Gluten-free Crunchie Rice Crispy Squares Recipe – No-bake (dairy-free option)

Gluten-free Crunchie rice crispy squares recipe! No-bake and super easy to make using just 5 ingredients and yes, in the UK, Crunchie bars are gluten-free.

Gluten-free Crunchie rice crispy squares recipe – yup, no need for any gluten-free flour and no need to turn the oven on! It’s actually super easy to make dairy-free and vegan too.

Sometimes, only a nostalgic treat will do!

(and believe it or not, this one is actually very easy to make dairy-free too – see the FAQ section for an easy swap for Crunchies that you can find in the free from aisle)

And what screams nostalgia more than rice crispy cakes, remixed with a classic chocolate bar that just-so-happens to be gluten-free?

Not only are they super easy to make using 5 simple ingredients AND only take 20 minutes of effort + chilling time, but they taste out of this world.

If you’re looking for a simple and quick (no) baking project, then my gluten-free Crunchie rice crispy squares recipe is definitely the one for you!

Every bite is packed with crispy, sticky, chocolatey rice crispy squares as a base, then a smooth, thick layer of milk chocolate.

Lastly, you’re hit with even more waves of milk chocolate and that unmistakable honeycomb crunch.

One is never enough – fortunately, this makes 9!

Make sure you read the FAQ section below to find out which rice crispy is cereal is gluten-free and safe to eat. Because not all of them are, believe it or not!

 Here’s everything you’ll need for this recipe, keep scrolling until you see the recipe card for the measurements and method ??

Gluten-free Crunchie rice crispy squares recipe: Ingredients

 

• gluten-free rice crispy cereal
• butter
• marshmallows
• milk chocolate
• 4 Crunchie bars

So I thought I’d kick things off with a little frequently asked questions section – if you just want the recipe, then keep scrolling.

But I’ve thrown in some tips here that will be really helpful if this is your first time making this, or you want to adapt it. So here they are!

Gluten-free Crunchie rice crispy squares recipe: Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this recipe gluten-free?

It is gluten-free, though nobody would know just by tasting it – trust me!

Bear in mind that minimising cross-contamination is hugely important if you’re Coeliac or making this for someone who is. Here’s some tips from Coeliac UK on minimising the risk of cross contamination.

Also, make sure that all ingredients used don’t have any gluten-containing ingredients. Then make that that they also don’t have a ‘may contain’ warning for gluten, wheat, rye, barley, oats (which aren’t gf), spelt and khorasan wheat (aka Kamut).

Here’s some more info from Coeliac UK on identifying safe gluten-free products.

Can I make your gluten-free Crunchie rice crispy squares recipe dairy free?

Yes, with a few simple swaps! Start by swapping all milk chocolate used in the recipe to the dairy-free chocolate of your choice.

Of course, switch up the butter for a dairy-free alternative, like Stork hard margarine.

Instead of using Crunchie bars, use these dairy-free ‘Crunchee’ bites which are stocked in Asda for the topping. They’re gluten-free too.

That’s it!

Can I make your gluten-free Crunchie rice crispy squares recipe vegan?

Yep, follow the advice to make this dairy-free, then you’ll just need to make one more simple swap – the marshmallows.

Fortunately you can easily buy gluten-free AND vegan marshmallows online from Amazon.

These are a little expensive, so you can always pop into Marks and Spencer who now do Plant Kitchen vegan marshmallows, I believe!

Is your gluten-free Crunchie rice crispy squares recipe nut free?

Yep, this is a nut-free recipe as far as ingredients go, BUT make sure you check the ingredients label on ALL the products you use to bake this cake just to be safe.

Even if the products don’t contain nuts, they may have a ‘may contain nuts’ warning due to being produced in a factory that handles nuts.

You can never be too careful so always read the labels on everything first.

Is your gluten-free Crunchie rice crispy squares recipe low FODMAP?

Unfortunately, this recipe contains a lot of dairy, so you won’t be able to attempt this until you’ve successfully reintroduced dairy.

Are Crunchie chocolate bars gluten-free?

Yes! At the time of writing, in the UK, Crunchie bars have no gluten-containing ingredients and no ‘may contain’ gluten, wheat etc. allergy warning. Here’s a link to them so you can check for yourself.

According to Coeliac UK, if a product has no gluten-containing ingredients and no ‘may contain’ warning for gluten, wheat etc. then that makes it safe for Coeliacs and those on a gluten-free diet.

