If you’re craving a sweet treat that’s both delightfully crunchy and entirely plant-based, this Vegan Crunchie Bars Recipe is going to become your new favorite. These bars boast a perfectly airy honeycomb center coated with luscious vegan chocolate, delivering a satisfying texture and rich flavor in every bite. They are surprisingly simple to make, yet impressive enough to share with friends or enjoy as a decadent snack any time. Trust me, once you try this Vegan Crunchie Bars Recipe, you’ll be hooked on recreating this crunchy magic in your own kitchen.
Ingredients You’ll Need
The beauty of this recipe lies in its simplicity: just a handful of everyday ingredients that each play a vital role in creating that perfect crunch and velvety chocolate finish. From the sweet golden syrup that caramelizes beautifully to the soda that aerates the honeycomb, every ingredient is key to achieving the ideal texture and flavor.
- Caster sugar: Provides the primary sweetness and caramel base for the honeycomb structure.
- Golden syrup: Adds rich, buttery flavor and helps the sugar melt smoothly.
- Water: Ensures even melting of the sugar and syrup for a smooth syrup mixture.
- Bicarbonate of soda: Creates the signature airy, crunchy texture by aerating the syrup.
- Vegan-friendly chocolate: The decadent coating that adds smoothness and balances the crunch with lusciousness.
How to Make Vegan Crunchie Bars Recipe
Step 1: Prepare Your Equipment and Ingredients
This step is crucial for ensuring a smooth cooking process. Have your silicone molds or a lined baking dish ready, and measure out all your ingredients beforehand. The honeycomb mixture sets quickly once it’s made, so being organized will help you work fast without stress.
Step 2: Grease Your Molds
Lightly grease your silicone molds with sunflower or coconut oil, or line your baking dish with greaseproof paper. This prevents the honeycomb from sticking and makes it easy to remove once set, preserving the shape and crunch.
Step 3: Melt the Sugar and Syrup
Combine the water, caster sugar, and golden syrup in a pot over medium heat. Stir gently with a wooden spoon until the sugar dissolves completely. This slow melting helps achieve a smooth syrup necessary for perfect honeycomb texture.
Step 4: Cook the Syrup to the Perfect Temperature
Stop stirring once the sugar is melted and increase the heat to medium-high. Attach your candy thermometer and watch the temperature climb to exactly 149°C, known as the ‘hard crack’ stage. This step is where patience pays off, as reaching this point ensures the honeycomb will be crisp and crunchy.
Step 5: Add the Bicarbonate of Soda
Remove the pot from heat immediately and whisk in the bicarbonate of soda gently but swiftly, using a single direction motion to trap air bubbles that give the honeycomb its signature lightness. Be cautious, as the syrup is extremely hot at this stage!
Step 6: Pour and Set the Mixture
Quickly pour the foamy mixture into your prepared molds or lined dish. Resist any temptation to touch or move it while it sets—leave it undisturbed for 1 to 2 hours at room temperature so it can firm up properly and maintain that perfect crystalline structure.
Step 7: Chocolate Coating
Once the honeycomb is fully set and cool, either pop it out of the molds or cut it into bars if you used a baking dish. Melt your vegan-friendly chocolate gently over a double boiler, then dip each bar into the chocolate for a glossy, indulgent coating. Place them on a cooling rack until the chocolate sets.
Step 8: Storage
Store your finished vegan crunchie bars in an airtight container at room temperature. Avoid refrigerating them, as this can cause humidity and affect their crunchiness. Proper storage keeps them delicious for days to come!
How to Serve Vegan Crunchie Bars Recipe
Garnishes
Although these bars shine on their own, sprinkling a pinch of flaky sea salt or some toasted coconut flakes over the chocolate before it sets can elevate the flavor and add a hint of sophisticated flair. This tiny touch balances sweetness beautifully and impresses anyone lucky enough to try them.
Side Dishes
These Vegan Crunchie Bars make a fantastic companion to hot beverages like freshly brewed coffee, chai, or herbal tea. Their crunchy texture and rich sweetness complement warm drinks perfectly, making snack time feel like a special occasion.
Creative Ways to Present
For parties or gifting, arrange the bars in small decorative boxes or wrap each piece individually with wax paper tied with ribbon for a charming homemade touch. You can also serve crushed bars over vegan ice cream or yogurt for an exciting dessert twist everyone will love.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
Keep any leftover bars in an airtight container placed in a cool, dry spot. Proper storage maintains their crunch and flavor for up to a week, so you can enjoy your homemade treats without worry.
