Simple No-Bake Chocolate Puffed Rice Bark

This no-bake chocolate puffed rice bark is the perfect combination of crispy puffed rice and smooth chocolate, offering a delightful balance of textures and flavors. With no baking required, it’s a quick and easy treat that can be customized with your favorite toppings.

Whether you go for Easter-themed candy or keep it simple, this bark is sure to satisfy your sweet tooth. Simple, delicious, and perfect for sharing, it’s a treat that everyone will enjoy!

A lesson in trusting the process

This chocolate puffed rice bark is the perfect example of when not to doubt yourself. I have always been a perfectionist. When making Easter treats for my students, I miscalculated and doubted whether they would like it. Even considered throwing everything away. I am so glad I didn’t because my students loved every last crumb of it.

The “mistake” I made was to mess up the ratio of puffed rice to chocolate. I wanted a really thick covering of chocolate, but instead, soon realized that even after adding more chocolate, it only gave the puffed rice a thin coverage.

I panicked, lamented, and decided my students would hate it. Of course I was wrong. Very, very wrong. The lesson I have learned is that although things might not go to plan, they could turn out way better than expected.

Due to having less chocolate mixed with the puffed rice, the recipe was not cloyingly sweet. There was a lovely balance between the crispy, puffed rice bottom and the sweet toppings. It really couldn’t have turned out any better.

Is it really bark?

I’ve labelled this treat as “bark” because of the way it’s served – in rustic, broken pieces rather than neatly cut squares. After refrigerating the chocolate puffed rice, the chocolate sets firmly, and it’s almost impossible to slice through without disturbing the toppings. By snapping it into pieces, I get that lovely “bark” texture that’s both satisfying and easy to share. It’s the perfect way to break the treat down into individual portions without worrying about making perfect cuts.

The irregular shape of the pieces gives it that homemade, rough-around-the-edges charm, making it feel even more special. However, if you don’t have any large toppings like chocolate eggs and prefer a cleaner look, you can absolutely cut it into squares instead. The beauty of this recipe is that it’s adaptable to your preferences, whether you go for the classic bark look or opt for neat, perfectly sliced pieces.

Customize your bark

One of the best things about this chocolate puffed rice bark is how versatile it is. You can easily adjust it to suit your tastes or to fit different occasions. For Easter, I topped mine with seasonal candy like chocolate eggs, but feel free to get creative! You could add crushed cookies, dried fruit, or even a sprinkle of sea salt for a sweet and salty combination. If you prefer to keep it classic, a simple mix of milk or dark chocolate and a few nuts or sprinkles works beautifully too.

Not a fan of chocolate? No problem! You can even try using white chocolate or a mix of different chocolates to change up the flavor. The puffed rice itself acts as the perfect neutral base, allowing you to experiment with whatever toppings or flavors you like. Whether you make it festive or keep it minimal, the beauty of this recipe is that it’s yours to customize however you wish.

More no-bake treats

If you loved this chocolate puffed rice bark, you’re in for a treat! Check out more of my no-bake recipes for easy, delicious sweets that come together in no time:

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Simple No-Bake Chocolate Puffed Rice Bark

Ingredients

Base:

75g (3 cups) puffed rice (see note 1)
200g (7 oz) milk chocolate (see note 2)
100g (3½ oz) dark chocolate

Topping:

200g (7 oz) milk chocolate
toppings of your choice (see note 3)

Instructions

Add the puffed rice into a large bowl.
Using a Bain marie (double-boiler), or carefully in the microwave, melt the chocolate for the base.
When melted, pour into the puffed rice, and stir carefully until everything is well-mixed (it might take a little while to get everything well incorporated).
Line a fairly large pan with foil or baking paper - mine is 37cm x 27cm (14½" x 10½").
Pour the rice and chocolate mixture into the pan and smooth over until even.
Melt the topping chocolate and then spread evenly over the rice mixture.
While the chocolate is still melted, add the toppings you want, and press down gently so that they stick to the chocolate.
Refrigerate until everything has hardened (about 30 minutes).
Break into thick shards, or cut into slices. The bark will last for up to a week in the fridge (if kept in an air-tight container). Enjoy!

Notes

I have converted grams to cups/ounces/tablespoons using online converters. While I have no reason to believe they are inaccurate, please be aware that I have not tested this recipe with imperial measurements.

I used natural puffed rice, but you could use Rice Krispies (or similar).
300g of chocolate was enough to give a thin coverage. Use more chocolate if you would like a more deeper coverage.
As this was an Easter treat, I used jelly beams, small chocolate eggs and Easter-themed sprinkles. Use anything you like.