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Peanut Butter Rice Krispies Treats (+Video)

Peanut Butter Rice Krispies Treats are the ultimate childhood favorite. This recipe is special because it keeps the treats gooey and soft!

PERFECT GOOEY PEANUT BUTTER TREAT

My Mom is a peanut butter nut (pun intended!) She loves peanut butter cookies and of course, she couldn’t pass up the chance to put peanut butter in Rice Krispies treats. When you grow up eating things a certain way, you just become accustomed to it. So now, this is the only way I like to eat them. I think my particular recipe for these is the absolute perfect balance between chewy and crunchy and peanut butter.

pictured: stacked peanut butter Rice Krispies bar on parchment paper with mini marshmallows scattered around them

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

Can I use other cereals with this recipe?

I have made this recipe with the store brand cereal, marshmallows, butter and peanut butter and these treats still turn out delicious. You do not need to use name brand. Also, Cocoa Krispies work perfectly with this recipe too!

What if I want a thicker bar?

If you prefer a slightly thicker bar, use an 8×8 baking dish instead of a 9×13 baking dish like I do with my Fruity Pebbles Treats.

How so I store Rice Krispies treats?

As with all Rice Krispies treats, they are best eaten the day they are made.
Store in an airtight container if you don’t eat them all the same day. I like to warm them up in the microwave for about 5-10 seconds when they start getting a little stale.

Peanut Butter Rice Krispies treats recipe from The country Cook, pictured with hand holding a Rice Krispies treats bar with a bottle of milk in the background

INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (FULL RECIPE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST)

  • butter
  • mini marshmallows
  • creamy peanut butter
  • Rice Krispies cereal

HOW TO MAKE PEANUT BUTTER RICE KRISPIES TREATS:

Spray a 9″x 13″ (or 8 x 8″ for thicker bars) dish with nonstick cooking spray. In a 4 quart sauce pan, melt butter on low heat. Do this slowly, you don’t want burnt or brown butter here.

melted butter in the bottom of a white pot

Once butter has melted, keep heat on low and add mini marshmallows.

mini marshmallows added to melted butter in large pot

Once marshmallows begin to soften and melt, add peanut butter.

creamy peanut butter added to melted marshmallows and butter in a sauce pot

At this point, you will need to constantly stir the mixture so the peanut butter does not burn and the marshmallows can evenly melt (won’t take too long, about 5 minutes or so.)

completely combined, peanut butter, marshmallows and butter being stirred with a white spatula in a pot

Once, mixture is combined and melted, turn off heat and remove pan from stove.

rice Krispy cereal added to the large pot once it is removed from the heat

Add Rice Krispies cereal to sauce pan and stir until evenly coated with mixture. This is sticky stuff so do your best to get it all combined.

completely combined Rice Krispies, peanut butter, butter and marshmallows in a large pot stirred with a white spatula

Add Rice Krispies cereal to sauce pan and stir until evenly coated with mixture. This is sticky stuff so do your best to get it all combined. Pour mixture into casserole dish (it will look very loose). Spray your hand with some nonstick cooking spray and pat down the mixture until firmly compacted. 

Peanut Butter Rice Krispies Treats in a pan before being sliced

Allow 30-45 minutes for treats to set up.

CRAVING MORE RECIPES LIKE THIS? GIVE THESE A TRY!!

Peanut Butter Rice Krispies Treats

Peanut Butter Rice Krispies Treats (+Video)

Peanut Butter Rice Krispies Treats are the ultimate childhood favorite. This recipe is special because it keeps the treats gooey and soft!
4.92 from 86 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 8

Ingredients

  • 4 Tablespoons salted butter
  • 5 cups mini marshmallows
  • ½ cup creamy peanut butter
  • 5-¾ cups Rice Krispies

Instructions

  • Spray an 9"x 13" (or 8"x 8" for thicker bars) casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.
  • In a 4 quart sauce pan, melt butter on low heat. Do this slowly, you don’t want burned or brown butter here.
  • Once butter has melted, keep heat on low and add mini marshmallows.
  • Once marshmallows begin to soften and melt, add peanut butter.
  • At this point, you will need to constantly stir the mixture so the peanut butter does not burn and the marshmallows can evenly melt (won’t take too long, about 5 minutes or so).
  • Once, mixture is combined and melted, turn off heat and remove pan from stove.
  • Add rice krispy cereal to sauce pan and stir until evenly coated with mixture. This is sticky stuff so do your best to get it all combined.
  • Pour mixture into casserole dish (it will look very loose.) Spray your hand with some nonstick cooking spray and pat down the mixture until firmly compacted.
  • Allow 30-45 minutes for treats to set up.

