Vegan Rice Crispy Treats (Gluten Free)
An easy 3-ingredient recipe for homemade rice crispy treats, made with peanut butter and Rice Krispies! Ready in under 5 minutes, these vegan rice crispy treats are an easy snack or lunch box snack!
Vegan Rice Crispy Treats Recipe
These healthy rice crispy treats have become one of my favorite healthy snacks, especially because it reminds me so much of my childhood!
I always have the ingredients on hand (peanut butter, cereal, and maple syrup) and love how they take less than 5 minutes to prepare.
It’s fantastic as a snack between meals, perfect to pack in work or school lunch boxes and even a post-dinner treat, to satisfy the sweet tooth! They are a much healthier alternative to traditional Rice Krispie Treats too.
In terms of taste, it has a delicious peanut butter flavor and natural sweetness, thanks to the maple syrup.
In terms of texture, they are like the classic rice krispie treat- Chewy, gooey, crispy and crunchy!
Not only that, they are completely vegan and dairy free!
Are Rice Krispies and Rice Krispie Treats Vegan?
Traditional Rice Crispy Treats aren’t vegan.
The ingredients in rice crispy treats include butter, margarine, and marshmallows. None of these ingredients are vegan-friendly, nor are they something you’d include in your regular diet, especially if you are watching your sugar.
How many calories in Rice Crispy Treats?
Depending on which brand you buy or recipe you follow, Rice Crispy Treats can range from 250 calories and up to 600 calories a piece!
Most of those calories are carbohydrates and fats, providing very little protein.
Homemade Rice Crispy Treats Nutrition and Calories
Unlike traditional Rice Crispy Treats, my homemade version is healthier, chock full of healthy fats and made without butter and without marshmallows.
One homemade rice crispy bar yields a mere 100 calories, 12 grams of carbs and 3 grams of protein!
How to make Rice Crispy Bars
Making your own healthy vegan rice crispy treats (or rice crispy squares) is super simple, and needs 3 ingredients.
Step 1: Line an 8 x 8-inch pan with parchment paper and set aside.
Step 2: In a large mixing bowl, add your crispy rice cereal and set aside.
Step 3: In a microwave-safe bowl or in a small saucepan, melt your peanut butter with maple syrup together.
Step 4: Pour the syrup/peanut butter mixture into the large mixing bowl and combine with the dry cereal. Mix very well, until fully incorporated.
Step 5: Transfer the rice crispy treat mixture into the lined pan and press firmly into place. Refrigerate until firm, before slicing into bars or squares.
How to store rice crispy treats
Rice Crispy Treats can keep at room temperature, in a sealed container, for up to 1 week.
They are best kept refrigerated, as they will maintain a firm texture, and last even longer- Up to 4 weeks.
Homemade rice crispy treats are freezer friendly and will keep well frozen for up to 2 months.
Tips and Tricks for Perfect Homemade Rice Crispy Treat Bars
Ensure you use gluten-free rice crispy cereal, to ensure these are gluten-free. Brown rice cereal can also be used.
To keep these rice crispy treats peanut-free, you can substitute it for almond butter.
Keeping these bars nut-free is easy, by swapping out the peanut butter for sunflower seed butter, tahini or wow butter.
More vegan snack recipes
Vegan Rice Crispy Treats (Gluten Free)
Ingredients
- 2 cups rice crispy cereal
- 1/2 cup peanut butter can sub for almond/cashew
- 1/2 cup maple syrup can sub for agave nectar or brown rice syrup
Instructions
- Line an 8 x 8-inch baking tray with baking paper and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add your crispy rice cereal and set aside.
- Stovetop or in the microwave, melt your nut butter with your syrup and then pour the mixture into the crispy rice cereal and mix well.
- Pour mixture into the lined baking tray and press firmly into place. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to firm up.
Notes
Nutrition
Omggg YUM! Rice Krispies were one of my favourite snacks back in the day and at the time, I didn’t find them sickly sweet at all- I guess that says plenty about my sweet tolerance back in the day ha! I personally find meringues and macaroons far too sweet for my liking- a few bites is more than enough!
Oh yes- Meringues can be SOO dangerous- Maybe their melt in your mouth texture!
Yeah, these things are great, right?
SO GOOD! Now I really want a meringue! 🙂
Straight up candy was always just too sweet for me. Wouldn’t want to get diabetes in one bite – Arman to the rescue again 🙂
Thanks so much, Michele!
Whole Foods has these baskets as well. Last week when we queued at the Whole Foods checkout right in front of said baskets I suggest to make rice crispie bars for us back home. I guess I don’t need to tax my brain but just make these 🙂
Whilst I like sweet treats I am not in for the too sweet ones. That’s why I don’t like most sugar candy I assume!
