I picked up some puffed quinoa at the health food store this weekend and decided to make a little treat with it. I have a deep and unending love for peanut butter, so that’s what I went with…
Notes
- The natural peanut butter that I used is not very sweet, so I used 4 tbsp of agave nectar. Adjust this depending on your taste.
- I decided to add a tablespoon of crushed peanuts to the mixture since I was using smooth peanut butter.
- The peanut butter I used is very runny, but if yours is on the thick/dry side, you may want to heat it up slightly beforehand.
- I found the mixture to be too sticky to roll into balls right away, so I placed it in the fridge for 15 minutes, and it firmed-up just enough to easily roll into balls.
- I tried making something similar a couple weeks back using puffed brown rice, but the texture seemed too chewy – and almost soggy. Regular (white) puffed rice (such as regular Rice Krispies) should work well, but it has under half the protein, so seek-out puffed quinoa if you can.
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Updates
May 9, 2013 – Reader Tamara (below) said that she found Puffed Quinoa in Canada at Bulk Barn. In the U.S, it can be ordered online from Amazon.com.
Puffed Quinoa Peanut Butter Balls
Prep time
Total time
These puffed quinoa peanut butter balls don’t require any cooking – just roll ‘em and eat ‘em! Vegan / Gluten-Free
Author: Angela @ Vegangela.com
Recipe type: Dessert, Snack
Serves: 12
Ingredients
- 1 cup puffed quinoa
- ½ cup peanut butter
- 3-4 tbsp agave nectar
- 1 tbsp crushed peanuts (optional, for extra crunch if using smooth PB)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- vegan dark chocolate (optional)
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, combine the peanut butter, agave and vanilla. If the mixture is too firm, heat it up on the stove a little bit.
- Add the puffed quinoa (and peanuts, if using), and stir to combine.
- Place mixture in the fridge for 15 minutes to let it firm up.
- Remove from fridge, roll into 12 balls, and return to fridge for 15 minutes before serving.
- Optional: dip some or all of the balls in dark chocolate.
Notes
Makes 12 balls.
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I had no idea they made puffed quinoa – I definitely can’t wait to get these whipped up. They look like a more whole-foods (and vegan, of course) PB rice krispie ball!
Hi Faith – Look for it at your local health food store. And yes, they’re totally like a healthy rice krispie treat!
i never heard of puffed quinoa, but i definitely need to search some out now! your peanut butter balls look adorable. who doesn’t love a crunchy peanut butter ball? no one i know.. ;)
Hi Caitlin – Your local health food store should have it. They’re pretty hard to resist, ha ha!
Those are pretty darn cute. I’ve never had puffed quinoa before, but I’ve definitely eyed it up – this whole puffed grain thing was a recent discovery for me (save for rice crispies, of course). I’m all over the chocolate ones, pb + chocolate is the best ever.
Hi Allysia – looks like most people haven’t heard of it, but it should be available at most health food stores. I agree – PB + chocolate were made for each other!!
Love this idea and I bet they would make super cute holiday “cookies” dipping in white chocolate then adding some colored sugar perhaps. I have yet to see puffed quinoa around here though. Probably have to order it.
Hi Heather – That’s a great idea! You could even add some cocoa powder to them, or roll them in coconut or nuts after dipping them in chocolate.They’re like little healthy truffles. Look for the puffed quinoa at the health food store…
Looks so good!! Another AWESOME (and savoury) use for puffed quinoa: Fresh’s Quinoa Onion Rings. You haven’t lived until you’ve tried those!! The recipe is in their latest cookbook; they’re quite labour-intensive, but absolutely worth the trouble.
Thanks Debbie! Oh, I’ve heard about Fresh’s Onion Rings! I really want to try them! I didn’t realize they had a cookbook, I may add it to my Christmas wish-list :)
I’ve never seen puffed quinoa, I’ll have to keep my eyes out for it now. Love anything in ball form, so easy to use as snacks. Great idea!
Hi Heather – Seems I’m the only one who knows about this stuff, ha ha! Try your health food store. Yes, I love little treats in ball form – cute and bite-sized :)
These look and sound so good, Angela! I have yet to see puffed quinoa around here but now that I know about it, I will be on the search. Hope you are well and are enjoying your summer sun. Lucky… xo
Thanks Cara – They’re nice and simple. I bet you could use that puffed quinoa to come up with some pretty nifty vegan candy! The weather here has been glorious… I’m not going to rub it in!
I have never heard of puffed quinoa. Now I’m going to get some to make this recipe. Those “balls” look so good!
