Tahini Chocolate Crunch Bars

These tahini chocolate crunch bars have the perfect soft to crunchy ratio! A chocolate ‘rice krispie’ base, a smooth creamy centre and a layer of decadent dark chocolate on top. Oh and it’s all vegan, gluten-free and no-bake. Dessert perfection!

I’ve made these bars so many times in the last couple of years. They always make a really nice treat for when I have guests over. They also have every thing I love – tahini, chocolate and a satisfying crunch! Those 3 elements together are the definition of a good dessert as far as I’m concerned. 

Although I’m using tahini in the recipe, I’ve also made these bars with sunflower seed butter and peanut butter. The recipe is so easily adjustable according to your likes, dietary preferences and what you have available already in your cupboard. I’ve also used puffed rice, crumbled up rice cakes and lentils cake to make the base, they all worked perfectly to add that super satisfying crunch. 

Why I love making these tahini chocolate crunch bars: 

If you’ve been following my blog or my instagram page for any length of time, you’ve probably already noticed how much I LOVE TAHINI! I have so many tahini recipes – it’s probably one of the most common ingredients I use. I grew up eating it in the Middle East, so it has a super special place in my heart. I almost feel I’m on a mission to make tahini known world wide and as popular as peanut butter.

I find that tahini works really well with chocolate. The way chocolate and peanut butter work together. Tahini adds a unique flavour and creaminess to these bars, complementing the sweetness of the chocolate. The added puffed rice in the base adds a satisfying crunchiness that works so well with the smooth creamy centre and chocolate topping.

I’m also a huge fan of no-bake desserts. I find them so much easier and more enjoyable to create. They’re also a lot easier to adjust to your likes and preferences. Baked goods don’t always have much room to change things around without completely changing the taste and texture of the end result. With no-bake recipes, you can also make changes as you’re going along so they’re more difficult to mess up.

What you need to make these tahini chocolate crunch bars:

Tahini – Tahini is the Middle Eastern equivalent to peanut butter, almond butter, etc. Made by blending sesame seeds into a paste. Like nut butters, it has a nutty flavour with a slight bitter aftertaste (the kind of bitterness you would find in dark chocolate or coffee). I only use Middle Eastern/Lebanese tahini – the quality and texture surpasses any others I’ve tried. 

Puffed Rice – Like Rice Krispies minus the added sugar. They add a lovely crunch to the base that give these bars an amazing texture breaking through the smooth creamy centre and chocolate topping. I’ve also used rice or lentils cake (for extra protein!) that I break up into tiny chunks. 

Dark chocolate – I always use dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate in my recipes. I prefer the taste, plus it’s so much better for you. Dark chocolate with high cocoa solids (70% or above) are packed with health promoting antioxidants. 

Maple syrup – Since both tahini and dark chocolate have a bit of a bitter after taste, I added maple syrup to balance out those bitter notes. You can use other liquid sweeteners like honey, agave, rice syrup, etc. 

Coconut oil – I only used a little in the centre layer to help it set in the fridge.

How to make these tahini chocolate crunch bars:

• Start off by making the base – break up the chocolate into a heat-proof bowl and melt over a double-boiler or in the microwave (keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn’t burn!).
• Mix in the tahini and fold in the puffed rice.
• Press down into a loaf tin lined with baking paper (I used a 22×12 cm loaf tin) and freeze for 10 minutes.
• Mix the tahini centre ingredients in a bowl until smooth, then pour over the base.
• Return to the freezer for 30-60 minutes.
• Finally melt together the chocolate topping ingredients over a double-boiler/microwave and pour on top.
• Refrigerate until chocolate is set.
• Slice into squares and enjoy!

These tahini chocolate crunch bars are:

• Vegan
• Gluten-free
• Dairy-free
• Nut-free
• No-bake
• Easy to make
• Super crunchy
• So delicious
• Easily adjustable to likes/preferences & dietary needs
• Made with better-for-you ingredients like tahini, puffed rice and dark chocolate
• A great healthier dessert to store in the fridge for when you’re craving something sweet! 

If you liked these tahini chocolate crunch bars, you may also like the following recipes:

• Vegan Tahini Brownies
• Chocolate Fudge Tahini Cookies
• Chocolate Covered Tahini Cookies
• Tahini Date Freezer Cups