Vegan Chocolate Heart Rice Crispy Treats (vegan, gluten-free, refined sugar-free)

Author: Elaine Gordon
Total Time: 10 minutes
Yield: 5 1x
Diet: Vegan

Description

The most perfect treat for your sweetheart isn't in a heart-shaped box...it's these Chocolate Heart Rice Crispy Treats! Crispy, crunchy almond butter chocolate bars drizzled in more chocolate and sprinkled with festive toppings will make your loved ones swoon!

Ingredients

Units Scale

1/2 cup vegan, refined sugar-free dark chocolate chips
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 cup runny unsweetened, unsalted creamy raw almond butter (a new jar works best here) (use tahini, sunflower seed butter or pumpkin butter for a nut-free version)
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 cups gluten-free chocolate (or regular) brown rice crisp cereal (I love One Degree Organics gluten-free sprouted chocolate brown rice crispy cereal - it is lightly sweetened with coconut sugar keeping it refined sugar-free)
1/4 teaspoon of fine sea salt

Optional Garnishes

1/4 cup vegan, refined sugar-free dark chocolate gems, melted [use code ELAINE for 10% off Hu dark vegan chocolate]
freeze-dried raspberries, crushed

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Instructions

Line an 8×8 inch baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
Place chocolate and coconut oil in a microwave safe glass container. Microwave on high for 2 minutes. Stir well to combine.
In a large mixing bowl, stir together the melted chocolate and coconut oil, almond butter, maple syrup and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth and well combined, about 1 minute. Next stir in the brown rice crisp cereal and salt until well combined.
Pour mixture into prepared pan, and use a spatula to flatten the top so it is even and well compact. Alternatively, you could place a new sheet of parchment paper overtop the treats and then use the bottom of a glass to press the mixture down without it sticking to the bottom of the glass.
Add any optional garnishes. I like to add a healthy drizzle of melted chocolate and then sprinkle the crushed freeze dried raspberries overtop to make them extra decadent and festive for Valentine's Day.
Place pan in the freezer for at least 2 hours. Once frozen solid, use Valentine's Day cookie cutters to cut into 4-5 heart shapes and serve. If you are having difficulty let the pan sit out at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before cutting them into heart shapes. You will be left with some scraps (which my kids and I happily eat!).
The rice crispy treats can be stored covered in the freezer for up to one month. The treats will soften at room temperature within 10-20 minutes. I prefer eating them straight out of the freezer.