These peanut butter rice krispie treats are so gooey and made with just 6 ingredients. They are so easy to make! These are no-bake rice krispie treats which means they can be made and enjoyed in just 45 minutes. They are perfect for kids, parties, or events because everyone is sure to love a delicious peanut butter rice krispie treat.
You can make these peanut butter rice krispie treats with chocolate, too! Keep reading to find out how. There are so many fun ways to make these treats!
If you're looking for another quick and easy recipe to bring to an event (or simply a delicious chocolate recipe), check out these dairy free brownies.
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Ingredients
Did I tell you that you only need 6 ingredients to make these rice krispie treats? Seriously so easy and you probably have at least half of the ingredients at home already. You can't go wrong with easy baking!
- butter - you can use salted or unsalted butter, but salted butter works best for the most delicious sweet & salty flavor!
- mini marshmallows - this is a staple in any rice krispie treat recipe. Use mini marshmallows for easy melting and best results.
- natural creamy peanut butter - be sure to use an all-natural, creamy peanut butter for this recipe. It should drizzle off a knife like the consistency of yogurt or cake batter. Not only is natural peanut butter healthier without adding fillers and stablizers, but it makes your rice krispie treats super gooey and soft.
- pure vanilla extract - vanilla is helpful to add extra flavor.
- salt - salt balances the sweetness of the marshmallows and pairs so nicely with the peanut butter!
- rice krispies cereal - probably the most important ingredient! This is what brings the treats together into the classic dessert you love.
See? Super simple ingredients! These treats are just as simple to make, too.
How To Make Rice Krispie Treats
These treats come together in less than 15 minutes. You just need a large pot to mix your ingredients on the stove and a spatula or spoon to stir. Bigger is better to make it easy to mix and prevent it from overflowing!
STEP 1: Prepare the pan. Line a 9x13 inch pan with parchment paper or spray with a non-stick cooking spray. You may use a 9x9 inch square pan if you want extra thick rice krispie treats. Then set aside.
STEP 2: Melt butter. Add the butter to a large pot on the stove and melt over low heat.
STEP 3: Add marshmallows. Once the butter has melted, add in the mini marshmallows and stir until they're completely melted. Do this in small portions to make it easier to stir, especially if you're using a smaller pot.
STEP 4: Stir in peanut butter, vanilla, and salt. Once all the marshmallows have been melted, remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the creamy peanut butter, vanilla extract, and salt until well combined.
STEP 5: Mix in rice cereal. Add the rice krispies cereal to the pot about 2 cups at a time and stir together until gooey and sticky. Adding the rice krispies in small amounts makes it easier to stir and allows you to get it well-coated. You don't want any dry chunks!
STEP 6: Transfer to pan. Once all of the rice cereal has been mixed in, transfer the mixture to your prepared baking pan. Use a spatula or your hands to gently press the mixture into the corners and around the pan.
TIP: Don't press on the treats too forcefully or they will become flat and hard! You just want to spread the mixture evenly around the pan.
STEP 7: Let cool for 30 minutes. Let the treats cool for 30 minutes to an hour in the pan before slicing and serving. I cut mine into 20 treats when using a 9x13 pan.
Tips For Making The Recipe
- Use all-natural, creamy peanut butter. Using all-natural peanut butter that is super creamy and "runny" is the right consistency for these bars. Plus, it has no added stablizers or fillers!
- Use fresh marshmallows! Marshmallows that have been in your pantry for a while are likely hard, chalky, and dry. Use a fresh bag of mashmallows for the best results. They melt easier and have a much better taste!
- Melt over low heat. Melt the butter and marshmallows over low heat to avoid burning the mixture. It might take a little bit longer, but it's worth it! Nobody wants burnt-tasting desserts.
- Use a really big pot. I've made the mistake of trying to make these in a small pot and it's so hard to mix together. Use a really big pot (like for soup or pasta) and it will make it super easy to melt the marshmallows and mix the rice krispie cereal.
Making Vegan Rice Krispie Treats
If you're vegan or dairy-free, you can totally make this recipe work for you! You just need to make a few substitutions:
- Butter - Instead of using regular butter with dairy, use a vegan butter or you can use solid coconut oil. Both options work well!
- Marshmallows - Most marshmallows are not vegan or dairy-free, but there are some vegan marshmallows on the market, thankfully! Dandies vegan marshmallows could be a great option for this recipe.
- Rice Krispies - Unforunately, the branded rice krispie cereal on the market is not vegan due to the sugar being processed with bone char. However, there are other rice krispie cereal options that are vegan, like Nature's Path Crispy Rice.
With a few ingredient switches, you can make these rice krispie treats vegan. Once you have the ingredients on hand, they are just as easy to make.
