Crispy Rice Treats (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)

Ingredients

• 1 cup pitted Medjool dates
• 1/2 cup almond butter
• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• pinch of salt
• 4 cups gluten-free puffed rice cereal

Method

1. 1

   Warm the dates, almond butter, and coconut oil together in a saucepan over low heat, mashing the dates as they soften, until you have a smooth, sticky mixture.

2. 2

   Stir in vanilla and salt.

3. 3

   Pour the warm mixture over the puffed rice cereal in a large bowl and fold together quickly with a spatula while everything is still warm and sticky — working fast at this stage is what lets the mixture coat every piece of cereal evenly; once it cools and firms up, it turns thick and unworkable, leaving dry, uncoated clumps of cereal.

4. 4

   Press firmly into a parchment-lined 8x8 pan while still warm.

5. 5

   Chill 30 minutes until firm, then slice into squares (plus 30 min chill).