Julie Clark
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Chocolate Crunch Bars
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Ever made your own chocolate bar? These simple homemade Chocolate Crunch Bars are full of white, milk and dark chocolates. Pecans and crisped rice give them a nice crunch!
I love, love, love making my own homemade candies. Hard tack candy, chocolate covered cherries and chocolate truffles. If there were plate of cookies and candy sitting in my kitchen, I’d go for the candies almost 100% of the time. Unless our Reese’s cookies are on the plate. Which still proves my point because they are stuffed with peanut butter cups.
We’re taking simple ingredients and turning it into something special. This is an easy recipe for your own homemade crunch bars, maybe better than Nestle crunch bars! The best part is that the recipe can be done quickly, and kids can help, making this an ideal Valentine’s Day treat.
Ingredients
These sweet treats have triple the chocolate and two types of delicious crunch.
- Dark chocolate chips, milk chocolate chips and white chocolate chips. Use a high quality chocolate so that it melts smoothly. Ghirardelli or Guittard are excellent options.
- Butter and coconut oil. These two ingredients add to the richness and help the butter melt smoothly.
- Pecans and crispy rice cereal. Both of these give the bars a crispy crunch.
✨ See the recipe card for the full ingredient list. ✨
How to Make Chocolate Crunch Bars
The crispy chocolate bars take just 5 minutes to come together and just 4 steps. To prepare, line a 10×13″ baking sheet with parchment paper or wax paper. If you want thicker bars, use a square baking pan.
- The key to melting chocolate in the microwave is to melt it very slowly. Place the dark chocolate and milk chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl, such as a heavy glass bowl. Heat for 45 seconds and then add the butter and coconut oil. Mix well. Microwave for 30 seconds and mix. Then heat in 15 second intervals, mixing between each interval until the chocolate is smooth.
- In a separate bowl, mix together the white chocolate, nuts and crisp rice cereal.
- Pour the melted chocolate mixture over the white chocolate, nuts and cereal. Mix to coat.
- Spread the chocolate mixture onto the prepared cookie sheet. Spread the chocolate until it is about 1/4″ thick, or the thickness that you desire. Sprinkle the top with sprinkles, if desired. Place the pan in the refrigerator and allow the chocolate to set for 30 minutes, or until completely set.
pro tip
Melting chocolate in the microwave is the easy way and I think the best way if you are patient, but you can also melt on the stove top in a heavy bottomed pan or double boiler over very low heat. Watch the chocolate closely so it doesn’t burn.
Storage
Store the chocolate crunch bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Recipe Variations
- You can use any type of nut that you’d like…even coconut!
- If your kids aren’t into nuts, use double the amount of crisped rice.
- Love chocolate peanut butter candy? Mix in ¼ cup creamy peanut butter to the smooth chocolate. The chocolate bars will have a softer texture, but it will be delicious!
- Use semi-sweet chocolate chips as an alternative to using both milk and dark chocolate. High quality chocolate bars work well for melting if you can’t get chocolate chips.
Chocolate Crunch Bars Recipe
Ever made your own chocolate bar? These simple homemade Chocolate Crunch Bars are full of white, milk and dark chocolates. Pecans and crisped rice give them a nice crunch!
Servings 15 servings
Prep Time 5 minutes
Chill Time 30 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips
- 3/4 cup milk chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoon salted butter at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 1 cup crispy rice cereal
- 3/4 cup white chocolate chips
- Sprinkles or sea salt optional
Instructions
- Line a 10×13″ baking sheet with parchment paper Set aside.
- The key to melting chocolate in the microwave is to melt it very slowly. Place the dark chocolate and milk chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl, such as a heavy glass bowl. Heat for 45 seconds and then add the butter and coconut oil. Mix well. Microwave for 30 seconds and mix. Then heat in 15 second intervals, mixing between each interval until the chocolate is smooth.
- In a separate bowl, mix together the white chocolate, nuts and crisp rice cereal.
- Pour the melted chocolate mixture over the white chocolate, nuts and cereal. Mix to coat.
- Spread the chocolate mixture onto the prepared cookie sheet. Spread the chocolate until it is about 1/4″ thick, or the thickness that you desire. Sprinkle the top with sprinkles, if desired. Place the pan in the refrigerator and allow the chocolate to set for 30 minutes, or until completely set.
- Use a spatula to slide under the chocolate to loosen it from the parchment paper. Cut the chocolate into bars or break it into pieces. Store in an airtight container.
Video
Notes
- Do NOT use Hershey’s kisses or mini chocolate chips as they do not melt smoothly.
- Refer to the article above for more tips and tricks.
- The calories shown are based on the chocolate being cut into 15 bars, with 1 serving being 1 chocolate bar. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information. **
Nutrition
Calories: 218kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 29mg | Potassium: 133mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 36IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 70mg | Iron: 1mg
What a sweet idea for Valentine’s Day! These crunch bars sound perfect- quick, easy and so pretty! Have a wonderful evening, girls! xo, Catherine
we Do love Valentines Day and homemade chocolate sounds like a wonderful way to celebrate
These look so delicious and festive!!
Great recipe ladies! I love everything about these bars!
Milk chocolate coverecherries yummy in the bulk I would try the milk chocolate
I think that the California chocolate collection looks divine!
Unsweetened Chocolate 100% Premium Cacao Medallions
Dark chocolate please! Chocoholic though, so anything looks delicious!
Oh geez- these look amazing!!
I would LOVE to try the ORGANIC DARK CHOCOLATE 60% WITHOUT SOY LECITHIN!
What size cookie sheet?
I am totally loving the pecans in these! And all the chocolate and festive presentation. Too cute 🙂
That white chocolate looks amazing!!!
I love that you added crispy rice to these, and the heart decorations are so cute! Great recipe 🙂