Sometimes the best kind of treats are the ones you haven’t made in FOREVER. That includes the very famous rice krispie treats that were always in lunch boxes and at your aunt’s house during family birthday parties.
Man, I loved those sweet little marshmallow pull apart oozy-gooey sticky bars more than anything. One time I ate so many individual treats out of those bright blue wrappers that I ended up with a stomach ache for two days straight. I also remember eating the rice krispie treat cereal straight from the cereal box. Handfuls upon handfuls, and another stomach ache later, I was sure I was done with rice krispie treats for GOOD.
Years later at a friend’s house, I discovered something known as ‘Special K’ bars. Basically these bars were a combination of butter, peanut butter, butterscotch and Special K cereal in a bar, then and topped with semi sweet chocolate + butterscotch chips. These too, became another favorite treat I could eat without any control. #oops #savage
Now that I’m into full blown adulthood (and a food blogger!) I’ve LOVED bringing you my favorite childhood meals & desserts with healthier, simple twists. It’s a great way to still enjoy your favorite foods but also make more nutritious choices.
So what are these chocolate peanut butter rice krispie treats exactly? A combination of a rice krispie treat and a special k bar. There’s no refined sugar or marshmallows involved and the bars are made with only 6 ingredients (or 7 if you make them with a little protein powder!).
Ingredients in healthy peanut butter rice krispie treats
- Peanut butter: to help keep these healthy rice krispie treats together without using marshmallows. Feel free to use cashew or almond butter as well!
- Virgin coconut oil: virgin, or unrefined coconut oil has a slight coconut flavor that adds a subtle sweetness to these bars and helps the filling stay together. You can also sub melted butter or vegan butter.
- Pure maple syrup: for an all natural sweetness. You can sub honey or brown rice syrup as well.
- Vanilla extract: extra delicious flavor! Not necessary, but always delish.
- Rice Krispies or Brown Rice Krispies:either will work in this recipe. Be sure to check your labels to ensure the brown rice krispies you’re using are certified gluten free.
- OPTIONAL: Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides: For a boost of protein, you can add a little collagen (or your favorite protein powder). Read more here about why I love collagen.
- Dark chocolate bar: you can use a fun flavor of choice or a regular dark chocolate. I love Divine, Theo, Hu, Evolved and Alter Eco brands. To make these bars vegan, use a vegan/dairy free dark chocolate.
How to make peanut butter rice krispie treats without marshmallows
- Place a medium pot over low heat and add in peanut butter, coconut oil, maple syrup and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth and well combined, about 1 minute.
- Next add in the protein powder (optional) and crispy brown rice cereal; stir until combined and cereal is completely coated. Pour into prepared pan, and use a spatula to flatten the top so it is even.
- You’ll then make the chocolate topping by adding chocolate to a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high in 30 second intervals, stirring in-between, until chocolate is completely melted. You can also melt the chocolate in a small saucepan over very low heat if you prefer.
- Finally, pour the melted chocolate over the bars and tilt your pan so that they’re evenly coated. Place pan in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or until bars are completely cool and chocolate is melted. Sprinkle bars with fancy sea salt, then cut into 16 bars and enjoy!
Storing homemade rice krispie treats
- In the fridge: Store these bars covered in the fridge for up to 1 week. When you’re ready to eat them, just let them come to room temp for about 5 minutes so that they soften a bit.
- In the freezer: yes, you can freeze this chocolate peanut butter rice krispie treats! Place them in the freezer for up to 2 months in an airtight container. I’d recommend separating the bars with parchment wax paper as well. When you’re ready to eat them, let the bars thaw in the fridge and then bring them to room temp as described above.
Optional swaps in these healthy peanut butter rice krispie treats
- Instead of peanut butter: feel free to use cashew, almond or sunflower butter. You may need to add an extra 1/2 tablespoon of coconut oil.
- Instead of coconut oil: you may use butter or vegan butter.
- Instead of maple syrup: feel free to use honey, brown rice syrup or coconut syrup.
