These chocolate peanut butter rice crispy bars boast everything you would expect from the name — they’re crispy and chewy with loads of peanut butter and chocolate flavour. Perhaps best of all, they’re ridiculously easy to make with just 6 ingredients and about 15 minutes needed.
What’s more, these peanut butter rice crispy squares are no bake — other than toasting the almonds which you can do in a pan if you prefer. You’ll want to keep this recipe on hand for those moments when you need a dessert but can’t be bothered to turn on your oven.
They have a wonderful textural combination of chew and crunch all in one bite.
And for even more no bake recipes, don’t miss my no bake chocolate fridge cake and no bake chocolate peanut butter cheesecake too.
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Ingredients
Jump to the recipe for full ingredients and instructions.
- Puffed rice cereal: The base layer of your chocolate peanut butter rice crispy bars comes together with puffed crispy rice cereal, like Rice Bubbles or Rice Krispie cereal. It doesn’t matter which brand you choose — you can use your favourite.
- Peanut butter: I use creamy peanut butter, not the natural peanut butter that comes with the oil separated that you need to mix in. You can use natural but make sure the oil is completely mixed in and, as it is a looser consistency than creamy peanut butter, cut it down by 2 tablespoons. You’ll also want to stick to either honey or golden syrup. Maple syrup won’t work as well in the same quantity as it’s much more liquidy. You can use maple syrup though if using creamy peanut butter. Phew! You could also swap the peanut butter for Biscoff spread/cookie butter if you’d like. You can also use other nut butters like almond butter or cashew butter but again, stick to one of the thicker syrups like honey.
- Almonds: Take the extra time to toast the almond slivers. It brings out their natural nutty flavour — so good.
- Golden syrup: Popular in the UK and here in Australia, golden syrup is basically a sugar syrup. While I like to use golden syrup (it adds the sweetness required plus a slightly caramelly flavor), honey also works perfectly, providing a lovely honey flavour. You could use maple syrup instead, but remember my notes on PB choice as it relates to your preferred sweetener above! Rice malt syrup will also work.
- Dark chocolate: I like dark chocolate best… it pairs so wonderfully with the peanut butter and almonds. That said, you can use semi-sweet chocolate or milk chocolate instead. I like to use bar chocolate but you can use dark chocolate chips if you prefer.
- Sea salt flakes: A little sea salt elevates the peanut butter rice crispy squares, but you can leave the pinch off the top if you prefer. Don’t leave it out of the PB mixture though!
They’re naturally gluten-free too and if you’d like to make them vegan, swap the chocolate for a vegan alternative and use golden syrup, rice malt syrup or maple syrup in place of honey. Also, just double-check the PB label – most are vegan but always best to check the ingredients first.
How to make peanut butter rice crispy treats
My chocolate peanut butter rice crispy bars are no-bake, but I do suggest taking the time to toast the almond slivers before getting started. You can do so well in advance so you don’t need to worry about turning on your oven the day you plan to serve these or you can toast them in a dry pan over medium heat instead.
You will need to melt the peanut butter and sweetener together, but otherwise, no actual cooking or baking is required. Great news if you plan on making peanut butter chocolate rice crispy bars for a party.
Jump to the recipe for full ingredients and instructions.
1. Toast the almonds
Place the slivered almonds on a baking tray with parchment paper and toast at 180°C/350°F for about 6-7 minutes until golden. Roughly chop them, then transfer to a bowl along with the puffed rice. You can also toast them in a dry pan on the stovetop. Do it over medium heat, tossing regularly until turning golden then tip them out of the pan as soon as they’re the right colour.
2. Make the peanut butter mixture
Place the peanut butter, syrup (or honey), and salt in a medium saucepan and heat over medium-low until fully combined. Stir as you go so nothing sticks. It should become loose — not runny.
3. Combine with the puffed rice
Pour the peanut butter mixture over the puffed rice and almonds and mix until it’s all evenly coated. Keep turning the bowl and mixing with a spatula until all of the rice puffs and nuts are covered.
