Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats

5 from 2 votes

Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats

Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats taste so much better than the basic square dessert because they are loaded with peanut butter and lots of chocolate layered on top. A quick and easy no bake bar is the BEST!

Prep Time15

Chill Time30

Total Time45

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: (3x3 inch) servings

Calories: 408kcal

Author: Jennifer Fishkind

Ingredients

5 tablespoons salted butter room temperature, divided
⅔ cup creamy peanut butter I used Peter Pan brand
10 ounce bag marshmallows
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
6 cups Rice Krispies Cereal
2 cups milk chocolate chips approximately 1½ 11.5-ounce bags

Instructions

Butter a 9x13 baking dish with 1 tablespoon of the salted butter. Set aside.
In a large sauce pot on medium-low heat, melt the remaining 4 tablespoons of salted butter, peanut butter, and marshmallows. Stir often to avoid burning the melted marshmallows. This will take 3-5 minutes if using standard marshmallows or 2-3 minutes if using the mini marshmallows.
Remove the large pot from the heat and stir the vanilla extract and rice Krispie cereal into the melted marshmallow mixture.
Stir to incorporate all the ingredients evenly.
Spread the peanut butter rice Krispie mixture into the prepared dish and gently press it into an even layer. Do not pack the mixture into the dish too tightly. This will ensure that your rice Krispie treats are light and chewy.
In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the milk chocolate chips for 1 minute at 50% power, stir and heat in additional 30-second increments until completely melted. Stir the melted chocolate until completely smooth. Be sure not to overheat the milk chocolate chips, or they will seize up and be unusable.
Spread the melted chocolate evenly over the dish of peanut butter rice Krispies.
Allow the peanut butter rice Krispie treats to chill for 30 minutes, or up to an hour, to allow the chocolate to firm up before slicing and serving.

Notes

Yields: 12 (3x3 inch) servings

Storage:

To Store: Store these treats, in a covered container, in the refrigerator for up to one week, or on the counter for up to 4 days.
To Freeze: I do not recommend freezing these treats, but you can certainly reduce this recipe by half and make them in an 8x8 pan if this recipe makes too many.

Tips:

Once the chocolate layer has firmed up, you can slice your peanut butter rice Krispies into single servings and store them in a lidded rectangular container. I would suggest you place a piece of parchment paper between the layers of rice Krispie treats to avoid them from sticking to each other.
If you do not keep salted butter on hand in your kitchen, then you can add a ½ teaspoon of salt to the melted marshmallow mixture. The salt helps to balance the sweetness of the marshmallows.
I do not suggest using fresh or natural peanut butter for this recipe as they tend to have a lot of excess peanut oil in them. This extra oil will alter the texture of your rice Krispie treats. I used the Peter Pan brand, but your favorite standard brand will work well, also. You can even use chunky peanut butter for a fun texture if you desire.
I like the combination of milk chocolate and peanut butter, but you can certainly substitute semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips instead if that is your preference.
When melting your chocolate chips, be very careful not to overheat them in the microwave. If your microwave has a “melt” preset, then you can use that according to your microwave's manual. You can also melt them on the stovetop in a small saucepan on medium-low heat or in a double boiler. Use the method that works best for you.
I do not recommend freezing these treats, but you can certainly reduce this recipe by half and make them in an 8x8 pan if this recipe makes too many. That is never the issue in my house, so I often will double the recipe. These keep great in the refrigerator and, when packed in your child’s lunch, will be perfectly chewy and delicious by the time they get to eat them.

Nutrition