To be honest, these are one of my new FAVORITE no bake treats EVER. They’re so easy to make, ready in less than 30 minutes and taste like a combination between a peanut butter cup and a rice krispie treat. I had a few people over after I made these and they were completely gone before the night was over.
P.S. Don’t forget to sprinkle them with a little sea salt for a sweet and salty treat!
See how to make the healthy rice krispie treats:
If you try these peanut butter rice krispie treats, be sure to rate it below and let me know how you liked them. And of course, don’t forget to snap a photo and tag #ambitiouskitchen on Instagram so I can see your beautiful creations. xo!
Healthy Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats
Healthy Rice Krispie Treats made with peanut butter, coconut oil, maple syrup and brown rice krispies. These vegan and gluten free peanut butter rice krispie treats are topped with dark chocolate and sea salt for an indulgent treat that tastes just like a crunchy peanut butter cup. Options to add a bit of protein powder to make these a great post workout treat!
Ingredients
- For the treats:
- 3/4 cup natural creamy peanut butter
- 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons virgin coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch of salt (if your peanut butter isn’t already salted)
- Optional: ½ cup Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides
- 2 1/2-3 cups crispy brown rice cereal (or rice krispies)*
- For the chocolate topping:
- 3.5 oz 85% dark chocolate bar, broken up into pieces
- To garnish:
- Fancy sea salt, for sprinkling on top
Instructions
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Line an 8x8 inch pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
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Place a medium pot over low heat and add in peanut butter, coconut oil, maple syrup and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth and well combined, about 1 minute.
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Next add in the protein powder (optional) and crispy brown rice cereal; stir until combined and cereal is completely coated. Pour into prepared pan, and use a spatula to flatten the top so it is even.
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Next make the chocolate topping by adding chocolate to a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high in 30 second intervals, stirring in-between, until chocolate is completely melted. You can also melt the chocolate in a small saucepan over very low heat if you prefer.
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Pour melted chocolate over the bars and tilt your pan to spread out the chocolate evenly.
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Place pan in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or until bars are completely cool and chocolate is melted. Sprinkle bars with fancy sea salt, then cut into 16 bars. Enjoy!
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Bars should be kept covered in the fridge and will stay good for up to 1 week. Take bars out 5 minutes before you are ready to serve to ensure they aren't too crunchy! They soften up at room temp.
Recipe Notes
*Note that traditional Rice Krispies cereal is not certified gluten-free, so be sure to check your box and use a brown rice krispies cereal alternative that's gluten free if need be.
Feel free to use cashew, tahini, almond or sunflower butter in place of the peanut butter. You may need to add an extra 1/2 tablespoon of coconut oil.
Instead of coconut oil, you may use butter or vegan butter.
Feel free to use honey, brown rice syrup or coconut syrup instead of maple syrup.
Post originally from June 2018, republished March 2020
More no bake dessert recipes you’ll love:
No Bake Chocolate Caramel Tahini Chex Bars (allergy-friendly!)
Homemade Healthy Peanut Butter Cups! (low carb, vegan, gluten free)
Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites
104 comments
Yumm, and I love that they don’t include marshmallows — just the good stuff!
Right?! PB all the way!
These look great! I don’t have any coconut oil so Ill try subbing coconut butter and write how it goes! Thanks for the recipe!
Let me know how the coconut butter goes! Hope you love these!
I have a similar recipe that uses puffed quinoa instead of Rice Krispies. Also has chia and hemp seeds. I love them ! Will try your recipe when I have polished off the quinoa ones.
Sounds fantastic! And yes you’ll have to give these a try too 🙂
These were so easy and quick to put together! Love all your recipes but I will definitely be making these again!
Aren’t they?! One of my fav quick & easy treats! Glad you loved them 🙂
I don’t know how you do it! I have made many of your recipes and they always turn out great! Thank you!!!
So happy to hear that Mark!! 🙂
I loved these! Really easy to make! Much easier to clean up verses the marshmallow variety! I took them to a 4th of July party and they were a hit! My one question to you is, do these freeze? Or it is not recommended? They’d be a great bar to keep in the freezer and pull out should guests stop by!
