Gluten Free Chocolate Cookies with Quinoa Flour (Vegan)

Recently, I’ve realized that I have a lot of quinoa and quinoa flour on hand...and what better way to use it than by baking gluten free chocolate cookies with quinoa flour? These quinoa flour cookies are also vegan, oil-free and quite low in sugar compared to my gluten free desserts.

Because of that, I don’t recommend this quinoa cookie recipe for people craving a traditional chocolate chip cookie. But this gluten free chocolate cookie recipe is definitely for you if:

• You’re looking for a gluten free and vegan cookie recipe that doesn’t taste super sugary, is healthy enough to eat for breakfast and is higher in plant-based protein thanks to quinoa flour.
• You love the rich, slightly bitter flavor cacao powder adds to baked goods.
• You love cookies that are thick and cakey but SUPER fluffy at the same time.
• You have some quinoa flour (or uncooked quinoa you can grind into flour) you want to use up in a sweet way. Note: quinoa does add a bit of an “earthier” flavor.

You check off at least a few of those boxes? Then let’s dive into what you’ll need to make these gluten free and vegan chocolate cookies.

Ingredients for Gluten Free Chocolate Cookies with Quinoa Flour

1 cup + 2 tbsp quinoa flour
4 tbsp coconut flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup cacao powder
2 tbsp coconut sugar
1 tbsp ground chia seeds (I'm an ambassador for Foods Alive and use their pre-ground chia protein powder)
1/2 cup aquafaba (or the liquid from a can of cooked chickpeas)
3/4 cup water or milk
Optional: a handful of chocolate chips

How to Make Your Gluten Free Chocolate Cookies with Quinoa Flour

Begin by preheating the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

While it’s warming up, combine all of your dry ingredients into a bowl. You can use pre-ground quinoa flour or grind your own by putting uncooked quinoa into a coffee grinder or high-speed blender.

Next, add the wet ingredients and stir until everything is thoroughly mixed.

Then grab some parchment-lined baking trays. Using a tablespoon or spoon, portion your batter into cookie-sized portions on the trays. To help the cookies bake optimally, use your tablespoon to slightly flatten/spread out the batter of each cookie (compared to leaving the batter as scooped balls in the tray).

Finally, pop your trays in the oven for around 15-20 minutes. Thanks to the aquafaba, baking soda and baking powder, they should “fluff up” and expand as they cook.

Enjoy Your Gluten Free Chocolate Quinoa Cookies!

Lately, I’ve been loving these gluten free chocolate cookies with yogurt, nut butter and berries as a sweet late-night snack.

There’s something so comforting and delicious about the quinoa cookie’s cakey texture and chocolatey flavor, and I hope you feel the same way if you try this recipe!



Have you ever baked with quinoa flour? What’s your favorite kind of cookie? Tell me in the comments!