Make your favorite crispy chocolate candy bar at home! It's easier than you think to make your own Chocolate Crunch Bars - Vegan and gluten free friendly, too!
Do you have a candy from your childhood? Crunch Bars are definitely one of mine as they were one of my dad's favorites and so when we started this blog it was one of the very first candies we ever made after being inspired by Oh She Glows. Since then it has been made and shared and tweaked and the Chocolate Crunch Bars - Vegan, are still one of our favorite candies to make and one of my favorites to make for my girls. Not only are they made with all natural sweeteners, but also super healthy coconut oil, and the superfood, cacao!
Ingredients Needed
- Rice Cereal - To make them gluten free, we love this cereal, but you could also use your favorite gluten filled crispy rice cereal, too.
- Coconut Oil - This keeps it's vegan, but you could use butter.
- Chocolate Powders - We prefer a mixture of Cocoa and Cacao because of the super food power of cacao, but without being too overwhelmingly rich.
- Maple Syrup - Our all natural sweetener of choice, but you could also use honey.
- Vanilla Extract - Have you made your own, yet?
- Salt - Just a pinch!
Tip: Control the crunch! We love these crunch bars packed with rice cereal, but if you want a lower to chocolate to crisp ratio and crunch, you can definitely reduce the amount.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Even better than the simple, healthy, ingredients - these bars are so easy to make!
Step 1: Heat everything in a sauce pan.
Step 2: Add chocolate mixture to rice cereal.
Step 3: Give it all a good mix and then add it to a parchment lined loaf pan, or baking pan.
Step 4: Spread it into an even layer and then pop in the freezer for about 20-30 minutes.
Step 5: Once it has all set, then thanks to the parchment paper all you need to do is lift it out of the pan (easy - cleany) and then slice!
How delicious do these look?? They are SO GOOD.
These are packed with rice cereal, just the way we like it! But you can definitely reduce the amount of rice cereal, too.
Hands down one of our favorite candies - and so healthy!
Other Favorite Candies
Copycat Butterfinger Candy Bites
These do not last long in our house!
FAQs
Yup! They of course wont be vegan, but also delicious!
No, you will need to use something that will solidity so vegetable oil and an olive oil wont work.
In the fridge or freezer. At room temp / warm they will get a little melty and may melt a little in your hands, if you take your time eating them. That's why sometimes we cut them in to true little bite sized pieces.
Yup! Honey or agave works great.
Enjoy! As always, if you make this recipe or any of my others, I love to hear what you think! Leave a comment below, email me, or you can find me on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest!
Chocolate Crunch Bars - Vegan
Equipment
- loaf pan or baking pan
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup coconut oil
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup cacao powder
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cup gluten free rice cereal or regular if gluten free isn't needed
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Melt coconut oil with cacao powder in small saucepan on low heat. Add maple syrup, vanilla, and a pinch of salt and mix well.
- Add rice cereal to a bowl and then add the chocolate mixture and mix well so that the cereal is completely covered.
- Line a loaf pan or a square baking pan with parchment paper. Pour in rice cereal and chocolate mixture and flatten into an even level.
- Place in freezer for 20-30 minutes or until it is completely set.
- Lift parchment paper out of pan and separate the bar from paper. Cut into bars (of your choice of size) and enjoy!
- Keep in freezer or fridge until ready to serve.
Hi Tracy,
Thanks for responding. These are delicious with any combination of coco!
Michele
Hi Tracy, Please clarify whether it's 1/4 TOTAL for the chocolate powder. While you do show both cacao and cocoa powders in the photo and mention both in the ingredient list, only 1 is mentioned in the instructions. I realize I can combine them, but don't understand the total. Thanks so much.
