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These Rocky Road Bars are loaded with marshmallows and nuts piled onto a rich chocolate ganache, which sits on a simple chocolate cookie crust. This quick and easy dessert bar recipe is perfect for sharing!
Rocky Road bars are a simple dessert bar recipe you’ll love, especially if you’re a fan of the classic no-bake Rocky Road candy or Rocky Road ice cream! Crunchy nuts and fluffy marshmallows create contrasting textures, making every bite unique. The rich chocolate ganache has just the right amount of sweetness, and the chocolate cookie crust is the perfect sturdy base for the layers to rest upon.
I like adding flaky sea salt and a generous drizzle of melted chocolate to the topping for a sweet-and-salty finish as well as a pretty garnish, but feel free to skip them if you prefer. You can also make the crust in advance to save some time on assembly! For more chocolate and marshmallow desserts, try my Rocky Road cookies, air fryer s’mores, and hot chocolate cookies.
Ingredients
These main ingredients are essential to making delicious rocky road bars. Find the full list in the recipe!
Cocoa powder — I like using Dutch-processed cocoa powder for a deeper chocolate flavor. You can also use natural unsweetened cocoa powder.
Butter — use unsalted butter and add a measured amount of salt to ensure the bars taste their best. If you only have salted butter, reduce the added salt to ¼ teaspoon.
Egg yolk — an egg yolk adds richness and also helps to bind the ingredients in the cookie crust.
Vanilla — vanilla extract adds complexity to the flavor of the crust.
Chocolate ganache filling — all you need for the easy ganache is bittersweet chocolate, heavy cream, and unsalted butter. Though ganache doesn’t typically include butter, I use it here to make the filling a bit richer and keep the texture sturdy but soft.
Topping — for the classic rocky road topping, you need mini marshmallows and chopped roasted and salted almonds.
Rocky Road Bars Recipe
Equipment
- 9×9 inch pan
- Double boiler
- Parchment paper
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour (180g)
- ½ cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder (50g)
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened (226g)
- ½ cup granulated sugar (100g)
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Ganache Filling:
- 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate bars chopped (226g)
- ½ cup heavy cream (120mL)
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter cubed and room temperature
For the Topping:
- ½ teaspoon flaky sea salt optional
- 1½ cups mini marshmallows (70g)
- ½ cup chopped roasted, salted almonds (80g)
- 2 ounces melted dark chocolate optional (56g)
Instructions
For the Crust:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×9-inch baking pan and line it with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk to combine the flour, cocoa powder, and salt.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment (or a large bowl with a handheld mixer), combine the butter and sugar. Beat on medium speed for about 3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and egg yolk, then mix until combined. Add the flour mixture in two batches, mixing low speed to combine completely between each addition.
- Place the mixture in the prepared pan and press into an even layer.
- Bake for 23 to 25 minutes or until the top looks dry and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cool completely in the pan.
For the Ganache:
- Once the crust is cool, in a small saucepan over medium heat, warm the cream until very steamy and just about to boil. (You can also heat it in the microwave for about 1 minute until very hot.)
- Meanwhile, place the chocolate in a medium bowl. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and cover the bowl with a similarly sized plate or plastic wrap. Set aside for 5 minutes, allowing the chocolate to melt from the heat of the cream.
- Whisk the chocolate and cream together until fully combined, smooth, and glossy. If there are a few pieces of chocolate left unmelted, you can microwave the ganache at 50% power for about 10 seconds and whisk again.
- Stir in the butter until melted. Pour the filling over the cooled crust and smooth into an even layer.
To Finish:
- Sprinkle the sea salt all over the warm ganache, then distribute the marshmallows and chopped almonds in a single layer evenly over the top. Press gently so that they sink into the ganache slightly.
- Drizzle with melted chocolate, if you like.
- Let the ganache harden at room temperature for 4 to 6 hours, or refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours to firm up the bars. The bars are best stored at room temperature for optimal texture.
Notes
- Use room temperature ingredients. Set the cookie crust refrigerator ingredients out in advance. If you forget to set out the butter (which can take a long time to come to room temperature), see my post for how to soften butter quickly.
