cacao powder
- 1/2 cup coconut sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375º F.
- Pour the quinoa onto a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, or until crispy.
- While the quinoa is baking, melt the cacao butter and then stir in the cacao powder, coconut sugar, vanilla and salt.
- Stir in quinoa and pour the mixture into a mini muffin tin.
- Refrigerate or freeze overnight or until hardened. Enjoy!
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