4-ingredient vegan and gluten free rice crispy treats naturally sweetened and nut-free! Enjoy as is for a snack or dessert or add a creamy 2-ingredient frosting.
Did you know that National Peanut Butter Day was this past week?
I had way too much fun scrolling through desserts dripping with PB and entrees drizzles with peanut sauce on social while casually wiping away the drool.
Which is all good and fine for all of you nutty folk, myself included.
But after giving peanut butter all of the lovin’, I thought we should give seeds a bit of attention…you know, in case they felt left out.
These Chocolate SunButter Rice Crispy Treats (Nut Free) require only 5 ingredients to make!
They’re kid-friendly, delicious, nutritious, with a super seed twist on your childhood classic.
NO NUTS ALLOWED.
Rice Crispy treats were definitely one of the first “desserts” I made on my own before learning how to use the oven.
This is probably because they’re kind of hard to mess up– unless you totally wreck the distribution of marshmallow fluff.
Tsk tsk.
So what makes these crispies stick together without said fluff?
I used a mixture of creamy SunButter and maple syrup instead of the classic marshmallow filling to make these treats refined-sugar-free, gluten-free, oil-free, and totally plant-based.
The trick is a little fridge/freezer time to allow the sunflower seed butter and syrup to solidify into solid squares.
No bland children’s snacks, here, friends.
I love using SunButter instead of peanut butter here as a creamy nut-free alternative!
Then the addition of roasted sunflower seeds takes these crispies from shabby to chic.
If you want to go more classic, feel free to omit the sunflower seeds and sub more cereal. but I love the way the seeds add extra protein fiber, and texture to the squares.
Top them off with an optional easy 2-ingredient chocolate SunButter “frosting”, which is just melty dark chocolate and straight up SunButter.
You’re welcome.
Enjoy these Chocolate SunButter Rice Crispy Treats (Nut-Free) as a fun snack or dessert anytime!
Make a pan of them to enjoy during the week for an easy breakfast bar, snack, or dessert.
The minimal ingredients here are suitable for anyone with a gluten, dairy, or nut allergy and/or intolerance.
I think they’d be fun to make with kids for a healthy and delicious alternative.
I for one wouldn’t mind if a couple of these showed up in my lunchbox.
If you make these Chocolate SunButter Rice Crispy Treats (Nut-Free), I’d love to hear what you think!
Give me a shout on Instagram and use #floraandvino to show me yours.
Check out my Pinterest page to pin more recipes like this one to make later!
Want more simple no-bake desserts?
Check out my Superfood Chocolate Maca Cups, 2-Ingredient Dark Chocolate Coconut Butter Cups and Superseed Chocolate Truffles.
Do you love this post and want more? Go to my homepage and subscribe to get recipe updates sent right to your inbox!
XO Lauren
PrintChocolate SunButter Rice Crispy Treats
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 16-ish
- Diet: Vegan
Description
4-ingredient vegan and gluten free rice crispy treats naturally sweetened and nut-free! Enjoy as is for a snack or dessert or add a creamy 2-ingredient frosting.
Ingredients
Rice Crispy Treats
- 3 1/2 cups brown rice crisp cereal
- 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
- 1/2 cup No-Sugar-Added SunButter
- generous 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
Chocolate Frosting
- 1/2 cup vegan dark chocolate (70% or higher)
- 1/4 cup No-Sugar-Added SunButter
Instructions
- Line an 8 x 8 baking dish with parchment paper, or, alternatively, lightly grease it with coconut oil.
- Add the brown rice crisp cereal and sunflower seeds to large heat safe mixing bowl and set aside.
- In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, add the SunButter and maple syrup and whisk until it’s well incorporated. Stir the mixture occasionally until the mixture begins to bubble, about 2 minutes. It should be really gooey, like caramel.
- Remove the mixture from the heat and pour it over the cereal bowl. Stir and fold everything with a spatula until it’s sticky and all of the brown rice crips are well coated.
- Spoon the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Using a rubber spatula, press down firmly, so the pan is tightly packed with an even top.
- Transfer the baking pan to the freezer for 25-30 minute to chill and harden.
- About five minutes before the treats are done chilling, make the optional chocolate SunButter frosting. Add the dark chocolate and SunButter to a saucepan over medium low and heat until the chocolate is melted. Stir well to combine SunButter and chocolate until it’s thick and creamy.
- Remove the pan from the freezer and spread chocolate SunButter frosting on top in a thin layer.
- Transfer the pan back in the refrigerator or freezer for 15-20 minutes to set completely.
- Once the chocolate is set, cut the bars into squares before serving. Store the leftovers in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Notes
Recipe adapted from Beaming Baker
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Category: Dessert, Snack
- Method: Stovetop, Freezer
- Cuisine: Vegan, Oil-Free, Gluten-Free, Refined Sugar-Free
This post is brought to you by SunButter, but all words and eats are my own. Thanks for supporting the sponsors that keep me hungry!
Katie
Love this recipe! So easy and delicious – most of the hour and 15 mins is inactive time when they are sitting in the freezer. Active time making the bars was more like 10 minutes. So excited to have a healthier vegan version of classic rice crispy treats!!!
Flora & Vino
Thanks so much for the review, Katie! Appreciate your feedback here and YES the active time is a lot easier than expected. Do glad you enjoyed them. 🙂
XOXO Lauren
Katie
PS – 5 star rating for sure (forgot to include the stars in my previous comment/review)!
Flora & Vino
Thanks so much! XOXO.
Kelly McCarthy
Hi!! Was so excited to see this because our son totally needs “treats” like these. I’m on my second one personally-so easy and yummy! Thank you again for a great and easy recipe!!
Flora & Vino
Hi Kelly, I hope you and your son LOVED these! They’re definitely a favorite of mine. Did you make the chocolate “frosting” too?
Kelly McCarthy
I totally made the chocolate frosting but what I didn’t do is make it with a salted chocolate bar-I think that’s key because my sun butter doesn’t have salt and salt always makes chocolate better. So I just sprinkled some on! He totally ate one but they have become mama’s treat lol-which is fine with me! Thank you again for a great idea! I love the crunch!
Flora & Vino
Haha, totally makes sense! Love it!
Gloria
Loved these but got the comment that the Krispies were a bit soggy. What did I do wrong? Stored in fridge after making
Flora & Vino
Hi Gloria,
How did you store them in the fridge? Were they soggy after refrigerating or before?
XOXO Lauren
Diane
Had just the right amount of brown rice cereal and an unopened jar of unsalted sunflower butter in the pantry. Along with sprouted seeds in the fridge, this was meant to be. No chocolate at home, so made “frosting” using 3 Tbsps. Coconut Oil, 3 Tbsps. Maple Syrup, 1/4 C. Cacao Powder, 1/4 C. SunButter, and a pinch of Salt. Decorated the glaze with a sprinkling of Maldon Salt before returning to freezer. Glad to make good use of what we have on our shelves and for the treat! Thank you!
Flora & Vino
Hi Diane,
This sounds AMAZING! Thanks so much for sharing your success! I need to make these again soon!
XOXO Lauren