Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats

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Delicious and easy peanut butter cup rice krispies treats

Super-gooey and delicious Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats with extra marshmallows and miniature Reese’s cups mixed throughout. These bars are topped with a simple chocolate and peanut butter topping.

Looking for a different flavored krispie treat? Try our Fruity Pebble Rice Krispie Treats or the original Rice Krispie Treats recipe! These Scotcheroos are another similar treat you may enjoy.

Image of two Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats stacked on top of each other.

Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats

These Rice Krispie Treats are for the peanut butter and chocolate lover! They’ve got peanut butter, mini Reese’s® cups, and a soft peanut butter-chocolate topping. They’re gooey, crunchy, and rich. They’re also quick and easy with no baking required. 

We make Rice Krispie Treats year-round, but they get made more frequently in the summer when we’re craving something sweet but don’t want to heat up the house with the oven.

**Note: Rice Krispies, Fruity Pebbles,  and Reese’s Cups are trademarked brands of several cereal and candy companies. We use these names in our recipe for easy identification purposes, but any other similar product can be substituted.**

Process shots-- images of the butter being melted; sugar, heavy cream, peanut butter, marshmallows, and salt being added over a pot to melt.

How to make these treats

  • Line a pan. These bars are gooey and sticky! For easier removal and less mess, line the pan with parchment paper or foil.
    • I recommend a 9-x-9-inch instead of an 8-x-8-inch pan for these bars since they are quite thick even in the wider pan. The smaller pan makes the bars too tall and more difficult to eat. I personally love this 9 x 9-inch cake pan for this recipe.
  • Create the sticky marshmallow base. This mixture consists of butter, brown sugar, heavy cream, marshmallows, and peanut butter (all super wholesome ingredients, right?!) This is the sticky base that will hold the bars together.
  • Add some flavor enhancements. Off the heat, we add in a little salt and vanilla extract which serves to amp up the flavor of these Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats.
  • Pour marshmallow mixture over cereal. Then gently stir to combine. Add the mix-ins — Reese’s minis and a few more miniature marshmallows. Both will get gooey and melt a bit. Load the mixture into the prepared pan and gently press into one even layer.
  • Add chocolate peanut butter topping. Last, but not least, we melt chocolate chips with peanut butter to create a soft chocolate topping for the bars. I use the microwave to melt this mixture — when microwaving chocolate, microwave in short bursts and stir the chocolate often. Remember, the mixture is still melting even outside of the microwave.

Process shots-- images of the marshmallow sauce being poured over the cereal; marshmallows being added; Reese's cups being added; and it all being pressed into a prepared pan; chocolate and peanut butter combined and melted for the topping.

Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treat tips

  • Low heat: When marshmallows are exposed to high heat, they harden and will make the bars as hard as a rock. The lower the heat, the longer it takes for the marshmallows to melt, but the better the bars will turn out.
  • Use extremely fresh marshmallows: The fresher the marshmallows, the softer and more enjoyable the Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats will be. I generally buy marshmallows the same day I make these.
    • Pro-tip: When purchasing marshmallows, gently press on the bags to feel for the softest marshmallows.
  • Don’t overcook the marshmallow mixture: Stir over low heat until the marshmallows are just melted and then immediately move them from the heat. It’s also important to stir the marshmallows constantly while they are melting.
  • Avoid compressing: Don’t push the cereal mixture into the pan. Instead, place them in the pan and gently press them down. The less you compact these Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats, the better they will be. When bars are heavily compressed, it makes the treats too firm and not as enjoyable to eat.

Variation ideas

  • If unable to find Reese’s “minis,” Reese’s Miniatures, chopped up (into quarters) will work great. (Here’s the difference between the two)
  • Swap out the Reese’s minis for peanut butter chips or Nestle’s combo of peanut butter + chocolate chips.
  • For the truly peanut butter obsessed, add a layer of peanut butter right on top of the bars before adding the chocolate. Simply spread a few tablespoons of peanut butter right on top of the bars.  

Images of the chocolate being poured over the bars and smoothed into an even layer.

Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treat storage

These bars are best (texture and taste-wise) within the first couple of days (we like them best on day 1). Keep the bars in an airtight container at room temperature while storing. 

Freezing: The same day the bars are made (once the chocolate topping has fully set), you can freeze these bars. Cut into even-sized bars and wrap each treat in a square of wax paper and then plastic wrap. Place the wrapped treats in a resealable freezer bag. Store in the freezer bag for up to 6 months.

Thawing: Thaw the Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats by removing an individual bar from the freezer and setting them out on the counter for 15-20 minutes or until it reaches room temperature.

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Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats

5 from 2 votes
Super-gooey and delicious Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats with extra marshmallows and miniature Reese's cups mixed throughout. These bars are topped with a simple chocolate and peanut butter topping.
Print Recipe

Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats

5 from 2 votes
Super-gooey and delicious Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats with extra marshmallows and miniature Reese's cups mixed throughout. These bars are topped with a simple chocolate and peanut butter topping.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword Peanut Butter Rice Krispies Treats
Prep Time 25 minutes
Chilling Time 30 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 12 bars
Calories 859kcal
Author Chelsea Lords
Cost $5.42

Equipment

  • 9 x 9-inch pan
  • Parchment paper

Ingredients

  • 5 cups (140g) Rice Krispies cereal or other crispy rice cereal
  • 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter
  • 3/4 cup (153g) light brown sugar, packed
  • 1/3 cup (73g) heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup (125g) + 2 and 1/2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter, separated
  • 2 cups (88g) + 1/2 cup (24g) mini marshmallows, separated
  • pinch of fine sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup (111g) mini Reese's cups (See Note 1)
  • 1 and 1/2 cups (258g) milk chocolate chips

Instructions

  • PREP: Prepare a 9x9-inch baking pan by lining it with parchment paper. Measure and add the cereal to a very large bowl and set aside.
  • BUTTER AND BROWN SUGAR: In a medium-sized saucepan, add the butter and heat over medium high. Once the butter is completely melted, add brown sugar and stir until the sugar is completely dissolved, 1-2 minutes. 
  • BOIL CREAM: Stir in the heavy cream, and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil for 1 minute, then turn the heat down to medium low.
  • ADD PEANUT BUTTER AND MARSHMALLOWS: Stir in 1/2 cup peanut butter, 2 cups miniature marshmallows, and pinch of sea salt. Stir until the marshmallows are melted and then remove from the heat and add the vanilla extract.
  • POUR OVER CEREAL: Pour mixture over the cereal and gently stir to combine. Add the remaining 1/2 cup marshmallows. Stir until coated. Then gently stir in the miniature Reese's cups (they'll get pretty melty!)
  • PRESS INTO PAN: Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Gently press the cereal mixture into the bottom of the pan. Don't push too hard, or it will compress the bars and make them too hard.
  • TOPPING: In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine chocolate chips and remaining 2 and 1/2 tablespoons peanut butter. Microwave in bursts of 15 seconds, stirring in between each burst for 10 seconds until melted and smooth. Spread the chocolate peanut butter mixture over the cereal bars in an even layer. Chill for 30 minutes in the fridge to set the chocolate, and then remove the pan from the fridge and let stand until at room temperature. Cut into bars and serve.
  • STORAGE: These bars are best eaten the same day they are made. Keep them in an airtight container at room temperature. Read post for how to freeze/thaw.

Video

Recipe Notes

Note 1: Peanut butter cups: For this recipe, you need unwrapped Reese's Minis (not the miniatures). There is a guide to identifying the types of Reese's candy. These are the ones you need!

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 12servings | Calories: 859kcal | Carbohydrates: 150g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 34mg | Sodium: 658mg | Potassium: 260mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 63g | Vitamin A: 6909IU | Vitamin C: 62mg | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 31mg

We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed.

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4 Comments

  1. these look insane! I don’t think I’ll ever look at a regular rice krispie bar the same again after seeing it with Peanut Butter and Chocolate! 😉

  2. 5 stars
    lol rice krispies are my mom’s thing too! She always just keeps it classic but I LOVE how these pb cup ones look!!! I think I may need to dethrone her with these 😛

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