But nutella straight from the jar is a must! Why bother with any bread?
Right? Or even the sweetened peanut butter!
As Amen’s personal recipe tester, I can tell you that these treats are FRIGGIN AWESOME. Make them or you’re silly.
#sabotagingcamel
Oh em geeeeeeee. I was literally JUST talking about rice krispy treats yesterday. Clearly this is a sign that I must make these STAT.
YES! Do it! 😀 Thanks Ashley!
yay to my favorite childhood treat having only 3 ingredients and taking 5 minutes to make!
Right? Thanks!
I think PB rice krispies taste waaay better than the original ones. These look so pretty and tasty!
We always had bananas in our dining hall and I would stuff them in my bag like crazy. Then I’d make my friends grab some too.
LOL. I need to send you a photo of my window sill right now….there are bananas hanging out there waiting to turn brown 😀
These looks awesome. I make a similar version with almond butter and brown rice syrup and call them nice krispy treats. 🙂 They’re awesome with the Chocolate Koala Crisp cereal too if you like chocolate. 🙂
I love making these cocoa style too- So good! 🙂
I used to make rice krispy treats using cocoa pebbles. So good! I should try it again with cocoa pebbles and your recipe – I would love the combo of the peanut butter and the chocolate.
YES! I have a cocoa twist coming up soon, it’s my favorite over this 😀
Easy and quick recipes is what I need as a busy mom, thanks for sharing these treats. They look as yum as all your recipes 🙂
Thanks so much, Petro 🙂
I love rice krispy treats and there’s this company who makes amazing ones called The Crispery. I ate one once and have been dying for more. I love alllll the marshmallows in mine, but your version looks delish!
oh what? I need to google that now…..
Healthy rice krispy treats?!? YAY!! I would probably go the honey-route – it sounds so dang delicious in my head. haha 😀
Haha it does, right? Cheers Kate!
Yum, these look so good and simple!
Right? Thanks so much, Emily!
Does drinking honey straight from the honey bear count as the most sickly sweet snack I’ve ever eaten? Because I used to do that on the regular when I was a little kid… And oddly enough, I never suffered any consequences. I don’t think my current self would be able to marathon through something like that though. Eep.
Right? With age, we lose our talents haha!
Dear Arman, these are the perfect snack and one I can feel good about giving all my boys. You won’t believe this, but my oven has been broken for two weeks now. A new one is ordered but it had to be custom because of the placement our cherry cabinets. So this is the perfect snack and my kids will rejoice since I refuse to buy bulk package snacks. They’ve been eating like, baby carrots and apples. Trust me they will be thrilled. Me too. thanks for a great recipe.
Oh no!!!!! Wow, this is good timing then- Let’s hope it’s sorted soon 🙂
I love making rice crispy treats like this – I make my own with the brown rice crispies, PB and maple syrup and they’re delicious. But I add sprinkles because I’m colorful and like the TEENY sugar rush 🙂
YES! I have a fun twist coming up next week 🙂
I started making my rice crispy treats with PB and will never go back to any other way. Haven’t tried them without the marshmallows though, and even the vegan ones are sorta sketch. Well done.
Cheers pimp!
Caramel Pie is straight up the most sickly sweet thing I’ve ever eaten. I used to love it, but now it makes me want to gag.
And where were you when I was in college and needed no bake snacks??
Haha I’m sorry!
rice crispy has always been my favorite..the one with marshmallows 😛 love the idea of this with just pb and honey for me.
It’s so good!
I feel like ‘sickly sweet’ doesn’t exist for me. I’m the sort of person that can eat buttercream frosting straight up – my sweet tooth knows no bounds.
Oh wow. Props. Don’t you eat straight splenda too 😉
I sometimes overdo maple syrup on my pancakes…the pancake becomes a soaked up sponge and there still is a pool of syrup around them. Delicious if you want to crash in an hour 🙂
Mmm that sounds delicious!
We didn’t have any catered halls at uni… then again I think I am the cook I am today because I had to make so many random meals from a variety of bits and bobs in our kitchen! But yeah rice krispie squares were definitely one of my snacks. In fact when we were growing up, one of the most popular tray bakes were krispies mixed with melted mars bars… cooled in a tray and then melted chocolate (a lot!) poured on top and then set. Oh boy a party wasn’t a party without those bad boys!
Oh wow…That sounds incredible!!!!
I used to eat these years ago, and loved them! But I like your version better; much healthier.
Thanks so much, Joanne!
The most sticky sweet snack I’ve ever eaten was…hmmm, maybe candied caramel apples, although I love those things. Sweet meets crisp and refreshing. I will get me one of those this fall, although these look significantly easier and fantastic.
