Healthy LCM bars

5 from 2 votes

You will love this healthier version of store-bought LCM bars! Made with only 6 ingredients, including puffed brown rice, tahini and coconut oil, they are naturally sweetened with honey and contain no extra sugars. They are also nut-free, gluten-free and dairy-free, making them a perfect lunchbox snack that your kids will love.

Prep Time5

Cook Time5

Setting Time1

Total Time1 10

Course: healthy, Snack

Cuisine: Australian

Servings:

Calories: 158kcal

Author: Andrea Geddes

Ingredients

4 cups puffed rice
2 tablespoons hulled tahini
½ cup honey
½ cup coconut oil or unsalted butter
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or vanilla essence
pinch salt flakes

Instructions

Line a 25cm x 18cm (10 x 7 inch) slice tin with baking paper and set aside.
Place the puffed rice into a large mixing bowl and set aside.
In a small saucepan on low heat, stir together the tahini, honey, coconut oil, vanilla and a pinch of salt together until melted and combined. Remove from the heat.
Pour the melted coconut oil mixture over the puffed rice, stirring with a spoon until combined.
Firmly press the mixture into a lined slice tin and place into the fridge or freezer to set before slicing into individual bars.

Notes

Rice Bubbles or Rice Krispies can be used in place of puffed rice, but if you need gluten-free bars, be sure to check the packaging and use a suitable alternative.
Refined coconut oil – is used to hold the bars together. It works best when refrigerated and kept at cold temperatures. If you want a firmer, more solid bar or don’t like the taste of coconut, swap coconut oil for the same quantity of butter instead.
Tahini – is a smooth paste made from sesame seeds. It adds a roundness to the bars and balances the sweetness of the honey, as well as adding extra nutrients. I recommend using hulled tahini, as it is milder in flavour than un-hulled. The tahini can be left out or swapped for sunflower seed butter if you need to avoid sesame products due to allergies.
These bars use coconut oil to make them dairy free. You can also use regular, unsalted butter if you don’t require dairy-free bars, or vegan butter instead.
Keep them cold. These bars need to be stored in the fridge to stay firm. Coconut oil will soften at room temperature and while the bars will hold together, they will become loose. If you want to use them in lunchboxes, I recommend wrapping them in paper and using an ice-pack to keep them cool.
Don’t skip the chilling time in the fridge, the mixture needs to set before slicing.
Make sure the slice is very firmly pressed into the tin so that everything holds together when set.
You can make these into individual cups instead of bars. Just spoon the mixture into paper cases in a cupcake tray and set in the fridge.
These bars can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months. To thaw, remove them from the freezer and sit at room temp for 30 minutes. They can also be added to lunchboxes straight from the freezer.
Storage; Keep them in the fridge in an airtight container for up to a week, or store them in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Please note that the nutrition information is based on the slice being cut into 12 bars, with one slice being one bar. The nutritional information is an estimate only and does not take into account any additional toppings served with the pie.
This recipe is made using Australian cups and spoon measurements. Due to cup sizes varying from country to country, I advise adjusting if necessary.

Nutrition