Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats

We’re all familiar with the original recipe: butter and marshmallows melted together, then combined with a mountain of toasted rice cereal. Rice Krispies treats sing of childhood nostalgia, whether they were homemade or sealed in a blue wrapper. While these pure marshmallow treats are perfect as-is, we can’t help but elevate them with rich, creamy, nutty peanut butter—because why not?

With just five ingredients and zero baking involved, this peanut butter Rice Krispie treats recipe makes an easy dessert. The hardest part is waiting for them to set up for an hour. And since we’re already going off script from the original recipe, feel free to modify these treats with candy mix-ins, a melted chocolate topping or browned butter. More on that below.

Ingredients for Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats

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• Butter: Melted butter adds richness to the treats.
• Mini marshmallows: Mini marshmallows melt more easily than regular-sized ones. If you can find only the regular size, cut them up before melting them in the butter.
• Creamy peanut butter: While we recommend creamy peanut butter, you can certainly use crunchy if you like a lot of texture in your desserts.
• Light corn syrup: Corn syrup creates stretchiness while sweetening the treats.
• Vanilla: Delicate and floral, vanilla ties all the flavors together.
• Rice Krispies: The star of the show! No need to buy the brand name, either. If your grocery store has an inexpensive version, feel free to buy that instead.

Directions

Step 1: Melt the butter

In a large saucepan or stock pot, melt the butter over low heat.

Step 2: Add the marshmallows

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Stir in the marshmallows until they’re just melted, two to three minutes.

Editor’s Tip: Do not cook the marshmallows! We just want to melt them into the butter.

Step 3: Stir in the peanut butter, corn syrup and vanilla

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Stir in the peanut butter and corn syrup until the mixture is melted and smooth, two to three minutes. Stir in the vanilla extract.

Step 4: Fold in the Rice Krispies

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Remove the pot from the heat, and stir in the Rice Krispies until everything is evenly dispersed and incorporated.

Step 5: Press into a pan

Pour the mixture into a 13×9-inch baking dish. Coat your fingers with cooking spray or just a light layer of oil, and press the mixture down into an even layer.

Step 6: Let the mixture harden

Let the bars sit for one hour so they can harden. Finally, slice into bars and serve!

Editor’s Tip: If cutting is proving difficult and sticky, carefully grease your knife with a tiny bit of oil.

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Recipe Variations

• Add a chocolate layer: Love a chocolate-peanut butter combo? Make chocolate peanut butter Rice Krispie treats that have a melted chocolate layer on top! Or, dip already-cut Rice Krispie treats with peanut butter into the melted chocolate, place them on a waxed paper-lined baking sheet and let the chocolate harden before enjoying.
• Opt for Cocoa Krispies: Another way to turn this into a chocolate-peanut butter treat is by swapping regular Rice Krispies for their chocolate variant.
• Include mix-ins: Feel free to add extras like chopped candy bars or Oreos (these Oreo Rice Krispie treats are insanely good), a drizzle of Nutella, chocolate chips or sprinkles. Depending on how much you plan to add in, you may need to include a bit more melted marshmallows and butter.
• Brown the butter: Browned butter peanut butter Rice Krispie treats just sound incredible. The nuttiness from the browned butter will complement the peanut butter perfectly. Since the butter will reduce while browning, add in a few extra tablespoons of butter so the final amount will equal the 1/4 cup measurement.

How to Store Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats

Store the peanut butter Rice Krispie treats in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days. The airtight container will keep them from drying out. Because I like the treats on the softer side, I usually rewarm a serving in the microwave for a few seconds.

Can you freeze peanut butter Rice Krispie treats?

Yes, you can freeze Rice Krispie treats with peanut butter. Stash the bars in an airtight container with a sheet of parchment or waxed paper in between each layer to prevent them from sticking together. They can be frozen for up to two months. Let them thaw on the counter until softened, one to two hours, before enjoying.

Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treat Tips

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Why did my Rice Krispie treats with peanut butter get too hard?

Your peanut butter Rice Krispie treats recipe may have gotten too hard if the marshmallows were overcooked or burnt slightly. You don’t want to cook the marshmallows. Rather, they should just be melted into the hot butter.

Can you use natural peanut butter?

We don’t recommend using natural peanut butter for this peanut butter Rice Krispie treats recipe. Natural peanut butter separates, which will inhibit the bars from hardening.

Can you use any type of cereal?

There are lots of ways to make Rice Krispie treats, and while we haven’t specifically tried any other types of cereal in this recipe, swapping in other cereals for Rice Krispies isn’t a huge gamble. Be sure to keep in mind the cereal’s flavor here, as not everything will pair with peanut butter. Try Cocoa Puffs, Cinnamon Toast Crunch or Corn Flakes.