3 Ingredient No Bake Crispy Chocolate Cookies (No Flour, Eggs, Dairy, Butter or Oil)
These no bake chocolate cookies are crispy and rich. The cookies need just 3 ingredients and don’t require any flour, eggs, dairy, butter or oil. The cookies take only a few minutes to prepare and store well. The cookies don’t require any baking.
These no bake cookies are a rich, chocolatey treat. They are so crunchy and fun to eat.
Ingredients
- Dark chocolate
- Peanut butter
- Puffed quinoa
Dark chocolate: These chocolate cookies are made with dark chocolate. I like using 60 to 63% cocoa dark chocolate. If you need these cookies to be dairy free, make sure to use dairy free chocolate. The cookies can also be made with semisweet or milk chocolate, but the cookies will be much sweeter and will be less set.
Peanut butter: Make sure to use natural peanut butter with no added oils. Peanut butter can be substituted with natural almond butter with no added oils. Peanut butter prevents the chocolate from getting too firm.
Puffed quinoa: Puffed quinoa is the key to the crispy texture of these cookies. Puffed quinoa is raw quinoa that is heated until it pops. Cooking the quinoa this way makes it very crunchy, with a similar texture to cereal. To save time, I like using store bought puffed quinoa, but you can also make your own.
How to Make No Bake Crispy Chocolate Cookies
- The dark chocolate is melted until smooth. The peanut butter is mixed in. Stir in the puffed quinoa until the quinoa are fully coated.
- Use a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop to scoop the cookie batter and release it onto your prepared baking sheet. Use the back of a metal spoon to flatten and shape the cookies into round disks. Place the cookies into the fridge until set. The cookies are then ready to eat.
Texture
These cookies have a rich chocolate flavor and the crunchy texture is similar to crispy rice cereal.
Expert Tips
- 60 to 63% cocoa chocolate will produce cookies that are fully set and can sit at room temperature. If you use chocolate with less cocoa, the cookies will be a little melted if they sit out at room temperature for a long time.
- We like using puffed quinoa in these cookies because it is a healthy ingredient that stays crunchy, even when refrigerated.
More No Bake Cookie Recipes
- 3 Ingredient No Bake Brownie Cookies
- 3 Ingredient No Bake Oatmeal Cookies
- 3 Ingredient No Bake Peanut Butter Cookies
3 Ingredient No Bake Crispy Chocolate Cookies
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup (108g) dark chocolate chips, see note before starting
- 3 tbsp (48g) natural peanut butter with no added oils
- 1 1/4 cups (76g) puffed quinoa, see note before starting
Instructions
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the chocolate in 20–30 second intervals, stirring between each interval with a silicone spatula, until chocolate is completely smooth. Stir in the peanut butter until fully combined.
- Add the puffed quinoa to the chocolate mixture and stir until evenly coated.
- Using a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop, portion the mixture onto your prepared baking sheet. Press each mound with the back of a metal spoon to flatten and shape into a disk, about ¼ inch thick. Smooth sides of the cookies as needed to try to make them perfectly round. If the mixture is sticking to the spoon, clean the spoon to prevent sticking.
- Refrigerate for 20–30 minutes, until the cookies are set and firm. The cookies are then ready to eat. Store uneaten cookies in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.
Notes
- Chocolate note: I recommend using dark chocolate chips (sometimes labeled bittersweet chocolate chips) that contain between 60-63% cocoa. If you need the cookies to be dairy-free, make sure to choose dairy-free dark chocolate. You can use a higher percentage cocoa, but your cookies will be more bitter and more firm. If you less than 60% cocoa, the cookies will be sweeter and less set and won't be able to sit out at room temperature for that long.
- Puffed quinoa note: I like purchasing puffed quinoa to save time, but you can also make your own puffed quinoa, with the recipe below. I used Natural Foods puffed quinoa.* The puffed quinoa from this brand is very small, similar to making your own. I have seen that some brands offer puffed quinoa that are bigger pieces. If you use larger puffed quinoa, you may need to reduce the amount used and your cookies may be lumpier.
- *These product links are affiliate links. This means I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.
- Homemade puffed quinoa:
- 1 1/4 cups (210g) raw quinoa (the weight of the raw quinoa is heavier than after it is popped, which is why the gram measurement is different for the puffed quinoa)
- Heat a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Working in batches, add 3–4 tablespoons of quinoa in a single layer. Let cook for 1-2 minutes, shaking the pan constantly, until the quinoa starts to pop and puff. Once most of the grains are puffed and lightly golden, transfer to a bowl. Repeat with the remaining quinoa. Let the puffed quinoa cool completely to room temperature before using.
- The quinoa burns quickly, so it’s important to constantly be shaking and stirring the pan.
- It works better if you preheat your pan before adding the quinoa - they will start popping right away which helps avoid burning
Can you substitute puffed millet cereal for the quinoa cereal?
We haven’t tested this recipe with a substitute for the quinoa cereal so we’re not sure if that would work the same.
Good
Thank you!