Too bad we weren’t in school together. You would have kept me fed and happy.
Oh man. We need to try one of those caramel apples!!!!
I’d have to say, I think Snow White learned her lesson once 😉 but those rice krispy treats look great! I love the addition of the peanut butter or the cashew butter–it’ll make them taste even better!
SOOOOO good! 😀
Brittle is the stickiest (but crunchiest) thing I may have ever eaten. That junk doesn’t come out of my teeth!! Blech. I love nut butter and rice crispies. And..sugar.
Hahaha and how about croissants 😉
I just love your no bake recipes, Arman! These bars look so incredibly delicious! 🙂
Thanks so much, Sina!
But these are still pretty sugary, there’s the equivalent of about 2/3 of a cup of sugar in this recipe if you use brown rice syrup. That’s basically the same or a little more than regular rice crispy treats (I compared the sugars, in grams, in the nutrition facts for both recipes). Brown rice sugar, honey, etc. are all still sugar to our body. It seems like most people don’t understand that. Only reason to use them instead of table sugar is for different consistency or taste, not health. Subbing out the butter with peanut butter IS healthier, though. Subbing out saturated fat for healthier nut fats is always a good thing. That’s a good idea for rice crispies, think I’ll have to try it!
That’s true but had we included marshmallows, syrup and usually glucose syrup too, it would have been a sugar bomb! I love the peanut butter taste too 🙂
I made these with sunbutter since I’m allergic to peanuts. Also reduced the brown rice syrup a little. It was plenty sweet. I really liked them. Thinking about trying it with my chocolate soy butter next.
Oh that would be delicious with soy nut butter- It has such a distinct taste yum 🙂
Hi,
How long can these be stored?
Hi there-
In the fridge, they can be stored for up to 2 weeks. In the freezer, 2 months or so. 🙂
What size pan should you use?
Hi Katie! You can use any size pan you wish- These can be made as thick or thin as you enjoy! 🙂
Can you use agave nectar instead of honey or brown rice syrup? I am almost out 🙂
Hi there! I think it will work, but from experience, you’d probably need to add a little bit more 🙂
Hey there! May I share this recipe on my health site?
Hi Mackenzie, can you please shoot me an email at armanthebigmansworld@gmail.com with your request? Cheers!
I like your post but would appreciate you take out the part about getting diabetes with one bite. Onset of Type 1 (your body makes no insulin) has nothing to do with food. It can’t be prevented. Type 2 ( your body is resistant to insulin) is not always because of poor diet. As a mom of a Type 1 diabetic for 8 years, misconception and lack of knowledge is a daily fight.
Hi Jenny- Absolutely. I sincerely apologise for such a thoughtless comment within my post. I’m so sorry to hear about your child suffering- Coming from a family where many are affected too, I should have been more cautious.
I have these in my fridge at all times. I do add 1tbsp of vanilla extract, and when I make these squares I always double the recipe. These are so good!
😀 thanks so much, Michelle! A double batch? I like your style!
Thanks for the recipe. I added Chiang seed to mine to up the nutritional value.
🙂 Such a good idea, Sarai!
How many rice krispy treats did this recipe make? I think I’m making them for a school fundraiser. Thanks.
Hi Ashely! I usually make 6-8 large pieces 🙂
I added a little cinnamon just for fun and it tastes like pure heaven! Just a little tip…
Thanks, Alex 🙂
Hi there I had a question. I made these this evening with organic peanut butter and honey (couldn’t find brown rice syrup today) and left them in the fridge for over an hour. At first they cut beautifully and tasted amazing, but after about 10 mins they wouldn’t hold together at all. Any suggestions on what I could do to salvage these??
Hi Surabhi! With honey, it’s less sticky than brown rice syrup, so you are best to add a little more honey to them to keep them together 🙂
OMG! I’ve been waiting for a healthy version since I went vegan 6 years ago!!!! Awesome, I went straight to the pantry and made them with quinoa crispies, peanut butter and date syrup…delish!
😀 YUM!!!
Thank you so much for posting this recipe! I added a few roasted unsalted peanuts to the mixture and even a small square is enough to satisfy a craving for something sweet, while being guilt-free at the same time. It’s so much better than granola bars, which tend to be heavy and dry.
That sounds fabulous! 🙂
Unless you specify that the rice crispy cereal is the gluten free brand, these are not gluten free “normal” rice crispy cereal has barley in them, therefore not gluten free
They are 100% gluten free. I used a gluten free brand.
enjoy.
Could you use sugar-free syrup for this to cut out all the sugar? Or is the real stuff necessary to hold everything together? Thanks 😊
It is necessary, or else it will fall apart