Check out your health food store for the puffed quinoa and let me know when you make them :)
oh yes. oh yes. Peanut butter lurrrrrve. These look amazing, love this chocolate dipping action going on too. Great idea!
Thanks Lou! I just had to dip some in chocolate… so good with PB!
Yes never come across puffed quinoa before either but these do look great!
Thanks! I got it at one of the better health food stores here in Sydney, so you may have to dig a little but it’s a fun little find :)
omg these look DELICIOUS!!!
Thank you!!
They look yummy! Have not seen puffed Quinoa at the Whole Foods in Arizona
But I will have to look harder!!! :))))
Hmm… I would think Whole Foods would have it. Maybe try the cereal section?
These look so good! I like to make these ball-kind of treats with rice krispies cereal… but the natural and organic kind (Nature’s Path). I find the traditional cereal absorbs too much of whatever liquid you mix with it and they get soggy. The natural cereal always maintains its cruch and crisp. But I will definitely hunt for puffed quinoa next time!!!
Thanks Jodi. It’s funny that you say that because I had the completely opposite result when using brown-rice cereal. It absorbed all the liquid and made the balls all soggy. Weird! Anyway, let me know if you make these and how they compare for you!
Oh my heavens, there is nothing here that I don’t love. Please, please, please can you deliver to my hotel room in Adelaide? I’m so tired and desperately in need of peanut buttery protein sweetness! :)
Ha ha! Well that batch is all gone, but email me your address and I’ll send you some new ones :)
Whoa. These look amazing! I just discovered puffed quinoa, and I am in love…and being from the midwest, “buckeye” balls are a favorite holiday treat – I’m bringing these to Thanksgiving this year, and I bet they’re going to be just as good as the traditional treats, and will be a bit healthier, too!
Hi Jenn – I’ve only just discovered it too and I’m really loving it. I’m adding your site to my RSS reader so that I can see those healthy Buckeye balls! Thanks for stopping by :)
ah! peanut butter balls are THE must-have xmas treat in my household! i’ve also never heard of puffed quinoa, but i will certainly be keeping my eyes open for it now.
Hi Corrina – Try your local health food store. Seems they’re a bit elusive, but great to have on hand to make quick little treats like this…
I’ve never seen puffed quinoa, but I’m a big fan of quinoa so I’ll be hunting it down!
It’s pretty fun for desserts and a light cereal – let me know if you try these!
Let your readers know that they can find it on Amazon….if they don’t have a health food store around that carries it. Thanks for the recipe. Cant wait to try it.
Great tip, thanks for that! Did you try them?
Wow, it is yummy. Sometimes I can not use peanut butter if I am making it for school project. Which other butter better replaces peanut butter (Almond? something else?)
Yes! Almond butter or even better, cashew butter. Hope that helps!
soya nut butter taste like peanut butter about 90% or 95%.It has the same look and texture.I like the I.M. Healthy original Creamy SoyNut Butter.
Good idea, thanks for sharing ;)
I didn’t have puffed quinoa, but I used Erewhon’s Crispy Brown Rice cereal, instead. These were fabulous! I also have a chocolate fondue recipe (adapted from http://veganrecipes-idahovegan.blogspot.com/2008/02/award-winning-vegan-chocolate-fondue.html), and I dipped these in the fondue, then froze them for about 20 minutes. Very YUM! Thanks for the recipe!
Great mods! Thanks for taking the time to share them :)
you can make puffed quinoa! http://www.livestrong.com/article/432717-how-do-i-make-puffed-quinoa/
That’s so awesome – I will definitely try that. Thanks so much for sharing!
Thank you! Exactly what I was wondering.
Hi,
I just tried to do this, and used this exact recipe from livestrong to make my own puffed quinoa and it burned instantly! I used coconut oil and that may be why. I was really bummed because I wanted it to work. Going to try Trader Joes to see if they sell puffed quinoa. I have a friend that actually boiled her quinoa and let it sit to cool, then made these and it actually worked well.
Yikes! Thanks for letting me know. I think I’ll stick to buying store-bought puffed quinoa! I like the idea of using cooked quinoa though… Will have to try that. Thanks for stopping by and sorry to hear you went to all this trouble.
These look gorgeous. If I can manage to find puffed quinoa in London these would be great for my four year old and her friends. I, too have a complete addiction to peanut butter!
Check out one of the comments above to learn how to puff your own quinoa. I have yet to try it but will get around to it at some point!
These were great! I found the puffed quinoa in the bulk section of my food co-op! Made a batch tonight to take to a baby shower tomorrow for the mom-to-be to have in the freezer when baby arrives in the next week or so! :)
That’s so great! I will have to try freezing them – very good idea!
