Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats
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These peanut butter Rice Krispie treats are a nostalgic classic with a grown-up twist. Made with creamy peanut butter, a thick layer of chocolate, and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt, they’re an easy, no-bake dessert that feels just a little extra special.
Did you grow up loving Rice Krispie treats, too? They were among my favorite childhood desserts, and when my daughter came into the picture, it felt natural to start making them at home again. One thing led to another, and this grown-up version was born—classic crispy rice treats upgraded with creamy peanut butter, a thick layer of chocolate, and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt.
The base is everything you want it to be: marshmallows melted with butter and vanilla until soft and gooey, then stirred together with peanut butter and crispy rice cereal for that familiar snap and chew. I usually reach for mini marshmallows since they melt quickly, and a natural, creamy peanut butter gives richness without overpowering the cereal. Finished with a generous chocolate layer and a pinch of flaky sea salt, they strike that perfect balance between sweet and salty.
They’re no-bake, quick to make, and always a hit. I bring them to parties, potlucks, and gatherings, and I love wrapping them up as an easy homemade gift. They’re nostalgic but elevated—the kind of dessert that everyone gets excited about, no matter their age.
Peanut butter rice krispie bars add-ins
There are lots of ways you can customize these rice crispy treats to make them your own. Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Make them fun or festive by topping them with sprinkles or mini M&M’s.
- Toss in an extra handful of mini marshmallows at the same time as the rice krispie cereal for extra chewy gooey texture.
- Add salted peanuts to the mixture for a savory crunch.
- This one is for chocolate lovers – use cocoa rice krispies instead of regular ones for extra chocolatey flavor!
Can I make them without the chocolate on top?
Yes, you can. The chocolate topping is optional, but it adds a special, extra chocolatey element to these treats.
Store and freeze
Store: Rice Krispies treats can be stored in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 5 days. After a day or two, they will lose some of their crispiness, but they will still taste great.
Freeze: Store them in a single layer in a freezer bag in your freezer for up to 3 months.
Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats Recipe
Ingredients
- 10 ounces marshmallows
- ½ cup natural peanut butter (I like salted)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 5 cups Rice Krispies
- ½ teaspoon flaky sea salt
Chocolate Topping
- 1 ½ cups dark chocolate chips
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Instructions
- Grease the sides and bottom of a 9×9-inch baking dish with butter. (See notes) Melt the marshmallows, peanut butter, and butter in a large bowl in your microwave. (You can also do this step in a pot on low heat.)10 ounces marshmallows, ½ cup natural peanut butter, 2 tablespoons butter
- Once melted, stir in the vanilla. Add Rice Krispies and stir to combine.1 teaspoon vanilla, 5 cups Rice Krispies
- Transfer to the buttered baking dish and press down into the pan. (Lightly greasing your hands with butter helps prevent sticking.)
- Add the chocolate and oil to a small bowl and microwave for 30-second intervals until the chocolate has melted. Pour the chocolate over the Rice Krispie treats. Let the chocolate cool and harden slightly then sprinkle the top with flaky sea salt.1 ½ cups dark chocolate chips, 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, ½ teaspoon flaky sea salt
- Once the chocolate has hardened completely, remove the treats from the baking dish and cut it into squares.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
you could try a cup of kyro syrup it works the same way marshmallows would. You would want to set them longer. Not sure if you have that there either. Hope this helps.
This worked exactly as written, thanks!
So glad to hear that! Thanks for giving it a try and letting me know it worked out perfectly. 😊
Kellogg’s Rice Krispies brand crisp rice cereal is NOT gluten-free, since it’s made with malt syrup, which is derived from barley and contains gluten.
Linda I’m so thankful you brought that up – I didn’t know! I’ve updated the recipe now so there won’t be any confusion.
This looked great and I followed directions exactly, however when I went to cut into it, the Krispies completely crumbled apart. I’ve made krispy treats many times before and never had this happen. It seems like there’s not enough marshmallows in this recipe to kind of glue it all together. I brought this to a party so it was a little disappointing to not have a good dessert to share. The hostess had ice cream so I ended up dumping each scoop onto a scoop of ice cream since that was really the only way I could make them easier to eat.
I’m so sorry this happened to you. I’m not sure what went wrong as we actually use a higher marshmallow to rice krispie ratio than the original recipe as we like them chewier. I’m wondering if maybe a different brand of marshmallows might have caused that to happen? I wish I had the answer for you!
The chocolate on mine stayed wet and would not set even hours later.
Any idea why?
It could be if you used a bit more oil or a bit less chocolate. The other thing it could be is if you house is quite warm. If that’s the case, try popping them into your fridge for a few minutes.
Thank you. I’ll try that.
Does your country sell corn syrup, if so you may use this as a replacement, or you can use any food item that is sticky and sweet.
No marshmallows in Greece? That’s terrible!!
I really don’t think there is a substitute (at least that I can think of) but I do know you can make your own. I’ve never tried to make marshmallows at home but from recipes I’ve seen online it doesn’t look too difficult.
Or maybe see if you can order some online?
Best of luck on your hunt for marshmallows!!
Do you know of a vegetarian or vegan brand of marshmallows? I don’t know of any. There was a brand that made some years ago but I haven’t seen any vegetarian marshmallows for years.
I know that there is a company called Butter Baked Goods that sells their products locally in Vancouver. Honestly though I think they are far too lovely to melt down to bake with.
Dandie’s brand are vegan!! I find them at all major grocery stores in the baking section and online. They’re super good. The brand makes vegan marshmallow fluff as well!
Thanks for sharing this tip, especially about the marshmallow fluff!