Which rice crispies are gluten-free?

Believe it or not, rice crispies aren’t always 100% free from gluten because they often contain barley malt extract.

However, some of these products are actually certified by Coeliac UK as being safe to eat, even despite containing barley. That’s because they contain less than 20 parts per million of gluten, which according to Coeliac UK, that makes them safe for people with Coeliac disease.

But don’t take my word for it – if you look on the Coeliac UK app (you have to be a paying member to view it) it actually shows that the below products are safe to eat.

So here’s a list of all the rice crispies which are safe for us to eat, including those that are free from barley entirely, if you’d prefer. Bear in mind that the barley-free products are more expensive and sometimes not quite like regular rice crispies – they seem to be flatter and less puffy.

• Nestle GoFree Rice Pops (free from barley)
• Tesco Free From Rice Snaps (free from barley)
• Asda Rice Snaps Cereal (contains barley but certified by Coeliac UK as being gluten-free)
• Essential Waitrose Rice Pops (contains barley but certified by Coeliac UK as being gluten-free)
• Morrisons Rice Crackles (contains barley but certified by Coeliac UK as being gluten-free)

Just as a note, a lot of Tesco’s own brand cereal also used to be certified by Coeliac UK as being gluten-free, despite containing barley. However, they’ve since been removed from the Coeliac UK app (without explanation), so I won’t be recommending them anymore.

Can I make this without the marshmallows?

Sadly not as the marshmallows are what binds the rice crispy cake together and gives it a lovely, sticky finish and sweet flavour.

Plus, for example, unlike using honey as a binder, marshmallows will bind the rice crispies together without having to bake them.

Can I use a food processor or stand mixer to make this?

Both are total overkill for this recipe, especially since a food processor would blend the rice crispies instead of mixing them!

I’d definitely advise making this purely by hand to avoid crushing the rice crispies as they’re being mixed. So get a good silicone spatula or wooden spoon and get mixing!

Do I need any special equipment to make your gluten-free Crunchie rice crispy squares recipe?

As I mentioned, you should definitely make this recipe by hand, so you certainly don’t need any crazy appliances or anything like that.

What you will need however is a 9″ square baking tin – here’s the one I use. Apart from that, you’ll just need a little baking paper too!

Do I need weighing scales to make your gluten-free Crunchie rice crispy squares?

In short… yes, yes and yes! And I wouldn’t advise attempting any my recipes without them.

A lot of work went into fine tuning ratios and quantities and for me, baking is all about consistency and precision. I want you to make this recipe and for it to turn out EXACTLY like mine did.

I’d recommending using digital cooking scales like these so you know you’re getting an accurate measurement and replicating my recipe as accurately as poss.

How can I tell when my gluten-free Crunchie rice crispy squares are ready to cut?

Until the marshmallow and butter have had time to set in the fridge, the bars will be loose and sticky.

Once they’ve had long enough in the fridge, they should be solid and sturdy, ready to be cut into bars. If you get them out too early, simply pop them back into the fridge for a little longer.

How long can I keep my gluten-free Crunchie rice crispy squares for?

I’ve kept them for about 4-5 days in an air-tight container with no problems. If you need to keep them any longer than that, I’d highly recommend freezing them (see advice below for doing that).

Can I freeze my gluten-free Crunchie rice crispy squares?

Of course! I’ve frozen them for up to 2-3 months no problem. Slice them up before freezing – that way you can simply defrost slices as and when you need them.

Plus, they’ll thaw a lot quicker. When you want to eat one, each slice should take around 3 hours to defrost at room temperature. You’d never know they were frozen!

Can I print your gluten-free Crunchie rice crispy squares recipe?

Of course! Just hit the print button located on the recipe below (otherwise you might end up printing this entire post which would probably make your printer go into early retirement)

Gluten-free Crunchie rice crispy squares recipe: Method

Oh and here’s a printable version of my gluten-free Crunchie rice crispy squares recipe. Please remember to give it 5 stars if you tried it and enjoyed it as it helps people know it’s worth trying too! ⭐️

Thanks for reading all about my gluten-free Crunchie rice crispy squares recipe! If you make it, I’d love to see how it turned out so don’t forget to take a snap of your creations and tag me on Instagram!

Any questions about the recipe? Please do let me know by following me on Instagram and leaving me a comment on a recent photo!

Thanks for reading,

Becky xxx

Oh and don’t forget to pin this for later!