Nut Butter Brown Rice Crispy Squares

These four ingredient, no-bake treats are absolutely delicious and incredibly easy to throw together. They can be vegan (depending on the chocolate you use) and are naturally gluten-free. They can also be nut-free if you use seed butter instead of nut butter. I have made them with peanut butter, almond butter, and sunbutter - every time they turn out great! **One thing that cannot be substituted is the brown rice syrup. I have tried subbing maple syrup and honey and they just don't hold together in the same way. You can find brown rice syrup (which is a plant-based liquid sweetener made from brown rice) at Whole Foods, various health food stores, and on Amazon. Be careful buying it on Amazon though as some sellers charge far too much. A jar of brown rice syrup should cost around $8 in store. I use Lundberg Organic Brown Rice Syrup. One jar is enough for two batches of this fun treat.  

I get requests for these treats all the time! Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 cup of brown rice syrup**, no substitutions (see note above)

1 cup nut or seed butter of your choice, peanut butter, almond butter, sunbutter for nut-free, room temp

4 cups of puffed brown rice cereal, (I like One Degree Sprouted Brown Rice Crisps - you can find these in the gluten-free section of your market)

~ 1 to 1 1/2 cups of chocolate chips, melted (I use Enjoy Life Chocolate Morsels, bc they are delicious and they are also vegan)

Directions:

Line an 8X8 or 9X9 dish with a 4" X  16" strip parchment paper placed in the middle of the baking dish - leave the long parts hanging over both sides. This will help you pull everything out easily when the treats are ready to be transferred to a cutting board. 

In a large mixing bowl stir together room temperature nut or seed butter and brown rice syrup until fully combined. Add 2 cups of rice cereal and mix. Add the remaining 2 cups and mix until fully combined. I find it is much easier to use my hands as the mixture gets very thick. I put on a pair of gloves and dig right in until everything is incorporated. 

Next transfer the cereal mixture to the prepared baking dish. Use your hands to smash the cereal mixture evenly into the pan (this is why I like to wear gloves when making this). Sometimes I use a little square of parchment on top of the mixture to really get it all in there and spread evenly - the parchment helps the cereal from sticking to your hands.

Next put the dish into the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to let it firm up. Once it's firm, melt the chocolate. Place the chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl and head for one minute. Remove and stir. Put it back into the microwave and heat for another 30 seconds. Remove and stir. It may be smooth and ready to pour or you may need to give it another 15 to 20 seconds. When fully melted pour the chocolate on top of the crispy cereal mixture and spread evenly. The treats go back into the fridge to firm up for about an hour. If you are feeling impatient you can put them in the freezer for about 15 minutes. 

When you are ready to cut the treats into squares remove from refrigerator and grab a cutting board and a large knife. Use the overhanging parchment strips to pull the whole thing out with ease (you might have to run your knife around the edges to loosen up some of the sticking treats first). I find that if I let the treats sit out for about five minutes and soften slightly they are easier to cut through. Cut into squares. I think these are best kept in the fridge so the chocolate stays firm. They won't last long, though, I promise! Enjoy!