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    Home >> Candy

    Keto Crunch Bars (Dairy-Free, Nut-Free, Paleo, Vegan)

    Published: Jan 30, 2019 · Modified: Apr 27, 2023 by Emily · This post may contain affiliate links · 21 Comments

    Crispity, crunchity, super chocolatey Keto Crunch Bars! Super easy- just 6 ingredients and 3 minutes. They're dairy-free, nut-free, Paleo, & Vegan so everyone can enjoy! 

    Jump to Recipe
    Keto Crunch Bars top view of chocolate broken on a sheet.

    Easy Homemade Keto Chocolate

    Apparently, I get wildly obsessed with an ingredient (kind of like I did with cinnamon with the donut holes, snickerdoodles and cinnabombs!) and I run with it.

    This month I've had CHOCOLATE on the brain. (And now I have lots of chocolate in my belly, ha)

    3 batches of brownies, 3 batches of homemade chocolate, one of which turned into THESE chocolate bars-- a happy accident!

    At the last minute, I decided to mix together my remaining chocolate with one of my FAVORITE snacks, and these magical crunch bars were born!!

    Can you guess what it is that makes the delightful crispity CRUNCH? 😀

    side view of cut chocolate bars with crispy seeds showing.

    Homemade chocolate > Factory-made

    Why is homemade chocolate superior to store-bought? It's quite simple. It's

    • Healthier: YOU control the ingredients, which means no additives like SOY, no dairy, no SUGAR. We're using just a few SIMPLE ingredients.
    • Cheaper: Have you SEEN the price of sugar-free chocolate? It ain't cheap! Make it at home for a fraction of the cost.
    • Customizable to your exact tastes and preferences!

    NO Stevia

    Hate stevia? You're in luck! There's no stevia here (unlike Lily's brand) These are sweetened with monkfruit!

    Want darker chocolate? YOU GOT IT. Want it sweeter or more mellow? SURE THING.

    Add in whatever you like to make it your OWN. 

    pepitas in a bowl.

    CRUNCH without the RICE CRISPIES!?

    I love crispy rice cereal, but it's so not low-carb/keto friendly. Boo.

    But I found a friggin' AWESOME replacement! It's so simple: put some PEP in your step with some DELICIOUS crisp PEPITAS, baby!

    Now some of you may be wondering, WHAT in the world are pepitas? No worries, I didn't have a clue until a few years ago.

    They're the green inner part of a pumpkin seed!

    Pepitas have a wonderful neutral and slightly nutty flavor and add AMAZING texture and light crunch to these bars. + they're high in fiber and protein. Score!!

    Where can you find pepitas? I buy them at ALDI (my fav store) in the nut/dried fruit section. They're super cheap and super delicious. (Just be sure to grab *dry roasted* pepitas, NOT raw unless you plan on roasting them. **SOME raw ones taste AWFUL, imo.)

    3 Keto Crunch Bars on a parchment paper.

    QUICK: Just MIX & CHILL

    These bars are stupid easy to make. With just 6 ingredients mixed together, there's no cooking, baking, blending. No special equipment needed.

    Melt everything together and freeze it! I LOVE easy recipes, don't you?

    Enjoy one of these babies straight from the freezer for when your chocolate craving strikes. AND YOU KNOW IT WILL.

    And rejoice that you're enjoying an amazing treat that's just ONE CARB <3

    How to Store Homemade Chocolate Bars

    These must be kept frozen since they melt at room temp due to the properties of coconut oil.

    But don't worry about having to wait until they thaw! You can eat them straight from the freezer!

    Don't forget to save this recipe on Pinterest by clicking PIN on the recipe card below>>

    Keto Crunch Bars (Dairy-Free, Paleo, Vegan) PrettyPies.com

    Keto Crunch Bars (Dairy-Free, Paleo, Vegan)

    An easy to make chocolate bar with a crispy crunch. No rice cereal, sugar, dairy or nuts! Super low carb, so you can have your candy bar and eat it, too!
    4.64 from 11 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 3 minutes
    Total Time: 33 minutes
    Servings: 6 bars
    Author: Emily

    Ingredients

    US Customary - Metric
    • ¼ cup coconut oil - or cacao butter
    • 1.5 Tbs cacao powder
    • 1.5 Tbs lakanto monkfruit maple syrup - to taste (or pure maple syrup for non keto)
    • Splash of vanilla
    • Pinch of pink salt
    • ½ cup roasted pepitas

    Instructions

    • Line a 9" loaf pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
    • Melt coconut oil in a glass measuring cup. Whisk in remaining ingredients (except pepitas). Taste and adjust if needed (I like to add extra salt to bring out the sweetness). Stir in pepitas to coat.
    • Pour mixture into parchment-lined pan and spread evenly with a spatula.
    • Freeze for about 30 minutes to set. Slice into bars. ENJOY straight from the freezer 🙂

    Notes

    My favorite Mexican Vanilla from Amazon
    To store: Keep frozen in an airtight container for 2 months. (Enjoy straight from the freezer!) **Must be kept chilled; melts at room temp.**
    Sweetener Swap: for non-keto, use pure maple syrup or honey.
    Nutrition Facts
    Keto Crunch Bars (Dairy-Free, Paleo, Vegan)
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    145
    % Daily Value*
    Carbohydrates
     
    2.8
    g
    1
    %
    Fiber
     
    1.44
    g
    6
    %
    Sugar Alcohol
     
    0.625
    g
    Net Carbs
     
    0.7
    g
    Protein
     
    3
    g
    6
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Tried this recipe?Tag @emily.likes.food #prettypies!