Yes you can keep them in the freezer until you are ready to serve. Just let them thaw out a bit. 🙂 they’re SO good!
Amazing! And YES love these ones over the marshmallow kind 😉 These would be perfect in the freezer, too!
These were great! I brought them to work and everyone loved them. Next time I will only put in 2 1/2 cups of rice krispies (I put 3) as they were just slightly crumbly. Would definitely make again!
So glad everyone loved them! And yes the rice krispie amount can depend on your peanut butter consistency, etc. Perfect work treat!
SO delicious! I used gluten free, sprouted brown rice cacao crisps and the theo dark chocolate. Thank you!!!
Perfect! Love Theo dark chocolate 🙂
These remind me of scotcharoos – one of my favorite treats! SO YUM!
YES just like them!
My entire family loves this recipe! So easy to make. I love a treat that packs health into it. Especially the collagen peptides !! Thank you so much for all your hard work and giving us so many yummy, healthy treats the whole family loves !!
YES love these healthy treats! So glad you and the whole family loves these, Amy 🙂
Looks yummy! I hope these made up for the fact she slept through choosing ballet slippers! Regards
Lovely! But i love how Reece’s are salty, these definitely aren’t salty after all the maple syrup and vanilla essence. Next time I would only add 1 tablespoon of maple syrup to the peanut butter mixture, and maybe 1 tablespoon of maple syrup to the choc (to make it sweeter, I used 85%).
The sea salt sprinkle on top should give it that salty flavor! Instead of adding maple syrup to the chocolate I would maybe use a sweeter chocolate (less than 85%).
hii, how many days does this rice rispies treats last
Made these last night and they were so easy and sooo delicious! I’m interested in trying to make it again gluten free. Any ideas on what to use instead of the brown rice crispies? Thanks so much for all of your amazing recipes. I have made so many and always get lots of compliments!
Love the recipe. What can I use instead of coconut oil? Butter? Olive oil? And also if I use 75%dark chocolate I guess I can use less maple syrup? Thanks!
I used 85% dark chocolate and butter. I loved them ! So tasty and crunchy 🙂
Hi Carol! Perfect – glad those swaps worked out. The maple syrup does needs to remain as written in the recipe because it helps the rice krispie bars stick together. If you want to reduce the sugar next time, simply drizzle chocolate or don’t use it all.
Love these can I substitute tahini for peanut butter as the grandkids school is nut free.
Yes of course! Just use 1 tablespoon less coconut oil.
These are a great snack for my boys!
Yes! Hope they love them 🙂
Love these! Even my dad loves them and he wont eat anything else I make that is “healthified” lol
Haha YES love that!
I made these, so easy and so delicious. From age 3 – 65, everyone LOVED!
Q: they cut fine, but it was a little messy and krispies fell off (I made with Rice Krispies). Do you have any recommendations to help them stick together more?
Hi Erin! I recommend freezing them for 4-5 hours before cutting if you want to get perfect squares. They cut better after they’ve been frozen for a while!
Can I substitute Vital Proteins gelatin powder in place of their collagen powder? For some reason my ND recommended that specifically instead of the collagen, but I’m unfamiliar with cooking/baking with either. Thank you! Love love love your recipes, especially the healthy treats 🙂
Hmmm I haven’t actually tried baking with the gelatin powder! It says it turns into a gel in colder liquids, so I’m not sure if the properties will change when you bake with it. Let me know if you give it a try! Happy to hear that you’re loving the recipes here 🙂
I just did a little research too and found that since gelatin acts as a binder, it can be used as an egg replacer (1 TBS gelatin with 3 TBS room temp water)! Makes sense. I’ll let you know how it goes!
Let me know how they turn out!
Wonderful – great healthy snack!!
Absolutely! Glad you enjoyed 🙂
I made these with almond butter. I barely got to eat them cause my husband kept eating them and has been bugging me to make more since.
Fav treats!