I just recently found Puffed Quinoa at Big Lots of all places! :) These look AMAZING! I am definitely going to try these out!
Cool – let me know when you do :)
I made these with puffed amaranth (what I had at home) and they came out great. Will try them with puffed rice next time.
I hadn’t heard of puffed amaranth – will look for that. Thanks!
Hi vegangela :) this recipe sounds so delicious. Maybe it would be good with some oatmeal in the mixture too? I’ll have to try it out :)
Great idea! I use oatmeal in these, and they are super yummy :) http://www.vegangela.com/2011/10/06/almost-raw-coconut-apricot-oat-balls/
Oh my, am I ever glad tomorrow is grocery shopping day. These sound delicious and actually a treat I can enjoy without feeling guilty. Thank you for sharing!
You’re welcome – let me know what you thought of them :)
I had never heard of puffed Quinoa either, but a quick google search lead me to an e-how site that says you can pop it like popcorn.
http://www.ehow.com/how_8487456_puff-quinoa.html
Yes, someone mentioned that above. I need to try it. Let me know if you attempt it before I do!
These looks amazing! These kick Rice Krispie bars out of the park!
xo
Thanks! Let me know if you try ‘em :)
I bought some quinoa today just so I could try this recipe! I’ve never had quinoa before (I’m not vegan and I’m just starting to eat healthy after a long time of eating my feelings). I’m going to have to pop the quinoa I bought so I’ll let you know how it comes out. Can’t wait to try it!
Oh that’s awesome. Let me know how you go with popping it! I haven’t tried that yet…
Hi, this recipe sounds amazing! My husband is going to love this. I’m not too into peanut butter do you know if this can be done with almond butter?
Thanks! Yes, I think it would be equally good with almond butter, or even cashew butter. Please let me know if you try that! :)
Do you have to use puffed quinoa? Or can you use just regular Quinoa?
No, just puffed quinoa, but puffed rice would work as well…
Made it today. Had puffed honey quinoa. It tastes burnt (the quinoa) so the balls did, too. I didn’t live it but saw puffed quinoa without honey at target yesterday so I may try that next. It was in the pasta aisle I think.
My fave PB is tj’s but I was out so used half Peter pan and half natural.
Once I am full fledged starch free dairy free sugar free I expect this to taste better just for the fact my taste buds will be happier with it. I want to see if I could add dark choc chips. I am not a choc person in general.
Something in me wanted to smush the balls into a cracker and put sliced banana on top.
Hi Mer – Sorry to hear that these didn’t turn out for you. I’m pretty confident that you’ll like them if you remake them using plain puffed quinoa.Dark chocolate chips would be a great addition, as would the banana slices…
Hi, you can puff your own quinoa very easily if you can’t find it anywhere near you. I am making mine right now, to enjoy tonight for desert. Next I am going to try it with Amaranth, maybe half & half to up the protein & fiber content, if I remember I will let you know how it turns out. (you can puff amaranth the same way as quinoa)
Thanks for the inspiration! I can’t wait for my son & I to gobble these up!!
I’m definitely going to try puffing my own quinoa! I like your idea of using amaranth as well. Thanks for stopping by :)
Is the dark chocolate dairy free? It doesn’t have milk in it does it?
Just seek-out dairy-free dark chocolate… Many of it is dairy-free and vegan :)
What brand is the puffed quinoa you use?
Hi, sorry for the delay. I bought that in Australia and can’t remember the brand. Most good health food stores should sell it, or you can try making your own, as per the comments above. Here’s a link to buy it from Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0057XNWJQ/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0057XNWJQ&linkCode=as2&tag=vegangela-20
Hello! can you tell me the calorie intake of these bad boys! i have to count my calories so it would be very helpful! xo thanks!!
Hi Shannon, you should be able to drop the ingredients info an online calorie-calculator. Sorry, I’m not much of a calorie-counter myself!
There are about 74 calories per ball. If you get REALLY hungry and eat all 12, that’s a whopping 882 calories!
They’re a treat, not meant to be eaten all at once :)
This is the second vegan dessert with quinoa that i found today and it looks amazing! I never thought of using quinoa for a dessert but I really like the idea!
Let me know what you think of it!
Love this! I bought a bag of puffed quinoa when I was in Peru in the fall and I didn’t like it that much. Now I know how to use it up :) Thanks!
Awesome! Let me know what you think of them – I ate many of them over the holidays, he he :)
Wow!!!
Yumm yumm I’m always looking for new healthy treats for my children and me.
I will definitely try it next weekend.
