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These easy Quinoa Pop Krispie Treats are anything but average! They are made using popped quinoa, marshmallows, and butter. The popped quinoa’s nuttiness balances the sweetness of these treats for the perfect afternoon snack!
Have you ever just had an unbearable craving for sprinkles… or anything sprinkles I should say?? Yesterday, as I was reading this amazing book, Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff, I couldn’t help but imagine a beautiful stack of something sweet and colorful.
So I took it upon myself to make a dessert. Mind you, it was already 3:30 pm. So I knew I had to make something and photograph it quickly because my natural light window was coming to an end! When I’m in a time crunch like that, I usually reach for something just as fast, like my brown butter strawberry blondies or small batch pumpkin donuts.
I checked my pantry for things I could use, and one thing stood out! I had quinoa pops… yay!! I’ve been meaning to make something with them, but I wasn’t sure when. I also had marshmallows from when I made these amazing S’mores cookies. I already love cooking with quinoa in savory dishes, like in my how to cook red quinoa guide, so I was curious to see how the popped version would work in a dessert.
Quick Look: Easy Quinoa Pop Krispie Treats
- 🌾 What it is: Rice Krispie style treats made with popped quinoa, marshmallows, butter, and sprinkles.
- ⭐ Why it works: Nutty, earthy popped quinoa balances the sweetness of the marshmallow.
- 💛 Why you’ll love it: A no-bake treat that’s easy to make gluten-free or vegan.
- ⚠️ What to watch for: Let them cool completely, then slice with a serrated knife for clean squares.
- 🍳 Pan notes: Coat an 8×4 pan with cooking spray and press the mixture flat with a spatula.
- ❄️ Make ahead: Keeps up to 3 days in an airtight container.
Table of Contents
- Quick Look: Easy Quinoa Pop Krispie Treats
- What are quinoa pops or quinoa puffs?
- Why Use Quinoa Pops in Quinoa Pop Krispie Treats?
- How to make these quinoa pop krispie treats
- Expert Tips
- Substitutions for these quinoa pop Krispie treats
- Quinoa Pop Krispie Treats FAQ
- More Rice Krispies Recipe Favorites
- Quinoa Pop Krispie Treats Recipe
What are quinoa pops or quinoa puffs?
Quinoa pops are pretty much what the name entails! Quinoa that has been popped or puffed. During this process, the quinoa becomes slightly larger and gets a totally different texture.
It often becomes light and airy, with a nice, crisp outside. Popped quinoa still has a nice, earthy, nutty flavor that balances the sweetness of this recipe.
The only difference when using these quinoa pops instead of Rice Krispies is that these are slightly less crispy; don’t get me wrong, they are still crispy enough to make this recipe totally amazing!
Why Use Quinoa Pops in Quinoa Pop Krispie Treats?
Quinoa pops bring a little more to the table than regular crispy rice cereal:
- Nutty, earthy flavor. Puffed quinoa has a toasty taste that balances the marshmallow’s sweetness, so these treats don’t taste overly sugary.
- Naturally gluten-free. Quinoa is gluten-free, so these treats are an easy gluten-free option. Just make sure your marshmallows and sprinkles are gluten-free too.
- A complete plant protein. Quinoa contains all nine essential amino acids, which is pretty rare for a plant food. If you love a protein-forward treat like this one, my healthy chickpea pumpkin blondies take the same approach with a chickpea base.
- Easy to make vegan. Quinoa pops are plant-based, so with vegan marshmallows and vegan butter, this whole recipe can be vegan too.
How to make these quinoa pop krispie treats
These quinoa treats are extremely easy to make and will come together in less than 10 minutes. If you don’t have quinoa pops on hand, this same melt-and-mix method works with regular cereal too, my crumbl rice krispies bar cookies and peanut butter rice krispy treats use the same approach.
- After preparing the baking pan, melt the butter and marshmallow, stirring frequently with a rubber spatula.
- Add the quinoa pops once everything is melted, and stir to coat them in the marshmallow mixture. Transfer to the prepared baking pan, flatten, and top with sprinkles. Add as little or as much as you’d like here!
