These Gluten-Free Vegan Chocolate Chip Crispy Treat Squares are an easy and healthy recipe made with only 6 clean, real food ingredients. They're a plant-based no-bake dessert that's a cleaned-up version of the classic treat made without marshmallows, vegan butter or refined sugar!
This is a really easy and clean eating Gluten-Free Vegan Chocolate Chip Crispy Treat recipe that needs only 6 clean ingredients that's a treat for both kids and adults.
Store-bought rice crispy treats are a classic S.A.D. (Standard American Diet) favorite snack that is routinely packed in school lunch boxes and even vending machines.
However, most people may not realize that not only does it contain highly processed and GMO ingredients, but they are not vegan as they contain butter and gelatin.
Here's the ingredient list for the popular store-bought crispy treat snack:
S.A.D. (Standard American Diet) Kellogg's Rice Krispy Treats Ingredients: Toasted Rice Cereal (Rice, Sugar, Salt, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Malt Flavoring, Niacinamide, Reduced Iron, Riboflavin [Vitamin B2], Folic Acid), Marshmallow (Corn Syrup, Sugar, Gelatin, Artificial Flavor), Fructose, Margarine (Vegetable Oil [Canola and/or Sunflower Oil, Partially Hydrogenated Soybean and/or Cottonseed Oil, Hydrogenated Cottonseed Oil, TBHQ and Mixed Tocopherols For Freshness], Water, Natural and Artificial Butter Flavor [Contains Milk], Datem, Acetylated Monoglycerides, Bht [Preservative], Vitamin A Palmitate, Vitamin D), Corn Syrup Solids, Contains Two Percent or Less of Dextrose, Glycerin, Salt, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Thiamin Hydrochloride (Vitamin B1), Soy Lecithin
They basically contain everything you do not want to consume like GMO ingredients (high fructose corn syrup, soybean oil, cottonseed oil, corn syrup solids, soy lecithin), preservative, artificial flavors, refined sugar, and salt and margarine?!
It's so easy to make a clean, healthier version at home where you have control over the ingredients used and can make it vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, no-bake and without refined sugar.
Expert Tips + Ingredient Substitutions
Here are some expert tips to make this recipe perfectly:
Cashew Butter: I used cashew butter because it's a neutral-flavored nut butter, but you could also use your favorite nut butter. For example, peanut butter, almond butter or sunflower butter would all work well.
Coconut Oil. If you don't like the taste or flavor of coconut oil, you can use organic refined coconut oil which has zero coconut oil taste or flavor.
Maple Syrup. You can substitute with another liquid sweetener such as organic date nectar, organic brown rice syrup or organic coconut nectar.
Ground Cinnamon. I added this for flavor but it can be omitted if you prefer.
Chocolate Chips. I recommend using "mini" chocolate chips since they are smaller and won't be overwhelming in the crispy treat squares.
Brown Rice Cereal. I used Erewhon Organic Brown Rice Cereal to make this recipe. However, feel free to use your favorite gluten-free + vegan brown rice cereal.
Storage: One thing to keep in mind when making an all-natural, clean dessert without preservatives is this recipe will not be ideal for transporting, in a heated environment or lunchbox. You will need to keep these in the refrigerator or freezer until ready to serve because they will become soft and lose their shape if left out at room temperature - due to the coconut oil, which is what holds everything together.
Want More Healthy Plant-Based No-Bake Dessert Recipes?
Check out these:
- Cashew Butter Banana Sushi
- Crispy Cashew Butter Energy Balls
- Cacao Nib Superfood Truffles
- or my CLEAN DESSERTS Cookbook with 72 plant-based no-bake dessert recipes made with clean, real food ingredients just like this one that you will love!
Did You Make This Recipe?
I'd love to hear about it! Please give it a rating and leave a comment below...it would make my day! 🙂
Gluten-Free Vegan Chocolate Chip Crispy Treats
Ingredients
For the crispy treat mixture:
- 1 cup organic cashew butter
- 1/2 cup organic coconut oil
- 1/4 cup organic maple syrup
- 1 pinch organic ground cinnamon
For the add-ins:
- 4 cups organic brown rice cereal
- 2 cups Enjoy Life semi-sweet mini chocolate chips
Instructions
- Prepare an 8 x 8 baking dish lined with parchment paper, then set aside.
Prepare the crispy treat mixture:
- Add all ingredients for the crispy treat mixture to a small saucepan and melt on the lowest setting, stirring the entire time until creamy and smooth and taking care to not let it burn.
- Remove from heat and cool completely (VERY IMPORTANT because the heated mixture will melt the chocolate chips when mixed together).
- After the crispy treat mixture has completely cooled, and transfer it to a large mixing bowl.
Add the add-ins:
- Add the add-ins to the mixing bowl and stir until everything is well combined and evenly distributed.
- Transfer to the prepared baking dish and press it down firmly and evenly.
- Place the baking dish in the freezer for approximately 1-2 hours, or until it hardens.
- Store in an air-tight, BPA-free container in the refrigerator or freezer until ready to serve because the crispy treats will get soft and lose their shape if left out at room temperature.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition Information
Hi, I'm Karielyn! I'm the published cookbook author of CLEAN DESSERTS and content creator of The Healthy Family and Home™ website since 2012. I specialize in creating easy, healthy plant-based and Medical Medium® compliant recipes that are gluten-free + vegan and made with clean, real food ingredients that you can feel good about eating.
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