Go Back
–+ servings

Quinoa Sesame Brittle

5 from 5 votes
This crispy, sweet, and nutty quinoa sesame brittle is addictive. Only 150 calories per serving, full of nutrition, and just 10 minutes of active cooking time. Isn’t it the perfect snack?
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Chinese
Servings: 10
Author: Maggie Zhu

Ingredients

  • 1 cup mixed nuts , chopped (I used almonds, walnuts, and pine nuts)
  • 1/3 cup uncooked white quinoa
  • 1/3 cup sesame seeds I used a mixture of black and white
  • 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup I used medium amber color
  • 4 tablespoons palm sugar (*see footnote 1)
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 165 degrees C (325 F). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Make sure you cover the entire surface and all the edges (to prevent spillover).
  • Combine quinoa, mixed nuts, sesame seeds, and sea salt in a big bowl. Stir to combine. Set aside.
  • Combine coconut oil, maple syrup, and palm sugar in a small saucepan. Warm over medium-low heat for 2-3 minutes. Stir occasionally until the oil and maple syrup are well combined. It’s OK that the palm sugar is not completely dissolved at this point.
  • Pour the syrup mixture onto the dry ingredients. Stir to combine and mix all the dry ingredients with the liquid.
  • Pour everything onto the center of the parchment-lined baking sheet and spread into an even layer with a spatula. Try to get it as even as possible. The brittle sheet will expand into a thinner layer as it bakes.
  • Bake for 15 minutes. Rotate the pan (180 degrees) once to ensure even browning. Bake for another 15 to 20 minutes. Watch carefully during the last 5 minutes to prevent burning. The brittle is done when it’s become deep golden brown in color. (*see footnote 2)
  • Let cool completely. Break into bite-size pieces with your fingers.
  • Store leftovers in a sealed bag or container at room temperature for 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 1 month.

Notes

  1. You can replace this with other type of sugar. Please read footnote 2 if using a different type or amount of sugar.
  2. Troubleshooting:
    If you don’t bake the brittle long enough, it will stay soft and sticky. You won’t able to break it apart, even after cooling.
If you come across this problem, simply return the brittle to the oven and continue baking for another 5 to 10 minutes, until it reaches a dark color.
One way to determine the baking time is by observing the baking process. You will notice the brittle starts to bubble furiously after 15 minutes. The bubbles will gradually die down in another 10 to 15 minutes. When there are only a few bubbles here and there, and the color of the sugar has gotten much darker than it was at the beginning, it’s done.
The baking time will vary based on the sugar content, sugar type, and thickness of the brittle. If you use a very large and flat baking sheet, the brittle will expand and become a very thin sheet.
In this case, the baking time might be as short as 25 minutes.
On the other hand, if your pan is not perfectly flat (my baking sheet sinks a bit in the middle), the brittle will not expand entirely unless you spread it out really evenly from the beginning. In this case, it will require more time to bake (35 minutes).
When the brittle has cooled down, if you can only break off part of the brittle and the rest of the brittle will only bend (not break), the brittle is not completely cooked. To solve the problem, break off as much of the cooked brittle as you can. Return the pan to the oven and continue to cook for another 5 minutes. Repeat this process until all the brittle is cooked through.

Nutrition

Serving: 35g, Calories: 151kcal, Carbohydrates: 16.9g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 8.7g, Saturated Fat: 2.8g, Sodium: 93mg, Potassium: 156mg, Fiber: 1.7g, Sugar: 8.7g, Calcium: 70mg, Iron: 1.6mg