1 1/2 c. sugar substitute (I use Splenda)

1 c. firmly packed brown sugar substitute (I use Truvia)

1 c. soy-free vegan margarine (2 sticks) [contains sunflower]

1 c. no sugar added peanut butter

2 t. vanilla

6 T. aquafaba (equivalent to 2 eggs)

2 1/2 c. white whole wheat flour

2 t baking soda

1 t. salt

1 c. brown rice krispies cereal

3 3/4 c. brown rice krispies cereal

1 1/4 c. no sugar added peanut butter

15 oz. chocolate chips

In a large mixing bowl, cream together both sugars and the margarine. Add 1 c. peanut butter, vanilla and aquafaba and mix until combined. Add in the white whole wheat flour, baking soda and salt and mix until combined. Stir in 1 c. brown rice krispies.

Press dough into two ungreased 15×10 inch baking pans. Don't worry if the layer of dough seems a little thin in the pan; they rise quite a bit. Just make sure you get the dough evenly spread out over the whole pan, and that it fills the whole bottom of the pan with a thin layer.

Bake at 350 degrees for 12-17 minutes, until golden brown and puffy.

Cool 30 minutes.

Make the topping: in a saucepan over low heat, melt the chocolate chips and 1 1/4 c. peanut butter together. Stir in 3 3/4 c. brown rice krispies. Spread topping gently over the cooled cookie dough. Allow to cool completely before cutting into bars.

Since this is a recipe I do for the ale, I've doubled the original recipe to make an ale-sized quantity of bars (I cut them into relatively small bars also; 24 per pan). If making this for yourself you might want to do the same because they're delicious (and freeze well), or you could just make half a recipe.

I have also made this with gluten-free flour. They came out a bit more crumbly, as I recall, but they worked okay. If I was going to make them gluten-free again I would not make them vegan – I think using actual eggs rather than an egg substitute would make them hold together better.

If making this non-vegan, use 2 eggs and 2 sticks of butter in place of the aquafaba and the vegan margarine.

A sugar-free version of my Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch Bars

Yield: 4 dozen cookies.

Last updated: 7/6/26