A system and method of extruding self-clumping granular absorbent having cold water soluble amylopectin starch binder formed from starch-containing admixture sufficient for extruded sorbent pellets to produce flowable binder flowing between pellets clumping them together producing clumps of pellets that become hard when substantially dry that have a crush strength of at least 25 PSI and clump retention of at least 80% and preferably at least 90%. As a result, dried pellet clumps are easy to pick up leaving behind unspent pellets for continued sorbent use. A pellet quenching apparatus and method rapidly cools and dries pellets before leaving the extruder preventing loss of cold water soluble starch and binder, preventing pellet shrinkage, and preventing pellet densification. An air conveyor transporting quenched pellets removed from the extruder further cools and dries the pellets producing pellets ready for sorbent use.
