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    Home » Recipes » Bars and Brownies

    Published: May 28, 2020 Modified: May 8, 2023 by Nicole This post may contain affiliate links.

    Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    promotional graphic for Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats

    Peanut butter Rice Krispie treats are a delicious spin on a timeless classic. With gooey and soft rice crispies and a great peanut butter flavor, you have a snack everyone can enjoy!

    plate stacked with peanut butter rice krispie treat squares

    You're going to love these Rice Krispie treats with peanut butter and marshmallow!

    Regular Rice Krispie treats are delicious- it's a known fact. But the different flavorful spins on them are always fun! Just like my Smores Bars Recipe, these tasty treats stand alone in their awesomeness.

    For a peanut butter lover or someone looking for a slightly more savory twist to a sweet snack, these peanut butter rice crispy bars are it.

    For more rice crispy recipes, be sure to check out my Rice Krispie Treat in a Mug, Oreo Rice Krispie Treats, Rainbow Rice Krispie Treats, and Dairy Free Rice Krispie Treats.

    Why This Recipe Works

    1. They're easy to make. While we do add in some peanut butter, we don't add in any extra effort or steps. These treats are just as simple and basic to make as any other variety, and that's just one more reason to love them!
    2. They're flavorful. Traditional rice krispie treats are already pretty tasty, but add in the savory taste of peanut butter and we get a wonderful fluffernutter flavor in every square.
    3. The kids love them! You may want to double this recipe and make it in a 9x13 baking dish if you have crispy treat loving kids like I do. These squares are really hard to resist (not like you'd want to), but having extra pieces means that you can save some for later too.
    Jump to:
    • 🥘 Ingredients
    • 🍽 Equipment Needed
    • 🔪 Instructions
    • 📖 Variations
    • 🍴 Recipe Tips
    • 💭 FAQs
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments
    labeled ingredients needed to make peanut butter rice krispie treats

    🥘 Ingredients

    Rice crispy cereal- This cereal is the base of the recipe, but you can feel free to use other brands of similar cereal. (I like the crispy rice cereal from Alid).

    Butter- Use salted or unsalted butter to cook the marshmallows in.

    Peanut butter- You will need some creamy peanut butter. I recommend not using a natural peanut butter because those tend to have more oil in the mix.

    Mini marshmallows- Use mini marshmallows for that gooey texture and chewy consistency.

    For the exact amounts needed, please see the recipe card below.

    🍽 Equipment Needed

    BeeyondCereal is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.

    • Large Pot
    • Wooden Spoon
    • 9x13 Baking Dish or an 8x8 baking dish

    🔪 Instructions

    Check out how to make peanut butter rice krispie treats with these simple step-by-step instructions:

    butter in a pot

    Add your butter to a large pot over low heat.

    melted butter in a pot

    Let the butter melt fully.

    mini marshmallows in a large pot

    Add in the marshmallows.

    melted marshmallows in a pot

    Stir occasionally to prevent burning.

    peanut butter added to warmed marshmallows in a pot

    Once the marshmallows have almost completely melted, add in the peanut butter.

    melted peanut butter marshmallow mixture in a pot

    Stir until the marshmallows are completely melted and the peanut butter is well incorporated.

    rice crispy cereal being added to melted peanut butter marshmallow mixture in pot

    Remove the pot from the heat. Add in the cereal.

    peanut butter rice krispie cereal mixture in a pot

    Stir to combine.

    peanut butter rice krispie cereal mixture in a pan

    Pour the cereal into a greased 9x13 baking dish or an 8x8 baking dish if you want them thicker.

    peanut butter rice krispie mixture pressed into a square 8x8 baking dish

    Press into the pan until they're an even layer.

    Let them cool for about an hour to set before slicing into them.

    Serve and enjoy.

    three stacked peanut butter rice krispie squares

    📖 Variations

    You can creamy or chunky peanut butter for these peanut butter crispies! Personally, I like the creamy peanut butter because it's what we have on hand, but if you want a little extra grit then chunky peanut butter works great.

    Adding chocolate to the top-

    Take a bag of chocolate chips and place them in a microwave safe bowl with 3 tablespoons of coconut oil or heavy cream. Heat for 30 seconds, stir, and then another 30 seconds, repeating until they're completely melted.
    Pour over the top of the crispy bars in the baking dish and let the top harden. You can speed this process up by placing them in the freezer for a few minutes.

    🍴 Recipe Tips

    Making peanut butter crispy treats is pretty simple but there are a few things to note.

    1. Greasing your pan can be done with butter or nonstick cooking spray.
    2. When you press the Krispies into the pan, it really helps to have your hands greased too. This prevents it from sticking. So either rub softened butter on your hands or spray your palms with cooking spray.
    3. When you're melting the marshmallows, it's important to do it over a low temperature and to stir as little as possible to avoid overworking the marshmallows. It's okay to stir, but you don't need to do it constantly (except for when you melt in the peanut butter and add the cereal- that's different).

