Healthy Peanut Butter Rice Crispy Treats (3 Ingredients!)

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5 from 209 votes
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A childhood classic lightened up- Healthy Peanut butter Rice Crispy Treats! Made with NO marshmallows and NO corn syrup, they need just 3 simple ingredients and take 5 minutes to make! The BEST simple vegan and gluten-free dessert. 

peanut butter rice crispy treats

Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats

My childhood dreams have just been re-lived with these healthy peanut butter rice crispy treats.

Crispy, chewy, and LOADED with peanut butter flavor.

These remind me so much of my school lunch box. Once a week, I’d be lucky to find a packaged rice crispy treat. They weren’t an everyday treat. See, traditional rice Krispie treats are loaded with corn syrup and marshmallows. As such, they’d be in the same realm as candy and chocolate, aka- a sometimes food.

My homemade peanut butter Rice Krispie bars have none of those, but ALL the flavor and texture- sweet, crispy, chewy, and gooey in one.

What can you use instead of marshmallows in Peanut Butter Rice Crispy Treats

Now, instead of marshmallows and corn syrup, I use a mix of peanut butter and maple syrup. This holds the bars together while giving it a gooey and chewy texture.

But the question is, how do they taste?

As a die-hard peanut butter lover, I am OBSESSED with this even more- They are sweet, slightly salty, and absolutely satisfying.

You won’t believe that these peanut butter rice krispie treats are completely vegan, gluten-free, AND dairy-free! 

Bonus? Each bar contains less than 100 calories!

How to make Peanut Butter Rice Krispies

The Ingredients (and substitutions!)

  • Peanut Butter. Smooth and drippy peanut butter helps hold the bars together, but also gives that delicious peanut butter flavor! Avoid using crunchy or thick peanut butter, otherwise, you’ll find the bars become slightly crumbly. If you want to make these with no peanut butter, you can substitute this for any smooth nut or seed butter. Tahini and sunflower seed butter are nut-free substitutions that work beautifully.
  • Maple Syrup. It provides sweetness and when melted with the peanut butter, holds the crispy treats well. You can substitute this for agave nectar or, if you aren’t strictly vegan, honey. 
  • Crispy Rice Cereal. I used gluten-free crispy rice cereal, but any rice cereal works. 

The Directions

  1. In a microwave-safe bowl or stovetop, melt your peanut butter with maple syrup. Whisk together until combined. 
  2. Pour your peanut butter/syrup mixture over the rice cereal and mix well, until all the rice cereal is covered in the peanut butter mixture. 
  3. Transfer to a square pan and spread out, using a rubber spatula. Refrigerate for at least an hour, to firm up! 

peanut butter rice krispie treats

Peanut Butter Rice Crispy Treats Tips

  • You must melt the peanut butter with the syrup before mixing it in the rice cereal. If you don’t melt it together, you’ll find that it simply won’t mix well at all.
  • If your mixture happens to be a little too sticky/gooey, add a little extra crispy rice cereal. I’ve found certain brands of peanut butter to be extra smooth (a good thing!) so you may need to compensate with a little extra cereal!
  • When slicing into bars, use a slightly wet sharp knife, to cut evenly and easily. 

Storage Tips

  • To store. Peanut Butter Rice Krispies should be kept in a sealable container, and stored in the fridge. They will keep well for up to 2 weeks.
  • To freeze. As peanut butter rice Krispie treats are freezer friendly, you can keep them in the freezer to enjoy at a later time! Place the rice crispy treats in a freezer friendly bag or ziplock bag and freeze! They will keep this way for up to 6 months. 

Peanut butter rice krispie bars

More EASY No Bake Dessert Recipes 

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peanut butter rice krispies

Peanut Butter Rice Crispy Treats {3 Ingredients!)

5 from 209 votes
Easy and healthy homemade peanut butter rice crispy treats made with just 3 ingredients! No marshmallows, no corn syrup and no butter. Ready in 5 minutes, they are 100% vegan, gluten-free and refined sugar free- Less than 100 calories per serve!
Servings: 16 Bars
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 5 minutes

Ingredients  

  • 3/4 cup peanut butter can substitute for any nut or seed butter
  • 6 tablespoon maple syrup * See notes
  • 3 cups Crispy Cereal I used crispy brown rice cereal

Instructions 

  • Line an 8 x 8-inch pan with parchment paper and set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl, add your crispy rice cereal and set aside. In a microwave-safe bowl or stovetop, heat up your peanut butter with your syrup. Once warm, whisk together until combined.
  • Pour your peanut butter/syrup mixture over the crispy cereal and mix well, until fully combined. Transfer the peanut butter crispy treat mixture into the lined pan. Use a rubber spatula to flatten out evenly.
  • Refrigerate until firm, before slicing.

Notes

* You can substitute maple syrup for agave nectar or honey (if not strictly vegan)
 

Nutrition

Serving: 1BarCalories: 98kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 3gFat: 5gSodium: 56mgPotassium: 99mgFiber: 1gCalcium: 13mgIron: 1mgNET CARBS: 9g
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Author: Arman Liew
Tried this recipe?Give us a shout at @thebigmansworld or tag #thebigmansworld!

Arman Liew

I’m a two time cookbook author, photographer, and writer, and passionate about creating easy and healthier recipes. I believe you don’t need to be experienced in the kitchen to make good food using simple ingredients that most importantly, taste delicious.

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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Loved this recipe!!! We sprinkled mini chocolate chips on top. This will forever replace the recipe I’ve had for years that has about double the sugar and fat. And I pretty much always have the simple ingredients. Kids loved them. Thank you!

  2. 5 stars
    I halved this for two by using 6 T of PB and 3 T maple syrup and 1 1/2 cereal. I used regular (generic) rice crispy cereal. I added a small handful of Lilly’s dark chips. Wow! This recipe is awesome. Thank you!