These chocolate quinoa scotcheroos are a protein-rich twist on the classic Rice Krispies recipe. Vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free and refined sugar free.
This chocolate quinoa scotcheroos recipe is a traditional treat, made from peanut butter and a puffed cereal, and it is made healthier here with puffed quinoa, dark chocolate, nut butter and maple syrup. Extremely easy to make, and even easier to eat! Don't have puffed quinoa? Use any puffed cereal or kashi cereal like this one found online!
The beauty of this recipe is it results in a sweet treat, that is powerfully nutritional, with a healthier cereal at center stage. More cereal bars to try include my chocolate crunch bars, and my soft chocolate chip granola bars.
Why You'll Love These
A healthy Rice Krispie substitute. This version, using puffed quinoa, is a protein-rich treat, a far cry from the sugar-ladened, fun but unhealthy commercial treat made from marshmallows and Rice Krispie cereal.
Protein-rich treat. Quinoa is so high in protein that it supports every cell process in the body and the chosen food of NASA for its astronauts while on space missions.
Super easy to make. Just mix in a bowl, spread in a pan and chill. These bars are also easy to customize. Add in chocolate chips, nuts, hemp seeds, or even dried fruit to change things up.
Ingredients
for the Scotcheroos
Popped quinoa (or your favorite puffed cereal)
Nut butter
Maple syrup
Flavorings: vanilla, salt
For the chocolate top
Chocolate chips
Coconut oil
Steps to Make
Prep
1.Sit jar of coconut oil in a pot of boiling water to melt enough to use.
2.Line a loaf pan with parchment paper. Rub sides with melted coconut oil.
3.Measuring out the popped quinoa into a large mixing bowl.
Make Scotcheroos
1.Add the nut butter and maple syrup to a 2-cup pyrex measuring cup and set that into boiling water. Don't let water enter the cup, and keep stirring until the mixture combines and thickens.
2.Remove from heat and add in the vanilla and salt.
3.Pour the mixture on to the popped quinoa in the mixing bowl. Quickly but gentle fold the popped quinoa and the syrup/butter mixture together.
4.Then pour the combined mixture into the pan, and press down and flatten the mixture using the bottom of a metal measuring cup or other flat utensil.
5.Freeze for one hour to solidify the crisps before pouring on the chocolate top.
Make Chocolate Top
1.Place the chocolate and coconut oil in a 2-cup pyrex measuring cup. Microwave for 60 seconds, remove and stir the chips until all are melted.
2.Pour the chocolate over the chilled quinoa mixture. Tip the pan to help the chocolate reach all sides. Then tap on the counter to help the chocolate level out.
3.Refrigerate the pan for one hour and then slice into squares.
Storage
Store in a covered container at room temperature for two days. You can refrigerate after that for a week, but add a paper towel so they remain crispy. These won't freeze well, they will become soggy.
Variations
Popped quinoa. The version I used was store-bought but not that easy to find. Kashi cereal or a puffed cereal is an excellent substitute.
Maple syrup. Instead of maple syrup, agave syrup or date syrup can be used instead.
FAQS
What Are Scotcheroos?
Scotcheroos are a treat made by a USA cereal manufacturer, popular in the 1960s. Scotcheroos got their name after an important ingredient used to glue it together - butterscotch.The recipe was originally printed on boxes of cereal in the 1960s. Fun to eat, but full of sugar. Want to learn more about this iconic recipe? Visit Wikipedia here.
What is Quinoa?
Quinoa is a gluten-free pseudo-grain considered a superfood these days, because of its strong and unusual nutritional profile. Pronounced "KEEN-wah", quinoa is one of the few plant foods that offers a complete protein profile, all nine of the essential amino acids. Essential because your body cannot produce them on its own. Quinoa is also high in fiber, iron, zinc, copper, thiamin and vitamin B6, potassium and magnesium, phosphorus, manganese and folate. One cup of quinoa yields 8 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber.
Quinoa is so incredible that NASA scientists are considering quinoa as the crop to grow in outer space, because of its high nutritional content, and ease of growing.
More Chocolate Recipes
- Chocolate Crunch Bars
- Chocolate Chickpea Clusters
- Easy Chocolate Fudge
- Butternut Squash Fudge Recipe
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Chocolate Quinoa Scotcheroos
Ingredients
scotcheroos
- 2 cups popped quinoa (or your favorite puffed cereal)
- ⅓ cup nut butter
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
chocolate top
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips
- 2 tablespoon coconut oil
Instructions
Prep
- Sit jar of coconut oil in a pot of boiling water to melt enough to use.
- Line a loaf pan with parchment paper. Rub sides with melted coconut oil.
- Measuring out the popped quinoa into a large mixing bowl.
Make Crispies
- Add the nut butter and maple syrup to a 2-cup pyrex measuring cup and set that into boiling water. Don't let water enter the cup, and keep stirring until the mixture combines and thickens.
- Remove from heat and add in the vanilla and salt.
- Pour the mixture on to the popped quinoa in the mixing bowl. Quickly but gentle fold the popped quinoa and the syrup/butter mixture together.
- Then pour the combined mixture into the pan, and press down and flatten the mixture using the bottom of a metal measuring cup or other flat utensil.
- Freeze for one hour to solidify the crisps before pouring on the chocolate top.
Make the Chocolate Top
- Place the chocolate and coconut oil in a 2-cup pyrex measuring cup.
- Microwave for 60 seconds, remove and stir the chips until all are melted.
- Pour the chocolate over the chilled quinoa mixture. Tip the pan to help the chocolate reach all sides. Then tap on the counter to help the chocolate level out.
- Refrigerate the pan for one hour and then slice into squares.
Storage
- Store in a covered container at room temperature for two days. You can refrigerate after that for a week, but add a paper towel so they remain crispy. These won't freeze well, they will become soggy.
Shannon
Delicious!! I made these twice. I double batched the second, and used a little less maple syrup (about 1/2 cup rather than double 2/3) in my second batch and they are great. In the first batch I made, I forgot the vanilla and pinch of salt and it still tasted great (but I would recommend putting it in!).
Dee Dine
Thank you for sharing!