Elf Energy Bars

by Alexandra Dawson, In My Bowl

Divine little treats of holiday cheer, perfect for the overtly enthused and Christmas crazed elf with a health conscious sweet tooth, today I couldn’t be more excited to share my Elf Energy Bars. Perfect for your next winter celebration, cookie swap, or plant based Santa treat, these vegan peppermint rice krispies are packed to brim with crunchy candy canes, peppermint infused dark chocolate, and gooey marshmallows. The not-so-naughty sweet to shoot you right to the top of Santa’s nice list, I leave mine out for Santa and his reindeer with a crispy cool glass of almond milk, nestled atop one of Susty Party’s fallen palm leaf dessert plates .

Elf Energy Bars [makes 12 bars]

1 bag (10 ounces) vegan marshmallows (I used Dandies brand)

2 ½ tablespoons coconut oil, divided

5 cups brown rice crisps cereal

¾ cup dairy free dark chocolate chips

¼ teaspoon peppermint extract

2 candy canes, liberally crunched  

Line a rimmed baking sheet or 9×13 pan with parchment paper, set aside.

In a large pot, combine marshmallows and 2 tablespoons coconut oil over medium heat. Stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, melt marshmallows until they form an almost goo-like paste. You’ll know you’re there when: you try to pull pack the spoon and strands of marshmallow pull away. Reduce heat to low and slowly stir in the rice crisps cereal until well combined.

Transfer  mixture from pot to parchment lined baking sheet and either using your hands or a rolling pin, press the mixture to cover the entire surface of the sheet (it should end up being about ½ an inch thick).  Place sheet in the refrigerator to cool.

Meanwhile, place heatproof Pyrex or metal bowl over a pan of gently simmering water, making sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Add the chocolate chips, peppermint extract, and remaining ½ tablespoon coconut oil and let them melt, stirring occasionally. Once melted, remove bowl from heat and set aside. 

Remove now cooled and semi-hardened marshmallow treats from the refrigerator, and using a sharp knife, cut into 12 even rectangles.  Prepare a fresh sheet of parchment paper.

To assemble: dip the marshmallow treat into melted dark chocolate per your liking (I went with the half dip!). Sprinkle with crunched candy cane, then repeat with remaining bars.

Nutritional Information [per bar]
240 Calories, 7.3g Fat, 42g Carbohydrates, 1.5g Fiber, 25g Sugar, 2g Protein