- Weigh the flour. To ensure you use the correct amount of flour, weigh it. If you don’t have a kitchen scale, fluff the flour in its container, spoon it into a measuring cup, and level off the top with a knife. Using too much flour can cause the cookie crust to be dry and crumbly.
- To melt the chocolate for drizzling on top, place chopped dark chocolate or chocolate chips in a small bowl. Microwave at 50% power for 30 seconds, then stir. Continue melting at 50% power in 15-second intervals, stirring in between each, until the chocolate is smooth and glossy. Drizzle over the top of the rocky road bars with a small spoon.
Nutrition
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How To Make Rocky Road Bars
1. Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
2. Combine the unsalted butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or a large bowl if using a handheld mixer. Beat on medium speed until fluffy, then beat in the vanilla extract and egg yolk. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in two batches, mixing on low speed until combined.
3. Press the crust mixture in an even layer into a greased 9×9-inch baking pan lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350°F for 23 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the crust cool completely.
4. Make the ganache once the crust is cool. Warm the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat. Place the chopped bittersweet chocolate in a bowl and pour the hot cream over the chocolate. Cover the bowl and set aside for 5 minutes. Whisk the chocolate and cream together until smooth and glossy.
5. Add the cubed butter and stir until melted. Pour the chocolate mixture over the cooled crust, smoothing it into an even layer.
6. To finish, sprinkle the ganache with sea salt (if using), then add the mini marshmallows and chopped almonds in an even single layer over the top. Press gently to help them stick. Drizzle with melted chocolate, if desired. Let them sit at room temperature for a few hours, or refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours to firm up before slicing.
Bake The Cookie Crust Ahead Of Time
Since the chocolate cookie crust needs to cool completely before you top it with the ganache filling, you can bake it 24 hours in advance. Follow the recipe until the end of Step 5), then cool and cover. Make the ganache and finish the rocky road fudge bars recipe the next day.
Tips for Making Ganache
- Chop the chocolate into small pieces. This will help the chocolate melt faster and more evenly in the hot cream.
- Heat the cream and pour it over the chocolate. The hot (but not boiling) heavy cream gently melts the chocolate, producing a glossier ganache without the risk of burning.
- Let it sit long enough to give the chocolate time to melt. 5 minutes is generally enough, but if there are a few pieces of chocolate left unmelted, microwave the ganache at 50% power for about 10 seconds and whisk it again. At this point, all the chocolate should have melted.
For more tips, check out my ganache recipe!
How To Store
Rocky road squares are best stored at room temperature for optimal texture. They will keep well in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Pro Tips For Making This Recipe
- Use room temperature ingredients. Set the cookie crust refrigerator ingredients out in advance. If you forget to set out the butter (which can take a long time to come to room temperature), see my post for how to soften butter quickly.
- Weigh the flour. To ensure you use the correct amount of flour, weigh it. If you don’t have a kitchen scale, fluff the flour in its container, spoon it into a measuring cup, and level off the top with a knife. Using too much flour can cause the cookie crust to be dry and crumbly.
- To melt the chocolate for drizzling on top, place chopped dark chocolate or chocolate chips in a small bowl. Microwave at 50% power for 30 seconds, then stir. Continue melting at 50% power in 15-second intervals, stirring in between each, until the chocolate is smooth and glossy. Drizzle over the top of the rocky road bars with a small spoon.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, feel free to use homemade marshmallows for the topping! I’d recommend cutting them into small pieces that are around the size of mini marshmallows (about ½ inch). Just note that the topping will become stickier over time since fresh marshmallows don’t have the same outer texture that store-bought ones do.
No, I don’t recommend freezing them, as the texture of the marshmallows and ganache can be negatively impacted. To extend the shelf life, you can refrigerate them for up to 1 week, but bring them to room temperature before serving.
Almonds are a classic for Rocky Road, but you can use any kind you like, such as roasted peanuts, toasted pecans, or toasted walnuts.
If you’ve tried this rocky road bars recipe, then don’t forget to rate it and let me know how you got on in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