Fun Variations to the Recipe
Remember when I said you could make these peanut butter rice krispie treats with chocolate? You can do that and check out these other fun options to try:
- Rice Krispie Treats with Chocolate - to add chocolate to these treats, melt 1 ¼ cup chocolate chips in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds until melted. Then stir in 1 teaspoon coconut oil and spread the mixture over the rice krispie treats. Let the chocolate harden for 1-2 hours before serving the treats.
- Rice Krispie Treats with Cinnamon - stir in 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon to the mixture before adding the rice krispie cereal for cozy, cinnamon rice krispie treats. This is perfect for the holiday season!
- Rice Krispie Treats with Cheerios - use plain or whole-grain cheerios instead of rice krispie cereal for a different take on "rice krispie treats."
- Rice Krispie Treats with Sprinkles - add 3-4 tablespoons of your favorite sprinkles to the mixture as you add your rice krispie cereal. You can add sprinkles on top of the treats in the pan, too! This is a perfect way to make them colorful and fun for holidays or parties.
- Rice Krispie Treats with M&Ms - add one bag of m&ms to the mixture after you stir in your rice krispie cereal. Use mini m&ms or holiday m&ms to switch things up!
- Rice Krispie Treats with Cocoa Pebbles - consider using cocoa pebbles cereal instead of plain rice krispies to make double chocolate peanut butter rice krispie treats!
If you're a chocolate lover, you can try these vegan oreo cookies sometime, too!
Choosing A Pan
This recipe is made with a 9x13 inch rectangular pan which makes about 20 peanut butter rice krispie treats. You can use a 9x9 inch square pan if you want thicker treats!
You can have good results using an 8x8 inch square pan as well if you want extra thick treats for just a few people. Obviously, using a smaller pan means fewer treats, so I recommend using a 9x9 or 9x13 pan if you are making this dessert for your family or for an event.
Storing And Freezing
To keep the rice krispies soft and fresh-tasting, store them in an airtight container with parchment paper between each layer. This prevents them from sticking together and from drying out. You can store them at room temperature for 3-5 days.
To freeze the rice krispie treats, place them in an airtight container with parchment paper between each layer. They can last in the freezer for up to 2 months. Just be sure to let them thaw on the counter for an hour or so before enjoying again.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes you can! See the notes in the blog post above to make these treats vegan. You will need to use vegan butter (or coconut oil), and vegan marshmallows.
You can easily add chocolate to these rice krispie treats! You can mix in 1 bag of chocolate chips, or melt chocolate and stir with 1 teaspoon coconut oil to create a layer of chocolate on top of the treats. See the notes in the blog post above for more tips on how to do this!
No. There is no karo syrup in this recipe. The ingredients are very simple and are arguably healthier than using any artificial syrups.
More Recipes
If you made these treats, I'd love to know what you think! Please consider leaving a review below. Post a photo and tag me on Instagram so I can see! For more delicious recipes, check out these favorites:
Recipe
Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats
Equipment
- Large Pot
- 9x13 Baking Pan
Ingredients
- 5 tablespoons butter
- 8 cups mini marshmallows
- ¾ cup natural, creamy peanut butter
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 6 cups rice krispies cereal
Instructions
- Start by greasing a 9x13" baking pan with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a large pot, melt the butter on low heat. Once melted, add in the marshmallows. You can add them in small increments to avoid overflowing. Stir the marshmallows until they're completely melted.5 tablespoons butter, 8 cups mini marshmallows
- Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the creamy peanut butter, vanilla, and salt.1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, ¾ cup natural, creamy peanut butter, ½ teaspoon salt
- Add the rice krispies cereal in small increments and stir until sticky and coated. You don't want to have dry cereal left, it should be a sticky mixture.6 cups rice krispies cereal
- Add the mixture to the greased baking pan. Use a spatula or your hands to gently press the mixture evenly around the pan and into the corners. Don't press too hard or your treats will become flat and tough.
- Let the treats cool in the pan for about 30 minutes before slicing and serving.
Andrea White says
the best sweet treat! Love it!
Cindy Mom the Lunch Lady says
We always make rice krispie treats for the holidays. I think this year we will try this peanut butter version. It sounds fantastic!
Julie says
These Rice Krispies treats are so OMG!
Gina Abernathy says
Ohhhhh, peanut butter! Yes! I will be trying this soon.
sam says
Awesome recipe! Simple and delicious!
Bobbie says
My daughter and I made these and they are better than regular Rice Krispie treats! So easy too!
nancy says
easy and yummy! my DD loves it and always asks for it
Julie says
Ideally the best kids recipe ever!! And a fun treat I love recipes like this ❤️