These Chocolate Pumpkin Spice Crispy Bars have a pumpkin spice rice crispy base, topped with a layer of dark chocolate and a pumpkin spice swirl. These bars are easy to make, beautiful, delicious, and gluten-free + vegan!
Alright, guys – pumpkin recipe #1 for 2018 is HERE. I had kind of been avoiding posting anything pumpkin until October, because frankly…it just does NOT feel like fall yet here in San Diego. Too typical.
But the past few days, there has been a bit of a bite in the air at night time and the days aren’t quite as sweltering as they have been. So technically, San Diego has entered our own, extra-warm version of fall.
To kick off pumpkin season, we’ve got something GOOD: Chocolate Pumpkin Spice Crispy Bars. These bars have a base made with brown rice crispy cereal that’s tossed in a mixture of maple syrup, cashew butter, pumpkin puree, coconut oil, and pumpkin pie spice.
Dark chocolate is melted and spread all over that, and then swirled with pumpkin spice cashew butter. Holy cow, they are good, and absolutely easy to make too.
Once the Chocolate Pumpkin Spice Crispy Bars ars are all finished, they’re cut and devoured. They turn out crunchy, tasting like fall, full of all your favorite pumpkin-enhancing spices. The dark chocolate pairs so beautifully with the pumpkin spice flavor, too.
The swirl looks beautiful and impressive, but it’s truly so easy. Just a quick mix of cashew butter, pumpkin spice, and a little coconut oil. It’s dolloped and drizzled all over the bars and then swirled in with a knife.
They’re gluten-free, vegan, and refined sugar-free, so you can totally eat more than one ;) If you’re a pumpkin spice fiend like most of us during this time of year, I think you’re going to love these. Enjoy, my loves! xoxo
Chocolate Pumpkin Spice Crispy Bars
Ingredients
For the bars
- 3 cups gluten-free puffed brown rice cereal
- 2 tablespoons (30g) pumpkin purée
- ½ cup (128g) cashew butter
- ⅓ cup (107g) maple syrup
- 3 tablespoons (37g) coconut oil
- 1¼ teaspoon pumpkin spice
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt optional - use if your cashew butter is unsalted
For the chocolate topping
- 6 oz. dark chocolate chopped
- 2 tablespoons cashew butter
For the swirl
- 1 tablespoon cashew butter
- ¼ teaspoon pumpkin spice
- ½ teaspoon coconut oil
Instructions
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Line an 8x8” square baking pan with parchment paper and spray with nonstick spray. Set aside.
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Place the puffed brown rice cereal in a large mixing bowl.
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In a small saucepan, cook the pumpkin puree over low-medium heat, stirring almost constantly, for a few minutes until thickened slightly. Add the cashew butter, maple syrup, coconut oil, pumpkin spice, and salt if using. Whisk to incorporate and melt the coconut oil, and then bring to a boil. Turn down to a simmer and let bubble for 3 minutes, whisking the whole time.
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After 3 minutes, remove from the heat and pour over the brown rice cereal. Stir to combine completely, making sure to coat all of the cereal.
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Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and use your hand or a spatula to press the bars down firmly. Set aside to let them firm up.
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While the bars firm up, place the chopped dark chocolate and cashew butter in a microwave safe bowl and microwave in 30 seconds increments, stirring between each, until it’s smooth and melted.
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Spread the chocolate over the peanut butter crispy bars. In another small microwavable bowl, combine the cashew butter and coconut oil and heat until the coconut oil is melted. Stir to combine, and then dollop over the melted chocolate. Use a knife to swirl the chocolate and cashew butter together.
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Let firm up in the fridge for at least 2 hours before cutting into 16 squares. Be sure to use a SHARP knife and cut them while they're cool or they'll crumble. Store in the refrigerator or freezer.
Labyrinth says
The flavours are delicious, but the puffed rice is not crunchy at all. I wish I had added nuts/seeds to the base. I’ve frozen them now in the hope they’ll be crunchier when really cold!
Rachel says
Hi Labyrinth, I believe that certain brands of puffed rice cereal are crispier than others! I use Barbara’s brand and it’s always stayed nice and crispy for me. If your rice crispies were stale at all or if your pumpkin was pretty watery, that can make them softer too. Hopefully they’re more to your tastes after being frozen!!