Peanut Butter Crispy Treats
Indulge in a healthier twist on the classic Rice Krispies Treats with these peanut butter gems. No marshmallows needed🤗
Made with just four ingredients (peanut butter, honey, vanilla extract and crispy rice cereal), these treats are a wonderful way to satisfy your sweet tooth.
Note that I’ve provided a range of cereal in the ingredients below—you can adjust the crispiness by adding more cereal. Start with 2½ cups, mix, taste and then add more, a little at a time until you reach your desired consistency. If you prefer a chewier treat, stick with the recommended 2½ cups cereal.
Perfect for a quick snack or a fun dessert, they are sure to be a hit with both kids and adults alike.
Try my Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch Cups!
Peanut Butter Crispy Treats
Indulge in a healthier twist on the classic Rice Krispies Treats with these peanut butter gems. No marshmallows or butter needed🤗
Ingredients
- ¾ cup peanut butter*
- ⅓ cup honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2½ to 3 cups crispy rice cereal**
Instructions
- Line an 8 x 8-inch pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large microwave-safe mixing bowl, add the peanut butter. Microwave for about 50 seconds to soften it, making it easier to mix.
- Add the honey and vanilla extract to the softened peanut butter, and mix until well blended. Add the crispy rice cereal to the bowl. Gently stir to combine, being careful not to crush the cereal.
- Transfer the mixture into the parchment-lined pan. Use a spatula or your hands to flatten it out evenly among the bottom perimeter.
- Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (or freeze) to firm up. Remove from the fridge, slice into 16 pieces (4 rows across and 4 rows down), and enjoy!
Notes
* If there are peanut allergies in your household, you can substitute peanut butter with almond butter, cashew butter, soy nut butter, sunflower butter, or tahini. Microwave the alternative nut butter to ensure it’s soft and creamy enough to mix with the other ingredients.
** For a healthier option, try to find a “brown rice” crispy cereal at the grocery store. If it’s not available, Rice Krispies will work just fine.
Recipe adjustments
• If you like a crispier treat, after stirring in the first 2½ cups cereal, add more cereal, a little at a time, until you reach your desired consistency. For a chewier treat, stick with the recommended 2½ cups cereal. Swapping maple syrup for honey: You can use maple syrup, but it’s slightly thinner/less sticky than honey—so the treats may set up softer. To help them hold together: try adding a touch more peanut butter (1 to 2 extra Tbsp) to compensate for the thinner consistency, and press the mixture very firmly into the pan. Also, chill longer before cutting (fridge for 30-60 minutes, or freeze 20–30 minutes). Be sure to use pure maple syrup and not pancake syrup blends. *For the firmest squares, stick with honey. Storage
• Refrigerate: Store these treats in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
• Freeze: Wrap the treats individually and place them in a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 2 months. Let them thaw in the fridge before serving. Dietary considerations
• If you’re following a gluten-free diet, be sure to carefully read the packaging for each ingredient (especially the crispy rice cereal). While these foods are inherently gluten-free, gluten can sometimes be added during processing for a variety of reasons, including for flavor and consistency. • If you’re following a vegan diet, use maple syrup or date syrup instead of honey. Nutrition
• Whether you use 2½ cups or 3 cups cereal, nutrition information stays the same per square
• If you like a crispier treat, after stirring in the first 2½ cups cereal, add more cereal, a little at a time, until you reach your desired consistency. For a chewier treat, stick with the recommended 2½ cups cereal. Swapping maple syrup for honey: You can use maple syrup, but it’s slightly thinner/less sticky than honey—so the treats may set up softer. To help them hold together: try adding a touch more peanut butter (1 to 2 extra Tbsp) to compensate for the thinner consistency, and press the mixture very firmly into the pan. Also, chill longer before cutting (fridge for 30-60 minutes, or freeze 20–30 minutes). Be sure to use pure maple syrup and not pancake syrup blends. *For the firmest squares, stick with honey. Storage
• Refrigerate: Store these treats in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
• Freeze: Wrap the treats individually and place them in a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 2 months. Let them thaw in the fridge before serving. Dietary considerations
• If you’re following a gluten-free diet, be sure to carefully read the packaging for each ingredient (especially the crispy rice cereal). While these foods are inherently gluten-free, gluten can sometimes be added during processing for a variety of reasons, including for flavor and consistency. • If you’re following a vegan diet, use maple syrup or date syrup instead of honey. Nutrition
• Whether you use 2½ cups or 3 cups cereal, nutrition information stays the same per square
Watch how to make it!
