These nutty, but nut-free, crunchy treats will make you the star at school parties.
In this recipe
-
What is sunflower butter?
-
Scaling for a party
-
Tips and tricks for the best crunchy treats
-
ingredient swap
-
How to store leftovers
My family loves a yummy bar: granola bars, blondies, fruit bars, peanut butter bars and all those bars! They are portable and do not require plates, cutlery and napkins.
Sunflower Butter Crispy Treats are made with crunchy rice granola, marshmallows, sunflower butter (I think it tastes just like peanut butter!), and butter. They’re peanut-free and nut-free, making them perfect for lunchboxes and school parties.
These crunchy no-bake bars are quick and easy to make. They’re my favorite “nap time treats” — treats I can make up from start to finish during my kids’ naps. It is prepared in one pot and then placed in a lined baking pan that doubles as a serving tray.
What is sunflower butter?
Sunflower butter is made from ground sunflower seeds. It tastes like peanut butter, but it’s low on the allergen ladder — most schools that ban peanut butter or tree nuts allow sunflower butter. Always check with your school!
In addition to peanut butter and other nut butters, you can find sunflower butter at most grocery stores. My local destination carries it.
Scaling for a party
This recipe is scalable with an easy to remember ratio. For each cup of granola, I use about three ounces of marshmallows and a tablespoon of unsalted butter. If you’re adding flavors like sunflower butter, use about two tablespoons per cup of granola.
Tips and tricks for the best crunchy treats
These treats come together easily and quickly. Here are some tips for the best crunchy sunflower butter treats:
- Work fast! Once the butter, sunflower butter, and marshmallows have melted and the granola added, work quickly to combine everything together. The marshmallows will become stringy and sticky and harder to mix.
- I keep scraps of parchment paper after trimming them for irregular sized pans. These are great for lining your square pan to make the treats stand out. You can also use two rectangular strips the width of the pan. My secret to keep them in place? pocket clips!
- The mixture may be difficult to smooth out with a rubber spatula in the pan. A trick that works for me: slightly moisten your hands with water (just a little! not dripping wet!) and press down lightly. The water prevents it from sticking to your hands. It’s an easy way to get an even, flat surface. The mixture will feel a little hot, so work quickly and carefully.
- Fill the pot covered with dried marshmallows with hot water. It melts the marshmallows and makes cleaning easier. Promise!
- The bars should cool for about an hour. They become stronger and tougher. Place them in the fridge for about 10 minutes if getting a clean cut is difficult.
ingredient swap
Gluten free? chocolate lover? Try these ingredient swaps to mix up your crunchy treats in a tastier way.
- Would you like to use peanut butter? Do it! If your peanut butter is salted, reduce the added salt. About 1/4 teaspoon of salt is enough.
- Make it vegan by using equal amounts of Earth Balance vegan butter and marshmallows instead of the regular butter and marshmallows.
- Gluten free? Use gluten-free crunchy rice cereal. I like brown rice chips with a degree of Sprouted.
- Use crunchy chocolate flavored rice granola for a chocolaty version.
- For a sweeter version, add a tablespoon of honey or brown rice syrup. It doesn’t change the consistency of the treats.
How to store leftovers
Store leftovers in an airtight container on your kitchen counter for up to a day. Longer might be fine, but I prefer to refrigerate it after a day as it contains butter that hasn’t been fully stocked. If refrigerated, it’s good for up to five days. Let chilled crunchy treats sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before digging in. The cold makes them rock hard.
More nut-free treats
- Nut-free “peanut butter” chocolate chip cookies
- kettle corn
- blondes
- Chocolate covered pretzels
- Brown Sugar Snickerdoodle Cookies
Crunchy treats with sunflower butter
ingredients
-
3 tablespoon unsalted butter
-
1/2 Cup unsalted sunflower butterwell stirred
-
1/2 teaspoon Salt
-
8th ounces Marshmallows (about 30 regular sized marshmallows)
-
3 cups crispy rice muesli
method
-
Prepare the baking pan:
Line an 8×8 inch square baking pan with parchment covering all sides and set aside. I use small bag clips to hold the parchment paper in place on all four sides of the pan.
-
Melt butter and sunflower butter:
In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, add butter, sunflower butter, and salt. Stir with a rubber spatula until the butter melts and the consistency of the sunflower butter is smooth and runny.
-
Add the marshmallows:
Add the marshmallows and using the rubber spatula, press them into the sunflower butter mixture. Reduce the heat if the sunflower butter sticks to the bottom of the pan or looks dry. Stir the marshmallows continuously until smooth, melted, and fully incorporated into the sunflower butter mixture.
-
Add the grain:
Add the crunchy rice granola, stirring constantly until the granola is evenly coated with the marshmallow mixture.
-
Shape and chill the treats:
Pour the entire mixture into the prepared pan. Use the rubber spatula (or your fingers) to spread the mixture evenly throughout the pan.
Let the treats cool to room temperature for about an hour. It will firm up (but still be deliciously gooey) as it cools.
-
Cut and serve:
Use the parchment paper loops to pull the treats out of the pan and onto a cutting board. Cut into nine equal pieces with a knife. If the treat falls apart or is too sticky to cut, refrigerate for 10 minutes to firm up a bit.
| nutritional information (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 237 | calories |
| 12g | Fat |
| 32g | carbohydrates |
| 4g | protein |
