These No Bake Healthy Rocky Road Bars are made with rice cakes with chocolate, so they're light and healthy. But it's the 'rocky road' part makes them irresistible! Loaded with mini marshmallows, sunflower seeds, butterscotch chips and cranberries, they are bursting with flavor! And it's all stuff I happen to have on hand in my pantry.
These Healthy Rocky Road Bars are the ideal snack or dessert to pack in a school or work lunch bag. They pair well with my Turkey Bacon Ranch Wrap and also make a great after-school snack!
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I can't tell you how many an evening I have found myself in the pantry, scrounging for chocolate -anything chocolate! And then, out of pure desperation, grabbing a handful of chocolate chips. But I NEED chocolate. This is also why I need an arsenal of quick and healthy chocolate dessert recipes.
I am chocolate crazy. But I'm especially crazy for chocolate dessert recipes that are also healthy! If you also love healthy chocolate recipes, check out my Spinach Brownies, Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookies, Chocolate Cereal Clusters, No Bake Chocolate Cherry Energy Bites, and my Dark Chocolate Hummus recipe (shown below).
🥘 Ingredient Notes
- Stacker - thin rice cake squares (affiliate link)
- Dried cranberries. I use 'Craisins".
- Sunflower seeds. Make sure the sunflower seeds are raw and unsalted.
*Please see recipe card for full list of ingredients and quantities.
📖 Substitutions and Variations
- Mini marshmallows: you could use mini colored marshmallows (affiliate link) to make this bar even more fun! Or cut up larger marshmallows
- Dried cranberries: you could substitute dried cherries or dried apricots (chopped)
- Butterscotch chips: you could use toffee bits or white chocolate chips
- Sunflower seeds: you could substitute nuts such as almond or pecan
🔪 How to Make Rocky Road Bars
These easy Rocky Road Squares are also quick to make!
- Step 1: Lay 12 rice cake thin squares out on parchment covered cookie sheet, as close together as possible. Break bakers chocolate bars into 1 ounce chunks and microwave on half power (50%) for 5 minutes, stopping at 3 minutes to stir, then stirring again at then end until chocolate is completely melted. Pour chocolate over rice cake squares and spread evenly over all 12 rice cake thins.
- Step 2: Sprinkle mini marshmallows, dried cranberries, butterscotch chips and sunflower seeds evenly over chocolate covered rice cakes. Refrigerate for 10 minutes or until chocolate has set. Then cut into 12 pieces and serve. ** Hint: It's easiest to cut them apart if you flip it over- you can see where the squares begin and end easily this way.
Expert Tips
- To avoid having your chocolate seize: Use 50% power on your microwave and stir frequently during melting. Avoid getting water into the chocolate or on any of th utensils, as it will make the chocolate seize. If using a double boiler, keep the heat low and stir constantly.
- Cut the bars neatly without cracking the chocolate: Flip the bars over so you can see the lines of the rice cakes and use a sharp knife to cut along those lines. Allow the bars to come slightly to room temperature before cutting if they’ve been refrigerated for a long time.
- Prevent the chocolate from hardening too quickly when adding the toppings: Work quickly when spreading the melted chocolate and have the topping ready to immediately sprinkle over it. If you’re in a cool environment, consider warming your workspace slightly to keep the chocolate from hardening too soon.
I can't live without chocolate. And it's a good thing that I don't have to. Fortunately, I happen to follow a program that's not one of those trendy diets, where you deprive yourself of specific foods then eventually go back to normal eating and try to keep the weight off.
I can eat anything, in moderation, of course. It's all about balance, right? And that's real life and normal eating. So, if you also believe in balance and can't live without healthy chocolate desserts either, then give this No Bake Rocky Road Square a try!
👪 Serving size
This recipe makes 12 bars. However, you can half, double or triple the recipe by clicking on the serving number and selecting the number of servings you'd like. The ingredient quantities will automatically adjust.
My 11-year-old daughter and I have similar tastes so when she tested this recipe, she loved it and asked me to pack it for dessert in her lunch bag the next day.
But what surprised me most was when she came from school that day and said that all her friends were literally drooling (she loves to say literally) over it and she had to share.
And when she did, they loved it! My kids aren't always crazy for my "healthy" lunch box desserts so I was pretty happy that these rocky road squares were so popular because they're so easy to make and pack.
🌡️Storing
Store these bars on the counter/pantry. in a sealed container, for up to 4 days.
They freeze well (in a ziplock or sealed container) for up to 3 months.
🔢WW Points
Although this Rocky Road Bars recipe is 9 WW points (on the blue plan) when you think about the comparison, just ONE of my 'handfuls' (about 4 tbsp) of milk chocolate chips are 16 WW points! And you get so much more satisfaction out of this chocolate fix.
Top tip
Store your dried cranberries in the refrigerator (sealed) - they will keep longer (up to 12 months)!
