Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats

These quick and easy peanut butter rice krispie treats are topped with a chocolate ganache for a delicious, chewy, sweet treat. Naturally gluten free, easy to make a vegan option, and both kid and adult friendly!

🍫 Why We Love This Recipe

• Spin on a classic: With nutty, creamy peanut butter and a rich chocolate ganache, this recipe takes your classic rice krispie treat to another level.
• Super easy recipe: It all takes place in one pot, and only requires about 10 minutes of hands on work. Perfect for a quick weeknight treat!
• Easy to make vegan and gluten free: while you can certainly use regular butter and marshmallows, it's also super easy to make a vegan version. We use vegan mini marshmallows and vegan butter in ours! Plus, since rice krispies are naturally gluten free, this is a great recipe for those with food allergies/sensitivities.

🥜 Ingredients

Here's what you'll need to make these peanut butter rice krispie treats:

📋 Ingredient Notes

• Marshmallows: Mini marshmallows are the best choice for these peanut butter rice krispie treats. They melt more quickly (and more evenly), which helps cut down on hands on time. We used vegan mini marshmallows when we made these, which can take a bit longer to melt than regular marshmallows. Just be patient and stir well!
• Peanut butter: We used smooth peanut butter because that's what we always buy – crunchy would also be great in these! We do also add in some chopped peanuts, so if you are using crunchy, you can leave those out. (Or add them for an extra peanutty treat!)
  • Feel free to use another nut butter of choice in these rice krispies if preferred.
• Rice Krispies: You can use the classic cereal brand, or feel free to opt for any puffed rice cereal. We used these sprouted brown rice crisps and they turned out great.
• Cinnamon: a small pinch of cinnamon adds a subtle spice and sweetness. You can leave it out if you don't like/don't have any.
• Maple syrup: a small amount of maple helps thin out the peanut butter mixture a bit, which makes it easier to stir in the rice krispies. You can also substitute with agave or another liquid sweetener.

🔪 Step-by-step Instructions

(1) Add butter and half of the marshmallows (5 ounces) to a large saucepan or dutch oven over medium low heat. Stir frequently until the marshmallows are melted. Once fully melted, stir in the peanut butter, maple syrup, vanilla extract, cinnamon and salt.

(2) Turn off the heat, then add rice krispies, peanuts, and the remaining marshmallows (5 ounces) to the saucepan and stir well to combine. It may take a minute or two to stir, as the peanut butter mixture will be thick. Make sure all of the rice krispies are well coated.

(3) Transfer mixture to a 9 x 13" pan lined with parchment paper. Use the flat bottom of a measuring cup (or your hands) to press the mixture into an even layer. Refrigerate while you make the ganache.

(4) To make the ganache, melt the chocolate chips in a microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring between each interval, until fully melted. Alternatively, you can use a double boiler to melt the chocolate.

(5) Once the chocolate is melted, whisk in the milk/cream and vanilla extract. Spread the ganache over the top of the peanut butter rice krispies, top with flaky salt (optional), and refrigerate for at least one hour (or until the ganache is set).

💭 Expert Tips and FAQs

• Having trouble getting your vegan marshmallows to melt? Depending on the brand, this can take quite a bit longer than regular marshmallows. To help the melting process, we've found it can be helpful to whisk in 1-2 tablespoon of water. Not sure on the exact science, but we're guessing the steam helps melt the marshmallows a bit faster!
• No ganache? No problem. These peanut butter rice krispie treats are equally delicious without the chocolate ganache topping!
• Extra marshmallows: We love making these peanut butter rice krispie treats with extra mini marshmallows folded in. They add extra chewiness to each bite, and you really can't ever have enough marshmallows...agreed?!
• Want a thicker rice krispie treat? Use an 8x8" or 9x9" pan instead of a 9x13" pan.
• Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. For longer storage, freeze in an airtight container for up to 2-3 months. (Defrost before enjoying!)

🍽 Related Recipes