Ingredients
- 3/4 cup cashews (buttery, creamy crunch)
- 3/4 cup peanuts (classic nutty flavor and crunch)
- 1 cup almonds (deep roasted flavor and texture)
- 1/2 cup puffed brown rice (light crispiness and volume)
- 1/4 cup brown rice syrup (sticky binder that holds everything together)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract (depth of flavor)
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt (balances sweetness with a salty finish)
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips (rich chocolate coating)
- 2 teaspoons coconut oil (thins chocolate for smooth coating)
- Optional flaky salt for topping (enhances flavor and presentation)
Recipes for no‑bake or lightly baked nut and rice bars often use mixed nuts, puffed cereal, brown rice syrup, vanilla, salt, and a chocolate layer or drizzle, which aligns closely with this ingredient list.
Ingredients and Why They Matter
Cashews, peanuts, and almonds give a mix of textures and flavors—creamy, classic, and deeply nutty. Nut bar recipes frequently use a blend of nuts for flavor complexity and to create interesting bite. Roasting them intensifies flavor and improves crunch, which is a standard step in nut bar and granola bar formulas.
Puffed brown rice adds light crispiness and helps bulk out the bars without making them dense. Cereal‑based energy bar recipes rely on puffed grains to create an airy structure and reduce heaviness.
Brown rice syrup is the key binder: it’s thick, sticky, and less sweet than honey, and many homemade energy bar recipes choose it because it holds bars together well at room temperature and slices cleanly. Vanilla extract adds warmth and depth, and sea salt balances sweetness and highlights both the nuts and dark chocolate.
Dark chocolate chips form the coating and drizzle; nut bar and granola bar recipes frequently dip or drizzle bars in dark chocolate for both flavor and structural integrity. Coconut oil thins the chocolate so it melts smoothly and coats the bars evenly, a trick used in many homemade chocolate‑coated treats. Flaky salt on top is optional but mimics upscale chocolate bars and helps sharpen all the flavors.
Step‑by‑Step Instructions
Roast the nuts
I preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C). I spread the cashews, peanuts, and almonds on a baking sheet in an even layer and roast them for 5–8 minutes, until they’re lightly browned and fragrant. Nut bar and granola recipes roast nuts at a similar temperature and time to deepen flavor without burning.
Once roasted, I let the nuts cool slightly. Then I line an 8×8‑inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on two sides for easy lifting later, which is a common bar‑recipe tip.
Build the nut and cereal base
In a large mixing bowl, I combine the roasted nuts with the puffed brown rice. Bars that use nuts and puffed cereal mix them together first so the binder distributes evenly when added.
In a small microwave‑safe bowl, I microwave the brown rice syrup for about 30 seconds so it loosens slightly and is easier to stir. Similar recipes warm honey or rice syrup briefly for better mixing. I stir in the vanilla extract and sea salt until the syrup mixture is uniform.
I pour the syrup mixture over the nut and rice mixture and stir until everything is evenly coated. Nut and cereal bar recipes emphasize thorough mixing so every bite has enough binder to hold together.
Press and bake
I transfer the mixture to the prepared 8×8‑inch pan and press it very firmly into an even layer. Pressing hard is critical; bar recipes repeatedly mention using the back of a spatula or the bottom of a measuring cup to compact the mixture so the bars don’t crumble later.
Even though this is a low‑bake recipe, I bake the pan at 325°F (160°C) for about 18–20 minutes. Similar nut‑and‑syrup bars briefly bake to help the syrup set and the nuts toast a bit more, making the bars sturdier. The edges may look slightly darker and the mixture will seem more cohesive when it’s ready.
I let the pan cool on a rack for about 30 minutes, then lift the slab out with the parchment and transfer it to a cutting board. Ensuring the bars are mostly cool before cutting is a standard tip in bar recipes to prevent crumbling.
I slice into bars using a sharp knife, wiping the blade as needed for clean cuts.
Coat with dark chocolate
In a microwave‑safe bowl, I combine the dark chocolate chips and coconut oil. I heat in 20–30 second bursts, stirring between each, until the chocolate is fully melted and smooth. This technique matches chocolate‑coating instructions in nut bar and no‑bake recipes.
I dip the bottom of each bar into the melted chocolate, letting excess drip off, and then place the bars on clean parchment. If I want, I drizzle additional chocolate across the tops with a spoon. While the chocolate is still wet, I sprinkle flaky salt over the bars for that salted‑chocolate finish, just as suggested in similar dark chocolate nut bar recipes.
I refrigerate the bars until the chocolate is fully set.