Thanks! : )
Great, let me know how these go over with everyone :)
Happy Tasty Tuesday! We love this recipe and it is featured on our Delicious Quinoa recipe round-up this week! Thanks for sharing!
http://4virtu.com/2013/01/tasty-tuesday-delicious-quinoa-recipes/
Cool! Thank you so much :)
It looks like you can buy puffed quinoa in the US from nuts.com: http://www.nuts.com/cookingbaking/grains/quinoa/puffs.html
This recipe looks delicious and I can’t wait to try it! Thanks! :)
Thanks Richelle – you can also buy it from Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Quinoa-Puffed-1-5-Bag-Each/dp/B0057XNWJQ/ref=as_li_tf_mfw?&linkCode=wey&tag=vegangela-20
These look amazing, but wondering, what is puffed quinoa? Is it cooked quinoa or don’t you have to cook this quinoa? Thanks
Hi! It’s like puffed rice (rice krispies), only it’s quinoa. You can get it at most health food stores, or buy it here from amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0057XNWJQ/ref=redir_mdp_mobile?linkCode=wey&ref_=as_li_tf_mfw&tag=vegangela-20
Excellent little treat! Loved it!
I tried it with homemade puffed quinoa (my first time making it). Actually, I had never tried puffed quinoa before. Not sure the homemade one is quite like the store bought one, but anyhow, it was delicious in this recipe. Daughter loved it too. Will definately make again.
Thank you!
Hi Gabi – Good on you for making your own puffed quinoa. It’s on my to-do list! I’m glad you guys liked the recipe – thanks for taking the time to let me know!
Do you think you could use puffed millet instead? Did you get your puff Quinoa from amazon? The review I saw had someone say it had a chemical smell!, kinda freaked me out!
Hi Erica! Yes, I think puffed millet would work. If you try it, please let me know so I can update the post! I didn’t buy my puffed quinoa from Amazon, but thanks for the heads up. I’ll try to link to one with better reviews…
These look WONDERFUL!! Just saw them on Pinterest, MUST MAKE THEM!
Thanks so much! Let me know when you do :)
I just found your blog and can’t wait to try these great recipes. I’m a new follower via Pinterest.
Kimberly @ mypinterestreality.com
Thanks Kimberly! I will add your blog to my RSS reader and follow you on Pinterest :)
I made these but the quinoa was more soggy than crunchy. It was also hard to “roll” them into balls. I basically smooshed them together to form then stuck them in the fridge. They have great flavor! I want to make another batch with some flavored nut butter I got from whole foods (which is where I found the puffed quinoa).
You’re right that the quinoa does get a little soggy, but the balls do firm-up quite a bit once placed in the fridge for an hour or so… Hope you liked them!
I couldn’t find puffed quinoa at any of the health food stores, so I bought puffed millet. Do you think that will do the job??
Yes, I think it will. Please let me know and I’ll update the post if it works out for you… thanks!
Who knew only a few ingrediants could make something sooooo good? I made these for desert last night after making your spring rolls and they were absolutley sinful. Instead of puffed quinoa I used puffed brown rice (since I already had it on hand) and it was delish! The chocolate on top was the perfect touch. Thanks for another recipe keeper.
You’re on a roll! Literally! Ha! Glad to hear that you liked these too, and that using puffed brown rice worked for you. Thanks again for all your comments, and let me know what else you try! :)
Do you think honey could be used instead of the agave?
Yes, I don’t see why not…
Hi, I too used store bought puffed millet after my attempt at puffing my own amaranth made a mess of my kitchen. I think the texture is just the same as with the puffed quinoa. I can find the puffed millet no problem but the 4 health food stores near didnt carry puffed quinoa, so I use it & it still delicious. Do you think toasting the puffed millet/quinoa would lend to more crunch?
Also, I put these out for my 5, 7 & 8 y/o niece & nephews who thought they were the best desert ever!!
Gabrielle – Good question about toasting for more crunch. Makes sense, and I will try to remember to try that next time I make them. Glad to hear they were a kid with everyone!
Finally got around to making these, and they are sooo tasty!
Even the kids loved them!
I made these with Almond Butter as we have a peanut allergy so they didn’t stick together as well as I’m sure PB would.
I found the puffed Quinoa at Bulk Bark (here in Canada)
:)
Very awesome, super easy and super quick recipe!
Thank you!
THANKS for the tip about finding puffed quinoa @ Bulk Barn. I will let all my Canadian readers know! Glad everyone liked the recipe :)
could you make then in a 9×13 pan and cut them like ricekrispy treats?
Great idea! I don’t see why not. Let me know if you try it.
I whipped these up with cocoa flavoured puffed quinoa. YUMMY!!!
Yummy indeed! Thanks for sharing that!