Video

YouTube video

Notes

  • If you prefer a slightly thicker bar, use an 8×8-inch baking dish.
  • Also, for all you budget-conscious shoppers, I have made this recipe with the store brand cereal, marshmallows, butter and peanut butter and these treats still turn out delicious.
  • If you’re a Krispies treats purist, just leave out the peanut butter, they’ll still be gooey.
  • As with all Rice Krispies treats, they are best eaten the day they are made.
  • Store in an airtight container if you don’t eat them all the same day. I like to warm them up in the microwave for about 5-10 seconds when they start getting a little stale.
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Calories: 321kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 14g | Sodium: 255mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 21g

Nutritional Disclaimer

“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.

Did you make this recipe?Share it on Instagram @thecountrycook and mention us #thecountrycook!

Originally published: January 2011
Updated & republished: June 2020

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Recipe Rating




96 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I made these but put half of the rice krispey in a 9×13 pan put small miniature dresses than cover with the rest of the krispey treats so delicious.

  2. 5 stars
    thank you for sharing this recipe. This is the only way my mama made them when I was little. going to make it today for my family

  3. 5 stars
    A customer kept worrying me about making this and I never imagined peanut butter Rice Krispies☺️they are delicious. Thanks

  4. Hi Brandi!

    Sooooo how do you think these would work with truly natural peanut butter – that being ground dry roasted peanuts (no salt no sugar)? As much as I love the original the marshmallows are sweet enough without adding more “sweet” from the peanut butter.

    Deb

    1. That’s a good question. As you know the natural peanut butter is naturally much more oily. So the krispie treats may not want to set up all the way. But all we can do is give it a shot, right? I’m not sure I would add as much as I do here. Try adding a little at a time. Give it a taste & see how it’s holding up. As long as it stays sticky, you should be good!

  5. I’ve read other recipes that recommend browning the butter, but specifically said not to…is there a reason for that?

  6. 5 stars
    Great recipe! I absolutely love this layout of instructions, pictures and recipe. Thank you!

  7. 5 stars
    I have a question do you bake them in the oven. On what temperature and how long or not .thank you curious

      1. I am such a fan as well as the rest of my family,I also will use fruity dino bites minus the P.B but ooooh so good.

  8. 5 stars
    I have been making these for about a year now..(keeping the cereal and marshmallow people in business!! Lol)..but I gave them a twist. I use cocoa crisp rice cereal. Or 1/2 & 1/2, plain & cocoa.
    Everyone calls it “crack” cause they cant stop eating it! Hehe

  9. This Should be the only Completely Rite way Who in the would wouldn’t Automatically just know Peanut Butter Belongs in the Recipe as much as Snap,Crackle&Pop ..U Your Mother and My Mother just must be in the few that recognize Gooder than Good, We are Bless and Thank for the Reminder on how to get it right Hope’s are letting her taste one and memorize come back Bless you and yours

  10. 5 stars
    This was a lovely recipe – thanks so much! I made it yesterday for my husband’s (very late) Father’s Day dessert. My one change was to add the peanut butter at the same time as the marshmallows – they both just melted in together. Thank you again for a wonderful recipe – I know it’s going to be a staple in our household!

    Diana

  11. 5 stars
    I melt the butter and marshmallows in my crock pot on LOW. Takes about 45 mins. and does not burn. Then I add the cereal to the crock pot and mix until all coated. Put wax paper in a 9×13 pan and pat in the mixture. Let set and then lift paper out of pan and cut. Very easy cleanup.

    1. 5 stars
      I like the crockpot idea! I made these for a pool party, my granddaughter helped. I cut them up and put in the freezer since the party was 3 days away. Came out perfect!

  12. 5 stars
    Thanks for the idea, I didn’t follow your exact recipe but I used your idea of putting peanut butter in them. I’m glad I did, thanks.

    1. I made them with honey instead of marshmallows
      It was a big hit everyone liked them and asked for more
      It is also healthy for you. Doubled recipe 1 cup of crunchy peanut butter, 3/4 cup honey, vanilla and butter.

    2. This so true, I’ve been making them every 2 days when they run out for the last 3 weeks! They’re literally addictive lol.. I started adding less marshmallows (4 1/2 cups instead) because I don’t like them gooey.. I also add a little less peanut butter (about a spoonful less) because I don’t like them to be too peanut buttery.. they’re so good!