Include in Print View:

Chocolate Quinoa Crisps for Kids – A Fun & Healthy Snack

Chocolate quinoa crisps for kids are presented in small star and circle shapes.

If you’ve endured an economy seat on that blue airline based out of Chicago recently, you know that the one redeeming feature of an otherwise cramped and joyless experience is that all-too-tiny miracle of a snack they drop into your lap right before the beverage cart rolls your way. Quinoa? Crispy quinoa? Covered in chocolate? One bite of those chocolate quinoa crisps is all it takes: you feel the same sugar-addled dopamine rush, say, rice krispies do; you also feel kinda…virtuous for ingesting it? At 35,000 feet and deep into flyover country, it can feel momentarily life changing–at least for three bites.

But there’s no need to be wistful, or to fear: it is almost stupidly easy to replicate the snack in your own kitchen. It really requires two ingredients (though we use a few more to soup it up); it demands only two minutes (at most!) of cooking time. Is it virtuous? Well, it’s got big protein and fiber for a simple chocolate snack; it requires less than ten minutes of work to put together and, as long as you have chocolate and quinoa on hand, can come together any time. Your child is going to wolf down three pieces before you have a chance to finish one; he/she will never ask what’s in it. That’s a virtue, no?

(Note: while below we provide specific measurements for the components of the chocolate quinoa crisps, we nearly always make this by sight/feel; it is almost impossible to mess up. See the directions for how we do it.)

Check out our other no-bake treats and toddler healthy snack ideas!

Ingredients Summary

In just a few simple ingredients, you’ll make a crunchy, high-protein snack that’s fun for kids and easy for you:

  • Dark (or semi-sweet) chocolate chips melt into a silky base.
  • Toasted quinoa adds pop and texture, plus a boost of protein.
  • A dash of vanilla extract helps mellow any sweetness overshoot.
  • Optional chia seeds give extra fiber and a little fun crunch.

Steps Overview

  1. Rinse the quinoa and dry it lightly; then toast it in a single layer over medium heat until the seeds begin to pop or brown.
  2. Melt the chocolate chips (with a little splash of oil if you like) until smooth; stir in vanilla, and fold in the toasted quinoa (plus chia seeds if using).
  3. Press the mixture onto parchment-lined plate or tray; either spread for a bark or shape into rounds/break into pieces.
  4. Freeze for 15-20 minutes until set. Store in the fridge for a few days or freeze for longer storage.
  5. Serve a couple of pieces as a sweet snack—just enough, not a full meal substitute.

FAQ

Q: Can I use milk chocolate instead of dark?
Yes — although dark chocolate is recommended for less sugar and stronger flavor, you can swap in semi-sweet or milk. If you do, the vanilla extract becomes more important to round out the sweetness.

Q: My quinoa didn’t pop or brown much — is it still okay?
Yes. Toasting helps texture and flavor, but skipping it won’t break the recipe. You’ll still get good crunch once it sets.

Q: How do I store them?
Once set, you can keep the crisps in an airtight container in the fridge for a few days, or freeze them to extend shelf-life by months.

Q: Is this snack enough to serve on its own?
It’s rich and small—great for one or two pieces as a treat, but not a full snack or meal for a toddler by itself (per the recipe author’s note).

Related Links

What to Serve With Chocolate Quinoa Crisps

More Toddler-Friendly Recipes Like This

Prep Time 7 mins
Cook Time 3 mins
Total Time 25 mins
Cooking Method:
Cuisine:
Meal(s):
Difficulty: Beginner
Servings: 6
Calories: 80
Description

A high-protein treat with serious crunch, these chocolate-coated crisps come together in minutes, with little effort and even less cooking. Make into fun shapes, or keep as bark--either way, your kid(s) will love 'em!

Ingredients
  • 1/3 cup Chocolate (we highly recommend dark chocolate here, but use what you got)
  • 1/2 cup Quinoa
  • 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract (highly recommended if not using dark chocolate, as it tempers the sugars of semi-sweet and milk chocolate morsels)
  • 1/2 tbsp Chia Seeds (optional)
Instructions
    Prep, Cook, and Assemble
  1. 1
    Rinse the quinoa until the water is clear, roughly 15-20 seconds. Allow to dry. (Note: if you skip this step, it won’t affect the taste, not to worry
  2. 2
    Fill the bottom of a pan/skillet with a single layer of quinoa seeds, making sure none are stacked on top of each other. Turn the heat to Medium.
  3. 3
    Toast the quinoa seeds, shaking and stirring the pan to move; as soon as the seeds begin to pop and brown, or as soon the seeds look brown and toasted, remove from heat immediately. Set toasted seeds aside; repeat for remaining seeds as needed.
  4. 4
    Fill a small bowl roughly a third to a half way up with chocolate chips; add in a generous splash of oil–olive, avocado, or coconut are best here–and shake to mix. Microwave chips for 60 seconds; stir to fully melt and mix chocolate.
  5. 5

    Dump into the bowl of chocolate about half of your quinoa, followed by the chia seeds, a splash of vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt; mix to combine. Add in the rest of quinoa and continue to mix until blended.

  6. 6
    Scoop up chocolate-quinoa mix and place on a plate that’s been lined with parchment paper. To make bark, smush and spread the chocolate-quinoa mix across plate; If you want to make shapes, you can either a) smush and spread the mix as above, and then use your cookie cutter right on the spread, or b) grab chunks of the mixture, roll into small balls, then flatten to make round crisps or to press a cookie cutter into them to create desired shapes.
  7. 7
    Freeze for 15-20 minutes.
    8. Serve
  8. 8

    Because it’s so rich but also thin and small, a couple of pieces of this will satisfy but not quite fill your child up; it may not, in other words, serve as a full snack onto itself. Take a cue from United, then, and leverage it as something to get you from one thing to the next: as a quick bite before an activity, or when the kids need something to eat but the next meal is at least an hour away; as a nice dessert bite when the family wants something sweet but you don’t want to give out sugar highs either. (Note: once frozen, this stores quite well in the fridge for several days, with no negative effect to texture; you can also keep it in the freezer for several months.)

    9. Adapt
  9. 9

    To make the chocolate quinoa crisps a bit more substantial, try partially freezing the chocolate-quinoa batter for roughly 10 minutes, then spreading nut butter on the bottom side before freezing for another 10-15 minutes; you could also stud the top of the mixture with nuts, seeds, dried fruit, or coconut before freezing.

Nutrition Facts

Servings 6

Amount Per Serving
Calories 80kcal
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 4g7%
Potassium 100mg3%
Total Carbohydrate 9g3%
Dietary Fiber 3g12%
Sugars 5g
Protein 2g4%
Iron 1.5 mg
Folate 20 mcg
Phosphorus 40 mg
Magnesium 50 mg

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Keywords: Snacks for Kids, Healthy Snacks for Kids, kids snacks, healthy toddler snacks, easy snacks, toddler snacks, toddler snack ideas, chocolate quinoa crisps, healthy kids snacks, fun shaped treats, toddler friendly desserts, kid approved chocolate snack, sugar conscious snacks for kids, quinoa chocolate bites, easy school lunch treat
Read it online: https://newdadskitchen.com/recipe/chocolate-quinoa-crisps-for-kids/
The recipe author and his then-infant son
Brad

Brad (the Dad) is the founder and Chief Recipe Officer of New Dad's Kitchen. His own cooking/feeding journey started humbly during his son's infancy, preparing and managing his son's bottle intake in order to support his wife; it has since blossomed into a full-on passion to feed his child and family delicious and healthy meals that can satisfy both a toddler and his very tired parents.