All 5 of my kids were “raised” on these and their cousins and all their friends and any kid (or adult for that matter!) who ever tried one just LOVES them! YUM! These no-bake cookies are the healthy and nutritious version of the conventional rice crispies that typically contain no fiber and are saturated with hydrogenated oil and marshmallow sugar goo! Instead, these little squares are filled with the healthy omega-3 fatty acid found in flax meal and, together with the natural unsweetened peanut butter, and the organic puffed brown rice cereal provide a good source of dietary fiber and protein. These little fiber power houses are easy to make with the kids and are absolutely delicious. They freeze really well too so you can have them on hand at a moment’s notice!
- 1 cup natural honey
- 1 cup natural peanut butter (no added salt or sugar)
- 1 cup Flaxmeal
- 5 cups Crispy brown rice cereal (Erewhon®-No salt)
- ⅓ cup bittersweet chocolate chips 60% cocoa (optional)
- Place honey in a pan over low heat and cook for 1-2 minutes (no more than that! just enough to warm the honey so that it will blend in easily with the peanut butter).
- Turn off the stove and stir in peanut butter until melted. Stir until smooth.
- Put flaxmeal in a large bowl along with the crispy rice cereal and mix gently with your (clean!) hands.
- Pour the warm peanut butter/honey mixture in the bowl with the rice cereal and flaxmeal and stir well with a spoon. Stir in chocolate chips while still warm, if using.
- Pour mixture into an 8X12 pan and press down to flatten with slightly damp hands until nicely compact and flat throughout.
- Place in the refrigerator for 15 minutes and cut into 30 squares.
Perfect, thank you!!
Absolutely! You just need to warm the honey enough to be able to stir the peanut butter in it thoroughly. So really, you only need 20-30 seconds in the microwave on high. So YES, my Natalia, you can even make it in your college dorm kitchen!!
Would it be possible to make these without a stove, just by microwaving the honey?
Can these be made with less honey? I make breakfasts/ school snacks for my grandkids, and we all try to eat as little sugar as possible, including honey. I’m worried the bars may fall apart if I cut down on the honey.
I just discovered your site, and am looking forward to trying many of the recipes.
Great question T.! I have also tried to cut down on the honey just to “push” on the nutrition side and cut down on the sugar content as much as I could and you are right, they just won’t hold with less. It’s just the right amount. They are still very nutritious and a superior alternative to the empty-calorie rice crispy “treats” I mention in the description. I hope this helps!
So these will be just Shabbat treats, and not school snacks. Some of my grandkids aren’t bread eaters, so we’re always looking for healthy ideas. I’m sure I’ll find some on your site.
A friend just told me about this recipe and this web site last night. I am traditionally in charge of desserts at Thanksgiving for my family. There are a few things I am always expected to make but I always like to have an experimental recipe or two. Can’t wait to present this one! My family isn’t exactly healthy food oriented, especially at Thanksgiving, but a couple of us are so I know for a fact that my niece is going to appreciate this one. Can’t wait to explore other recipes on your site.
I am delighted to hear that Tom!! I hope you and your guests love it! Another wonderful little recipe that is always a hit and is a crowd pleaser are my almond chocolate chip cookies–all of 4 ingredients and just a spoon to stir, bake for 9 minutes and oooooh soooo yummy!
Funny you should mention the cookie recipe. I was planning to make it as well. I did not find it until after my initial post referring to the flax crisps.
Such delicious little nuggets – a great alternative to the rice crispy treat – they are sweet and crunchy.. So yummy you, and your kids, don’t know they are healthy!
Thank you Liz! I love that the adults love them too!
I love them auntie catherine! I remember eating these on the beach when we were little! They were such great and quick snacks!
Oh my sweetie Grayson!! It’s so special to see your comment! I remember our Cape Cod summer days like they were yesterday!!! Thank you my Grayson for this sweet comment! I love you–Auntie Catherine
Me too, I miss being at the beach every summer with all of you! I love you too!!!
Thank you so much Christine!!! I purposely do not include the nutritional analysis unless specifically asked, because I want the emphasis in Cuisinicity to be about the unencumbered pleasure of good food that one will love AND will love one back! Here is my reasoning behind it: http://cuisinicity.com/calories-in-calories-out-but-dont-obsess/
Here is the nutritional analysis, assuming you made 30 squares as the recipe indicates:
per serving: 146 calories, 7 g fat (1 g sat fat), 3 g protein, 19 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 0 mg cholesterol, 61 mg sodium
Love your site and recipes! Would love nutrient analysis to go along with recipes.
Dr Catherine,
These have been one of our favorite family treats since my daughter took your week-long Healthy Kids Cooking Camp at The Silo, back in 2004! We both learned so many valuable lessons (and great recipes) that week! Thanks again to you and your family for sharing your knowledge, enthusiasm and love for all things healthy! I have made batches and batches of these Flax Crisps and have shared the recipe with LOTS of folks, with credit to you of course! SO happy to have found your site!
Oh my goodness, Ellen, it’s so nice to hear from you!! Your comment just filled me with joy!! Which one was your child? My Valerie and Natalia would also love to know!
It was Rachel Martino. Believe it or not she is a sophomore in college now and doing a lot of her own cooking! Thanks for getting her started on the right foot !
Oh WOW!! That’s just wonderful! Valerie is also a sophomore now! I love that Rachel is doing a lot of her own cooking, good for her!!!
These look great, BUT a lot of schools where I live have a no-nuts policy. If you know good subs for nut butters, please post them!
Chiara, that’s a great question! I just found out the other day that someone made my Katz Flax Crisps with sunflower butter for just that reason and the kids all loved it! I haven’t tried it yet but it sounds like a great substitute. Please do let me know how it works out for you. As soon as I double check myself, I will recommend it directly on there recipe as well. Thank you for bringing that up!
I can’t wait to try these! (They are in the frig now!) No-bake cookies were always my favorite, but i don’t eat them anymore because I am working very hard to eat healthy and be healthy. Do you have an idea of the calorie count in them? Thanks!
Wonderful! let me know how you like them!! Aren’t they so easy to make?
and yes here is their nutritional analysis, assuming you made 30 squares as the recipe indicates:
per serving: 146 calories, 7 g fat (1 g sat fat), 3 g protein, 19 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 0 mg cholesterol, 61 mg sodium
In a word – YUMBO! Thanks!
p.s. It would be great if you would include the nutritional analysis in your recipes as a regular thing.
Hi Carol, I purposely do not include the nutritional analysis unless specifically asked, because I want the emphasis in Cuisinicity to be about the unencumbered pleasure of good food that one will love AND will love one back! Here is my reasoning behind it: http://cuisinicity.com/calories-in-calories-out-but-dont-obsess/
Just found your web site from Dr. David’s posting on facebook! These recipes look delish, and I cannot wait to make them.
YAY!!! Thank you so much! I can’t for you to try them. They are really tried an true so I think you are going to love them!
What a great “spin” on the traditional treats. Love the site!
Thank you Kelly!
These look good. I’m always on the lookout for healthy snack recipes for my kids.
I like your website. I am a big fan of your husband and am excited to check out your recipes. I already cook pretty healthy but am ALWAYS looking for variations on my staples.
Thank you Jennifer! I am delighted to hear it and GOOD for you (and your kiddies!)!