❔ Recipe FAQ's
Yes, you can use regular rice cakes, but the texture will be slightly different and you'll need to do them individually.
Absolutely! You can use milk or white chocolate, but keep in mind that the bars may be sweeter with milk or white chocolate. Adjust the amount of sweet toppings like marshmallows or butterscotch chips if desired. And if you are following the weight watchers program, you'll need to calculate the additional points.
To reduce points or calories, you can:
Use sugar-free or reduced-sugar chocolate.
Reduce the amount of butterscotch chips or marshmallows.
Increase the sunflower seeds or cranberries for a healthier balance.
So, if you're looking for healthy chocolate desserts that can be made in 10 minutes with stuff you already have on hand, then give these No Bake Healthy Rocky Road Bars a try!
If you love healthy Rocky Road recipes, then give my Rocky Road Froyo Bark a try. It's a delicious frozen treat that only 4 WW points per piece!
More Healthy Snack Recipes
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📋 No Bake Healthy Rocky Road Bar Recipe
Ingredients
- 12 thin stackers - thin rice cake squares * I use Lundberg organic brown rice, lightly salted
- ⅓ cup dried cranberries
- 1.5 tablespoon sunflower seeds raw shelled
- 10 ounces semi sweet bakers chocolate (bars)
- ⅓ cup butterscotch chips
- ⅓ cup mini marshmallows- cut in half
Instructions
- Lay 12 rice cake thin squares out on parchment covered cookie sheet, as close together as possible.
- Break bakers chocolate bars into 1 ounce chunks and microwave on half power (50%) for 5 minutes, stopping at 3 minutes to stir, then stirring again at then end until chocolate is completely melted.
- Pour chocolate over rice cake squares and spread evenly over all 12 rice cake thins.
- Sprinkle on mini marshmallow, dried cranberries, butterscotch chips and sunflower seed evenly over chocolate covered rice cakes.
- Refrigerate for 10 minutes or until chocolate has set.
- Cut into 12 pieces and serve. It's easiest to cut them apart if you flip it over- you can see the squares easily this way.
Notes
- To avoid having your chocolate seize: Use 50% power on your microwave and stir frequently during melting. Avoid getting water into the chocolate or on any of th utensils, as it will make the chocolate seize. If using a double boiler, keep the heat low and stir constantly.
- Cut the bars neatly without cracking the chocolate: Flip the bars over so you can see the lines of the rice cakes and use a sharp knife to cut along those lines. Allow the bars to come slightly to room temperature before cutting if they’ve been refrigerated for a long time.
- Prevent the chocolate from hardening too quickly when adding the toppings: Work quickly when spreading the melted chocolate and have the topping ready to immediately sprinkle over it. If you’re in a cool environment, consider warming your workspace slightly to keep the chocolate from hardening too soon
-
- Mini marshmallows: you could use mini colored marshmallows (affiliate link) to make this bar even more fun! Or cut up larger marshmallows
-
- Dried cranberries: you could substitute dried cherries or dried apricots (chopped)
-
- Butterscotch chips: you could use toffee bits or white chocolate chips
-
- Sunflower seeds: you could substitute nuts such as almonds or pumpkin seeds.
- Store your dried cranberries in the refrigerator (sealed) - they will keep longer (up to 12 months)!
Denise@urbnspice
What a fantastic idea, Terri - a healthy confection with chocolate - you can't go wrong with that! They remind me so much of the French chocolate confection called mendiant (which I had to make so many of at work!). I love these! Thanks so much for sharing another fantastic recipe.
Terri Gilson
Thanks, Denise! I have never heard of or tried mendiant, so I looked it up and thanks for that! I love learning about new foods I'm not familiar with (especially chocoalate ones) ! And I can see why it reminds you of it -this would be a healthier version of mendiant for sure 🙂
Jo Vanderwolf
Genius! Love the rice cracker base for these bars. Cannot wait to try it!
Terri Gilson
Thank, Jo! Hope you enjoy 🙂
Leanne | Crumb Top Baking
I have been known to snack on a few dark chocolate chips after dinner! It usually satisfies my craving, but I would take one of these rocky road bars any day! They look awesome Terri!
Terri Gilson
Thanks, Leanne!
Kristen
What a fun recipe to make, I would love to do something like this with Luna when she's a little older. Perfect little sweet treat.
Terri Gilson
Hi Kristen, Yes,it's really fun with kids- super easy! 🙂
Sharon
I was always suspicious of my mom's 'healthy' desserts too, when I was a kid. Lol. I would have gobbled these up quickly though. Love the freezer tip!
Terri Gilson
Thanks, Sharon!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
What a delicious way to ease into the new year! I can still have a treat, but feel good about it 😉 Bet these are lovely on Friday night with a glass of vino too!
Terri Gilson
Thanks, Dawn! I will definitely try them with wine on Friday night- great idea! ?