Hi Michele! The total is 1/2 cup, which you can use a combination of both in any way you'd like. I like to split it 1/4 of each. I just mention the 1 in the ingredient list as chocolate powders but the recipe card notes the amount of each. Enjoy!
omg i cant wait to try this but with peanuts 😍
thank you❤
Peanuts! What a great idea! Let me know how they turn out! 😀
I’ve been making this recipe since I found it about a year ago. I now have to make big batches because my family can’t stop eating it all as soon as it’s made. It is not too sweet and goes well with fruit and yoghurt which is how we like to eat it
Deb! I LOVE that! Thank you so much for sharing! So glad you and your family enjoy it!
I got a bunch of rice cereal and this is calling my name!
I have all the ingredients except for the pure maple syrup could I substitute with molasses?
Hi Donna, I've never tried this with molasses but because it's so much thicker and isn't quite as sweet, I think it'll change the bar quite a bit. But if you do try it, let me know how it goes!
I love crunchy chocolate bars. These would be perfect for our afternoon snack with a big cup of tea!
Definitely!
Oh this just reminded me of these chocolate rice crisps I used to get for Saturday candy when I was a kid - sooo yummy and so addictive! And now I'm seriusly craving them so I'll give your vegan kind a test! Looks absolutely yummy!
Thanks, Emmeline!
This was super easy and quick to make as well as yummy to eat. I added loads more Rice Krispies. There was no room in the freezer so I put it in the fridge and it still solidified so I could cut it into bars. They were all gone by the next day!
That's great to hear, Veronica! We never have them around much longer than a day!
Oh my...
These remind me of those Crunch chocolate bars, which I used to LOVE, but haven't had in, like, forever. These are seriously perfect, and I am going to the store RIGHT NOW, so I can make them!
I hope it's not too late to ask a question about this recipe! I saw that someone asked a question about the cocoa, but I don't understand. If this doesn't mean unsweetened baking cocoa, what does it mean? I already bought the GF cereal, and I can't currently eat sugar, so I'm hoping to still be able to make them!
Hi Jill! Not too late at all, sorry I missed this a couple of days ago! Basically you can use whatever you'd like - cacao or cocoa, sweetended or un. It depends on your taste. I like cacao because it's richer and healthier, or an unsweetened cocoa because it's sweetened by the maple syrup. Using sweetened would make a much sweeter bar, but if you like sweet, go for it! 😀 Let me know how they turn out!
I'm so impressed that you answered! I'll try to let you know how they turn out! Thanks!
😀
These look great! Any suggestions for a substitute for maple syrup ?
Agave or any other natural sweetner would be great!
Would like to know the carb and sodium counts of vegan brown rice cereal
Hi Madeleine, here's a website that has the nutritional value of the cereal. Thanks for visiting! http://www.vitacost.com/one-degree-organic-foods-sprouted-brown-rice-crisps-cereal-8-oz
Although yummy these bars melted and smooshed when combined in a cookie gift package with other cookies. Serve alone and keep frozen until ready to serve.
Oooh yes, I'm sorry, they're not a good one for cookie gift bags / packages! I'll make a note in the recipe now!
It tastes great, I can't stop eating it! Only, Rice cereal turns chewy after a day or two and actually it never was crispy.. Maybe I should have cooled the cocoa-coconut mixture before combining it with cereal? What's Your experience with crispiness?
Hi Sylvia! That's a really good point. I've thought about maybe toasting the cereal before to help it maintain it's crunch. I haven't tried it yet, but it's on my list for the next batch; I'll let you know how it works out!
I had the same question, mine were soggy right out of the freezer (I added them in untoasted when it was hot). Did you find a way to keep it crunchy?
Can you use honey instead of the syrup?
I don't see why not! Let me know how it turns out!
Does this use regular or unsweetened cocoa powder? Thanks!
Regular! 😀
Wow! these chocolate bars look incredibly delicious, I made chocolate walnut fudge the other day and now I am going to make these bars next time. Thanks for sharing.
Looks so easy? Can't wait to make them, thanks??
