Chocolate Churro Rice Crispy Bars
Combining the experience of rich chocolate and that distinct cinnamon sugar crunch was my goal with these Chocolate Churro Rice Crispy Bars. Easy to make, no marshmallows needed, which keeps these treats vegan and gluten-free with a little extra nutrition.
Just the Right Amount of Sweet
I’ll be the first to admit, not all desserts need to be healthified. However, one of the reasons I opt for a little less sugar in recipes is because a lot of sweet desserts taste TOO sweet to me. And, while I love sweets, for me, my palate is always looking for something on the milder side. So, some of my favorite desserts like my black bean brownies or my chocolate chip quinoa cookies are just not that sweet. That just happens to work really well for me.
Why You’ll Love These Rice Crispy Bars
- They are the right amount of chocolate goodness with a crispy cinnamon sugar bite that reminds me of churros.
- Replacing the marshmallows helps to make these vegan as they normally contain gelatin. I chose nut butter in case you don’t have access to vegan marshmallows at your local market.
- These bars are naturally gluten-free and can be modified to be nut-free as well.
- Just a subtle taste of sweet compared to versions that use butter and marshmallows. So if you like less intense sweetness like me, then this is perfect for you!
Influenced by Churros
Churros are fried pieces of crispy dough that are often coated with a cinnamon sugar mixture. They are then typically served with hot chocolate or dulce de leche. The true origins of this dessert are a bit muddled. And technically you see a ton of variations of this treat not only in Spain or Portugal. Variations exist in places like the Philippines, Columbia, Peru and other parts of Latin America.
The thing that tends to be the most common about this treat is it’s crispy nature. So mixing rice crisps together with cinnamon and sugar seemed like an easy way to get that classic crunch and flavor. And the melted chocolate on top is a great homage to the way it’s normally served in Spain.
Key Ingredients
- Cashew Butter: What holds our cereal bar together in place of marshmallows. Can also work with almond butter or sunflower seed butter. The goal is to keep the nut or seed butter neutral in taste to help elevate the cinnamon sugar taste.
- Brown Rice Cacao Crisps Cereal: This can work with regular cocoa crisps, but I opted for Sprouted Brown Rice Crisps. If you don’t know sprouted grains, check out my discussion about them in my Coconut Cardamom Pancakes post.
- Maple Syrup: Our source of sweet that blends super well.
- Chilled Canned Coconut Milk: Helps add a little bit of a buttery taste in place of butter. Make sure to chill your canned coconut milk before using. Then scoop from the thick layer that settles at the top of the can.
- Cinnamon and Sugar: Provides the classic churro flavor that pairs perfect with the crunch of the cereal in the bar.
- Dark Chocolate Bars: I chose vegan dark chocolate bars and melted them down in the microwave. Super easy and less messy.
How to Make Healthier Rice Crispy Treats
The main difference between these bars compared to regular rice crispy bars is that there are no marshmallows involved! Perfect for if you don’t have access to vegan marshmallows or you want to use ingredients you might already have in your cabinet.
To help make the treats a little less sweet, I combined cashew butter, maple syrup and coconut milk together to make our gooey base to hold the cereal together. And of course, we added a little cinnamon sugar flavor for that churro feel.
Churros traditionally are served with hot chocolate. To give us a little bit of that chocolate goodness, I melted down some chocolate to pour overtop the bars. Once hardened, they are good to go and enjoy.
Tips for the Perfect Rice Crispy Bars
- Make sure to use a smooth nut or seed butter for this recipe. If it’s thick and hard, it won’t mix well with the recipe.
- Use a neutral tasting nut or seed butter. This will prevent the cinnamon sugar flavor from being overpowered in the bars.
- Pack your cereal mixture really well into your tray. This will prevent your bars from falling apart.
Frequently Asked Questions
Because we are using nut butter, maple syrup and the chilled coconut milk as our replacement for the marshmallows, you can heat this mixture up in the microwave to help loosen the nut butter. You just need to watch it closely to make sure you aren’t burning your mixture. I would microwave the churro mixture in 30 second intervals until it’s all very easy to stir together, then fold in your rice crispy cereal.
Once these bars are set, you can cut them into the bar sizes you’d like. To store the bars, place the bars between layers of parchment paper in an air tight container to help prevent them from sticking together. You can seal and place in the fridge for at least 5 days and in the freezer for up to 1 month.
Use a seed butter like sunflower seed butter or you can absolutely use vegan marshmallows stirred together with vegan butter.
More Wholesome Treats to Try
- Black Bean Brownies
- Easy Peach Crisp
- Chili Lime Mango Sorbet
- Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bars
- Double Chocolate Banana Bread
Chocolate Churro Rice Crispy Bars
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cooling Time: 2 hours
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 9–12 bars 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Combining the experience of rich chocolate and that distinct cinnamon sugar crunch was my goal with these Chocolate Churro Rice Crispy Bars. Easy to make, no marshmallows needed, which keeps these treats vegan and gluten-free with a little extra nutrition.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup salted cashew butter or almond butter
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup chilled canned coconut milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extractÂ
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 2 tbsp coconut sugar or brown sugar
- 4 cups One Degree Organics Sprouted Brown Rice Cacao Crisps
- 2, 14 oz vegan dark chocolate bars
Instructions
- In a saucepan, add your cashew butter, maple syrup, coconut milk, vanilla, cinnamon and coconut sugar and place on the stovetop over low medium heat stirring well to combine.
- Remove from the heat and then fold in your cereal, stirring well to coat.
- Pour your cereal mixture into a parchment lined 9inx9in baking pan and pack it together tightly using the back of a spoon.
- Break your chocolate into smaller pieces into a microwave safe dish. Then, microwave your chocolate for a minute, stopping to stir once halfway through.
- Remove from the microwave and stir well until all the chocolate chunks fully dissolve. Pour the chocolate over the cereal and spread evenly to coat.
- Place the tray into the fridge to set and harden for 2 hours. Remove from the tray and cut into bars at your desired size with a sharp knife then enjoy.
Notes
Make sure to use a smooth nut or seed butter for this recipe. If it’s thick and hard, it won’t mix well with the recipe.
Use a neutral tasting nut or seed butter as this will prevent the cinnamon sugar flavor from being overpowered in the bars.
Pack your cereal mixture really well into your tray. Leaving it loose will lead to your bars falling apart, so either with clean hands or the back of a spoon, press the mixture together tightly.
If you tried this recipe or any other recipe on the blog, then let me know what you thought in the comments below! And if you loved it, don’t forget to rate it too. Feel free to follow on Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok for the latest nutrition tips and recipe videos.
★ Catherine
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