Chocolate Crunch Cookies

These Chocolate Crunch Cookies are a healthy, no-bake cookie that are quick and easy to make!

When doing a weekly grocery store run, a box of cookies caught my eye. Star Crunch Cookies. Do you remember those?

I’m not sure if I’ve even noticed a box in 30 years, but once they caught my eye, the nostalgia was strong. Oh, how I loved it when a box of Star Crunch Cookies graced our snack drawer.

Yes, those are the kind of foods you’d find in our “snack drawer.” 🤣

So what did I do? I bought the damn box.

I had to have one.

Turns out, food memories can be very deceiving and they weren’t nearly as good as I remembered them to be.

Even my kids, who were quite shocked to see Mom come home with a box of processed-food-junk COOKIES, said, “meh,” when they tried them.

I decided to create a healthier, tastier version of the Star Crunch Cookies I enjoyed in my childhood.

4 out of 4 people in the family agreed these Chocolate Crunch Cookies were much better than the individually-plastic-wrapped cookies I bought. WAY better.

Get ready to indulge in a heavenly chocolate experience with rich chocolate crunch cookies.

I tried to make them as similar as I could to the original Star Crunch Cookie, but in the end they are pretty different. They are more crunchy cookies and the caramel component is mostly absent.

But these Chocolate Crunch Cookies are super easy and everyone loves them so they’ve already made it to my regular rotation.

Whether you’re a chocoholic (that’s my whole family) or just in need of a little pick-me-up, these healthier cookies are sure to hit the spot!

You can enjoy them on their own as a quick snack or pair them up with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a decadent dessert. Plus, the recipe is easy enough to make with kids, making it a great bonding activity for the whole family.

Recipe Ingredients for Chocolate Crunch Cookies

As I mentioned, this chocolate crunch cookies recipe is so easy to make; you only need 6 ingredients.

Chocolate Chips

For this recipe, I used 1½ cups of stevia-sweetened dark chocolate chips. Stevia is a natural sweetener with zero calories and does not spike blood sugar levels, making it a great alternative to sugar. While dark chocolate is high in antioxidants and has been linked to several health benefits, including improved heart health and brain function.

However, based on your taste and preference, you can also use milk chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, semi-sweet chocolate chips, or unsweetened chocolate chips.

Peanut Butter

We also need a cup of natural peanut butter to make chewy cookies. This is a no-bake recipe without flour or sugar, so the peanut butter adds texture and helps keep the cookie dough together.

Coconut Oil

To help mix all the dry ingredients and to keep the wet batter soft and smooth, we will add ¼ cup of coconut oil to the recipe. It has several health benefits, including being a great source of healthy fats and antioxidants. It also contains lauric acid, which is linked to improved cholesterol levels and brain function.

However, you can also use avocado oil or melted butter as an alternative to coconut oil.

Maple Syrup

Instead of white sugar or brown sugar, I use maple syrup to sweeten these. Maple syrup is a natural sweetener with several health benefits. For instance, it is a good source of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds. It also has a lower glycemic index than sugar, which can help prevent a huge glucose spike. Plus, maple syrup contains minerals like calcium, potassium, and zinc.

If you don’t have maple syrup, honey, or agave nectar.

Blackstrap Molasses

This is an optional ingredient; however, as it helps give a slight caramel-y flavor to the cookies, we’ll add a tablespoon. It does add some iron to these cookies! But you can skip it if it’s not available.

Brown Crispy Rice Cereal

If you’re looking for the perfect cookies with great texture and a unique crunch, add 5 cups of brown crispy rice cereal to the mixture. It is made from puffed brown rice that has been toasted until it becomes crispy. Besides, brown crispy rice cereal is low in calories, fat, and sugar and is a good source of whole grains and fiber.

How to Make Chocolate Crunch Cookies

1. Put the chocolate chips, peanut butter, coconut oil, maple syrup, and blackstrap molasses in a large pot.

2. Heat the mixture over low heat, stirring frequently, until the chocolate chips and coconut oil are melted, and the mixture is smooth and combined. Turn off the heat.

3. Stir in the brown crispy rice cereal until it’s evenly incorporated.

4. Use a large cookie scoop or ice cream scoop, and drop the chocolate crunch cookie batter on a baking sheet lined with a silicone baking liner or parchment paper.

5. Press the cookies to flatten them, then refrigerate until firm for at least 30 minutes. I used a the lid of a mason jar to flatten the cookies. Be sure to spray it with cooking oil to avoid it sticking to the mixture.

I hope you love these Chocolate Crunch Cookies as much as my family and I did. If you try them, please let me know! Leave a star rating below and share a photo on Instagram. Tag me so I see it and I’ll feature you!

If you’re looking for more healthy desserts or healthy cookie recipes, try my Healthy Peanut Butter Cups, Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies, or No Bake Almond Butter Cookies.

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