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If you’re looking for an alternative to marshmallow-based rice crispy treats, this peanut butter version is for you. Instead of using marshmallows, it’s bound together with a simple combination of peanut butter and honey.
I’ve been bringing this recipe to parties for years, and everyone always wants to know how to make them. They are shockingly simple!
The key to this recipe, in my opinion, is balancing the sweet and salty flavors. The added salt balances out the sweetness of the honey and makes it hard to resist going back for another square.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Featured Review
“This is just soo good. I’ve been making it almost weekly for my kids for a couple of years and they would happily eat it every meal. It’s delicious, super easy to make and usually have all ingredients on hand. Total winner!” – Elle
Peanut Butter Rice Crispy Treat Ingredients
- Rice Cereal. You can use regular Rice Krispies® if you don’t need a gluten-free recipe. (Kellogg’s brand contains malt, which is derived from barley.) For a gluten-free option, choose a brown rice cereal, such as the 365 brand from Whole Foods or One Degree.
- Peanut Butter. I use a natural peanut butter that needs to be stirred when you first open it. It should have a drippy consistency with no extra oil or sugar added.
- Honey. This is the binder for the recipe, so I don’t recommend reducing the amount called for. If you prefer to use maple syrup for a vegan recipe, that should work, too.
- Salt. I use pink Himalayan salt, which tastes different than white table salt. When in doubt, start with a little less salt than this recipe calls for. You can always sprinkle some extra on top later!
If you love a peanut butter chocolate treat, you can also melt some dark chocolate to spread on top of these.
How to Make Peanut Butter Rice Crispy Treats
Step 1:
Prepare an 8-inch square baking dish by lightly spraying it with cooking spray, then press a piece of parchment paper into the bottom. The oil will hold the parchment paper in place, so it won’t wiggle around as you work. This will make the bars easy to remove later.
Add the rice cereal and salt to a large mixing bowl and stir well. You’ll need this ready to go because the recipe moves quickly. Have the ½ cup of peanut butter measured as well.
Next, add the honey to a small saucepan over medium heat on the stovetop, and bring it to a boil. As soon as you see bubbles around the edges of the pan, set a timer for 1 minute.
It’s okay if the honey bubbles significantly, but turn down the heat when the bubbles start to rise toward the top of the pot. You don’t want it to boil over!
Step 2:
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When the timer goes off, remove the pan from the heat. Immediately stir in the peanut butter and salt with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon.
Pour the hot peanut butter mixture over the cereal in the mixing bowl. Stir well until the cereal is evenly coated. Work quickly, as the peanut butter mixture will start to harden as it cools, and will become more difficult to stir.
Step 3:
Transfer the peanut butter and rice cereal mixture to the prepared pan. Use a spatula to press it firmly into the bottom of the pan until the bars are in a flat, even layer. Transfer the pan to the fridge and let it chill for at least 1 hour.
When the center feels cool to the touch, the bars are ready to slice. Use the parchment paper to lift the treats out of the pan. Then use a sharp knife to cut them into 16 squares. They are ready to enjoy right away.
Note: These bars are firmer when served chilled, and softer if you let them rest at room temperature. Pick whichever texture you prefer!
Chocolate Peanut Butter Variation
To make chocolate peanut butter rice krispie treats, melt 3/4 cup of dark chocolate chips (either in the microwave or in a double boiler on the stove). Spread the melted chocolate over the top of the bars before you place them in the fridge.
The chocolate will harden as the bars firm up, but this might prolong the cooling time— plan on 2 hours for them to firm up with this modification. Sprinkle some flaky sea salt over the top, if you’d like.
Safety Tip
When serving these peanut butter treats to a crowd, please label them for those who may have peanut allergies to avoid a tragic story like this one.
PB Rice Crispy Treats (No Marshmallows!)
Ingredients
Peanut Butter Rice Crispy Treats
- 3 ½ cups crispy rice cereal (see notes)
- ½ cup honey
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
Optional Topping:
- ¾ cup dark chocolate chips
Instructions
- Spray an 8-inch square pan with oil and press a piece of parchment paper into the bottom of the pan. The oil will hold the parchment in place, so it won't wiggle around later. Since this recipe moves quickly, go ahead and add the measured cereal to a large mixing bowl, so it's ready to go later.
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring the honey to a boil. As soon as it's bubbling, set a timer for 1 minute and let it boil until the timer goes off. Turn down the heat if the honey starts to bubble towards the top of the pan.
