Low Fat Peppermint Cocoa Crunch Bar
Indulge your sweet tooth guilt-free with these Low Fat Peppermint Cocoa Crunch Bars, a delightful blend of rich cocoa, refreshing peppermint, and irresistible crunch! Perfect as a healthier holiday treat or a year-round snack, these no-guilt bars combine wholesome rolled oats, crispy rice cereal, and a touch of natural sweetness from honey and unsweetened applesauce. Enhanced with a hint of peppermint extract and crunchy almonds, this recipe delivers balanced flavor and texture in every bite. Quick and easy to prepare in under 30 minutes, these bars are baked to chewy perfection and make a portable, satisfying snack for any occasion. Ideal for health-conscious chocoholics, these low-fat treats are sure to become a family favorite.
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Recipe Information
Ingredients
- 2 cups Rolled oats
- 0.5 cup Unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon Peppermint extract
- 0.5 cup Low-fat milk
- 0.25 cup Honey
- 0.5 cup Unsweetened applesauce
- 1 cup Rice cereal
- 0.25 cup Chopped almonds
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 0.25 teaspoon Salt
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line an 8x8-inch square baking dish with parchment paper, allowing extra to hang over the sides for easy removal later.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the rolled oats and rice cereal. Set aside.
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the unsweetened cocoa powder, low-fat milk, honey, and unsweetened applesauce. Stir constantly until the mixture is smooth and comes to a simmer. This should take about 5 minutes.
Remove the saucepan from heat and stir in the peppermint extract, vanilla extract, and salt.
Pour the cocoa mixture over the oats and rice cereal in the large mixing bowl. Stir well until all the dry ingredients are evenly coated.
Gently fold in the chopped almonds, ensuring they are evenly distributed throughout the mixture.
Transfer the mixture into the prepared baking dish, pressing it down firmly and evenly with the back of a spoon or a spatula.
Bake in the preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the edges begin to firm up slightly. Do not overbake as the bars will continue to firm up as they cool.
Remove from the oven and let cool completely in the baking dish. Once cooled, lift the bars out using the parchment paper overhang and cut into 12 equal pieces.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
Nutrition Facts
Calories |
1675 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 59.4 g | 76% | |
| Saturated Fat | 15.0 g | 75% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.0 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 10 mg | 3% | |
| Sodium | 846 mg | 37% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 291.7 g | 106% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 68.3 g | 244% | |
| Total Sugars | 76.9 g | ||
| Protein | 69.6 g | 139% | |
| Vitamin D | 2.2 mcg | 11% | |
| Calcium | 509 mg | 39% | |
| Iron | 46.3 mg | 257% | |
| Potassium | 3149 mg | 67% | |
*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