I just made these and totally wish I had seen this recipe sooner! I have been making chocolate with the same ingredients for a year or so and never though to add the veganic rice krispies! My 4 year old and I loved them. I could have eaten the whole pan if I didn't force myself to stop. Next time I am going to double or tripe the recipe. That's probably not a good idea... :-0
Hi Brianna! That's so great!! The best part about these crunch bars- they're not full of all that other junk so doubling or tripling the recipe- no problem! 😉 So glad you enjoyed them!
I wonder if there is a way to add almond butter or peanut butter to these so there is some protein. Maybe melting a little less chocolate and putting nut butter in?
That's a great idea, Laura! Adding in some nut butter to the mixture would definitely work and be delicious. I'll have to experiment with that next time I make them 🙂
The ingredient list says cocoa powder but the instructions say cacao powder. Which one should I use?
Hi Keisha- thanks for letting me know about the typo! You can use either- they're interchangeable. Cocao is healthier, but more expensive. Totally up to you!
I can't have fat of any kind, how would this be without the coconut oil?? I want to try them, they sound so good
Hi Kristin, hmmm I'm sure they'll work, but "won't" quite taste the same. Also, cocoa powder still has a little fat in it too, so be careful there! Good luck!
My son is allergic to coconut any substitute you think I could use?
If you don't need to keep it vegan, you could use butter. Or vegetable oil would probably work as well!
These are GREAT. I used Kashi Vanila Pepita cereal and it was amazing. Gives you that chocolate fix when you need one.
Oooh Kashi vanilla pepita sounds AWESOME - I'll have to try that in my next batch! Thanks for the tip, Kathy! 😀
I would use next time milk chocolate instead of cocoa. My preference. It was too bitter for my taste.
Great tip, Adisa! I use that when I don't want it to be vegan 🙂
EnjSuoy Life makes a rice milk chocolate that is sweet and not bitter at all. It may work for you if you want the candy to remain vegan. Susan
Freezer definitely seems faster-- but could you also put them in the fridge (if you don't have a freezer)? If so, do you have a guess for how long for them to set?
Thanks! These look awesome!
Hi! Hmmm I'd guess maybe an hour? You really just want to set the chocolate so an hour should be plenty! Let me know how it goes!
Made these today, they're great! My son gobbled them up 🙂
Oh yay!! Aren't they super fun?!
These look so good. Do you think I could double the recipe and put it in 9 x13 pan?
Totally! They may be a little bit thicker, but they'll still be just as delicious!
Do you think these would work if I added natural peanut butter?
Oh totally! It'll still freeze the same and I think it'll add a nice flavor!! Let me know how they turn out!
Made these today - they are delicious (and SUPER easy to make)!! Definitely saving this recipe and making it often. The only thing I changed was I added way more rice crispies (like roughly 1-2 more cups) as I found the mixture too runny. Evidently it took longer to set in the freezer because it was thicker so I might use a different pan (like an 8x8) next time. Thank you!
That's so great to hear, Anisa!! That's a GREAT idea adding more rice crispies - I bet they added a super delicious extra crunch! 😀
My Husband will be begging me for these on a regular basis! Yum. and good for you! Pinned
mmmh! a great classic! I often make a cake with rice and chocolate instead of the bars ... but also these are so cute 🙂
Thanks!! And what a great idea for cake!!
Oh wow! These look amazing! Thanks for sharing 🙂
These are one of my favorite candy bars to buy. I can't believe how easy they are to make. So impressive! I never would have guessed you could just combine such a small amount of ingredients to make these. Thanks for sharing this. I hope you have a great birthday, Tracy!
I'd choose these any day over something that comes pre-packaged - so easy to make too
Thanks! They're super easy and so much better for you 🙂
These look decadent. I am almost afraid to make them---because I know I won't be able to stop eating them 🙂
Haha! We're having the same problem! 😉
These look amazing!!! <3 Happy birthday in advance!
Aw thank you!! 😀
Yum! These chocolate bars are, like, my IDEAL snack!! 🙂
XOXO,
<3 Isabella
Oooh Isabella they're an amazing snack- and not nearly as bad as the "real" thing! Thanks for stopping by! 🙂