Vegan Salted Caramel Hippie Bars

By Alexandra Caspero on December 4, 2015
Salted Caramel Hippie Bars! A vegan, gluten-free and naturally sweetened rice crispie treat!
Makes 16 bars

Salted Caramel Hippie Bars! A vegan, gluten-free and naturally sweetened rice crispie treat!
This was recipe was originally published in 2015 and updated in 2020. 

I don’t even want to remember a time without Google.

Of course, I do remember a time where the internet was only accessible by stockpiling AOL CD’s and my sole-purpose for signing on was AIM chat or sending a zillion chain emails to my entire address book (um, 4 of my best friends).

But, now? I must google a hundred times a day. I don’t even try to think about the answer first, google will tell me in less than 10 seconds. It’s fascinating how easy is it to access information, both the important and utterly ridiculous. I had this same conversation the other day with my grandmother, reminiscing on how the internet has forever changed the way we consume food. Before the million+ blogs and recipe search catalogs, there were cookbooks, magazines, and the weekly food column in the Sunday newspaper. Of course, those things are still around today (❤️ my cookbook collection) but you don’t have to own any of those items to find enough new and exciting recipes to last a lifetime.

Salted Caramel Hippie Bars! A Vegan, Gluten-Free And Naturally Sweetened Rice Crispie Treat! You Have To Try These, Perfect For Adults And Kids! | Www.delishknowledge.com

So, it was on a recent I-don’t-want-to-work, I’ll-just-google rabbit hole search that I found these Chocolate Hippie Bars. Be still my procrastinating heart.

Chocolate – Marshmallows = Dessert!? Internet, I love you. Thank you for existing so I could find these babies. It’s everything I want in a dessert. Naturally sweetened chocolate mix, crispy cereal, and a ganache topping. I’ve made them at least six times of the past year and they are a hit every time.

Salted Caramel Hippie Bars! A Vegan, Gluten-Free And Naturally Sweetened Rice Crispie Treat! You Have To Try These, Perfect For Adults And Kids! | Www.delishknowledge.com

But then I changed it! To a version that is just as delicious, but with salted caramel! Yes, it’s as good as it sounds.

I’ve been on a salted caramel kick for a while now. It all started back in Sacramento when I was introduced to salted caramel gelato (!!) and things just went downhill from there. I think it’s like the grown up version of pretzels in ice cream, weird at first, then suddenly the best thing you’ve ever eaten.

Flaky sea salt and sticky, sweet caramel don’t disappoint in these hippie bars. Sure, they’re vegan, gluten-free and naturally sweetened, but they aren’t virtuous. Just a better version of what a Rice Krispie Treat should be. It’s the adult version of kid food, and I’m loving every bite.

Salted Caramel Hippie Bars! A Vegan, Gluten-Free And Naturally Sweetened Rice Crispie Treat! You Have To Try These, Perfect For Adults And Kids! | Www.delishknowledge.com

You’ll probably have to make a stop at Whole Foods (or Amazon pantry) to grab a few of the ingredients as brown-rice syrup isn’t mainstream just yet. It’s a little more mellow than honey or maple syrup, sweet but not overpowering.

The original recipe says you can swap in corn syrup or golden syrup in it’s place, but I kinda feel like the defeats the purpose of making these hippie bars. Yeah, I want a marshmallow-less bar, but I don’t want to swap in corn syrup, ya know?

Saltedcaramelhippiebars3Salted Caramel Hippie Bars! A Vegan, Gluten-Free And Naturally Sweetened Rice Crispie Treat! You Have To Try These, Perfect For Adults And Kids! | Www.delishknowledge.com

How to make Salted Caramel Hippie Bars

Essentially, you are making two caramel sauces. The first to coat the crispy cereal with (brownie points if you use brown rice cereal- Barbara makes the best) and a second to top the bars with.

The hardest part of making these bars is waiting for them to cool long enough to cut! BL and I looked like pathetic little dogs, peering over the glass container, doing a few poke tests, just waiting to take a bite. Let them set. It’s hard, but it’s worth it. If they get too warm, they will turn into sticky, cereal clumps.

Delicious, but no. After you enjoy a few, stick them in the fridge to stay hard. I loved them right out of the pan but BL swears they taste better the longer they sit in the pan.

Salted Caramel Hippie Bars

If you try these salted caramel hippie bars, let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, and tag your Instagram photos with #delishknowledge . I absolutely love seeing your creations. Happy cooking! 

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Cropped Salted Caramel Hippie Bars

Vegan Salted Caramel Hippie Bars

  • Author: Alex Caspero
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 16 squares 1x
  • Category: dessert
  • Method: no bake
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegan

Description

Salted Caramel Hippie Bars! A vegan, gluten-free and naturally sweetened rice crispie treat! You HAVE to try these, perfect for adults and kids!


