Gooey, sweet and chewy peanut butter rice krispie treats are as simple as the classic, but made with peanut butter and the perfect amount of rice cereal and marshmallows!
Gooey Rice Krispie Treats with Peanut Butter
I love taking the best rice krispie treats recipe, which is the classic, buttery marshmallow cereal treat, and putting a twist on it like adding creamy, nutty peanut butter to make a batch of these chewy, sweet, and ooey-gooey peanut butter rice krispie treats.
It’s a whole other thing when you do something like bring on the liquid gold and make brown butter rice krispie treats! This no-bake treat is a great snack or dessert that is easy to pack for on-the-go just like my avalanche cookie recipe!
Ingredient Notes
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.
- Salted butter: Using salted butter balances the sweetness. I love having that subtle salty and sweet effect. Unsalted butter works too if that’s what you prefer using.
- Mini marshmallows: You’ll need 1-16 oz bag of mini marshmallows. This works out to about 9-10 cups. If you have regular marshmallows it works out to about 40 pieces.
- Creamy peanut butter: The creamy texture is much easier to work with than the crunchy kind. I also prefer to use regular over natural, it holds much better because the oil doesn’t separate.
- Rice Krispies cereal: Use about half the box or 6 cups of crispy rice cereal.
How to Make Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats
Melt butter in a large pot over medium-low heat. Once melted, add some of the marshmallows and cook until softened. Then, stir in some of the nut butter until everything is melted.
Remove the pan from the heat and mix in the cereal. Use a rubber spatula for this as it becomes stickier, it’ll prevent it from sticking as you stir. Add remaining marshmallows and continue stirring until all of the cereal is completely coated.
In a small microwave-safe bowl, heat the remaining peanut butter for 15 seconds. Drizzle it over the top of the cereal mixture. Stir gently, but keep some thicker swirls visible. You don’t need it all fully incorporated.
Transfer the mixture to a prepared 9×9 baking dish and spread it out into an even layer, using a spatula coated in butter or wax paper. Allow it to cool to room temperature before slicing and serving.
Tips and Variations
- Make sure to grease your dish. A prepared pan will help prevent the this version of classic rice krispie treats from sticking. You could even line it with parchment paper.
- Avoid hard treats. Your homemade peanut butter rice krispies treats will turn out hard if means you turned the heat too high on the stove. It’s best to melt everything over medium-low heat.
- An even surface. To avoid rice krispies sticking to your hand spray your hands with nonstick cooking spray or grease with butter, and use your fingertips to press down.
- Add chocolate. For chocolate peanut butter rice krispie treats add chocolate chips or a layer of melted chocolate ganache on top like my easy Scotcheroos recipe.
- Crunchy peanut butter. You can also try this recipe with chunky peanut butter, a different nut butter, such as almond butter or cashew butter or another rice cereal.
- Clean cuts. Use a plastic knife if you have one to cut them into squares. They glide right through each slice without anything sticking to them.
Storing Cereal Treats
- Store: Keep leftover peanut butter rice krispie treats stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Add a piece of bread to keep them nice and soft!
- Freeze: To freeze them, wrap individual pieces tightly in saran wrap or wax paper to prevent them from sticking together. Place them in a freezer bag and keep them frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw to room temperature and enjoy!
Need more peanut butter recipes? Try lunch lady bars, peanut butter fudge, no bake peanut butter bars or peanut butter M&M cookies!
More Easy Cereal Treats
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Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 5 Tablespoons salted butter
- 1 (16-ounce) bag mini marshmallows , divided (about 9-10 cups)
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter , divided
- 6 cups Rice Krispies cereal (about 1/2 a box)
Instructions
- Line a 9×9-inch baking dish with foil and grease with butter or spray with nonstick spray.
- In a large saucepan, melt 5 Tablespoons salted butter over medium-low heat. Add 7 cups marshmallows and cook until softened. Stir in 1/4 cup peanut butter until completely melted.
- Remove the pan from the heat and mix in 6 cups cereal and remaining 2 to 3 cups marshmallows until the cereal is evenly coated.
- In a small bowl, add the remaining 1/4 cup peanut butter. Microwave 15 seconds. Drizzle over the top of the cereal mixture and stir gently, keeping some thicker swirls of peanut butter visible.
- Transfer to the baking dish. Using a spoon coated in butter or wax paper, evenly press the mixture down to make compact and create a level surface.
- Let cool. If possible, use a plastic knife to cut for easier cutting.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Categorized as: American, Bars, Desserts, Kid-Friendly, Nut-Free, Snacks, Stovetop, Vegetarian
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
They’re only made with 4 ingredients, so easy to make and turned out super chewy and yummy!
These are literally the best thing to happen to my life. I LOVE THEM!!!
I think peanut butter makes almost anything better. These krispie treats are proof!