Nutrition Information per serving
Serving Size: 1 squareCalories: 110Carbohydrates: 12gProtein: 3gTotal Fat: 6g— Unsaturated Fat: 4.5g— Saturated Fat: 1.5gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 85mgFiber: 1gTotal Sugar: 7g— Natural Sugar: 1g— Added Sugar: 6g
Nutrition information is calculated using a leading industry software. That being said, brands can vary, and there may be slight fluctuations in the numbers.
I’m hoping you loved this recipe!
If you made it and want to share feedback, I’d be so grateful to hear from you. Please leave a review below or tag @joybauer on Instagram!
so good
Hi Lucy. Yay! Thrilled you loved them!
—Team Joy
Delicious! Any recommendations on incorporating protein powder in the peanut butter?
Hi Zohreh! Love that idea, but I haven’t tried it yet. Here’s what I recommend: Stir 1–2 tablespoons protein powder into the peanut butter (after warming it). Since protein powder absorbs moisture, you may need to add an extra tablespoon of peanut butter or honey to keep the mixture smooth and sticky enough to bind the cereal. Start small…the more protein powder you add, the firmer and slightly drier the treats can become. A couple tablespoons should work well without changing the texture too much.
Hope that helps… and if you make another batch using this protein boost, please report back! 😉
so good
One word: OBSESSED!!!! Snapping, crackling, and popping with JOY when I eat these!!
SO ARE WE! We’re so happy to hear that, Scarlet! Thank you so much for your wonderful comment. ❤
— Team Joy
These Peanut Butter Crispy Treats are cereal-ously DELICIOUS!
Hi Penelope. So glad you enjoyed…and we always love a good food pun 🙂
–Team Joy
I just watched Joy make these, SO GENIUS! They are So Good!! I sprinkled sea salt on top. Amazing! Adding mini chocolate chips next time. Thank you Joy!
Hi Sheila. So glad you enjoyed them…and your tweaks are brilliant! We’ll be using them the next time we make ours 🙂
—Team Joy
Can you use natural peanut butter
Hi Anna. Yes, you can use natural PB. Just make sure to mix it well so the oil isn’t separated, and you get it nice and creamy. The microwave can help, too. We hope you enjoy! Please let us know what you think.
—Team Joy
I love rice Krispy treat with marshmallow of course but I’m gonna try these for a more healthier treat
Hi Jennifer. Come back and let us know what you think! We’d love to hear your thoughts.
—Team Joy
Hi! I just saw these made this morning and was going to make them tonight but wondering if they taste ALOT like honey? Wouldn’t the peanut butter be enough to hold it all together or no? Thanks!
Hi Carol. Joy hasn’t tried it with just the peanut butter, so we’re not sure if it will stick without the honey. If you decide to give it a shot, Joy recommends trying just ¼ of the recipe so you don’t waste the full amount of ingredients if it doesn’t stick together.
That being said, the taste as is isn’t honey-forward. Between the PB and vanilla, it’s gently sweet with a peanut butter-y crispy taste. No matter which version you try, we’d love to hear your thoughts!
—Team Joy
They are so good that I made 2 batches to take camping this weekend!! Much better than the marshmallow recipe!
Thrilled to hear you enjoyed the recipe, and hope your camping trip was so much fun! 🙂
I added 1/2 cup of miniature chocolate chips. Oh my! Delicious. Thank you!
We’re so happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe, Lydia! Everything is better with mini chocolate chips…
Thank u so much
Thank you for stopping to leave a comment! Please come back and let me know your thoughts…I’d love to hear your feedback 🙂
Peanut Butter Crispy treats are delicious!! Very easy to make. I used almond butter instead of peanut butter, what a nice alternative!! Keep them in snack size bags in the freezer for a yummy treat. Will definitely make again.,
Thank you so much for sharing! All nut butters are wonderful—I’m glad you had delicious success with almond butter.
Whatever nut butter you use, the key is to get it nice and blended so it’s creamy and soft. You can do this in the microwave or on the stovetop before mixing with the honey. And keep in mind, if you end up making multiple batches (they go quickly in my house!), these freeze really well and last up to two months in freezer.
Made these with maple syrup delicious, but sort of fell apart. What did I do wrong?
So glad you made them…and that they were still delicious, even though they were falling apart!
