Chocolate crackles are a retro Australian childhood favourite that date back all the way to the 1930’s! They were a MUST at birthday parties when I was growing up (along with fairy bread) and I was known to eat my fair share. These days I don’t have the stomach for the traditional chocolate crackle recipe. For those who didn’t grow up with them - they are made with a block of copha (vegetable shortening), icing sugar, cocoa powder, coconut and rice bubbles/krispies. Far from good for you ingredients and they are almost sickly sweet. So I decided to make my own healthy version that we could all enjoy. These are so delicious you are going to find it hard to stop at just one. But then again, why would you want to! Chances are you already have most of these ingredients in your pantry now, so why not whip up a batch for dessert tonight?
WHO INVENTED CHOCOLATE CRACKLES?
Chocolate crackles are a popular Australian and New Zealand children’s treat commonly found at birthday parties and fetes. The earliest chocolate crackle recipe dates back to 1937, where it was printed in an advertisement in the Australian Women’s Weekly. This recipe was created by Unilever, who was advertising Copha (vegetable shortening).
INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED
These healthy chocolate crackles are made with easy everyday ingredients and absolutely no copha! Here’s what you need to make a batch (full measurements listed in the recipe card below)…
Rice Puffs Desiccated Coconut Vanilla Extract Peanut Butter - OR you can use almond butter if you’d prefer. Cocoa Powder - OR you can use cacao powder if you’d prefer. Rice Malt / Brown Rice Syrup - OR you can use honey or maple syrup if you’d prefer. Coconut Oil
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS
To make these Healthy Chocolate Crackles, simply… Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix until combined.
Roll the mixture into small balls (approx. 1 tablespoon of mixture for each) and place on a baking tray.
Place the baking tray in the fridge for an hour to let the balls set.
HOW LONG DOES IT TO SET?
You only need to leave the chocolate crackles in the fridge for an hour for them to set.
ARE THESE GLUTEN FREE?
To keep these chocolate crackles gluten free, be sure to use rice puffs or bubbles that are gluten free. While rice is naturally gluten free, some brands of rice puffs contain other ingredients that contain gluten, so just be aware when purchasing.
STORAGE ADVICE
Place chocolate crackles in an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to a week. But let’s be real - they won’t be lasting that long!
TOP TIPS
You need drippy peanut butter to act as a binder in the mixture. If your peanut butter isn’t drippy, melt it in the microwave or soften in a saucepan over the stove. Wet your hands a little before rolling the balls to stop the mixture sticking to your hands. You can easily turn this into a slice by placing the mixture in a square cake tin and cutting into squares after it sets. You could also pop the mixture into little cupcake cases like the originals.
MORE SCRUMPTIOUS SNACK RECIPES:
Chewy Apricot Muesli Bars Healthy Date Loaf Chocolate Coconut Energy Balls Chocolate Covered Almonds Oatmeal Raisin Energy Bites Healthy Pumpkin Scones How to Make Stovetop Popcorn OR see all Snack Recipes
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INGREDIENT SUBSTITUTIONS
Peanut Butter - You can use almond butter if you’d prefer. Cocoa Powder - You can use cacao powder if you’d prefer. Rice Malt / Brown Rice Syrup - You can use honey or maple syrup if you’d prefer.
COOKING TIPS
You need drippy peanut butter to act as a binder in the mixture. If your peanut butter isn’t drippy, melt it in the microwave or soften in a saucepan over the stove. Wet your hands a little before rolling the balls to stop the mixture sticking to your hands. You can easily turn this into a slice by placing the mixture in a square cake tin and cutting into squares after it sets.You could also pop the mixture into little cupcake cases like the originals.
UPDATES Recipe first published July 3, 2018. Last updated March 29, 2019 with more tips and photos - no changes to the recipe. NUTRITION Nutrition is a rough estimate from a nutrition calculator based on one chocolate crackle.