- Let the quinoa krispie treats cool down before cutting. This will take anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour, depending on how cold it is where you are.
- If you are impatient like me, you could pop them in the freezer for 5-10 minutes instead. Slice into 8 equal squares and enjoy! For a chocolate spin on that same technique, my chocolate rice krispie treats use a brown butter and cocoa base.
Expert Tips
- Melt everything on low heat. Rushing the marshmallows over high heat makes them tough, and that’s what gives you hard, chewy treats instead of soft ones. Low and slow keeps them gooey.
- Take the pan off the heat as soon as the marshmallows melt. Once they’re smooth, stir in the quinoa pops right away. Overcooked marshmallow sets up stiff as it cools.
- Use fresh marshmallows. Old, dried-out marshmallows don’t melt as smoothly and can leave you with lumps. A fresh bag makes a big difference.
- Grease your spatula. Give your rubber spatula a quick spray of cooking spray before pressing the mixture into the pan. Marshmallow won’t stick to it, and the top comes out smooth.
- Press gently. Flatten the mixture just enough to even it out. Pressing too hard packs the quinoa pops down and makes the treats dense.
- Add the sprinkles right away. Scatter them over the top while the mixture is still warm and sticky so they actually stay put.
- Short on time? Use the freezer. Pop the pan in the freezer for 5 to 10 minutes instead of waiting for them to cool on the counter.
- Slice with a serrated knife. Once they’ve cooled completely, a serrated knife cuts clean squares without squishing them.
Substitutions for these quinoa pop Krispie treats
There are a couple of easy substitutions that you could make to have this recipe fit your needs;
- Marshmallow – You wouldn’t be using anything other than marshmallow, but you could use a vegan marshmallow. These Dandies marshmallows will do the trick. These Dandies marshmallows are also gluten-free so what a great way to knock two birds with one stone!
- Butter – If you are going for a dairy-free product, you could substitute the butter with either vegan butter or coconut oil.
- Sprinkles – When it comes to sprinkles, you could totally omit them or use some that you prefer the most!
- Want to switch things up even more? Drizzle the top with melted chocolate like I do in my chocolate peanut butter rice krispie treats, or fold in some chopped nuts the way I do in my chocolate walnut slice and bake cookies for extra crunch. And if you’re craving another no-bake, cereal-based snack, my muddy buddies recipe comes together just as fast.
Quinoa Pop Krispie Treats FAQ
Quinoa pops (also called puffed quinoa) are quinoa grains that have been popped, so they turn light, airy, and slightly crispy. They keep a nutty, earthy flavor that balances the sweetness of quinoa pop krispie treats. You can find them in health food stores, some larger grocery stores, or online.
Quinoa pops are naturally gluten-free, so quinoa pop krispie treats can easily be gluten-free too. Just double-check that your marshmallows and sprinkles are labeled gluten-free, since some brands aren’t.
Yes! Swap the regular marshmallows for vegan marshmallows like Dandies, and use vegan butter or coconut oil instead of butter. That’s all it takes to make vegan quinoa pop krispie treats.
Keep quinoa pop krispie treats in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Sealing them tightly keeps them from going stale. Separate layers with parchment paper so the squares don’t stick together.
Hard quinoa pop krispie treats usually come from melting the marshmallows over high heat or cooking them too long. Melt the butter and marshmallows on low heat, stir in the quinoa pops as soon as everything is smooth, and press the mixture gently into the pan instead of packing it down.
More Rice Krispies Recipe Favorites
If you tried this Quinoa Pop Krispie Treats or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the comments! I love hearing from you!
Quinoa Pop Krispie Treats
Instructions
- Start by coating an 8 by 4 baking pan with cooking spray and set aside.
- In a large pan, melt the butter over low heat. When that is melted add in the marshmallows and continue stirring using a rubber spatula. When everything is melted add in the quinoa pops and stir vigorously, until everything is coated.
- Pour the quinoa pop mixture to the prepared baking pan, press it with the rubber spatula to flatten the top and add the sprinkles evenly throughout the top of the quinoa pop Krispy treats.1 tbsp Sprinkles
- Let it cool down completely before slicing it with a serrated knife into 8 equal pieces.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
