292cd374
Sweet, nutty, crunchy—made easy and without oven heat!
These bars combine creamy peanut butter, crisp cereal, and rich chocolate into a quick, wholesome treat. Perfect for snack time, dessert, or batch prep.
🛠 Equipment Needed:
- Medium saucepan (or microwave-safe bowl)
- 8×8‑inch baking pan
- Parchment paper
- Mixing spoon or spatula
- Sharp knife for slicing
📝 Ingredients:
Base:
- 1 cup natural peanut butter (smooth or crunchy)
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup (or honey)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 cups crispy rice cereal (GF if needed)
Chocolate Topping:
- 1 cup dark (or dark chocolate chips)
- 1 Tbsp coconut oil or peanut butter (for sheen)
Optional Toppings:
- Sea salt flakes
- Chopped nuts or seeds
🍴 Ingredient Notes:
- Peanut butter: Go natural – just peanuts (and salt) for clean flavor.
- Rice cereal: Classic puffed rice works great; ensures crisp texture ambitiouskitchen.com+9healthienut.com+9facebook.com+9whatgreatgrandmaate.com+2theroastedroot.net+2thecookingfoodie.com+2thecookingfoodie.com+1ambitiouskitchen.com+1whatgreatgrandmaate.comeatingwell.comambitiouskitchen.com.
- Sweetener: Maple syrup or honey; you can swap for keto syrup or sweeteners to suit your diet.
⏱ Time:
- Prep time: 10 minutes
- Chill time: ~30–60 minutes
- Total time: ~40–70 minutes
- Yield: ~16 bars
👨🍳 Instructions:
- Prep Pan
Line your 8×8 pan with parchment paper, leaving a bit hanging over sides for easy removal. - Make the Base
In a sauce pan over low heat, melt together peanut butter, coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla until smooth.
Remove from heat, then gently stir in the crispy rice cereal until fully coated. - Press Base
Firmly press the mixture into your lined pan in an even layer. - Prepare Chocolate Layer
Melt chocolate with coconut oil (or peanut butter) in a double-boiler or microwave (20‑second bursts, stirring until smooth). - Assemble & Chill
Spread the melted chocolate over the base evenly. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt or nuts if using.
Chill in fridge or freezer until set (30–60 minutes). - Slice & Serve
Lift out bars using parchment edges. Slice into 16 bars with a clean, sharp knife. Store in the fridge or freezer in an airtight container.
🍽️ Nutrition Estimate (per bar):
- Calories: ~180 kcal
- Protein: 4 g
- Carbs: 15 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Sugar: 6 g
- Fat: 12 g
(Approximate; varies by ingredient brands and portioning.)
💡 Tips:
- Firm base: Press hard into the pan for neat bars.
- Clean cuts: Run knife under hot water and wipe between slices.
- Texture tweak: For extra crunch, add chopped nuts or seeds.
- Storage: Keep refrigerated/ frozen for best firmness. On a warm day, keep them chilled theroastedroot.netthecookingfoodie.com+2alldayidreamaboutfood.com+2whatgreatgrandmaate.com+2realsimple.com+4healthienut.com+4whatgreatgrandmaate.com+4whatgreatgrandmaate.com.
🔄 Variations:
- Vegan / Dairy‑free: Stick with dark chocolate and coconut oil.
- Keto‑friendly: Use sugar‑free syrup and keto cereal; swap dark chocolate for sugar‑free chips.
- Peanut‑free: Substitute almond or sunflower seed butter.
