Low Sugar Scotcheroos (Peanut Butter Puffed Rice Squares)
Anyone else love peanut butter cups as much as I do? My homemade ones are one of my all-time favourite sweet snacks.
Well, this is the upgraded version. Throw in a little rice syrup (a free sugar, but a fructose free one that releases more slowly into the bloodstream) and some puffed rice and quinoa and you have an amazing fructose, gluten and dairy free low sugar treat.
Perfect for parties, these bite-size sweets are really easy to make and truly delicious. They do contain some free sugar (about 1 teaspoon per square) and so are not for everyday, but rice syrup is more complex, absorbed slowly and used more efficiently than table sugar, maple syrup or honey, and the protein and fats from the peanut butter help slow down the sugar release further so you are not looking at the same sugar highs and crashes you often are with sweet treats.
And if you compare the sugar content of these to a regular scotcheroo recipe that often contains as much as 30g sugar (over 7 teaspoons) per serve, usually in the form of corn syrup, Rice Krispies, semi-sweet chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, and table sugar, I’d say you’re doing pretty well at 4g per square with this recipe! 😉 You’d need to eat 6 of these to get an adult’s recommended daily allowance of free sugar, whereas you’d get to eat less than one regular one – and kids could have 3 of mine in a day, or less than half of a regular one.
These make a great addition to a Halloween party – to give them a ‘web’ look you could drizzle some yogurt over when you cover with the chocolate, or cut them into coffin shapes like this photo and pipe the “RIP” with cream cheese beaten with a drop or two of liquid stevia.
These bite-size treats are low in sugar and fructose free, meaning the little sugar they do contain releases slowly into the bloodstream. They are delicious, fudgy and sweet, and are a perfect sweet addition to a Halloween party table. Gluten free and vegan.
- 15 g (1 cup) puffed rice
- 40 g (1 cup) puffed quinoa (or another 15g/1 cup of puffed rice)
- 225 g (1 and 1/2 cups) smooth no added sugar peanut butter
- 60 g (1/4 cup) rice syrup
- 50 g (1 and 3/4 oz) 85-90% dark chocolate (you can use more but it will add a little more sugar), roughly chopped
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
-
Whisk the peanut butter and rice syrup until smooth and combined, the fold in the rice and quinoa. Pour into a lined square or round tin about 6-8" (15-20 cm) wide (a smaller tin will make squares smaller in width but deeper/taller). Put the tin in the freezer for 5 minutes to firm up slightly.
-
While they are chilling, melt the chocolate in the microwave (about 30 seconds-1 minute, stopping and stirring frequently until just melted and smooth). Stir in the cinnamon and pour over the chilled puffed rice in the cake tin, then return to the freezer for 5 more minutes until firm. For neater slices, use a sharp knife run under hot water just before slicing. Slice into 16 mini squares and serve immediately or keep in the fridge or freezer (they can be eaten straight from the freezer).