I was excited that these say gluten-free, and I thought I had finally found something I could make for my sister. After I had made them, someone told me that Rice Krispies brand cereal is not gluten-free. Apparently it contains malt flavoring, which is made from barley. Fortunately, my sister is gluten-free for inflammation issues, and it ended up not being a big deal for her. However, if someone is gluten-free for something like Celiac’s Disease, this could be a bigger problem.
I think they taste really good, I was just upset that I trusted the info above the recipe and then fed her something that could have been an issue.
Hi Stacie! You’re right that traditional Rice Krispies cereal is not certified gluten free, which is why we indicate in the recipe to use crispy brown rice cereal. I’ve added an additional note to be sure to double check the brand you’re using to make sure they are certified GF as well!
So what “crispy brown rice cereal” do you recommend? I’ve never heard of that beyond Rice Krispies, and did not see any similar options at the store. I even asked several other people, and they said they also assumed that meant the “brown,” or cocoa, Rice Krispies. Maybe it’s a regional thing?
What could you use instead of Cocanut flour for you blondie bars? Or would it take away from the flavor and texture? Thanks, and wonder recipes!!
I’d recommend sticking with the flour ratios so that the flavor and texture turn out the way they should!
I used semi-sweet chocolate chips and peanut butter. So good. Definitely will make again.
Perfect! Glad you liked them!
Just made this for a healthy dessert to have on hand for the week and woah! It is AMAZING! It’s definitely an adult version of Rice Krispies. 100% recommend!
Love that! One of my fav treats!
I couldn’t find brown rice crisp cereal- hard to believe cuz I know I’ve seen it it thousands of times before. I opted for a Kashi crunch cereal that has brown rice crisps in the clusters. Broke them down some. I can’t wait to dig into it later- just finished making them a few mins ago. I sprinkled a little cinnamon on the bars before pouring the chocolate on it. Thanks for a yummy recipe that won’t make me feel guilty like eating ice cream does lol
Delicious! Hope you’re loving these!
AMAZING! these have become a go to recipe whenever I’m craving something sweet or hosting! Many people have asked me for this recipe!
So happy to hear that! It’s one of my favs to bring to parties, too.
Delicious! Recipe is a keeper!
Glad you loved them!
These are awesome! Just made them with my 3 and 6 yr old. Hubby loved them too!
Amazing! So happy everyone loved them 🙂
So good! They taste like a scotch-aroo 😋
Will be making these again and again!
Yes!! My favs 🙂 glad you loved them!
Oh my goodness, yes please! This recipe looks so good and I love our photos!
They’re so delicious! And thank you! 🙂
These taste like crunchy Reese’s!! I wouldn’t recommend using a very drippy peanut butter, the bars won’t stick together as well that way
One of my fav treats!
Love, love, love these! My husband is a huge fan of all things peanut butter and chocolate so these were a HIT in our house! They have now been added to the top of our list of healthy deserts. Really though, they are incredible! They’re delicious without being overwhelmingly sweet, and so light! We subbed PBFit for vital proteins and thought it was great! Next time I make them I’ll likely use a larger pan to make the treats to make them a little flatter and make them a little more chocolaty, but other than that the recipe is perfect! Can’t wait to make them again!
Amazing! I’m so glad the whole household loved them 🙂 one of my fav treats, too!
These are amazing! Actually they are addicting! When the pan ran out we all wanted another batch asap! HAHA! We substituted butter for the coconut oil and it was rich and delicious! Thanks for sharing!
Perfect! So glad everyone loved them!
I’ve made these multiple times and every time they get better and better. This is a fantastic recipe when you are making a gift box or present for someone
So happy to hear that! And absolutely – great idea for a gift.
I love, love this treat! I’ve been making it once month since finding it. It’s easy and quick to put together. It reminds me of a crunchy reeses pieces. It’s a delicous dessert with the perfect level of sweetness. I love her recipes!
