Sink your teeth into these Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch Bars. They're crunchy, chewy, and made with just 5 ingredients. With a dark chocolate flavor, these no-bake bars are the perfect quick treat.
"We are a dairy-free, gluten-free household due to my kiddo's sensitivities, and I feel like it is so hard to find desserts that actually taste good. These were amazing and going in lunches every day this week! 😀" -Sarah
A Quick Look At The Recipe
- ⏲️Ready In: 40 Minutes
- 👪Serves: 8 squares
- 🍽 Calories and Protein: 206 kcals and 4 grams of protein
- 📋Main Ingredients: Natural peanut butter, cacao powder, maple syrup, and crispy rice cereal.
- 📖 Dietary Notes: Dairy-free, gluten-free, andvegan.
- ⭐ Why You'll Love It: The combination of coconut oil + peanut butter creates a firm-but-creamy base, while cacao powder delivers an intense dark chocolate flavor to bring you a tasty bite of crunch.
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As a busy mom, I’m all about desserts in a pinch, but I still want them to feel somewhat like a win (not just straight sugar chaos!). That’s why this peanut butter crunch bar recipe is a staple in my house, along with my honey rice krispie treats and my date snickers recipe whenever I need something quick for a gathering.
The best part? These dark chocolate peanut butter crunch bars come together in five minutes, then just need about 30 minutes to set in the fridge. They’re crunchy, chewy, and the perfect “little something” when a craving hits (just like this roundup of healthy snacks for when you're craving chocolate).
Jump To
- A Quick Look At The Recipe
- 💭Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Ingredients and Substitutions
- Flavor Variations
- How To Make Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch Bars
- Expert Tips To Make It
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch Bars FAQs
- More Easy Dessert Recipes You'll Love
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch Bars (Dairy and Gluten-Free)
💭Why You'll Love This Recipe
Best texture: There's maximum crunch in every bite of the bars.
Minimal ingredients: You only need 5 pantry items for these dark chocolate crunch bars to come together just like these no-bake s'mores cups.
Versatile: Enjoy them as-is or add some protein to make them even more fueling.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Coconut oil: Since this oil hardens when chilled, you cannot substitute it out. Any version of coconut oil will work, though (refined, unrefined, etc.), some just have a more coconut flavor than others.
- Peanut butter: Natural works best for this recipe as the oil in it is mixed in with the cereal. Crunchy peanut butter works as well for a funky flavor to make an easy switch up, this is what we use in chocolate banana nice cream, too.
- Cacao powder: This is chocolate in its purest form and what gives these peanut buttercrunch bars their dark chocolate flavor. Learn more about raw cacao powder benefits (not cocoa powder). That said, if you don't have it on hand, ¼ cup of chocolate chips will work too.
- Crispy rice: A gluten-free cereal that replaces regular Rice Krispies in traditional recipes. Also called crispy rice cereal. Any crunchy can replace it.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Flavor Variations
Protein-packed: Want to give the chocolate peanut butter cereal bars? Add ¼ cup of collagen powder (learn what is collagen powder) along with 1-2 tablespoons more peanut butter.
White chocolate: Skip the cacao powder and add ⅓ cup dairy-free chite chocolate chips to the melted coconut oil for a richer taste.
Nut butter: Almond butter or almond hazelnut butter are delicious swaps. Cashew butter gives a rich flavor, as seen in these cashew butter cookies.
How To Make Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch Bars
Step 1: Over low heat, melt the coconut oil, maple syrup, and peanut butter until just melted. Mix until smooth.
Step 2: Stir in the cacao powder and mix until no clumps remain.
Step 3: Add in the rice cereal and stir until coated. Pour the mixture into an 8x4, parchment paper-lined loaf pan (or a silicone mold).
Step 4: Smooth it down until it's even and sprinkle the sea salt on top. Freeze for 30 minutes until set.
Expert Tips To Make It
Sprinkle sea salt on top of the bars before freezing for the BEST flavor.
Make sure to use crispy rice cereal and not puffed rice, or you'll have a chewy texture. Really, any gluten-free crunchy cereal will work.
The crunch bars begin to soften at room temperature so they're best eaten chilled. If you need them to stay firm at room temperature, you'll want to add ¼ cup of chocolate chips to the mixture.
As much as possible, press the bars firmly into the pan before chilling. This is what helps them hold together.
The bars have a very dark chocolate flavor. If you prefer a sweeter chocolate flavor, use cocoa powder in place of cacao. It's a bit more processed and thus naturally sweeter.
Store the bars in the fridge for 7-10 days or the freezer for up to three months.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch Bars FAQs
Gluten-free crispy rice cereal is best for peanut butter crunch bars, but any crunchy cereal will work.