    ANOTHER GREAT TIP: You can make these peanut butter rice crispy treats DAIRY FREE with the use of a plant based butter! Just double check the ingredients list on the back of the cereal box as some may contain traces of milk.

    💭 FAQs

    Why do my rice crispy treats get hard?

    If you melt your marshmallows over too high of a heat you're cooking them too much and that will result in a much harder square when you're done. If you leave it on low, it might take a few extra minutes, but it's so much more worth it for the perfect tender treat we want.

    Are peanut butter crispy treats the same as a scotcheroo?

    While the two are very similar, they aren't exactly the same. Pescotcheroo bars have butterscotch chips melted into the peanut butter cereal bars for a unique flavor and there's melted chocolate on top. You can see for yourself with my Scotcheroos Recipe over here.

    Can I make these cereal bars in the microwave?

    Absolutely! Just grab a large mixing bowl (microwave safe) and heat your butter and peanut butter for about 30 seconds until melted. Add in the marshmallows and heat for about 2 minutes, stirring at the 1 minute mark. Add in the cereal and combine. Pour into a baking dish and let set.

    peanut butter rice krispie treats on a plate with a spoon of peanut butter in front

    Other sweet treats worth checking out!

    • Blueberry Sour Cream Coffee Cake
    • Rice Krispie Treats with Marshmallow Fluff
    • Rainbow Cake Mix Donuts
    • Play Doh Cookies (Colored Sugar Cookies)

    📖 Recipe

    an upclose view of peanut butter rice krispie treats on a plate
    Print Recipe
    5 from 1 vote

    Peanut Butter Krispie Treats

    Peanut butter Rice Krispie treats are a delicious spin on a timeless classic. With gooey and soft rice crispies and a great peanut butter flavor, you have a snack everyone can enjoy!
    Prep Time 5 minutes mins
    Cook Time 15 minutes mins
    Cooling Time 1 hour hr
    Total Time 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins
    Servings: 12 squares
    Calories: 224kcal
    Cost Recipe $3.79/ Serving $0.32
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Equipment

    • Large Pot
    • Wooden Spoon
    • 9x13 Baking Dish or an 8x8 baking dish

    Ingredients

    • 4 Tablespoons Butter ($0.38)
    • 1 bag (10oz) Mini marshmallows ($0.99)
    • ½ cup Creamy Peanut Butter ($0.42)
    • 5 ½ cups Rice Krispie Cereal ($2.00)
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • Melt the butter in a large pot over low heat.
    • Add in the marshmallows and stir occasionally to prevent burning.
    • Once the marshmallows look mostly melted, add in the peanut butter and stir until the marshmallows have completely melted and the peanut butter is well mixed.
    • Add in the cereal and stir to combine.
    • Pour the cereal into a greased 9x13 baking dish or an 8x8 if you want them thicker. Press them down and try to get them flat and condensed.
    • Let cool for about an hour before cutting to make sure that they set.

    Notes

     Greasing your pan can be done with butter or nonstick cooking spray.
    When you press the Krispies into the pan, it really helps to have your hands greased too. This prevents it from sticking. So either rub softened butter on your hands or spray your palms with cooking spray.
    When you're melting the marshmallows, it's important to do it over a low temperature and to stir as little as possible to avoid overworking the marshmallows. It's okay to stir, but you don't need to do it constantly (except for when you melt in the peanut butter and add the cereal- that's different).
    ANOTHER GREAT TIP: You can make these peanut butter rice crispy treats DAIRY FREE with the use of a plant based butter! Just double check the ingredients list on the back of the cereal box as some may contain traces of milk.
     If you melt your marshmallows over too high of a heat you're cooking them too much and that will result in a much harder square when you're done. If you leave it on low, it might take a few extra minutes, but it's so much more worth it for the perfect tender treat we want.

     How to make these cereal bars in the microwave

    Just grab a large mixing bowl (microwave safe) and heat your butter and peanut butter for about 30 seconds until melted. Add in the marshmallows and heat for about 2 minutes, stirring at the 1 minute mark. Add in the cereal and combine. Pour into a baking dish and let set. 

    Nutritional Information

    Serving: 12g | Calories: 224kcal | Carbohydrates: 31.6g | Protein: 3.5g | Fat: 10.2g | Saturated Fat: 3.7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4.1g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 10.4mg | Sodium: 163.6mg | Potassium: 71.3mg | Fiber: 0.6g | Sugar: 16.2g | Vitamin A: 124IU | Vitamin C: 3.7mg | Calcium: 8.7mg | Iron: 1.3mg
    Author NicoleDurham
    Course Snack
    Cuisine American
    Tried this recipe?Mention @BeeyondCereal on Instagram and hashtag it #BeeyondCereal
    To view how this recipe was calculated you can visit my Pricing Disclosure Page for more information.

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