Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats (with Chocolate)

Jump to Recipe

Listen up chocolate and peanut butter lovers. You can get your fix with these easy and delicious peanut butter rice krispie treats.

A soft, chewy, old fashioned gooey treat jazzed up with a great flavor combination. And less than 10 minutes to prepare.

one peanut butter rice crispy treat in front of others on plate.

I’ve been making chocolate rice crispy treats for decades with our family recipe. Love them.

I thought I’d try something new since peanut butter and chocolate are both big hits in our family.

I did several tests (which my husband was happy about). The first time I used puffed cereal from a bulk food store. Big mistake. The cereal was way too crunchy. Almost like hard seeds. I clearly bought the wrong kind.

Needless to say, my husband (who’s not very discriminating) still liked them. I didn’t. I suggest checking the texture of any off brands you use.

Why make this simple recipe

It’s a quick and easy crowd pleaser – less than 10 minutes prep, 6 simple ingredients and a no bake recipe.
Peanut butter and chocolate are the perfect match. Add a bit of gooey chewy crunch and, well…
We included stovetop and microwave directions in the recipe card. Microwaving is quicker.

Ingredients – tailored to your taste

Rice krispies: Use the brand name cereal or an off brand. Be sure to check the texture of off brands and make sure the cereal is fresh. Here’s an article on 6 other brand name cereal options to try as a substitute for rice crispies.

Marshmallows:

Use mini or regular marshmallows. Minis will melt in half the time. You can also try marshmallow crème or fluff which is gluten-free.
Use fresh marshmallows. Stale ones won’t melt properly.
You need about 10 ounces which typically means one regular package (large packages are 16 ounces). If you are not sure about the size of your marshmallows or package, you can weigh out 10 ounces/280 grams.
Here are marshmallow conversions for every type of marshmallow.
In a nutshell: one 10-ounce bag/280 grams = 6 cups mini marshmallows = 40 regular marshmallows = 7 ounce jar marshmallow crème/fluff (heaping 1 1/2 cups/140 grams)

Peanut butter: I use regular creamy peanut butter. Chunky peanut butter will work too. Natural peanut butter is not recommended as it can separate and not harden properly.

Butter: Use salted butter or unsalted butter with a pinch of salt. Don’t use margarine.

Chocolate: I use semi-sweet chocolate chips. You can also use a broken up chocolate bar. I thin out the melted chocolate for easier spreading with a teaspoon of vegetable oil. For a different variation, try butterscotch chips, dark chocolate chips or peanut butter chips (or any combination).

Extras: Add a bit of vanilla extract if you like. Sprinkle on crushed peanuts for crunch after spreading on the chocolate glaze, mini Reese’s peanut butter cups or flaky sea salt.

Step by step instructions

puffed up marshmallows in pan after microwaving — Melt marshmallows and butter in the microwave. See recipe card for stove top instructions.

peanut butter added to marshmallow butter mixture — Stir marshmallow mixture until smooth. Add peanut butter

peanut butter being stirred into marshmallow mixture in pan — Stir in peanut butter and vanilla (if using) until well combined.

peanut butter rice krispies in pan — Stir in rice crispies then transfer to another pan. Pat down gently with wet hands.

peanut butter rice krispies in pan with chocolate topping being added — Melt chocolate chips in microwave. Add a teaspoon oil to thin it out a bit. Spread chocolate over rice crispy mixture.

peanut butter rice krispie squares in plan iced with chocolate and peanuts — Sprinkle on crushed peanuts or sea salt if using.

peanut butter rice krispie squares lined up in rows on plate — Cut the block into peanut butter rice krispie bars or small squares.

Tips

Ratios: 100% exact measurements are not needed, but they should be close. Why? Too much butter will make the rice krispy treats too soft and oily. Too much cereal makes them too dry and hard. Too many marshmallows will make them very sticky.
Make clean up easy: I tried making the treats in one dish and they were very difficult to remove from the bottom of the pan when cut. I won’t do that again. Spray the pan well with cooking oil. Then you can easily lift the whole slab out with a spatula onto a cutting board to cut into squares.
Pan size: Many sizes will work. Use a 9 x 13 inch (23 x 33 cm) pan for thinner bars. Or a square pan 8 x 8 inch (20 x 20 cm) for thicker bars. Or anything in between.

Recipe FAQ

How do I prevent my rice crispy treats from getting too hard?

Don’t overcook or burn the marshmallows. Don’t add too much cereal. Store them properly in an airtight container. And don’t press down the mixture too firmly. If they do get hard, try putting them in the microwave for 10-15 seconds to soften them up.

What can I do with leftover marshmallows?

Add them to hot chocolate. Make smores. Top a cake, cupcakes or baked sweet potatoes, then broil until browned and melty. Or make more peanut butter rice crispy treats 🙂

Can I make gluten-free or vegan rice krispy treats?

For a vegan version, buy gelatin-free marshmallows or substitute with almond butter and maple syrup (here’s a recipe for healthy vegan rice crispy treats). Or, substitute every 1 cup of marshmallows (8 pieces) with 1/2 cup marshmallow fluff (which also has no gelatin).For gluten-free, use a gluten free puff cereal and check the marshmallow package too.

Is rice crispy treats healthy?

Not really as they contain high sugar, carbs and fat. Fortified cereal and peanut butter help, though, as they provide some iron, vitamin A and B and protein. In general, consider them a fun occasional treat.

Shortcuts

It takes half the time to melt the butter and marshmallows in the microwave than it does on the stove top.
Mini marshmallows will melt much faster than regular ones.
You can skip the top layer of chocolate.

Make ahead, store, freeze

Peanut butter rice crispy treats can be made ahead, but need to be stored properly in one even layer or with parchment paper or wax paper in between layers to prevent sticking.
Make the treats and store them in an airtight container or ziploc bag
- at room temperature for 4-5 days (this is the best way)
- in the fridge for a week or
- in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Bring refrigerated or frozen treats to room temperature before serving. If you forget, put them in the microwave for 30 seconds or so.

several peanut butter rice crispy treats in a row on plate. — Enjoy you soft, gooey peanut butter rice krispie treats!

Other quick and easy no-bake desserts

chocolate rice crispy treats
microwave brownie recipe in 8 minutes Ok, you need a microwave for this one
easy chocolate fudge (3 minutes)
no-bake berry crumble (10 min)
strawberries in white chocolate (for beginners)
white chocolate bark (5 minutes)

If you like this recipe, please leave a 5 star rating 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟in the recipe card below. And if you REALLY like it, consider a review in the comments. Thanks very much!

Print Recipe Pin Save Recipe

Rate this recipe here

5 from 12 votes