You know that feeling when you have random ingredients sitting in your pantry, just staring at you? That’s exactly what happened with the last few rice cakes in my cabinet. They were getting a little stale, and I couldn’t bear to throw them away, so I decided to get creative. Enter these crunchy peanut butter chocolate bars – part of my ongoing “too many rice cakes” series! These bars are basically a more wholesome twist on a Reese’s peanut butter cup, but with an amazing crunch factor that’ll have you coming back for more. Made with just five pantry staple ingredients and zero baking required, they’re the perfect treat when you want something sweet but don’t want to turn on the oven.
Making Peanut Butter Chocolate Crunch Bars
The beauty of these bars is in their simplicity – seriously, if you can crush rice cakes and melt chocolate, you can make these! I love making them when I need a quick dessert or when I’m meal prepping snacks for the week since they keep beautifully in the fridge or freezer.
First, you’ll want to crush your rice cakes into small pieces. I like to put them in a plastic bag and go to town with a rolling pin – it’s actually pretty therapeutic! You want them broken down into small, crunchy bits, but not completely pulverized into powder. Mix those crushed rice cakes with peanut butter and honey until everything is sticky and well-coated. The mixture should hold together when you press it. If needed, you can add more honey or more peanut butter to make it stickier.
Press this mixture into a parchment-lined loaf pan to form your base layer. Then comes the fun part – melting the chocolate! I always add a tiny bit of coconut oil to make it extra smooth and glossy. Pour that melted chocolate right over your peanut butter base and spread it evenly. Top with chopped peanuts for extra crunch and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt because everything is better with a little salt. Pop them in the freezer for about an hour, and you’re done! The result is a perfectly balanced treat that’s crunchy, creamy, salty, and sweet all at once.
More Recipe Inspo
If you’re loving the peanut butter and chocolate combo as much as I am, you’ve got to try my Chocolate Peanut Butter Frozen Yogurt Bark – it’s the perfect healthy frozen treat! For something with a similar crunch factor, my Peanut Butter Krispie Cups are absolutely addictive. If you’re in a baking mood, these Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies are soft, chewy perfection. And for the ultimate indulgent treat, my Sea Salt Peanut Butter Crunch Truffles will blow your mind with their rich, creamy texture and satisfying crunch!
Peanut Butter Chocolate Crunch Bars
Equipment
- 9×5 Loaf Pan
- Mixing Bowl
- Plastic bag for crushing
Ingredients
- 3 rice cakes crushed
- 1/2 cup peanut butter
- 1.5 tbsp honey
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips
- 1/2 tsp coconut oil
- 1/4 cup peanuts chopped
- Flaked sea salt for topping
Instructions
- Line a 9×5 loaf pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- Put rice cakes in a plastic bag and crush until you have very small pieces. Transfer to a mixing bowl.
- Mix in peanut butter and honey until all rice cake pieces are coated and the mixture is sticky.
- Pour mixture into lined loaf pan and press down with the back of a spoon to form your base.
- Melt chocolate chips with coconut oil in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between each interval, until smooth.
- Pour melted chocolate over peanut butter base and spread to fully cover the top.
- Top with chopped peanuts and flaky sea salt. Place in freezer for 1 hour to solidify.
- Remove from freezer, cut into 8 bars, and enjoy! Store leftovers in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.
