Cocoa Crispy Sunbutter Bars #SundaySupper

Cocoa Crispy Sunbutter Bars are easy, no-bake bars made nut-free with sunflower seed butter, and topped with a layer of semi-sweet chocolate. They are also gluten-free.  

With back-to-school just around the corner, we are starting to think about ideas for what to pack for school lunch.  Something nutritious, delicious and easy isn’t too much to ask, right?  A little variety might be nice too.  Fortunately, today I am joining the Sunday Supper Movement, and the theme is ‘lunch box.’  Several wonderful bloggers have come up with fantastic recipes and ideas to help solve the lunchbox dilemma.  These are recipes are helpful when packing your own lunch to bring to work!  You can find links to all of the wonderful recipes at the bottom of this post.  But first, let’s talk about these Cocoa Crispy Sunbutter Bars!    

When coming up for the recipe for these Cocoa Crispy Sunbutter Bars, I decided to give one of my favorite easy recipes, Grandma’s Peanut Butter Bars, a school-friendly makeover.  These days, so many schools are going peanut- and tree nut-free due to the rising prevalence of nut-related allergies.  By using sunflower seed butter in place of peanut butter, Cocoa Crispy Sunbutter Bars are nut-free.  They are also gluten-free, if that is also a dietary concern.

Cocoa Crispy Sunbutter Bars actually taste almost peanut buttery and surprisingly close to the original recipe.  There is just a hint of sunflower seed flavor, which is definitely not a bad thing.  (Have you ever had chocolate covered sunflower seeds?  They’re amazing!)  I used Cocoa Pebbles instead of plain Rice Krispies, and the extra chocolate flavor went really nicely with the sunflower seed butter.  The layer of chocolate on the top is what really makes these a special treat!  The fact that they are no-bake and super easy to make is just a bonus.   

Cocoa Crispy Sunbutter Bars

 

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This easy recipe is adapted from my grandma's recipe for Peanut Butter Bars. These no-bake bars are made using only 4 ingredients and are nut-free by using sunflower seed butter instead of peanut butter.

Yields: 16 bars

Ingredients

• 1 cup sunflower seed butter (creamy or chunky)
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 cups cocoa-flavored puffed rice cereal, such as Pebbles or Rice Krispies
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, beat sunflower seed butter and butter until smooth.
2. Add powdered sugar, and continue beating until combined. If mixture is stiff, add more sunflower seed butter. If mixture is loose, add more powdered sugar.
3. Stir in cereal until combined.
4. Press mixture into a 8-inch square pan (or 9-inch). Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
5. Melt chocolate chips (in microwave or stovetop) and spread over cereal mixture until evenly covered. Refrigerate until chocolate is set (about 1 hour).
6. Cut into squares and serve.

Notes

Sunflower seed butter can be a bit more runny than peanut butter, so adjust the consistency of your mixture by adding more powdered sugar or cereal as needed.

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Sandwiches, Wraps and Entrees:

• Back to School Lunch Box Sandwich Roll Ups & Pinwheels from Daily Dish Recipes
• Baked Ham and Cheese Rolls from Big Bear’s Wife
• Balsamic Butter Beans with Smoked Sausage and Spinach from Eat, Move, Shine
• British Bento Lunch Box from Ninja Baking
• Carrot Cake and Zucchini Bread “Sushi” from Cupcakes & Kale Chips
• Chicken Taquitos from Basic N Delicious
• Greek-style Spinach Hand Pies from Kimchi MOM
• Ground Chicken Burrito Bowl from Casa de Crews
• Homemade Uncrustables from Treats & Trinkets
• Indian Spiced Chicken Meatball Wraps from Soni’s Food
• Madam Wong’s Pizza Rolls from Food Lust People Love
• Malibu Chicken Tortilla Pinwheels from Home Cooking Memories
• Peanut Butter & Jelly Rolls from Killer Bunnies, Inc
• Pizzadillas from La Cocina de Leslie
• Potato Mushroom and Cheese Focaccia from Family Foodie
• Sausage Roll Ups from  The Food Army Wife
• Scotch Eggs from My Cute Bride
• Stawberry and Chicken Pasta Salad with Strawberry Vinaigrette from Table for Seven
• Turkey, Pesto and Sun-Dried Tomato Wraps from La Bella Vita Cucina

Munchies, Salads and Sides:

• Almond Citrus Salad from No One Likes Crumbley Cookies
• Banana Bread Muffins from Curious Cuisiniere
• Best Basic Hummus from Supper for a Steal
• Blueberries & Cream Granola from The Messy Baker
• Blueberry Egg Bagels from What Smells So Good?
• Cheese Cracker Recipe from Growing Up Gabel
• Chickpea and Raisin Salad from Mama’s Blissful Bites
• Creamy Orzo & Peas {Dairyfree} from The Not So Cheesy Kitchen
• Mini griddle cakes from Noshing with the Nolands
• Quinoa and Green Bean Salad with Tibetan Dressing from Healthy. Delicious.

Sweet Treats:

• Biscoff White Chocolate Blondies from Cookin’ Mimi
• Caramel and Rolo Rice Krispie Treats from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Chocolate Chip Cookie Rice Crispy Treats from Pixie Dust Kitchen
• Cinnamon Zucchini Brownies from Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Cocoa Crispy Sunbutter Bars from Alida’s Kitchen
• Cookie Butter Granola Bites from Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Fluffernutter Banana Dogs from Ruffles & Truffles
• “Free” Brownies from Jane’s Adventure in Dinner
• Honey Oat Bars from Magnolia Days
• No Bake Peanut Butter Rice Krispies Cookies from Pies and Plots
• Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Granola Cookies from Peanut Butter and Peppers

And remember that we have a #SundaySupper chat at 7 PM each on Sunday evening. We tweet throughout the day using the hashtag #SundaySupper, then we all gather to share ideas, recipes and answer questions from 7-8 PM ET. Check out our #SundaySupper Pinterest Board for more fabulous recipes and food photos. Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? You can sign up here: Sunday Supper Movement