Chocolate Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats
Chocolate peanut butter rice krispie treats are chewy, peanut buttery and so delicious. The ultimate flavor combination, these peanut butter rice krispies with chocolate are so fun and easy to make – you can even have your kids help!
This simple recipe for chocolate peanut butter rice crispy treats is made without marshmallows or corn syrup and is vegan, dairy free and gluten free!
Why you will love this recipe
- No bake dessert everyone will love – these chocolate peanut butter rice krispy treats are a childhood favorite taken to a whole new level. Who doesn’t love the combination of peanut butter and chocolate! This no bake recipe is perfect for cookouts, parties, potlucks or as a fun afterschool snack.
- Simple ingredients – this recipe has just 4 main ingredients and you likely have them in your pantry right now! Unlike many other recipes for rice krispy treats, there are no marshmallows or butter in this recipe, making it vegan and dairy free!
- Easy to make, even your kids can help! Unlike traditional cereal treats you may have made in the past, you don’t have to stand over the stove waiting for marshmallows to melt to add the rice cereal at the exact right moment. This recipe is much easier to assemble and would be very fun to do with your kiddos!
- Ready quick – these are ready to go in about 15 minutes and are perfect for last minute parties, get-togethers or entertaining.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Maple syrup – maple syrup helps to sweeten the peanut butter rice krispie treats and also helps to hold them together. You can try this recipe with honey as well but the flavor will be slightly different.
- Peanut butter – use a natural peanut butter (the only ingredient should be peanuts or peanuts and salt). You can also use almond butter, sunbutter, cashew butter or even tahini in place of peanut butter depending on your dietary preferences and what you have on hand.
- Brown rice cereal – most of the brown rice cereal brands on the market are gluten free friendly, which is why I recommend them for this recipe. Be sure to check the ingredients and the box to ensure what you are using is gluten free if you are serving these peanut butter rice krispy treats with chocolate to anyone that is gluten intolerant or allergic. If you are not gluten free, use any rice cereal you can find.
- Salt (optional) – salt helps to make all the flavors pop. It’s 100% optional. Skip the salt if you are using salted peanut butter.
- Vanilla extract (optional) – vanilla extract elevates the flavor and makes it even more indulgent and rich tasting. It is 100% optional though, so if you don’t have it or don’t want to use it, just omit it.
- Dairy free chocolate – use your favorite dairy free chocolate (chips or bars) to melt for the topping. I love to use a dark chocolate chip here to contrast the sweetness of the maple syrup but you can use a semi-sweet chocolate if this is for kids. If you are not dairy free or vegan, use whatever your favorite chocolate is.
How to make peanut butter rice krispy treats with chocolate
Start by combining the maple syrup and peanut butter in a bowl. Microwave for 1 minute (or stir over medium heat in a pot over medium low heat 5-6 minutes until peanut butter is drippy).
Stir together the peanut butter and maple syrup mixture well along with vanilla extract and optional salt. Add rice cereal and stir well.
Press the peanut butter rice crispy mixture into a casserole dish or deep pan. You can line it with parchment paper to make removal even easier. Press down on the mixture firmly to pack the cereal down into the pan.
Melt the chocolate. Use the microwave 1 minute, or use a double boiler and cook over medium heat until chocolate is melted (don’t’ let the chocolate come in contact with water or it will seize).
Pour the chocolate over the peanut butter cereal mixture and spread it out with a spoon or spatula.
Put the entire dish in the fridge (15 minute) or freezer (5-6 minutes) to set the chocolate. Let the entire dish come back to room temperature 5 minutes before slicing. This helps ensure the chocolate won’t crack when you cut into it.
Serve immediately or let sit on the counter in an airtight bag or container 1-2 days. Store long term in the freezer for best texture.
Top tips
- Be sure to heat the peanut butter and maple syrup together (in the microwave or on the stove) before adding the rest of the ingredients. Warm peanut butter is much more viscous and will easily coat the rice cereal.
- Make sure you are using 100% maple syrup (not the imitation pancake syrup). The maple syrup helps the chocolate peanut butter rice crispy treats stick together.
- Press down the peanut butter rice crispy mixture firmly into the pan. Unlike traditional cereal treats, there is no marshmallow to keep these together, so they need to be packed firmly together.
- Put the chocolate peanut butter rice krispie treats in the fridge or freezer to set the chocolate layer. I recommend freezing for 5-10 minutes, then letting the dish sit on the counter for 5-10 minutes before cutting into the chocolate. If you try to cut the chocolate right out of the freezer, it will crack.
- Use a serrated knife to cut the chocolate covered peanut butter rice krispy treats for the best results. Also use a sharp knife to go around the outside of the casserole dish to help break the chocolate away from the dish.
- To make it even easier to remove the bars from the pan, you can line your baking pan with parchment or wax paper.
- Use a smaller pan (8×8) to create even thicker rice krispy treats. Use a larger pan (9X13) to make thinner rice krispy treats (that would be great for little mouths).
Other additions
- Freeze dried fruit: Strawberries, raspberries, banana – stir in crushed freeze-dried fruit to give a peanut butter and jelly vibe
- White Chocolate instead of chocolate for the coating or add white chocolate chips to the rice krispy mixture
- Sprinkles – add sprinkles to the rice crispy mix before flattening into the pan
- M&M’s or Reece’s Pieces – add these to the peanut butter cereal mixture or sprinkle them on top before the chocolate sets.