Honey is stickier and does a better job of holding the treats together than maple syrup, which is thinner. Honey is what I use in my house. When you make it again, try honey for more sticking power. And if you want to stick (LOL) with maple syrup for the flavor, maybe you can try putting the pan in the freezer—versus the fridge—to allow it to firm up and stay firm. We’ve tried it frozen—and loved it. So crispy and super satisfying!
You never disappoint Joy! These are delicious!
Hi Pamela. So happy you enjoyed! 🙂
—Team Joy
Hi, I was wondering if I can use a cookie scooper to make them into balls so I get more to share with coworkers?
Hi Jeanne. Yes!! Such a great idea! If you find the mixture is sticking to the cookie scooper, lightly mist the scooper with oil spray for an easier release. You may also need to firm the balls together with your hands so they’re nicely compressed–this would be after adding them to a parchment-lined baking sheet or tray via cookie scooper. Please let me know how it comes out!
Will they work with all natural nut butter or are they too liquid?
Hi Janet. Yes, you can use natural PB. Be sure to mix well so the oil isn’t separated, and you get it nice and creamy. You can also use the microwave. Come back and let us know what you think if you decide to try it…we’d love to hear your thoughts!
—Team Joy
Your peanut butter crispy sounds delicious and I can’t wait to try them, plus they are healthy. Louise Barksdale
Hi Louise! Thank you so much for your kind words! We’re thrilled to hear that you’re excited to try this recipe! They are definitely a tasty and healthy treat. We can’t wait to hear how you like them! ❤️
— Team Joy
Lasts up to 2 weeks?? I doubt it. I would eat them all before the first week is over!
LOL, exactly! It’s the same in my house—these treats go fast! 🙂
DELISH! My family LOVES these bars! THANK YOU, Joy!
P.S. We’ve also used toasted oat cerealinstead of krispies – also super YUMM.
Hi Ann. We’re so glad it’s a hit with the whole fam! 🙂
—Team Joy
Thank you Joy, I absolutely LOVE your recipes. They are quick, easy and healthy! Many are gluten and dairy free, so I’m able to share them with my daughter. And now that you have an email option on the recipe itself, it’s simple for me to send it to her, as well as store it in my online recipe folder. I have made your similar recipe that has melted chocolate on top which was delicious, so I look forward to trying this one too!
Hi Debbie. Thanks for your sweet comment and we’re so happy you’re sharing Joy’s recipes with your daughter! We’re sending love right back to you! Please let us know what you think of the recipe once you’ve tried it. We can’t wait to hear your thoughts.
—Team Joy
I just took these out of the freezer. They are so good. Great peanut butter treat. Great ingredients. These will be made here at least once a week.
Hi Laurie. So glad you loved them! And we’re happy to hear these will be on regular rotation in your house! 🙂
—Team Joy
Super easy to make! One square after a meal satisfies my sweet tooth. I did buy Sprouted Brown Rice Cacao Crisps cereal which was $5.99 but they did stay crispy even after freezing. Not feeling guilty eating this treat. Thanks
Hi Linda. We’re so happy to hear you’re enjoying the recipe…only deliciousness and good feelings!! 🙂
—Team Joy
Omg so good and easy to make! Thank you Joy!
Hi Kerry. Yay! We’re thrilled you enjoyed them 🙂
—Team Joy
Very easy and a favorite. We made these for a friend who has to watch the amount of saturated fat in food- hard to find in any indulgent treat. This was perfect. I wonder if using 3 cups of cereal would work? Seems that there is more than enough peanut butter mixture to accomodate more cereal and have a thicker bar. Thanks for the recipe!
Hi Georgia. We’re so happy you enjoyed these! You can certainly use 3 cups for a crispier treat. We’ve actually updated the instructions to reflect this change and note that the nutrition information per square remains the same if you increase to 3 cups cereal. Thanks again for your comments! 🙂
—Team Joy
Super easy to make and very tasty!
Hi Stephanie! We love easy and tasty recipes 🙂 So happy that you enjoyed it!
—Team Joy
So easy compared to the traditional ones and less messy! Healthy and delish-just made a double batch, drizzled w dark chocolate and slices almonds
How wonderful! Geri, I’m so happy to hear that you found the recipe easy and less messy – that’s always the goal! Your twist with dark chocolate and sliced almonds sounds absolutely divine! Thank you for sharing, and I’m thrilled you’re enjoying them!
Delicious! Thank you!
