These Homemade Crunch Bars are ready in 1 hour, made with only 3 ingredients and have an unreal crunch!

We love healthy chocolate treats like these, superfood chocolate bars and healthy peanut butter cups.

Cut up homemade crunch bars on a counter. Peanut butter and chocolate chips in bowls.

After making chocolate rice krispie treats, I knew I had to try another dessert with rice krispies. The crunch of these chocolate crunch bars is wow!

Plus each bite combines the taste of peanut butter cups with the crispy texture of a crunch bar – pure perfection perfect!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Minimum ingredients: Just chocolate, peanut butter, and cereal.
Easy recipe: Only 7 minutes of prep and they set faster than most no bake desserts.
Customizable: Add nuts, dried fruit, or sprinkles to make it your own.
Healthy dessert: Vegan, gluten free, and no extra additives or preservatives in sight.

Ingredients for Homemade Crunch Bars

You only need 3 simple ingredients to make the most delicious and easiest peanut butter crunch bars.

Chocolate chips, rice krispies, peanut butter.

Peanut butter: I used smooth peanut butter, but crunchy would add even more crunch. Dark chocolate: A quality dark chocolate bar or chips is key for a rich flavor and smooth texture. Good quality dark chocolate typically has less sugar too, making it a healthier option.
Rice krispies: Regular or brown rice krispies, just use what you have.

How to Make Crunch Bars

All you need to prepare this homemade crunch bars recipe is one bowl, a loaf pan, spatula, and a little freezer space.

Melt peanut butter and chocolate: In a large microwave-safe bowl, toss in the chocolate chips and peanut butter. Microwave in 1-minute bursts, stirring each time. Usually takes about 2-3 minutes until it’s all melted.
Add rice krispies: Pour the rice krispies cereal into the bowl and stir with a spatula until they’re well coated and combined.
Fill the loaf pan: Line a 9 x 5 loaf pan with parchment paper, pour in the mixture, and level it with a spatula, avoiding spreading it onto the walls.
Freeze: Set it in the freezer for about an hour until firm. Then, slice it into 8 squares and dig in!

A block of peanut butter crunch bars on parchment paper with a knife.

Tips for Best Results

Please follow these tips for the best homemade crunch bars.

Don’t overheat the peanut butter: When melting with chocolate, heat it in increments until melted to avoid losing the creamy texture of the peanut butter.
If you don’t have a microwave: Melt chocolate and peanut butter together on the stove in a small pot, it works great and won’t burn. I use both methods depending if I am in my house or studio kitchen.
Don’t use puffed rice: It’s lighter and airier, which means it won’t give the crunch we want.
To bring to a party: Make sure it’s cool outside because these bars will melt fast. Or serve them directly from the freezer, passing around and then placing back in the freezer to keep bars firm for serving later again.

Variations

Different chocolate: Feel free to use your favorite chocolate chips like semi-sweet or white chocolate, if you prefer.
Another nut butter: You can use almond butter or cashew butter if you’re allergic to peanuts.
Nut free: Substitute the peanut butter for sunflower seed butter or soy nut butter.
Sugar free: Be sure to use pure, natural peanut butter made only from peanuts and salt, and melt your favorite sugar-free chocolate chips like Lily’s.
Additions: Stir in some sprinkles, chopped almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries, cherries or raisins. You could also sprinkle on some sea salt flakes or shredded coconut before freezing.
Make in a muffin tin: Divvy up the mixture evenly into a silicone mold or a lined parchment paper regular muffin tin for easy, grab-and-go, snack-sized treats!
Cut bars smaller: Great for parties and more servings mean they last longer.

How to Store

Keep your candy bars in an airtight container lined with parchment paper and in the freezer for up to 3 months.

I think bars would be OK in the refrigerator, but I prefer the freezer so they stay fresh longer because we eat them over a few weeks. Bars don’t take long to thaw, maybe a minute.

More No Bake Chocolate Treats to Try