Yes, you can make chocolate peanut butter crunch bars nut-free; to do this, replace the peanut butter with sunflower seed butter.
Natural peanut butter works best for crunch bars because its natural oils allow it to mix better with the ingredients.
More Easy Dessert Recipes You'll Love
If you tried this Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch Bars Recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes!
Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch Bars (Dairy and Gluten-Free)
Video
Equipment
- 1 8x4 Loaf Pan
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup coconut oil measured solid
- ½ cup cacao powder
- ⅓ cup natural peanut butter
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 1 tbs maple syrup yes, you need both
- 2 cup crispy rice cereal
- ½ teaspoon sea salt optional
Instructions
- In a medium pot combine the coconut oil, syrup, and peanut butter. Heat over extremely low heat until coconut oil is melted. Whiskhisk until everything is combined.
- Stir in the cacao powder and mix until no clumps remain and chocolate is smooth.
- Pour the rice puffs into the pot and mix until they're all coated.
- Line an 8x4 pan with parchment paper and pour the mixture into the pan. Use a silicone spatula to smooth the mixture until even. Sprinkle the sea salt over top if using.
- Freeze for thirty minutes. Remove from the freezer and let sit for three minutes before cutting.
- Enjoy slightly chilled!
Notes
Disclaimer:
Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data"
Nutrition
Jessica says
The fact that my kids love these is the perfect excuse to make them regularly. I love how easy they are to make and that I don't have to turn on the oven because it's about a million degrees outside right now. I especially love the sweet/salty combo with salt sprinkled on top.
fitasamamabear says
Honestly no bake snacks save my sanity most weeks!
claudia says
Oh my these were a delight to have after my workout yesterday, I'm not sure they are going to last by the weekend...my family is going nuts for them! I loved how the sea salt added another delicious flavour to the crunch bar, thanks for the tip!
fitasamamabear says
They will definitely not last over the weekend haha
wendie says
These bars were a hit! My youngest has a dairy allergy and these were perfect he loved them, he is already asking for another batch!
fitasamamabear says
Ah happy to hear it!
Liz says
I love the chocolate and PB combo! These were so good- such a perfect snack!
fitasamamabear says
It's the best flavor combo!
Annmarie says
Oooh these do look yummy! And easy to make 😛
fitasamamabear says
Haha I'm all about easy!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
A chocolate PB treat will NEVER disappoint!
fitasamamabear says
Haha yes!! Best combo ever
amanda says
You had me at peanut butter and chocolate. My favorite combo
fitasamamabear says
Haha I know right?!
Christine says
This looks delicious! I have some peanut butter chocolate lovers in this house that would just die for these. LOL! I'll give it a try. Thanks!
fitasamamabear says
Ohh let me know how everyone likes it! I like this recipe because you can add more "sweetness" depending on preference!
Courtney says
Chocolate is my favorite!! I can't wait to try these. They'll make a perfect snack for me in between my nursing sessions.
fitasamamabear says
You can't go wrong with chocolate... literally! 😀
Heather @ The Spicy Apron says
Dark chocolate is the only chocolate for me! I'll definitely be giving these a try. They look great!
fitasamamabear says
I'm a dark chocolate fiend!! Most people like theirs a bit lighter though so this recipe is awesome because you can sweeten it to your liking 🙂
Ellen says
These would make a delicious after school snack.
fitasamamabear says
Oh that's awesome thinking!
Jody says
Those bars look Yummy! I will have to make it as a treat for my dark chocolate loving friends.
fitasamamabear says
Yes! I love dark chocolate- the darker the better! By the way... you're an awesome friend! lol
Cori @ Sweet Coralice says
Mmm, I love dark chocolate! I actually prefer it to milk or white chocolate most of the time and this sounds like a really good snack with a good crunch! Plus, the fact that they have peanut butter makes them even more desirable! 😉
fitasamamabear says
I'm a dark chocolate person too- it's funny how my taste buds have changed! I love this recipe because you can adjust the sweetness based on your preference, so it's win win
Esse D says
These look absolutely amazing! I'm typically not a fiend for chocolate, but when I get in the mood, it's hard too dial it back. I think the texture would also be a nice additive with the chocolate.
fitasamamabear says
Not a chocolate fiend... people like that exist?! Jk 😀 I think anything crunch is addictive so I'm a bit biased on that one too 😉
Samantha says
Love easy recipes that can easily be made to fit my lifestyle! Thanks for sharing! Saving this for later.
fitasamamabear says
No problem Samantha- hope you enjoy them!