- When the timer goes off, remove the honey from the heat and stir in the peanut butter and salt. As soon as the mixture is smooth, pour it over the cereal in the large mixing bowl. Stir well, until the cereal is well coated. It will start to thicken up as it cools, and will be very sticky.
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan, and press firmly to pack the cereal into the bottom of the pan. Place the pan in the fridge or freezer, so the bars can cool completely. When they are totally cool, they are ready to slice and serve, unless you'd like to add the chocolate topping below.
- Optional: For a chocolate-topped bar, melt the dark chocolate chips in the microwave or over a double-boiler. When the chocolate is melted, spread it over the top of the bars and place the pan in the freezer briefly, just until the chocolate is hardened. Then the bars are ready to slice and serve.
- Leftover rice crispy treats can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, but they will become softer over time. For the crispiest results, I recommend storing them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Video
Notes
Use a different nut butter: Almond butter or sunflower butter will also work in this recipe if you prefer. Make it Vegan: Replace the honey with maple syrup. Update Note: This recipe was updated in June 2024 and Sept 2025. I’ve learned over the years that everyone prefers a different amount of cereal, so you can use anywhere from 3 cups to 4 cups with delicious results. I picked a middle ground, which is what I prefer.
Nutrition
More Recipes to Try
If you try this Peanut Butter Rice Crispy Treats recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below letting me know how you like it.
Great recipe in lieu of marshmallows and used honey. Found the recipe a little on the “too sweet” side.maybe less honey would work.
Sounds amazing. Question: can I use agave instead of honey or maple syrup?
Yes, I think that would be fine! Hope you enjoy them.
I made the pb rice crispy bars for my grandchildren. (omited the salt) They LOVED them! A little pop of protien and they’re a sweet healthy treat I don’t feel guilty serving!
I don’t know how many times I have made this since first coming across this recipe. I missed rice crispy treats after cutting out certain foods. This recipe is perfect!
One modification I have tried is substitute 1/2 – 1 cup puffed wheat for some of the crispy rice and wow.. it made the texture taste more like it had marshmallow while retaining the crispness. I think it was organic puffed Khorasan wheat, I don’t know if that matters but it accented the flavour and texture profile of this recipe really well 👍
These are easy and delicious! The only thing I noticed is if you use the metric measuring the amount of cereal differs from the cup measuring and you will need to add more cereal.
90 grams is 3 cups
So yummy!
Thanks Meagan 🙂 made these for the second time this month now. I used about 1/3 honey and the rest maple syrup and liked the taste/sweetness better this time. They cut and hold shape well if kept in the fridge.
This is our go-to dessert almost weekly. It’s so easy and yummy! I use all the ingredients recommended, including the 365 rice cereal. It’s definitely the best I’ve found (better nutrition label than Trader Joe’s brand of the same). Favorite peanut butter is Kirkland organic. Just peanuts and some salt as ingredients. I use Nestle organic dark chocolate chips. We keep this in the refrigerator and the kids love it as their treat!
Seriously, one of my most favorite recipes for years.
Oops! I meant to say I’ve been using the version with 4 cups of rice cereal for years. With 3 cups, it’s more gooey, and with 4 cups more crispy, which my family prefers.
My husband is diabetic so I used 1/4 cup of honey. Will that be enough to keep in it together ?
Thank you.
I have definitely used less honey, but not down to 1/4 of a cup. This is a very forgiving recipe, so you could try it! I think it could work well enough to enjoy it.
I know there’s a note about swapping out the honey for maple syrup, but has anyone tried agave?? I’m making these for a large vegan audience and agave is just much cheaper 😉 Thanks for any advice.
I haven’t tried these with agave, but my guess is that it would work. Please report back if you try it!
This is just soo good. I’ve been making it almost weekly for my kids for a couple of years and they would happily eat it every meal. It’s delicious, super easy to make and usually have all ingredients on hand. Total winner! (As are all your recipes I’ve tried. Thank you!)
Made these today and they turned out great! Thank you for linking the Rice Krispies that you used. I was hoping to add freeze dried strawberries next time!! Has anyone tried this? If so, please include how much!!! Thank you for sharing this recipe!
I just slid 2 smaller baking pans into the freezer. I melted dark chocolate. Stretched it thin the cover all the krispies mixture. Can’t wait for the hour to pass. Yay!