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Chocolate-peanut butter popcorn bars

Popcorn, peanut butter and bitter chocolate combine in this gluten-free, no-bake, salty-sweet treat that's greater than the sum of its parts.

By Emma Knowles
  • 15 mins preparation
  • 5 mins cooking plus cooling, setting
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Popcorn, peanut butter and bitter chocolate combine in this no-bake, salty-sweet treat that's greater than the sum of its parts. It will keep for up to a week in the fridge, but odds are that it won't last that long.

Ingredients

  • 60 gm coconut oil
  • 60 gm popping corn
  • 230 gm crunchy peanut butter
  • 130 gm rice malt syrup (see note)
  • 1 tsp vanilla bean extract
Chocolate topping
  • 300 gm dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), finely chopped
  • 30 gm coconut oil
  • 30 gm salted roasted peanuts, finely chopped
  • 20 gm cacao nibs

Method

Main
  • 1
    Melt 3 tsp coconut oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat, add a corn kernel and when it starts to spin in the oil, add remaining popping corn, cover with a lid and cook, shaking pan occasionally, until popping stops (2-3 minutes). Tip into a bowl.
  • 2
    Stir peanut butter, rice malt syrup, vanilla and remaining coconut oil in a saucepan over low heat until melted and combined, then add to popcorn and mix well. Press into a 15cm x 32cm cake tin or a 20cm-square cake tin lined with baking paper and refrigerate to set (1-2 hours).
  • 3
    For chocolate topping, melt chocolate in a bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring occasionally, until smooth, then stir in coconut oil. Pour evenly over popcorn mixture, scatter with peanuts and cacao nibs, and refrigerate until set (1-2 hours). Popcorn bars will keep refrigerated for up to a week. To serve, cut into fingers with a hot, wet knife.

Notes

Rice malt syrup is available from health-food shops and select supermarkets.