Easy Healthier Homemade Crunch Bars (vegan + gluten-free)

Making Vegan Treats

A lot of people assume that since I'm now vegan, allergic to dairy and soy, and don't eat refined sugar, holidays like Halloween are a real bummer. The truth is, though, that I have sweet treats whenever I'm craving them! When I find myself dreaming of a traditional candy bar, I start Googling pictures of the inside to see what it's made of and brainstorm how I can make my own version. It's creative, scientific, and most importantly...delicious! The best part of the whole process is sharing it with my friends online who also get to make and enjoy these creations. I think you'll love these Easy Healthier Homemade Crunch Bars! I was able to motivate my kiddos to clean their rooms to shining perfection with these treats, so they were a double win in my house!

Ingredients in Homemade Healthier Crunch Bars

Would you believe these homemade Crunch bars only have six ingredients? And...two of them are vanilla and salt! This is a really easy recipe to make and you may have these ingredients on hand already.

• Chocolate! - Use vegan, refined sugar-free chocolate to keep these as healthy as possible. I love Hu chocolate gems and use them in almost every chocolate recipe I make!
• Brown rice crisp cereal - I love the brand One Degree Organics, which is refined sugar-free. Double check that your cereal is certified gluten-free if that's important to you!
• Almond Butter - Go for raw, creamy almond butter...the runnier, the better! I recently learned how to make my own almond butter and was shocked by how easy it was. You can use any nut or seed butter you like, though!
• Maple sugar - I used just a couple tablespoons of pure maple sugar here. Maple sugar is made by cooking pure maple a bit longer, then beating it with a paddle until it forms little granules. Isn't that cool?! It's a natural sweetener that keeps many of my favorite recipes free of refined sugar! Coconut sugar also works here.
• Vanilla extract and salt - Those classic little additions for a perfect balance of flavor!

How to Make Healthier Homemade Crunch Bars

This process is super quick and will feel just like making nostalgic Rice Crispy treats...but of course, filled with chocolate! It's just four steps: melt, mix, transfer, and cut. If your kids like to help in the kitchen, they'll love this recipe...especially if you let them lick the spatula once it's all done!

1. Melt the chocolate - You can do this in the microwave or over a double broiler on the stovetop. I just do the microwave since it's fastest! I usually melt the chocolate about ¾ of the way, then stir it until it's totally smooth. This helps prevent overheating since chocolate is so delicate.
2. Mix the ingredients - Add everything into a large mixing bowl and stir until it's combined.
3. Transfer - Pour your mixture into an 8x8 pan lined with parchment paper. Use a spatula to evenly spread it into a single layer, then freeze it for 10 minutes to help the chocolate solidify.
4. Cut - Lift the block out of the pan, then use a sharp knife to cut it into 12 bars. Enjoy immediately, and store leftovers separated by pieces of parchment paper. Keep them in the refrigerator up to 2 weeks, or freeze up to 3 months. Allow them to thaw a bit before enjoying!

Candy Bars Made Vegan!