These homemade crunch bars taste exactly like the popular chocolate candy bars, and the recipe calls for just 2 ingredients!
No bake chocolate crunch bars
The best homemade crunch bar recipe also just so happens to be the easiest.
As a former Nestle Crunch lover, I’ve tried numerous copycats over the years. Trust me when I say that this one is the most authentic tasting recipe you will find.
It boasts the same irresistible crispy, crunchy texture and rich chocolate flavor as the beloved originals, plus the same simplicity of ingredients.
It’s completely impossible to stop at one!
Also try these Chocolate Peanut Butter Eggs
Step by step recipe video
Key ingredients in homemade crunch bars
Chocolate chips – Use dark chocolate chips to make dark chocolate crunch bars or semi sweet chips for a more neutral taste. Or for bars that taste exactly like the store bought version, go with milk chocolate chips.
The recipe can easily be low carb or dairy free and vegan. Simply choose a brand of nondairy or sugar free chocolate chips, both readily available at most grocery stores.
Rice crispy cereal – This can be any crisped rice cereal, including Kellogg’s Rice Krispies, Nature’s Path organic and gluten free Crispy Rice Cereal, or a generic brand to save money.
You may also change up the texture by trying another crushed cereal or granola in place of the crispy rice cereal. See below for even more variations.
Coconut oil (optional) – Adding two teaspoons of coconut oil to the melted chocolate gives the finished bars a smooth, shiny appearance. However, packaged Crunch bars do not include coconut oil and it is not required here either.
Extra chocolate chips? Make Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Fun ideas for different flavors
- Use toasted quinoa instead of the rice crispies.
- Stir half a cup of softened peanut butter into the melted chocolate, to create chocolate peanut butter crunch bars.
- Mix a handful of chopped almonds or walnuts, shredded coconut, or healthy superfood chia seeds in with the dry cereal.
- Sprinkle the top of the candy bars with flaky sea salt.
- Or use a spoon to drop clusters of the mixture onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Let sit until firm, creating your very own homemade copycat Buncha Crunch!
How to make homemade crunch bars
- Gather all of your ingredients, and line the bottom of an eight inch square pan with parchment paper or wax paper. Alternatively, grease the bottom of the pan with oil.
- Very carefully melt the chocolate chips. (Follow the guide below on how to melt chocolate correctly.)
- If using coconut oil, stir it into the melted chocolate.
- Pour in the rice crispy cereal, using a large spoon or spatula to gently fold the cereal in until evenly mixed and coated.
- Spread the mixture into the prepared pan.
- This is the simple part: Leave the pan on the counter for a few hours until the homemade crunch bars firm up. Or if you are in a hurry, freeze for about five minutes or until hard enough to slice into bars.
- Use a sharp knife to cut the chocolate into bars or bites.
- Store leftovers in an airtight covered container in a cool, dry place. Or freeze for up to three months and enjoy for snack or dessert, straight from the freezer.
The best ways to melt chocolate for homemade candy bars
Microwave Method: Add chocolate chips to a dry, microwave safe bowl.
Heat thirty seconds on high power. Stir well, then heat in ten second increments, stirring after each until the chocolate sauce is smooth.
It is important to go slowly, because chocolate burns quickly.
Double Boiler Method: Fill the bottom pan of a double boiler with about an inch of water, and bring to a simmer.
Then remove from the heat and add the chocolate to the top pan. Never let any water touch the chocolate.
Allow the steam from the bottom pan to indirectly heat the chips as you stir them until fully melted.
This recipe is shelf stable, so it needs no refrigeration. Homemade crunch bars are great for Halloween parties, Easter baskets, or packing into a school lunch box!
Homemade Crunch Bars
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips (250g)
- 2/3 cup rice crispy cereal (20g) (For low carb, make Keto Candy Bars)
- 2 tsp coconut oil (24g) (optional)
InstructionsÂ
- 1. Line the bottom of an 8 inch square pan with parchment paper, or grease well. Set this pan aside.
- 2. Carefully melt chocolate chips in the microwave or by using the double boiler method.
- 3. Stir in the coconut oil, if using.
- 4. Using a spoon or spatula, gently fold in the rice crispy cereal until evenly coated.
- 5. Spread the chocolate crunch bar mixture into the prepared pan.
- 6. Let sit on the counter until firm. Or if you are in a hurry, freeze for five minutes or until firm.
- 7. Use a sharp knife to cut into bars.
- 8. Store in a cool, dry place and enjoy within two weeks. Or freeze in an airtight container for up to three months.
Video
Notes
Easy chocolate recipes you’ll love
My favorite movie theater go-to candy is the large Kit Kat! My favorite all-other-time candy is Heath! Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups are a close 2nd!
Yum! I love simple recipes..I just got a similar recipe from Detoxinista and it’s dangerous to have such a yummy recipe that is so simple, still I love it!
I made these yesterday. Annnnd I ate half last night and half this morning.
So good. So so so SOOOOOO good. Thank you for sharing.
I doubled the rice crispies to make it not quite as intense (i love chocolate, but damn that was chocolatey!) and it worked out quite well. I also added a bit of almond milk and that helped to tone it down. You should try and make a milk chocolate version!
Katie… I’m looking for a recipe mash up between your two recipes! Have you ever had Peanut Butter Balls at Christmas time? They are chocolate balls w/a rice crispy/powdered suargar/peanut butter blend in the center. Devine. Can’t wait for you to combine these recipes to replicate those… which oddly were coated in wax to make them shiny. We were told that little bit of wax wouldn’t hurt us. Huh? Here’s an example…this recipe uses shortening to help create the shine and a shell that doesn’t melt. .http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Crispy-Peanut-Butter-Balls
can’t wait for YOUR recipe!
Thanks for a new recipe… I always look forward to seeing them 🙂
What a great idea! I love(d) crunch bars. now i can love them again.
These crunch bars look absolutely delicious!! I think Nestle should hire you to make healthier versions of all their treats! And PLEASE do butterfingers next, they are my 2nd favorite candy… 1st are Peanut M&Ms… I literally have no control around them, my hand just swoops them up without paying attention.
Ahhh! Crunch bars were my absolute FAVOURITE growing up and as far as I know, you can’t get them here in Canada (or at least, I haven’t seen them). Amazing and naturally sweetened so I can enjoy them without feeling sick. Yay!!!!
Nestle’s doesn’t offer a dark chocolate version, but Hershey’s does 🙂 I’m sure yours is healthier, though.
I made this using refined coconut oil and 3 tbsp of maple syrup. The syrup made it a bit too sweet but otherwise…delicious!
Reeses’ Peanut Butter Cups and Dark Chocolate M&M’s.
Do you make anything like this (and your other desserts) without coconut oil? I want to make so many of them but I don’t have coconut oil.
a lot of the recipes on this site can be made with other oils, but coconut is chosen a lot of the time because it has health benefits that others don’t. I think this recipe works with coconut oil because it becomes solid when it’s cool so it keeps the chocolate firm. If you want to make this specifically, your best bet would be to get some nice healthy dark chocolate and melt it down to make the bars. All the recipes like muffins and cookies should be fine with regular oil though.
Lots of the recipes can be made with other types of oil (I often use Canola for the breakfast items and baked goods), but for the chocolate bars you really need coconut oil. You can order through Amazon if you can’t find it locally!