Growing up in Australia one thing that was always served at Children’s Birthday Parties was the Australian Icon, the Chocolate Crackle. The Chocolate Crackle is as well-known as Vegemite, The Sydney Harbour Bridge or Crocodile Dundee. It just wasn’t a proper Birthday Party if there were not Chocolate Crackles.
This week, as it was a dreary day outside, I decided to introduce my 3-year-old Son to the Chocolate Crackle. As there is no cooking involved and is quick and easy it really is the perfect project for a Little One. And, boy did Miles Storm have fun as you can see from the video below.
However, any search on the Internet will bring up hundreds of recipes that I am sorry to say are not the healthiest of choices for a Little One, so I started thinking about making a healthier Chocolate Crackle as an experiment? Hmmm — could it be done!
Chocolate Crackles traditionally have Copha, (which is an Australian-made vegetable shortening made from hydrogenated coconut oi) sugar, cocoa and Rice Bubbles (Rice Krispies if you are in the USA). Well, I am happy to say that our “healthier version” turned out great. How did I make it healthier? I just added in varying ingredients (like agave instead of sugar and Cacao instead of Cocoa) of higher quality. I also made them Mini’s so the serving size is smaller, usually Chocolate Crackles are served in a larger typical cupcake size. And, as my Son has a pending low Iron count at the moment, I ground up some iron-packed Pumpkin Seeds to help with that issue.
This recipe is nut-free, gluten-free, vegan, dairy-free and egg-free.
What You Need (to make 24 Mini Chocolate Crackles)
- 2 Cups of Gluten-Free Brown Puffed Rice or equivalent (which I found at my local supermarket)
- 1 Cup of Organic Shredded Coconut (which I blended in my food processor to make finer)
- 1/3 Cup of Organic Agave Sweetener
- 3 tablespoons of Organic Raw Cacao Powder
- 150 grams or approximately 12.5 tablespoons of Organic Coconut Oil
- 1/4 Cup of Pumpkin Seeds (which I blended in my food processor to make finer) –OPTIONAL and not usually in a traditional Chocolate Crackle recipe
- Hundreds and Thousands to decorate, which are like sprinkles but another native Australian product
What To Do
- Combine all ingredients in a bowl, adding the melted coconut oil last and making sure everything is mixed well and moist
- Line a Muffin Tray with 24 Mini Patty Pans
- Spoon small amount of Chocolate Crackle mixture into Patty Pans
- Place in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, until the Coconut Oil has become a solid form again
- Serve and Enjoy!
Thanks for Reading My Blog, and please check out this 15 second clip of my Son making this batch of Chocolate Crackles. He had such a Great time!.
WOW! This looks so delicious. I’ve never tried Chocolate Crackles before, but I’m dying to try them now. I love the fact that you use Organic and Gluten-free ingredients. Thanks for this great recipe!!
Thank-You. We always try to use organic and gluten-free products in our family. Let me know how your Chocolate Crackles turn out.