Raise your hand if you grew up on rice crispy treats. Keep it raised if you frequently used a bag of marshmallows to make them yourself.
Same.
Now that I’m an adult and sharing “healthy” recipes, it seemed about time to share my more “mature” take on rice crispy treats.
These bars are loaded with nutrients, packed with protein, and naturally sweetened—plus they taste amazing.
Let’s make some Cocoa PB Hemp Bars!
These bars start with a big cup of peanut butter mixed with maple syrup. This creates a simple binding + naturally sweet base for your bars (audios marshmallows). Next we add in the beloved puffed rice along with hemp seeds which are high in antioxidants, fiber, and vitamins. Yes, these are the real deal.
Slather all that with a chocolate + peanut butter coating and you’ve got yourself the ultimate, nutrient-dense, treat.
I love sharing these bars with friends after a casual dinner, bringing them to parties, or just snacking after a long run. They are packed with protein (from the nut butter), rich in vitamins (from the hemp seeds), and naturally sweet (from the maple syrup). Eat your treats + have no shame my friends.
You guys are going to LOVE these cocoa pb hemp bars! They are:
Sticky with a Crunch
Perfectly Sweet
Nutrient Dense
Simple to make
& SO tasty
If you try this recipe, be sure to comment, leave a rating, and don’t forget to tag a photo #thelocalsprout on Instagram! I can’t wait to hear what you think!
For more healthy(ish) treats, check out my gluten free chocolate chunk cookies, sweet potato brownies, sweetheart cake balls, or my mint chocolate cake balls.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Hemp Bars
Materials
Bars:
- 1 cup natural creamy peanut butter(or sub other nut/seed butter*)
- 1/4 cup maple syrup or sub honey for non-vegan option
- 1 tsp vanilla
- pinch sea salt omit if your peanut butter is salted
- 1/4 cup hemp seeds
- 2 cup puffed rice cereal
Chocolate Top:
- 1 Tbsp. natural creamy peanut butter
- 3/4 cup dairy free chocolate chunks/chips or use regular for non-vegan option
Instructions
- Line a loaf pan with parchment paper or lightly grease. Set aside.
- In a medium-sized bowl, combine the peanut butter, maple syrup, vanilla, and salt until smooth and creamy.
- Gently stir in the hemp seeds and rice cereal until mixture is evenly distributed and very thick.
- Dump mixture into prepared pan and press firmly to pack bars into a large block. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine the peanut butter and chocolate. Microwave for 1-2 minutes, stirring every 20-30 seconds to ensure mixture does not over cook—you want the chocolate to be creamy and drippy, but not to the point where it begins to thicken.
- Pour chocolate mixture over top of the rice block. Smooth with a rubber spatula to evenly coat and immediately transfer to freezer.
- Freeze bars for 30 minutes or until chocolate topping is firm. Carefully cut into equal bars with a sharp knife.
- Enjoy immediately or store bars in an airtight container in refrigerator or freezer until ready to enjoy.
Notes
“The almond butter ones are good. However they stick to the roof of your mouth a lot and don’t hold together as well….The almond butter tastes “healthier” in way. The peanut butter ones taste more like you’re eating a cookie or candy. “ I think sunbutter would be a great nut-free alternative for this recipe as it has a similar texture to peanut butter.