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Peanut Butter Rice Crispy Treats require only 4 simple ingredients and taste better than the original version! Made without marshmallows or butter, this is an easy no-bake dessert you can make in just minutes.
Just like making homemade granola bars, you can also customize these rice crispy treats by melting some dark chocolate chips and spreading the melted chocolate on top.
I also like to add a sprinkle of sea salt to make the flavor pop!
Ingredients You’ll Need
What’s in peanut butter rice crispy treats?
- Creamy peanut butter
- Honey (or use maple syrup for a vegan version)
- Brown rice cereal (or Rice Krispies cereal)
- Salt
That’s it! You may also want to have chocolate chips on hand, if you’d like to add a topping, and some cooking spray and parchment paper, or wax paper, to help prepare the dish.
How to Make Peanut Butter Rice Crispy Treats
1. Gather the ingredients. This recipe moves fast, so measure everything out before you get started. Add the cereal to a large mixing bowl, so it’s ready to go for the next step.
2. Boil. Add the honey to a small sauce pan over medium heat on the stovetop, and bring it to a boil. As soon as you see bubbles around the edges of the pan, set a timer for 1 minute.
It’s okay if the honey bubbles significantly, but turn down the heat if you think it will start to reach the top of the pan.
When the timer goes off, remove the pan from the heat, and stir in the peanut butter and salt with a spatula.
3. Mix. Pour the hot peanut butter honey mixture over the cereal in the mixing bowl. Stir well, until the cereal is evenly coated.
Work quickly, as the peanut butter mixture will start to harden as it cools, and will become more difficult to stir.
4. Cool. Prepare an 8-inch square dish by lightly spraying it with cooking spray, then press a piece of parchment paper into the bottom. The oil will hold the parchment paper in place, so it won’t wiggle around as you work, and will make the bars very easy to remove later.
Press the mixture into the bottom of the pan, pressing firmly until the bars are flat and tightly packed inside.
For a chocolate topping, melt a 1/2 cup of dark chocolate chips (either in the microwave or in a double boiler on the stove) and spread or drizzle the chocolate over the top. It will harden as the bars cool.
Let these healthy rice crispy treats cool completely by placing them in the fridge or freezer. It usually takes about 1 hour in the freezer, or 2 hours in the fridge for them to cool completely.
5. Enjoy! Slice the cooled peanut butter rice crispy treats into 16 bars and enjoy. You can store this rice krispie treats recipe at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to 2 weeks in an airtight container.
I find that peanut butter rice krispies treats get softer when you store them at room temperature, so for the most firm & crispy results, keep them chilled.
Frequently Asked Questions & Substitutions
How to make them Vegan: Omit the honey and use pure maple syrup instead. You could also use agave nectar or brown rice syrup, as an alternative sweetener. The brown rice syrup tastes the most like classic rice krispies treats made with marshmallows.
Can I make this with puffed rice cereal? If you are looking to make a healthy recipe, I don’t recommend using puffed rice (or puffed quinoa) cereal, as it doesn’t turn out crispy. The texture isn’t nearly as pleasant when compared to the classic crispy rice cereal we have all come to expect.
Can I make it nut-free? If you’d rather not use peanut butter, you can use tahini or sunflower butter as a nut-free alternative. If you just need to avoid peanuts, you could also use almond butter or cashew butter.
*Allergy Safety Note: When serving these peanut butter based treats to a crowd, please be sure to label them for those who may have peanut allergies, to avoid a tragic story like this one.
More Healthy Desserts
If you love these, you’ll also enjoy the following recipes.
I can’t wait to hear what you try next!
Peanut Butter Rice Crispy Treats
Peanut Butter Rice Crispy Treats are made with just 4 simple ingredients and have a perfectly chewy texture. No marshmallows required!
Peanut Butter Rice Crispy Treats
- 4 cups crispy rice cereal
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
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Spray an 8-inch square pan with oil and press a piece of parchment paper into the bottom of the pan. The oil will hold the parchment in place, so it won’t wiggle around later. Since this recipe moves quickly, it’s also a good idea to add the cereal to a large mixing bowl, so it’s ready to go later.
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In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring the honey to a boil. As soon as it’s bubbling, set a timer for 1 minute and let it boil until the timer goes off. Turn down the heat if the honey starts to bubble towards the top of the pan.
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When the timer goes off, remove the honey from the heat and stir in the peanut butter and salt. As soon as the mixture is smooth, pour it over the cereal in the large mixing bowl. Stir well, until the cereal is well coated. It will start to thicken up as it cools, and will be very sticky.
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Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan, and press HARD to pack the cereal into the bottom of the pan. Place the pan in the fridge or freezer, so the bars can cool completely. When they are totally cool, they are ready to slice and serve, unless you’d like to add the chocolate topping below.
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For a chocolate topped bar, melt a 1/2 cup of dark chocolate chips in the microwave, or over a double-boiler. When the chocolate is melted, spread it over the top of the bars and place the pan in the freezer briefly, just until the chocolate is hardened. Then the bars are ready to slice and serve.
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Leftover rice crispy treats can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, but they will become slightly softer over time. For the crispiest results, I recommend storing them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
You can use almond butter or sunflower butter instead of peanut butter, if you’d like a different option.
For a vegan recipe, replace the honey with maple syrup.
Calories: 97kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 110mg | Potassium: 63mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 5mg | Iron: 1mg
If you try this peanut butter rice krispie treat recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below letting me know how you like them. And if you make any modifications, I’d love to hear about those, too!