Peruvian-Inspired Quinoa Banana Breakfast Cookies (Vegan, GF)
Crisp-edged quinoa-flake and banana cookie rounds with cacao nibs and hemp for complete plant protein.
Best for Complete plant protein + fiber-rich breakfast or snack
These breakfast cookie rounds borrow Peruvian flavors—ripe banana, quinoa, hemp hearts and crunchy cacao nibs—for a naturally sweet, nutrient-dense start. Quinoa flakes supply a complete plant protein profile while chickpea flour, hemp and ground flax add texture, fiber and structure. Bake until the edges are crisp and the centers set for grab-and-go mornings or a satiating snack.
Ingredients
- 200 g quinoa , not instant oats
- 60 g Chickpea flour
- 40 g hemp hearts
- 45 g cacao nibs
- 225 g Ripe banana , about 2 medium bananas, mashed until smooth
- 80 g sunflower seed butter , smooth
- 14 g Ground flaxseed , for flax egg
- 45 ml water
- 40 ml maple syrup
- 25 ml neutral oil , optional for extra tenderness (optional – can be omitted)
- 6 g Baking powder
- 1.5 g baking soda
- 3 g fine sea salt
- 2 g ground cinnamon
- 5 ml Vanilla extract
- 2 g fresh lemon zest , optional, about 1 tsp (optional – can be omitted)
Instructions
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1
Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F). Line two baking sheets with parchment and position a rack in the middle of the oven.
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2
Make the flax egg: whisk ground flaxseed with 45 ml water in a small bowl and let thicken for 5 minutes until gelled.
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3
Whisk the dry ingredients in a large bowl: quinoa flakes, chickpea flour, hemp hearts, cacao nibs, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.
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4
In a separate bowl combine the mashed banana, sunflower seed butter, maple syrup, vanilla and the thickened flax mixture; stir in the optional oil and lemon zest if using.
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5
Pour the wet into the dry and fold together until evenly combined; the dough will be sticky and slightly wet. Let the mixture rest 5 minutes so the quinoa flakes hydrate and the dough firms up.
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6
Scoop 40 g mounds (about 2 tbsp) onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing 4 cm apart. Gently press each mound to a 1 cm-thick round and sprinkle a few extra cacao nibs and hemp hearts on top.
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7
Bake on the center rack 14–16 minutes, rotating the sheets halfway, until edges are golden and crisp and centers are set but not dried out.
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8
Let cookies cool on the baking sheet 5 minutes to firm, then transfer to a wire rack and cool an additional 15 minutes to finish crisping; they will get crisper as they cool.
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9
Storage: keep in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days or freeze layers separated by parchment up to 1 month.