I’m so glad! One of my all time favs, too 🙂
I have done this recipe 5 times now. And I discovered this recipe a month ago. That’s how amazing it is. You won’t be disappointed. I find adding a teaspoon of coconut oil in the chocolate helps it make it more melty. Otherwise everything else is perfect.
So happy you love it!
My daughter and I made these today, and I was blown away by how delicious they were! Well done, Monique. 😊 I did not include the protein powder, I used Whole Food’s Organic Brown Rice Crisps, and Pascha Organic Bar Zero Dark Chocolate (made with erythritol and stevia, so I felt a little less guilty eating way too much of this!).
Perfect! So glad you both loved them!
Your recipes are healthy and delicious. One comment…Maple syrup in glass it’s a healthier option than the one you use in an aluminum container. I also avoid cans because the aluminum leaches into the food.
Glad you enjoy the recipes here!
So much better than the regular rice krispies! They do taste a bit like Reese’s Cups so it’s amazing for sure. They took like 5 minutes to make and everybody went wild for them. Thank you!
Love it! Glad everyone enjoyed 🙂
Can I use regular oil instead of coconut oil and butters?
Unfortunately no, but you could try leaving out the coconut oil completely if your peanut butter is nice and drippy!
The peanut butter ratio is way too much. I followed the recipe to the T and it came soggy. Very disappointed.
That’s never happened to me, especially if you use brown rice krispies!
Thank you for this amazing recipe! They remind me of the scotcheroos I ate as a kid (but much healthier). We went a little overboard with the flaky sea salt, but is that really ever a problem? 🙂 Definitely going on the “make again SOON” list!
Absolutely! And love the flaky sea salt 🙂 glad you enjoyed!
I found I needed to add more rice crisps than specified in the recipe. also more chocolate needed melting in order to cover the whole top.
These taste excellent!
Did you use brown rice krispies? Usually they have a bit more substance then regular rice krispies! Noted on the chocolate, if you use chocolate chips then you likely will not have enough because they are thicker — I suggest a chocolate bar, It’s what I always use and it melts over the top perfectly!
What type of brown rice cereal do you use, or where can I find it?
I usually get it at Whole Foods!
These are delish and so easy! I used butter instead of coconut oil (mostly because it was slightly easier and I was being lazy) and the rice krispies cereal from Trader Joe’s which are extra puffy and crunchy and YES – so good! Definitely making again!
Perfect! So glad you loved them!
Delicious! I love that this is an alternative to a Rice Krispie treat and isn’t overly sweet. I had trouble finding the brown Rice Krispie cereal but was able to get it at Sprouts. Highly recommend!
Absolutely! The perfect healthy treat 🙂
I made these today with almond butter, 4 cups of chocolate gluten free crispy rice cereal, only 1/4 cup of maple syrup and 2 TB coconut oil. I used a cookie sheet with sides (lined with parchment) and put them in the freezer. After about 45 minutes I took them out, cut the sheet of crispy rice treats in half down the middle and spread one pint of coffee coconut ice cream (slightly soft) on the one side, placing the other side on top and squishing it down a bit to make it stick. I put it back in the freezer for 30 minutes and then took it out and cut into squares for crispy rice treat ice cream sandwiches! The remaining pieces can be put in a freezer bag for another day. Super good and the varieties are endless!
Wow that sounds amazing!! I’ll have to try the ice cream sandwich version next 🙂
OMG! Thank you for bringing back a favorite in a healthy “ I want to eat this, right now” treat from childhood. I used honey and added a few dashes of cinnamon and grass fed butter, due to a coconut allergy. What can I say? The husband liked them so much the first time I made them, he requested them again today. All my thanks for creating this recipe and sharing it. Keep up the positive vibes of making delicious and nutritious treats. 😁
You bet! I’m glad those little swaps worked out well 🙂
This is my favourite quick dessert recipe. So quick it is dangerous, you will want to make it every week ha! I don’t put the collagen powder but the rest I follow to the T. I use organic brown rice crisps and it is absolutely delicious. I have also tried it with almond butter and it is just as good. You cannot be disappointed with this recipe 🙂
Amazing! So happy you love them 🙂