Homemade Buncha Crunch is made with just three simple ingredients and no baking! This delicious treat is perfect for satisfying your sweet tooth or adding a welcome crunch topping to desserts. The chocolate provides a smooth and creamy mouthfeel that complements the crispy crunch of the cereal to deliver a deliciously sweet, rich, and indulgent treat.
Make Your Own Buncha Crunch!
Do you remember Buncha Crunch? It’s a delicious treat of bite-sized clusters containing crispy rice cereal coated in chocolate. It used to be my go-to snack at the movies and one of my favorite candies growing up. It’s actually crumbled Nestle’s® Crunch Bars!
Recently, I’ve been making my own homemade version. Making your own Buncha Crunch allows you to customize the flavor to your liking and keep the ingredient list simple. You can use your favorite type of chocolate, whether it’s milk, dark, or white chocolate, and experiment with mix-ins like nuts or dried fruit for added texture and flavor. Bonus: Making it at home ensures that you’re using high-quality ingredients and can tailor the recipe to your specific preferences.
While the original Buncha Crunch is made with milk chocolate, I prefer dark chocolate, so I use that instead. And if you’ve tried my homemade Healthy Crunch Bars recipe, you’ll recognize the dark chocolate bar used in this recipe – it’s the same one!
Buncha Crunch Ingredients
To make this delicious candy, you will need:
- Rice Krispies® (or crisp rice) cereal
- High-quality chocolate bar (dark, semi-sweet, or milk chocolate): I am hooked on Lindt® dark chocolate with sea salt bars — so good! And since there is salt added to this chocolate, there is no need to add any extra to the candies. Use whatever chocolate bar you like best, adding a pinch of salt if needed. Keep in mind: the better the quality of chocolate, the better the flavor will be overall.
- Coconut oil: A little coconut or vegetable oil thins the chocolate and helps it to go on the cereal smoother. Plus, the candies have a better mouthfeel with the oil added in.
- Optional: flaky sea salt (if you like it salty-sweet)
Quick Tip
Trademark disclaimer: This recipe refers to some trademarked brands: Nestle’s Crunch, Rice Krispies, and Lindt. We use these names for two reasons. 1) They’re high-quality products that we use in our test kitchens and 2) They create instant name recognition to illustrate steps in the recipe process. We respect trademarks and branding!
Variations
Variation Ideas
- Try using different types of chocolate, like dark chocolate, semi-sweet chocolate, or white chocolate.
- Add in your favorite mix-ins, such as finely chopped nuts, dried fruit, or candy pieces.
- Try drizzling melted white or dark chocolate over the top of the candies for a fun and decorative touch.
Melting Chocolate
Melting chocolate in the microwave makes preparing the chocolate for these Buncha Crunch candies quick and easy. Here’s how to do it:
- Chop the chocolate into small, even-sized pieces. This will help the chocolate melt evenly and prevent burning.
- Place the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. Add a bit of oil to ensure the chocolate is nice and smooth.
- Microwave the chocolate in 30-second intervals. Stir well after each interval. Be careful not to overheat the chocolate, as this can cause it to seize or burn.
- Once the chocolate is nearly melted, remove it from the microwave. Stir until it’s fully melted and smooth.
- Use the melted chocolate immediately!
Also, be aware that white chocolate and milk chocolate tend to burn more easily than dark chocolate, so you need to be extra careful when melting those.
Storage
Storing Buncha Crunch
To store Buncha Crunch candy, place it in an airtight container or resealable plastic bag. Refrigerate for up to a week or freeze for up to three months. Make sure the chocolate coating is fully hardened, and store it in a single layer to avoid sticking.
I don’t recommend keeping the candy at room temperature for too long; the chocolate gets quite melty.
Quick Tip
Use a silicone liner or parchment paper to line your baking sheet, as this will prevent the candies from sticking to a sheet pan.
More Easy Treats:
- Chocolate Covered Strawberries with a white chocolate drizzle
- Chocolate Covered Dates with a peanut butter filling
- Mini Brownie Bites with Rolos using a brownie mix
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie with an Oreo pie crust
- Chocolate Covered Oreos with a white chocolate drizzle
Buncha Crunch
Equipment
- Sheet pan lined
Ingredients
- 1 cup crisp rice cereal
- 1 (3.5-ounce) bar chocolate see note 1
- 1/2 teaspoon coconut oil or vegetable oil
Instructions
- Prepare a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Coarsely chop chocolate and place it in a microwave-safe bowl with oil. Microwave the chocolate in 30-second intervals, stirring in between intervals until fully melted. Add the cereal to the melted chocolate and stir until cereal is well coated.
- Use a spoon to quickly drop the chocolate-covered cereal into roughly 1-inch clusters on the prepared baking sheet. Place the baking sheet in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to allow the chocolate to harden.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