- Peanut butter cups – cut these into small pieces and sprinkle them over the chocolate layer before you set it to cool.
- Flaky salt – add flaky salt to the chocolate before putting in the fridge/freezer to set.
Common questions
What kind of peanut butter to use
For this recipe, I used natural peanut butter (the kind you have to stir before using). The only ingredients were peanuts. I have not tested this recipe with a no-stir peanut butter.
You can use creamy or chunky peanut butter. If you decide to use chunky peanut butter, you may want to add a tablespoon or two more peanut butter to ensure you have enough to make everything stick together.
Are rice krispy treats gluten free?
Kellogg’s Rice Krispies are not gluten free.
I recommend using Nature’s Path Organic Rice Crispy Cereal (I get mine on Vitacost) or One Degree Organic Foods Sprouted Brown Rice Crisps (I get this on Thrive Market).
Whole Foods also sells Organic Brown Rice Crisps Cereal that is easy to find and has similar texture to Kellogg’s.
What is the best vegan chocolate to use?
- Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips – these can be found in most grocery stores and online. They can be more expensive though so if you see them on sale, buy 2-3.
- Pascha Chocolate- Pascha is high quality chocolate that you can find on Amazon. They sell chocolate chips and bars.
- Trader Joe’s 72% Dark Chocolate chips – these are the most budget friendly. I buy these regularly.
- Whole Foods Organic Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips – these are also a budget friendly item. Be sure to buy the organic to ensure they are vegan, dairy free and soy free.
Can you make this peanut butter rice crispy treat with chocolate nut free?
Yes! If you need these rice krispy bars to be peanut butter free (to make it more school friendly) you can use sunbutter in place of the peanut butter. If you want to create an even more elevated flavor, use tahini (which is made from ground sesame seeds).
Do you need to heat up the peanut butter and maple syrup?
I recommend heating up the peanut butter and maple syrup together (using the microwave or the stove) to ensure that the peanut butter gets runny and easy to coat the rice cereal evenly.
However, if you have really drippy peanut butter, you can skip heating it up.
What is the best way to store these peanut butter rice crispy treats with chocolate
The maple syrup starts to soften the rice krispies so these bars are best when made immediately (and enjoyed within 1-4 hours). You can store these on the counter for 1-2 days.
The second-best option is to store them in the freezer until you are ready to serve them. Allow the chocolate peanut butter rice crispy bars to defrost on the counter for about 30 minutes and they will be back to the same consistency and flavor as when you first made them.
If you love this recipe, you should try
Almond Butter Peanut Butter Cookies
Air Fryer Peanut Butter Cookies
Vegan Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Chocolate Peanut Butter Rice Krispy Treats
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 cup peanut butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
- 1 tsp salt (optional)
- 4 cups brown rice cereal
- 1 cup dairy free chocolate chips
Instructions
- Combine maple syrup and peanut butter in a bowl. Microwave 1 minute or heat on the stove over medium heat for 5-6 minutes. Stir well.
- Add vanilla extract, salt and brown rice cereal to the large bowl. Stir well.
- Add peanut butter rice krispy cereal mixture to a casserole dish. Press down firmly.
- Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave 1 minute. Stir well until fully melted.
- Pour the chocolate mixture over the peanut butter rice krispy mixture and spread it out to fully cover the cereal.
- Put in the fridge (5-10 minutes) or the freezer (5 minutes) to set the chocolate.
- Take out of the fridge/freezer. Let the chocolate peanut butter rice crispy mixture sit on the counter 5 minutes before cutting into squares using serrated knife.
Notes
- Be sure to heat the peanut butter and maple syrup together (in the microwave or on the stove) before adding the rest of the ingredients. Warm peanut butter is much more viscous and will easily coat the rice cereal.
- Make sure you are using 100% maple syrup (not the imitation pancake syrup). The maple syrup helps the chocolate peanut butter rice crispy treats stick together.
- Press down the peanut butter rice crispy mixture firmly into the pan. Unlike traditional cereal treats, there is no marshmallow to keep these together, so they need to be packed firmly together.
- Put the chocolate peanut butter rice krispie treats in the fridge or freezer to set the chocolate layer. I recommend freezing for 10 minutes, then letting the dish sit on the counter for 10-15 minutes before cutting into the chocolate. If you try to cut the chocolate right out of the freezer, it will crack.
- Use a serrated knife to cut the chocolate covered peanut butter rice krispy treats for the best results. Also use a sharp knife to go around the outside of the casserole dish to help break the chocolate away from the dish.
- To make it even easier to remove the bars from the pan, you can line your baking pan with parchment or wax paper.
- Use a smaller pan (8×8) to create even thicker rice krispy treats. Use a larger pan (9X13) to make thinner rice krispy treats (that would be great for little mouths).
- Freeze dried fruit: Strawberries, raspberries, banana – stir in crushed freeze-dried fruit to give a peanut butter and jelly vibe
- White Chocolate instead of chocolate for the coating or add white chocolate chips to the rice krispy mixture
- Sprinkles – add sprinkles to the rice crispy mix before flattening into the pan
- M&M’s or Reece’s Pieces – add these to the peanut butter cereal mixture or sprinkle them on top before the chocolate sets.
- Peanut butter cups – cut these into small pieces and sprinkle them over the chocolate layer before you set it to cool.
- Flaky salt – add flaky salt to the chocolate before putting in the fridge/freezer to set.
It’s 1:57am and I hate you for forcing me to get up and make this immediately 😂
How did they turn out Belle??