Hi Cat. We’re so happy you enjoyed the recipe! And thank you for your comments 🙂
—Team Joy
Just made this with Cherrios and immediately made another batch! Really tasty! I like using Cherrios because they are more substantial and higher protein. I weighed the peanut butter 6.3 oz, and honey 3.7 oz, so I don’t have to wash the cups again, just use my kitchen scale. I put the bowl on the scale, “tared” the scale, which is putting it back to zero and added an ingredient. I sprinkled with mini chocolate chips. Sooo good!
Hi Sherry. We’re so glad you enjoyed the recipe, and we love your tweaks and suggestions! We’re always in support of hacks that save you time and cut down on clean up, and of course, adding chocolate is always a big YES in our book! Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
—Team Joy
Absolutely delicious!
Hi Annette. Thanks for your comment and we’re so happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe!
—Team Joy
It is delicious PEanut butter crispy!!
Hi Chris. We’re so glad you enjoyed the recipe! For a fruit twist, feel free to give Joy’s Peanut Butter and Berry Crispy Treats a try!
—Team Joy
love this recipe
Thank you so much, Laura! We love that you love this recipe. ❤️
— Team Joy
Publix sells the brown rice cereal. I can’t wait to try this recipe
Hi Amelia. So glad you found the ingredients to make the recipe! We’re hoping you love it as much as we do!
—Team Joy
These were yummy! We liked them better than our old recipe that includes light corn syrup & butterscotch chips. I mixed in some mini chocolate chips.
Your recipe is a healthier & tastier option.
Wow, this is the ultimate compliment! Thanks for sharing your wonderful review!
Arrowhead puffed wheat or millet in place of rice krispies for an even healthier snack. I’ve also added vanilla protein powder.
Hi Patty! Love these upgrades—what a great idea! Arrowhead puffed wheat or millet is such a smart swap for rice cereal…simple ingredients and a nice little nutrition boost. And adding vanilla protein powder? That’s how you turn a snack into something more satisfying and steady-energy. Thanks for sharing your tweaks… I know others will love these ideas too!— Eliza (Team Joy)
I made these yummy treats yesterday. They were so easy and delicious. I used puffed quinoa instead of the rice cereal since that’s what I had in the pantry. So delicious! Thank you, Joy!
So happy you enjoyed them, Leslie! And I love your quinoa swap…. I may need to try that myself! 😉
Thank you VP Joy. I enjoy your recipes!
You’re so welcome, Carolyn! So happy you’re cooking along with me! xx
Would tahini and date syrup work for these treats? Also curios if tahini and maple syrup would work.
Hi Valerie! Yes to both! Tahini swaps in beautifully for the peanut butter — it has a similar creamy, rich consistency and blends just as smoothly. Just be sure to stir it well in the container before measuring, as it can separate and the top half becomes thinner.
For the sweetener, both maple syrup and date syrup can replace the honey. Date syrup is the closer match — thicker and stickier like honey, so it binds really well and swaps in 1:1. Maple syrup is a bit thinner, so your treats may turn out slightly softer; chilling them a little longer before cutting does the trick (check the notes section for more details on that swap!).
Either way, make sure to microwave the tahini first to soften it before mixing, and all variations will taste delicious!
Delicious and so quick and easy to make !!
Hi Ruth! So glad you loved this recipe. Thank you for sharing your experience! — Eliza (Team Joy)
Very tasty – not too sweet and healthier than candy.
So happy you’re enjoying these peanut butter treats! 😉
Hi, I just made these this morning
I used crunchy peanut butter
Delicious
Hi Anna! So glad to hear that you loved these crispy treats. Crunchy PB, YUM!!! — Eliza (Team Joy)
Joy, I was wondering if I could crush rice cakes and use them instead of rice cereal. I just happen to have them and not the cereal! Thank you!
Hi Elizabeth! Yes, but to be totally honest, they won’t have that same light, airy, crispy snap as classic Rice Krispie cereal. Crushed rice cakes will still give you some crunch, but the treats may turn out a little denser and slightly chewier. For the best texture, crush them into small pieces, mix quickly, and press the mixture in lightly. And let me know what you think if you try this with the rice cakes!
These are better than the traditional rice Kristie treat and my grandkids LOVE them
OMG Nina!! That’s the best compliment. So glad to hear that you and your grandkids loved this recipe! — Eliza (Team Joy)
These are made on repeat at our house! Do not skip the flaky sea salt on top! I have made them with both maple syrup and honey. Both are good, but we prefer the honey.
So happy to hear this, Sara!! Honey and flaky sea salt for the win! Appreciate you sharing your experience with the community. — Eliza (Team Joy)