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If you love traditional rice crispy treats made with marshmallows, I dare you to try this peanut butter version. I think it tastes 100% better than the original, and it happens to have some sneaky protein added— in the form of peanut butter and unsweetened protein powder.
I don’t ever use sweetened protein powders, so this is the recipe to make when you have a gross, unflavored protein powder sitting in your pantry. You know, the one that makes your smoothies taste bad? (I don’t love this one in my smoothies, but it works great here!)
With that being said, I do recommend that you try following this recipe as closely as possible the first time you make it. Also, be sure to read the recipe notes. The first time I made these, I tried it with just half the protein powder because I was nervous my kids would notice. If you want to ease your way into these, too, please do! I’m confident that they will soon become a repeat treat.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Featured Review
“Perfect amount of sweetness and I love that my gross unflavored protein powder has a purpose now!” – Nicole
Protein Rice Krispies Ingredients
- Crispy Rice Cereal. I’ve tested this recipe a lot over the years, and my favorite cereal texture-wise is the classic Kellogg’s Rice Krispies®; however, it’s NOT gluten-free because it contains malt. So, if you need a gluten-free recipe, be sure to buy a package that says gluten-free on it. I used Whole Food’s 365 brand brown rice cereal in these photos, so I know it works perfectly, and Nature’s Path also has a great gluten-free option.
- Peanut Butter. Use the all-natural creamy peanut butter that you have to stir when you first open the jar. It should have a runny, drippy consistency after you stir it.
- Honey. Did you know that boiling honey for just 1 minute makes it harden slightly when it cools? It becomes a magical binder this way and also adds sweetness. You can use maple syrup if you prefer, but the texture won’t be quite the same.
- Protein Powder. I use unsweetened plant-based protein powder for these. This does not taste good in smoothies, but I don’t notice it here! If you don’t want to use protein powder, make my regular peanut butter rice crispy treats instead.
- Coconut Oil. This is added for texture, because the protein powder dries things out. If you don’t like coconut oil, you can use regular butter or refined coconut oil (or expeller-pressed), which adds no coconut flavor.
- Chocolate Chips (optional). If you like a chocolate peanut butter treat, you’ll want to melt some chocolate chips to drizzle on top. But again, this is optional.
How to Make Protein Rice Crispy Treats
Step 1:
In a large bowl, combine 3 cups of crispy rice cereal and 1/2 cup of unsweetened protein powder. Stir briefly to combine, then set this aside.
Measure out 2/3 cup of peanut butter so it’s ready to use later. This recipe moves quickly, so having the vanilla extract, coconut oil, and salt nearby is great.
Note: If you are nervous about adding protein powder to your dessert, you can start with less than this recipe calls for. Even just 1/4 cup is helpful!
Step 2:
Pour 1/2 cup of honey into a small saucepan and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. Once large bubbles start forming around the pan’s edge, set a timer for 1 minute.
When the timer goes off, remove the pan from the heat and add in the pre-measured peanut butter, 3 tablespoons of coconut oil, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Stir well until the mixture looks smooth.
Pour the peanut butter mixture into the bowl of rice cereal and protein powder. Stir well until the cereal looks evenly coated.
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Step 3:
Prepare an 8-inch baking dish by lightly spraying it with cooking spray. Then, press a piece of parchment paper into the bottom of the pan. This will guarantee easy removal later.
Transfer the cereal mixture to the prepared pan and use a spatula to press it firmly and evenly into the bottom of the pan. Once the top looks smooth, place the pan in the fridge or freezer to chill.
Step 4: (Optional Chocolate Topping)
For a chocolate topping, melt about 1/2 cup of chocolate chips in the microwave or a double boiler on the stovetop. Stir until the chocolate is melted, and add a teaspoon of coconut oil to thin it out for easier spreading.
Remove the pan from the fridge or freezer and spread the melted chocolate evenly over the bars. Once the chocolate has been added, return the pan to the refrigerator and let the bars chill until they are firm. This may take up to 2 hours.
When the bars are firm to the touch in the center, use the parchment paper to lift them out of the pan.
Serving & Storage Tips
Use a sharp knife to slice them into 16 squares, then they are ready to serve right away. These bars will soften if served at room temperature, so if you want a softer texture, keep that in mind.
Transfer them to an airtight container and store them in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. They will hold their shape best when served chilled.
Protein Rice Crispy Treats (But You Can’t Tell!)
Ingredients
Protein Rice Crispy Treats
- 3 cups crispy rice cereal (see notes for gluten-free)
- ½ cup unsweetened protein powder
- ½ cup honey
- ⅔ cup all-natural peanut butter
- 3 tablespoons coconut oil (see notes)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
Optional Chocolate Topping
- 4 ounces dark chocolate
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil
Instructions
- Prepare an 8-inch square pan by spraying it with oil, then press a piece of parchment paper into the bottom of the pan. In a large bowl, stir together the rice cereal and protein powder, then set it aside. Measure out the peanut butter and coconut oil so it's ready to go for the next step.
- Add the honey to a small saucepan and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. As soon as it starts to bubble significantly around the edges of the pan, set a timer for 1 minute.
- When the timer goes off, remove the pan from the heat and stir in the peanut butter, coconut oil, vanilla extract, and salt. Stir well until the mixture looks smooth.
- Pour the peanut butter mixture over the bowl of cereal and stir well. Once the cereal looks well coated, transfer it to the prepared pan and press it firmly into a flat layer. Place the pan in the fridge to cool.
- If you'd like to add a chocolate topping, melt the chocolate chips and coconut oil together, stirring until smooth. (Use a microwave in 30-second increments or a double boiler; the latter is my preference.)
- Remove the bars from the fridge and spread the chocolate evenly over the top. Then return the bars to the fridge and let them chill for 1 hour, or until they are firm in the center. Slice the bars into 16 slices and serve chilled. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
More Recipes to Try
If you try this protein rice krispies recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below letting me know how you like them.
These are great! I subbed almond butter for the PB and added 2T of cacao powder. The almond butter is much runnier than PB so it worked out really well and toned down the sweetness just a bit, which I found just perfect. Thanks for this great alternative to marshmallow based crisped rice treats!
My grandkids loved these. Instead of melting the chocolate on top, I sprinkled mini chocolate chips on top while the bars were still warm and they softened enough to stick to them. This will be repeated in my house.
Just made these & they are perfect😍😍😍😍😍😍
I so wanted to make these but couldn’t find any rice cereal that was not made with “bio-engineered food ingredients”! Healthy recipes should be made with REAL food! Any suggestions would be much appreciated as they look fantastic and so fun.
Hi Diane! I use the crispy Brown Rice cereal from Whole Foods 365 brand most often with these. (The only ingredients are organic whole grain brown rice, organic cane sugar, and sea salt.) One Degree brand also makes a similar brown rice cereal that I’ve seen at Sprouts, and Target carries a brand called “The Real Cereal Co.” with a one-ingredient rice cereal– that one is made from just organic brown rice. Hope that helps!
Thanks, I’ll check ‘em out.
Can I make it without heating the honey?
Heating the honey is what binds these together. If you want to skip that, you’ll have to serve these cold, so the coconut oil can hold them together. I don’t think they’d be able to be served at room temperature without heating the honey first.