This summer, I rediscovered an old favorite of mine for our backpacking trips. I changed the classic recipe to make a less sweet version with options for dairy-free. Delicious! Plus, these treats hold up pretty well when smushed in a backpack. Here’s how I make my Peanut & Chocolate Rice Krispie treats with options for no dairy and less sugar.
Ingredients
- 3 T coconut oil (or butter)
- 10 oz. bag of marshmallows – see below
- 6 C Rice Krispies – use recipe modifications (also below) for vegan marshmallows
- 1 C peanuts
- 1 C dairy-free (or regular) chocolate chips – see below*
Recipe Choices
Just for kicks, I tried Dandie’s Vegan Marshmallows. They work, with a few caveats. First, the marshmallows will get soft but not totally melt. If you go this route, use five cups of Rice Krispies instead of six. You will also need to switch to mixing with your hands in the end stages. That’s not as messy as it sounds. However, it is difficult to incorporate any mix-ins, so I ended up just pressing a lot of the nuts and chocolate chips into the top.
Do vegan marshmallows taste different? Not to my unsophisticated taste buds. 🙂 And since I’m not vegan and I am okay with a little bit of ‘not so healthy’ food in my diet, I’ll continue using the regular (cheap) ones.
Along those lines, I’ve read that there are vegan versions of Rice Krispies out there. I didn’t bother with tracking any down because… see above.
Chocolate is the one place where I AM picky. In my opinion, life is way too short to waste on sub-par chocolate.
I usually use Enjoy Life Dark Chocolate Morsels. I also like Lily’s Dark Chocolate Baking Chips which have less sugar. (fyi, Lily’s are not strictly dairy-free as they’re produced on equipment that also processes products containing dairy.)
Directions
Put the chocolate chips in the fridge or freezer for an hour or so before you start. Although you don’t have to do this, it will keep the chocolate from melting and smearing so much when you add it to the warm marshmallow mixture.
Melt the coconut oil or butter over medium-low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat. Add Rice Krispies, nuts, and chocolate chips.
Press into a greased 9 x 11 pan. Allow to cool and then cut into bars.
Such a simple recipe and so good! Okay, almost anything tastes good when you’re backpacking, but these pass the test of being good at home too. 🙂
Enjoy!
Looking for another quick chocolate and nut summer treat? Try my healthier take on classic No-Bake Peanut Chocolate Cookies.