Freezing
You can freeze the bars for longer storage, ideally wrapped in parchment paper and placed inside a freezer-safe container. When you’re ready to enjoy them, thaw at room temperature to preserve their signature crispness and flavor.
Reheating
Reheating is generally not necessary or recommended since these bars are best enjoyed at room temperature to keep their crunch. However, if your bars become sticky due to warmth, simply placing them in the fridge briefly can help firm them up without compromising texture.
FAQs
Can I use regular baking soda instead of bicarbonate of soda?
Bicarbonate of soda and baking soda are actually the same thing in many countries. Just make sure you are using pure bicarbonate of soda without any added ingredients, as this is critical to creating the honeycomb’s airy texture.
What can I substitute for golden syrup?
If you don’t have golden syrup, you can try using light corn syrup or a mild-flavored maple syrup, but note that this may alter the flavor slightly. Golden syrup gives the honeycomb its classic rich taste, so it’s best if you can find it.
Why is my honeycomb not crunchy?
Humidity and temperature are often the culprits behind soft honeycomb. Make sure to cook the syrup to the exact temperature of 149°C and allow the bars to set completely without disturbance in a dry environment.
Can I use other types of chocolate?
Absolutely! Feel free to use any vegan chocolate you prefer, whether it’s dark, milk-style, or even white vegan chocolate to customize the flavor to your liking. Just ensure it’s dairy-free to keep the bars truly vegan.
How long do Vegan Crunchie Bars last?
Stored correctly in an airtight container at room temperature, they typically last about a week. Avoid refrigeration as moisture can cause them to lose their crunch.
Final Thoughts
Making your own Vegan Crunchie Bars Recipe is not only fun but incredibly rewarding when you bite into that satisfying crunch coated with silky chocolate. Perfect for sharing or indulging privately, this recipe beautifully combines simple ingredients with a little patience to create a showstopper treat. Give it a try—I promise it will brighten your snack times and have you reaching for seconds!
Print
Vegan Crunchie Bars Recipe
- Total Time: 2 hours 35 minutes
- Yield: 10 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
These Vegan Crunchie Bars are a delightful treat featuring a crispy homemade honeycomb interior coated in smooth vegan-friendly chocolate. Perfect for satisfying your sweet tooth while keeping the recipe plant-based and easy to make, these bars combine the joys of homemade candy-making with simple ingredients and straightforward techniques.
Ingredients
Honeycomb Mixture
- 170 g Caster sugar
- 100 g Golden syrup
- 50 ml Water
- 1.5 teaspoons Bicarbonate of soda
Chocolate Coating
- 160 g Vegan-friendly chocolate
Additional
- Sunflower or coconut oil (for greasing molds or baking dish)
Instructions
- Prepare equipment and ingredients: Gather and measure all ingredients beforehand and prepare your silicone molds or line a baking dish with greaseproof paper greased with a little sunflower or coconut oil to prevent sticking.
- Combine syrup ingredients: In a medium pot, combine the water, caster sugar, and golden syrup. Place over medium heat and stir with a wooden spoon until all sugar dissolves completely.
- Cook syrup to hard crack stage: Stop stirring to prevent crystallization. Increase heat to medium-high and insert a candy thermometer. Allow the syrup to cook until it reaches 149°C (hard crack stage), which takes approximately 15 minutes. Monitor closely to avoid burning.
- Add bicarbonate of soda and whisk: Remove the pot from heat promptly once temperature is reached. Immediately add bicarbonate of soda and whisk gently but quickly in one direction only to incorporate. The mixture will froth up, forming honeycomb bubbles. Avoid deflating the mixture by alternating whisking directions.
- Pour into molds and set: Quickly transfer the hot honeycomb mixture into prepared molds or baking dish. Avoid touching or disturbing the mixture. Let set completely at room temperature for 1-2 hours until firm.
- Remove and cut honeycomb: Once fully set and cooled, pop honeycomb from molds or cut into bars if using a baking dish.
- Melt chocolate and coat bars: Using a double boiler, gently melt vegan-friendly chocolate until smooth. Dip honeycomb bars into chocolate and place on a cooling rack to set.
- Store: After the chocolate hardens, store the vegan crunchie bars at room temperature in an airtight container. Avoid refrigeration to maintain texture.
Notes
- Work quickly once bicarbonate of soda is added as the honeycomb sets rapidly.
- Use a candy thermometer to accurately gauge syrup temperature for best results.
- Whisk in one direction only to preserve honeycomb airiness.
- Do not refrigerate finished bars to prevent moisture affecting crunchiness.
- Choose vegan-friendly chocolate to keep recipe fully vegan.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: British