These puffed millet cookies are a no bake treat coated in dark chocolate and filled with dried cranberries and toasted macadamia nuts.
Back in October right as I began eating a bit differently (hello, world of counting macros) and working with Renaissance Periodization, I started food shopping a bit differently too.
Things I’d normally pick up got a second glance at the nutrition label and usually put back on the shelf thanks to their delicious fat content and things I’d normally just pass up got thrown in the cart.
Puffed millet would be one of those things.
Don’t get me wrong, I like millet as a grain and have happily eaten it many times.
I use it in my gluten-free tabbouleh recipe all the time!
But when it comes to things that can pass as cereal, this puffed airy, pretty much flavorless morsel wouldn’t be my first choice (that will always be reserved for Lucky Charms, the best cereal in all the land).
A quick look at the nutrition label though had me throwing a gigantic bag of the stuff (seriously, it’s about the size of my entire upper body) into my cart quicker than you can even say millet.
With some ridiculously low carbohydrate count for a cup (a cup!), I envisioned huge bowls of puffed millet cereal as my go to volume food while on a cutting diet.
It was a grand idea.
Until you actually pour a cup of the stuff in some unsweetened almond milk and realize the flavor factor on a scale of 1-10 is about a -15.
By itself, puffed millet is bland and boring.
There, I said it.
Mixed with chocolate, cranberries, toasted macadamia nuts and some sea salt as a no bake puffed millet cookie, however, the story changes dramatically.
I’m back with some of my favorite blogger friends today bringing you guys a crazy delicious assortment of no-bake treats. Let’s check them out!
CHOCOLATE CARAMEL BANANA ICE CREAM BARS | Eating Bird Food
A healthy frozen treat, these banana ice cream bars are topped with date caramel, sprinkled with walnuts and coated with a crunchy chocolate magic shell. They’re absolutely delicious, vegan, gluten-free and paleo!
RAW WALNUT BROWNIES | The Healthy Maven
4 ingredients is all you need to make these Raw Walnut Brownies. They’re gluten-free, vegan, paleo and refined-sugar-free but still taste incredible! Plus they take just 5 minutes to whip up.
RAW LEMON COCONUT BARS | Fit Foodie Finds
These raw Lemon Coconut Bars are naturally sweetened, gluten-free, vegan, paleo, and a perfectly refreshing dessert!
FROZEN SALTED ALMOND JOY BARS | Food Faith Fitness
These salty-sweet, super easy, no-bake bars taste like a frozen Almond Joy! They’re the perfect healthy summer treat that’s paleo and vegan friendly!
EASY KIWI POPS | Lexi’s Clean Kitchen
Easy, customizable, and totally perfect for the summer months these Kiwi pops or bites are coated in chocolate and drizzled with your favorite toppings!
Back to the puffed millet cookies!
With temps (finally!) in the 90s these next few days, the last thing I want to do is turn on the oven for some cookie baking.
Once these bites of no-bake bliss get scooped into shape, they just need 30 minutes to set in the refrigerator and you’re ready to indulge.
That bag of puffed millet may have sat unused for months but I foresee plenty more being purchased in the future now that these are a thing!
psst-if you’re on the paleo train, just sub puffed rice for the millet, it’ll work just as well!
And if you want another kind of out of the box idea to enjoy millet, try my creamy millet porridge recipe!
Love this Chocolate Cranberry Puffed Millet Cookies recipe?
More no-bake treats: No Bake Oatmeal Raspberry Sandwich Cookies, No Bake Strawberry Cream Bars or this Lime Avocado Tart from just last week!
Chocolate Cranberry Puffed Millet Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups puffed millet, or rice for paleo
- 1/3 cup chopped dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup toasted macadamia nuts, chopped
- 3 ounces dark chocolate chips
- 1/2 tablespoon coconut oil
- pinch of sea salt
Instructions
- Melt chocolate chips and coconut oil in a small bowl, stir until combined and smooth. Set aside.
- Combine puffed millet, cranberries and 3/4 of the nuts in a large bowl.
- Add the chocolate to the bowl and gently stir until all of the ingredients are well coated.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment and place heaping spoonfuls onto the pan. Don’t worry if it feels loose and crumbly, it will solidify as it sets.
- Top each cookie with the remaining toasted macadamia nuts and pinch of sea salt.
- Place baking sheet in the refrigerator and let set for a minimum of 30 minutes.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Gina Matsoukas is an AP syndicated writer. She is the founder, photographer and recipe developer of Running to the Kitchen — a food website focused on providing healthy, wholesome recipes using fresh and seasonal ingredients. Her work has been featured in numerous media outlets both digital and print, including MSN, Huffington post, Buzzfeed, Women’s Health and Food Network.
This recipe looks fantastic! I love how simple and nutritious puffed millet is—such a great addition to a healthy diet. Can’t wait to try it out. Thanks for sharing!
A woman I knew made this recipe, but with a different take. She used quick oats, coconut flakes, or brown rice crispies.
However, the smaller size of the puffed millet sounds like it would be an excellent substrate for this “candy”. I’ll get some if COVID-19 ever goes away! It’ll be my treat for living through it.
Puffed amaranth would also work well, plus up the protein content.
What to replace macadamia nuts with? Cashew or Brazil nuts maybe?
Yep, either would be fine!
These look FABULOUS. Can’t wait to make ’em :)
Pinning–love millet!
Millet cookies? Sounds like bird food to me. I’m in. ;)
I bought puffed millet once and when I tasted it I thought I forgot to open the box because it basically tasted like cardboard. These cookies though, I could totally get behind! I love anything crispy, coated in dark chocolate and definitely no bake for the summer.
Haha, yes! Someone else who gets it. I promise the chocolate improves things dramatically!
Puffed millet is the best! O goodness, I use it in everything! Granola, baking, just to bulk up my overflowing cereal bowl in the morning ;)
I can’t say that I’ve ever tried pulled millet, but these cookies are making me want to change that! I love the sweet and tangy chocolate and cranberry combo here. Pinned!