    « Heavenly No-Bake Peanut Butter Pie (Keto, Dairy-Free)
    Chocolate Lasagna (Keto, Paleo, Vegan) »

    Filed Under: Candy, Low-Carb, Nut-Free Tagged With: cacao, chocolate, keto, low carb, monkfruit, no-bake, no-sugar added, nut-free, paleo

    About Emily

    Emily is the creative force behind the food blog, Pretty Pies, a destination for people interested in healthier eating, and for those with dietary restrictions and preferences, such as dairy-free, gluten-free and egg-free.

    Emily specializes in healthy desserts that are low-carb, keto, and made with plant-based natural ingredients. She is the author of two cookbooks in the low-carb sweets niche, "PS It's Healthy," and "Yay It' Sugar-Free!"

    Her recipes have reached millions of people across the globe over a 7-year time span, and helped countless readers enjoy delicious desserts without detriment to their health.

    When she's not creating in the kitchen, she loves spending time with her family and petite Goldendoodle, Eevee, spending time in nature, and eating Tex-Mex.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Mandy

      February 15, 2019 at 6:42 pm

      Another delicious Pretty Pies recipe! I've made this two times so far and I LOVE it! The only thing that could make it better would be if I could carry it around with me in my purse so I could have it all the time - it's that good. It definitely satisfies the crunchy chocolate craving and I used salted pepitas and I love the saltiness with the chocolate. Great work and I'll be making these again.

      Reply
      • Emily

        February 15, 2019 at 7:28 pm

        So glad you love it!! Thank you! It’s one of my favorites too I have to figure out how to make it portable. I wonder if coconut butter or cacao butter would work. I will let you know!

        Reply
        • Sanja

          October 07, 2020 at 5:16 pm

          5 stars
          Delicious and easy to make! I love simple recipes that you can make with pretty much everything you have in home when you crave something sweet. Going to take them to the office tomorrow!

          Reply
          • Emily

            October 07, 2020 at 5:34 pm

            Yay! So glad you enjoyed! Just make sure to keep them chilled so they don’t melt 🙂

            Reply
        • Helen Green

          February 09, 2021 at 7:21 pm

          5 stars
          This is ridiculously good for how simple the recipe is. Going to be my new go-to crispy choc treat.

          Reply
          • Emily

            February 09, 2021 at 7:36 pm

            Yay! It’s so easy, right?

            Reply
    2. Holly

      October 13, 2019 at 11:11 am

      5 stars
      I just made these. YUM!!! I LOVE the crunch! I used cocoa butter. I didn't have any of the syrup, so instead, I used 1/8 tsp. liquid stevia glycerite and 2 Tablespoons of powdered erythritol. Because they turned out so amazing, I then made a second batch and added a couple of tablespoons of peanut butter and 1/4 cup of collage powder (because I always struggle getting enough protein).

      Reply
      • Emily

        October 13, 2019 at 11:14 am

        Yay so glad you liked them and that the other sweeteners & mix-ins worked too peanut butter sounds amazing!

        Reply
    3. Be si

      October 13, 2019 at 7:57 pm

      Could I use sunflower seeds instead?

      Reply
      • Emily

        October 13, 2019 at 7:58 pm

        Yes! I would use roasted ones so they’re crispier

        Reply
    4. Nancy-Jean Taylor

      October 17, 2019 at 5:15 pm

      Lakanto sugar-free maple syrup is not available in our Canadian city. Nor any other brands. While I know I can order it, is there a substitute I can use?

      Reply
      • Emily

        October 17, 2019 at 5:23 pm

        I would try an equal amount of coconut milk (or almond milk + 1 tsp almond butter)+ a few monk fruit drops or 1.5 Tbs powdered monk fruit.

        Let me know if you try it & how it goes 🙂

        Reply
      • Nancy-Jean Taylor

        October 17, 2019 at 5:28 pm

        Sorry, did not see the very bottom of the recipe card where you had subs foe the syrup.

        Reply
        • Nancy-Jean Taylor

          October 17, 2019 at 5:34 pm

          When you say powdered monk fruit do you mean the actual powder, or powdered Erythritol with monk fruit? I have both.

          Reply
          • Emily

            October 17, 2019 at 5:45 pm

            The one with Erythritol was what I was referring to 🙂

            Reply
    5. Laura Kleban

      October 12, 2020 at 10:21 pm

      5 stars
      I just made these for the FIRST time, but it won't be the last time. The bar came out exactly like pictured. I followed the recipe exactly, and the end result was so crisp and salty with just the right amount od chocolate. It's like a Krackle Bar! The family loved it as well. Great recipe.

      Reply
      • Emily

        October 13, 2020 at 11:04 am

        Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review! I’m so happy you and your family loved it!! 🙂

        Reply
    6. Holly F Stewart

      January 29, 2021 at 11:26 am

      I would like to know what other nuts you could use in this recipe? Has anyone ever tried Almonds or peanuts? Thank You.

      Reply
      • Emily

        January 29, 2021 at 11:27 am

        You can use any you like 🙂 I would chop them up

        Reply
    7. Marjorie Stradinger

      April 10, 2021 at 12:38 pm

      5 stars
      I was cleaning my cupboard and found a rather ancient box of Mexican chocolate with instructions I could not read for making hot chocolate, probably. But, then I came across this recipe.

      If ever there would be a temptation to use the Lord's name in vain, this maybe be the time I would say OMG! These are unbelievably delicious and addicting. I might lose the parchment next time, since the bars in my glass loaf pan came out fine without it, and I ended up having to lick the residue off of the parchment--which, mind you, was not a hardship, except for the particles falling onto my bandaged finger.

      There will never be a need to have any other chocolate bar.

      Reply
      • Emily

        April 10, 2021 at 3:08 pm

        Haha I love your comment. Thanks for making them and coming back to let me know you liked them! And this reminds me I need to make them again

        Reply

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