Tropical Quinoa Coconut Snack Bars
These no-bake-style quinoa bars are packed with tropical flavors from coconut and apricots, plus a protein boost from almonds and sunflower seeds. They're a wholesome, gluten-free snack perfect for on-the-go.
- Prep15 min
- Cook30 min
- Total45 min
- DifficultyEasy
- Servings16
If you're looking for a snack that's both satisfying and nourishing, these tropical quinoa bars are a great choice. They combine the nutty flavor of quinoa with the sweetness of dried apricots and coconut, creating a chewy, flavorful treat.
The recipe is flexible—you can use honey or maple syrup, and add a scoop of protein powder if you like. They're easy to make and perfect for meal prep, storing well in the fridge for up to a week.
Ingredients
Servings
Converted amounts are rounded.
Method
- Prepare the quinoa: soak 1 cup dry quinoa in water overnight. The next day, rinse well. To cook, combine with 2 cups milk or 1 can coconut milk in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, stir, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes without stirring. This yields enough for two 9x13-inch pans of bars, or you can enjoy the cooked quinoa with yogurt, blueberries, cinnamon, and maple syrup. Freeze any extra for later. For a single batch, use 1/4 cup quinoa and 1/2 cup milk.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease an 8x8-inch glass baking dish.
- In a large bowl, combine the cooked quinoa, ground sunflower seeds, ground almonds, chopped apricots, honey or maple syrup, shredded coconut, cinnamon, salt, egg, and protein powder (if using). Mix well with a spoon or electric mixer until evenly combined.
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and spread it out evenly. The batter will be quite moist—that's normal.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the center feels firm to the touch and the edges are lightly browned.
- Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan. Then cut into 16 squares, each about 2x2 inches.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.
💡 Tips
- For a richer flavor, toast the shredded coconut in a dry skillet over medium heat for a few minutes before adding.
- If you don't have a food processor, you can use pre-ground almond flour and sunflower seed flour, but adjust the texture as needed.
- These bars are great for breakfast or as a post-workout snack.
Inspired by a recipe from Kitchen Stewardship