Chocolate-Coated Rice Cakes with Nuts, Seeds and Dried Fruit

03/28/21

(Updated 07/15/22)

These dark chocolate covered rice cakes are tasty, easy to prepare and make for an exciting mouthful (all the textures!). Topped with nuts, seeds, and dried fruit, they're a delicious and nutritious snack. Make a batch at the start of the week for future peckish-you to enjoy.

Chocolate-covered rice cakes topped with nuts, seeds and dried fruit.

As a nutritionist, Iโ€™m often hit up for easy and healthy snack ideas. Rice cakes are an ever-popular option, but they donโ€™t boast much nutrient diversity as a stand-alone snack.

Cue these homemade dark chocolate rice cakes. With a tasty nut, seed and dried fruit topping, each mouthful offers an array of textures and more nutrient bang-for-buck.

They require just 15 minutes to whip up, are naturally gluten-free and a great healthy snack idea for vegan friends. The best part? They’re so easy to make that they barely need a recipe!

Ingredients & Substitutions

  • Rice cakes are made from puffed rice that has been pressed into a cake-shape. Here, opt for plain rice cakes and keep an eye out for products made with whole grain brown rice – these offer slightly more fibre and protein. Any thickness of rice cake will do, with thicker cakes equating to more carbohydrates per serve.
  • Dark chocolate. Go for your favourite high percentage bar. If vegan or dairy free, check that your chocolate doesn’t contain any milk products. At a high enough percentage, it shouldn’t.
  • Raw almonds. Chop into thirds or quarters to keep flavours balanced (and save your teeth!). You could substitute in another nut – walnuts, cashews, macadamias or hazelnuts work well.
  • Seed medley. I love a mix of sunflower, pumpkin and hemp seeds. Others, like chia or linseed, are good too.
  • Shredded coconut. Desiccated or chips are AOK substitutes if on hand.
  • Dried fruit. Raisins and sultana pair well with dark chocolate and are the perfect size to dot on. Finely sliced dried apricots of cherries would be delicious additions!

Ingredient-wise, this recipe is pretty forgiving. You can really have a play and get creative. Use whatever is lingering and lonely in your pantry.

A close up of chocolate-covered rice cakes. The topping includes raisins, seeds, coconut and almonds.

Kitchen Tips

  • Before you begin make room in the freezer or fridge for a baking tray to comfortably fit inside.
  • Determine the ‘smooth’ side of your rice cakes. Some types of rice cakes will have a noticeable smoother side. Dunking this side in the chocolate will save on chocolate, as deep crevices tend to pool the melted goodness.
  • Make sure your toppings touch the chocolate, even just a smidge. The set chocolate plays an important role in binding the toppings.

Store finished rice cakes in the fridge – they’re best eaten a little cold! Put an icepack in your lunchbox when transporting to work or school. The thin layer of chocolate isn’t resilient against warmer temperatures.

Nutrition Q+A

Rice cakes are an accessible, affordable and popular snack base – but what’s their nutritional deal? Below are commonly asked questions about rice cake nutrition:

  • Are rice cakes healthy? Rice cakes arenโ€™t considered a very nutrient-dense or nutrient-diverse food โ€“ but this doesnโ€™t mean theyโ€™re not a healthy addition to a balanced diet. They offer a source of quick-release carbohydrates and are a great hand-to-mouth vehicle for other nutritious toppings.
  • How do you make a balanced healthy snack with rice cakes? Rice cakes are generally low in calories, fiber and protein. By combining a rice cake with slow-digesting protein and fibre-rich foods, this will offer more nutrient diversity and slow energy release, keeping you full for longer.
  • Are rice cakes gluten-free? Rice cakes made from rice alone are naturally gluten-free. However, always check the packaging for allergen information if you need to avoid gluten strictly. Some brands might add other grains into the mix or use flavourings that arenโ€™t gluten-free or prepare their product on a production line with other gluten-containing products.
  • Are rice cakes vegan? The basic ingredients for plain rice cakes are rice and salt, making many vegan-friendly. However, some flavours and varieties will use animal-derived products โ€“ check the ingredients panel if needed.
  • How many calories are in a rice cake? Calories measure the energy in a food, with rice cakes considered low calorie. Due to this, if you eat rice cakes alone, they likely wonโ€™t leave you satisfied for long (and youโ€™ll feel like another snack not long after!). Combining rice cakes with foods richer in calories โ€“ like a spread of avocado, nut butter, sliced cheese, or the dark choc topping here โ€“ will create a more satisfying snack.

Thanks for reading! Looking for another creative snack idea featuring dark chocolate? Try these no bake peanut butter and jelly cups๐Ÿซ

Chocolate-Coated Rice Cakes with Nuts, Seeds and Dried Fruit

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Serving Size: 8
Rating:
Rice cakes topped with chocolate and sprinkled with a mixture of nuts, seeds, dried fruit and coconut.

Ingredients:  

  • 8 standard size rice cakes *
  • 150 g dark chocolate
  • 2 Tbsp chopped almonds
  • 1 ยฝ Tbsp raisins or sultanas
  • 1 Tbsp pumpkin seeds
  • 1 Tbsp shredded coconut
  • 2 tsp sunflower seeds
  • 1 tsp hemp seeds

Method:

Prepare

  • Line a baking tray with paper. Place overtop rice cakes. On a chopping board or plate, lay out toppings for easy access.
  • Break up dark chocolate into smaller squares and melt (microwave or Bain Marie method over the stove with a simmering pot of water). If using the microwave be careful not to let it overheat.ย Pour into a serving/mixing bowl with a flat bottom or enough room to dunk in a rice cake.

Make

  • One at a time, dunk a rice cake into the melted chocolate. Remove and use a tablespoon to spread or swirl the chocolate into the uneven surface or crevices.
  • Evenly sprinkle over the toppings. Remember that everything needs to be touching the chocolate (even just a smidge!) to stick.
  • Repeat with remaining rice cakes and toppings.
  • Place in the fridge or freezer for the chocolate to harden.

Notes:

Storage Store in an airtight container in the fridge
* You could also prepare these in mini-sized!

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If you enjoyed this dish, please consider giving it a star rating when you post a comment. Star ratings help others discover my recipes online (and your reviews make my day! ๐Ÿ™‚ ). Happy cooking and baking. Danijela x

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