Easy and healthy rice crispy treats topped with chocolate—a much healthier option to serve at a kid's party or as a weekend indulgence.
They’re made with Kamut Puffs for a firmer texture and a richer flavor.
They’re also refined sugar-free, and you can easily customize this recipe to make them vegan-friendly and gluten-free.
Present them in cute cupcakes, and you have the perfect crunchy sweet bite.
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Recipe Features
- How to make healthier rice crispy treats without marshmallows—ridiculously easy.
- The recipe includes Kamut puffs for a crispier, firmer texture and more wholesome flavor.
- Naturally sweetened with either raw honey or brown rice syrup.
- Made with crunchy peanut butter, you can easily swap it for almond butter (crunchy or creamy) or any other flavored nut butter.
- Created in the form of a cupcake for easy handling.
- And deliciously topped with dark chocolate for a richer experience.
Let's make them!
Ingredients & Equipment—Notes
Kamut Puffs—Kamut puff cereal adds a crunchier bite and a fuller flavor. They tend to be a bit thicker than your regular (brown) rice cereal. But they are not gluten-free (see substitutions in my recipe notes).
You can find them easily in the cereal aisle. I buy mine often online or in Whole Foods.
Nut butter—crunchy peanut butter adds an intense peanut taste, and I usually go for a salty version—substitute for creamy or different nut butter. Swapping this ingredient will determine the overall flavor of your rice crispy treat.
Sweetener—if you want to keep it vegan-friendly, then stick with brown rice syrup; it’s sticky, but you might need an extra tablespoon because it is less sweet. Otherwise, raw honey is another excellent choice.
Dark chocolate—adding a chocolate topping is optional, but it does add a nice contrasting texture—and who doesn't love some chocolate? I love a sugar-free version (if on sale) or a very dark one with at least 70% of cocoa.
Coconut Cream—A small amount helps melt the chocolate, give it a beautiful shine, and tone down its intense cocoa flavors.
Equipment—this unique cupcake recipe calls for a muffin pan and muffin liners. It allows for the rice crispy treats to hold their shape when you firmly press down the prepared Kamut puffs and helps obtain a firm texture.
How to make healthier rice crispy treats (step-by-step)
- Stir 2 tablespoons of the honey or brown rice syrup in the peanut butter until well combined.
- Loosen up any big chunks of the nut butter until you get a more even consistency.
- Add the Kamut puffs to the peanut butter mix in batches and stir well until the cereal is evenly coated.
- Drizzle one extra tablespoon of honey or brown rice syrup on top and stir it in to make the puffs extra sticky.
- Start by filling a cupcake liner with ½ tablespoon of the coated rice crisp cereal.
- Then press firmly down with the back of a large spoon until they are tightly packed inside before adding the next tablespoon.
- Continue to add and press down the rice crips cereal until the cupcake is full and the cereal is firmly packed inside.
Note: It’s easier to place the cupcake liners in a muffin pan to keep a consistent form. Use reasonably sturdy cupcake liners if you don’t have a muffin pan.
- Melt chocolate and coconut cream in a small saucepan over the lowest heat setting, stirring continuously until smooth.
- Take a spoon and drizzle the melted chocolate over the rice crispy cupcakes in a streaking motion until all melted chocolate mixture is used up.
- Immediately store them in the freezer and harden for about 4 hours.
Note: if you don’t use a muffin pan, place the crispy rice treats on a large cutting board to drizzle the chocolate over the cupcakes.
- Optional: garnish with chopped nuts of your choice and coconut shreds.
Take them out of the cupcake liners when ready to serve.
- They’re crunchy,
- Full of delicious sweet and salty peanut flavor,
- With a touch of dark chocolate.
Topping ideas
Go for anything you like. Here are a few suggestions:
- Fine coconut shreds
- Chopped nuts like cashews, hazelnuts, or Brazil nuts
- Finely chopped dried fruits like apricots, apples, or pineapple
Storage
Keep in the freezer until ready to eat for up to six weeks.
More no-bake treats you might like
- Pumpkin pie spice energy balls
- No-bake mascarpone cheesecake
- Easy & Light Mascarpone Mousse
- Easy chocolate coffee mousse
- Low-carb vegan cheesecake in a cup (super healthy)
- A creamy cocoa & peanut butter avocado mousse
Have questions? Simply comment below or message me. Also, don’t forget to stay connected by subscribing to my Monthly Newsletter.
📖 Recipe
Rice Crispy Treats Cupcakes
Mariska RamondinoIngredients
- 4 cups Kamut puffs, puffed Kamut Cereal 85 grams
- 1 cup crunchy peanut butter 250 grams
- 3 tablespoons raw honey
- 3.5 ounces 70% cocoa dark chocolate 100 grams
- 2 tablespoons coconut cream 30 grams
Instructions
- In a medium-sized bowl, mix the nut butter with two tablespoons of honey until smooth and well combined.
- Add in batches the Kamut puffs to the nut butter mixture. It’s best to use a large spoon to gently stir in the cereal until every grain is well coated with the nut butter mix.
- Drizzle one tablespoon of honey (or brown rice syrup) on top of the coated Kamut puffs and gently stir it in—you should have one sticky mixture.
- Place paper or silicone cupcake liners in a 12-cup muffin pan.
- Then divide the Kamut puff mixture evenly into the lined cupcake molds.
- Start with ½ tablespoon, firmly pressing the sticky Kamut puffs down the bottom of the cupcake liner with the back of a spoon, before adding another ½ of a spoon, etc.
- Repeat the firm but gentle pressing of the coated Kamut with each batch until you have generously filled the cupcake holder—repeat with the rest.
- Place the filled muffin pan in the freezer, reserve.
- In a small saucepan, add the dark chocolate pieces and the coconut cream.
- Over lowest heat setting, stir continuously until the chocolate has melted—the coconut cream will give the melted chocolate a beautiful glossy look and a softer flavor.
- Then remove from the heat.
- Take the muffin pan with the rice crispy treats out of the freezer.
- Take a spoon of the melted chocolate and make a waving motion to create chocolate streak over each rice crispy treat—it’s okay if some of these chocolate streaks fall onto the muffin pan instead.
- Continue until all melted chocolate is used up. You should have a generous amount of chocolate covering each rice crispy treat
- Sprinkle on top of each cupcake some fine coconut shreds and finely chopped nuts of your choice (optional).
- Place immediately in the freezer for 4 hours or until the rice crispy treats have sufficiently hardened.
- Keep stored in the freezer and only remove them when you ready to eat them.
- Remove the cupcake liner and enjoy your rice crispy treat.
Notes
- To make it gluten-free: use gluten-free brown rice cereal crisp
- To replace peanut butter: use almond butter or any other preferred or flavored nut butter. Feel free to use creamy nut butter instead of crunchy.
- To make it vegan-friendly use brown rice syrup (you can also use maple syrup but brown rice syrup is much stickier and better at holding the puffs together.
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Nutrition (% Daily value)
Disclaimer: This nutritional data is calculated using third party tools and is only intended as a reference.
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