  • Author: Alex Caspero
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 16 squares 1x
  • Category: dessert
  • Method: no bake
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegan
  • Author: Alex Caspero
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 16 squares 1x
  • Category: dessert
  • Method: no bake
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegan
Scale

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup 100% pure maple syrup
  • 1/2 cup brown rice syrup
  • 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 3 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • 67 cups rice cereal (regular or brown rice)Salted Caramel Topping
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil
  • 1/4 cup 100% pure maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon peanut butter
  • 1/2 teaspoon flaked sea salt (Maldon)

Instructions

  1. Line an 8×8 glass container with parchment or wax paper
  2. Place the 1/2 cup maple syrup and brown rice syrup in a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Bring to a gentle boil, stirring often, taking care not to burn. Cook for 4-5 minutes, until reduced by almost 1/3-1/2.
  3. Whisk in the peanut butter, coconut oil and salt and cook until smooth.
  4. Add the rice cereal, 1 cup at a time, until mixture clumps together and liquid is absorbed.
  5. Press the cereal into the prepared glass container and press down in an even layer.
  6. In a separate small sauce pan, whisk together the coconut oil, maple syrup and peanut butter over medium heat. Cook for 8-10 minutes until thick and reduced by almost half. Pour on the hippie treats and using an offset spatula, spread to an even layer. Sprinkle with sea salt.
  7. Let sit for at least 3-4 hours until hard. These get even better the next day!

did you make this?

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Salted Caramel Hippie Bars! A Vegan, Gluten-Free And Naturally Sweetened Rice Crispie Treat! You Have To Try These, Perfect For Adults And Kids! | Www.delishknowledge.com

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Meet Alex Caspero

Alex Caspero is a Registered Dietitian, New York Times Bestselling Chef, and mom of two. She aims to cut through the nutrition noise by providing real-life, nourishing tips for body and mind. Learn more about Alex.

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    1. Justen
      October 24, 2018 AT 6:24 am

      So I’m trying to figure out how peanut butter + maple syrup + coconut oil = a salted caramel sauce. Am I missing something?

      1. Alex
        October 24, 2018 AT 6:54 am

        Hi Justen- have you tried it? Believe it or not, cooking those ingredients down together creates a luscious caramel sauce. Sprinkle with flaked sea salt at the end for the ‘salted’ part of ‘salted caramel’

        1. Justen
          October 24, 2018 AT 6:58 am

          I’m trying it this week. Just got my rice syrup. I was just confused by the use of the word caramel but I guess it’s just a sweet sticky sauce. Sounds delicious and I’m looking forward to it!

    2. Briana
      August 21, 2018 AT 12:30 am

      Any substitutions for brown rice syrup?






      1. Alex
        August 22, 2018 AT 12:07 pm

        Hi Briana, I’ve tried these with maple syrup and they didn’t work; it wasn’t “sticky” enough. That’s why I like the brown rice syrup, though I haven’t tried honey yet. Is it because you have trouble getting the brown rice syrup? You can buy it online.

    3. Christina
      June 4, 2018 AT 7:28 pm

      I stumbled across these when I was searching for allergen free desserts, and I’m so happy I did! I made them for a group that has multiple food allergies so everyone could eat then, and everyone loved them!! I made them almost exactly as written, using sprouted brown rice crispies, but I did sub sunflower butter for peanut butter so those with a nut allergy could eat them. I wanted to report that they turned out perfect, even with the sunflower butter swap. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!!






      1. Alex
        June 5, 2018 AT 6:23 pm

        Awesome Christina! Thanks so much for your comment.

    4. Miranda
      March 28, 2018 AT 8:25 pm

      Could I use almond butter or sunflower butter instead of peanut butter?

      1. Alex
        March 29, 2018 AT 6:58 am

        I think that would work, though- I haven’t tried it. If you do – come back and let us know how it turned out!

        1. Miranda
          March 29, 2018 AT 1:26 pm

          Awesome! Thank you so much!! I will definitely do so! 🙂 Have a fantastic Easter!! God bless!

          1. Alex
            March 29, 2018 AT 6:40 pm

            Thanks Miranda! You as well.

            1. Miranda
              March 30, 2018 AT 8:11 am

              You’re so very welcome, Alex! And thanks!!

    5. Sam
      January 22, 2018 AT 9:19 am

      Hi, what recipe did you use for the salted caramel? I can’t see it on here. They look so delicious!

      1. Alex
        January 22, 2018 AT 9:28 am

        Hi Sam, it’s in the recipe. You combine 2 tablespoons coconut oil, 1/4 cup 100% pure maple syrup, 1 tablespoon peanut butter and 1/2 teaspoon flaked sea salt together.

        1. Cassie
          March 30, 2018 AT 6:53 pm

          I attempted to make these two times, but they turned out hard as rock. What am I doing wrong??

          1. Alex
            April 2, 2018 AT 1:18 pm

            Hi Cassie… hm, I’m not sure. Did you make any substitutions? My initial thought is make sure that you use 100% maple syrup (not breakfast/pancake) and brown rice syrup instead of honey or maple syrup. I haven’t made these in a few years, but I will put them on my list to make ASAP to triple check them again.

    6. Beth Williams
      January 8, 2016 AT 9:30 am

      I can feel my new year’s resolve dissolving….

    7. Chantel April
      December 8, 2015 AT 7:13 am

      There is 1/2 c creamy peanut butter listed in the main ingredients but not mentioned in the instructions. Does it get mixed in with the maple and brown rice syrup? Is there a heavy peanut butter taste in the finished product?

    8. Jessica @ Nutritioulicious
      December 7, 2015 AT 8:19 am

      These look amazing. And your pictures are beyond gorgeous!!

      1. DK
        December 7, 2015 AT 9:37 am

        Thank you friend!

    9. Jessica @ Nutritioulicious
      December 7, 2015 AT 8:19 am

      These look amazing. And your pictures are beyond gorgeous!!

    10. Fiona
      December 4, 2015 AT 4:55 pm

      These look seriously delicious!

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