Place the peanut butter and puffed rice mixture into your prepared baking pan or baking dish and press it firmly down into an even layer. Set aside.
4. Add the chocolate & chill
Place the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and melt in 30-second bursts, stirring well after each one. It should take between 1-2 minutes max.
Pour the chocolate over the puffed rise and smooth with a spatula. Sprinkle with the rest of the almonds and sea salt flakes.
Chill for an hour or two or until the chocolate is set. Slice, serve, and enjoy!
Tips and tricks
- Take the time to prep, and this recipe will move even more quickly. Toast the almonds and line the baking tray with parchment paper. This ensures everything is ready for assembly — and your peanut butter rice crispy squares will be chilled before you know it.
- When combining the peanut butter, sweetener, and salt, stir continuously as it heats. This will prevent burning and help to combine everything thoroughly, giving you a smooth and consistent mixture to add to the puffed rice.
- Use a firm touch when you press the puffed rice and PB mixture into your baking tray. Your chocolate peanut butter rice krispie bars will hold their shape better and keep them from crumbling when sliced.
- For neat slices, heat a sharp knife in boiling water or gently with a kitchen torch until hot. Press it into the surface of the chocolate just until it hits the peanut butter and rice layer. Make a grid of 16 bars, wiping and reheating your knife as you go. Then, wipe off the knife a final time and use it to cut through the rice layer. This way, you’ll get perfectly portioned chocolate peanut butter rice crispy bars.
FAQs
If you find that your peanut butter and puffed rice mixture isn’t sticking together, you likely didn’t add enough puffed rice or you didn’t mix it thoroughly enough so that everything is evenly coated.
I typically chill the bars for at least 1 hour, or until the chocolate topping is set. If you prefer a firmer texture, you can leave them in the fridge for 2 hours. As with any no-bake recipe, the longer you leave your PB rice crispy bars to set, the better they hold their shape and the longer the flavours have a chance to meld.
Storing
If you plan to enjoy the peanut butter chocolate rice krispie bars within a few days, you can store them in an airtight container at room temperature. For longer storage — or if you live in a warmer climate — it’s best to refrigerate your bars. Here they will keep for up to 1 week.
You can also freeze these your rice krispy treats if you’d like. Wrap individual bars or the entire batch tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil and place in a freezer-safe bag. They will last in the freezer for up to 3 months. For the best results, let them thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
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Did you try these peanut butter chocolate rice crispy bars? Show it some love in the comments below.
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Ingredients
- 3 ½ cups puffed rice cereal (like rice bubbles/rice krispies) (105g/~3 ¾ oz)
- ½ cup slivered almonds or blanched almonds
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter not natural, notes 2
- ½ cup golden syrup or honey or maple syrup, notes 2
- 180 g dark chocolate, roughly chopped or semi-sweet chocolate (1 cup-ish/~6 ½ oz)
- ½ teaspoon sea salt flakes
For best results, always weigh ingredients where a weight is provided
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
Instructions
- Line an 8 inch square baking pan with baking paper.
- Toast the almonds on a separate baking tray in a preheated 180C/350F oven for 6-7 minutes or in a dry pan over medium heat making sure to toss regularly – until golden. Roughly chop them, then transfer all but 1 tablespoon to a large bowl with the puffed rice.
- In a medium pan combine the peanut butter, syrup or honey and all but a pinch of the salt. Heat over low-medium stirring until fully combined. It will loosen but won’t become runny.
- Mix with the puffed rice mixture really well until it’s all evenly coated. Keep turning and mixing until all the rice puffs are covered.
- Press it firmly into the prepared baking pan. Set aside.
- Melt the chocolate in a bowl in the microwave in 30 second increments, stirring well after each blast. This should take no more than 1 1/2 -2 minutes maximum.
- Pour then spread the chocolate over the puffed rice mixture then sprinkle over the reserved almonds and sea salt flakes.
- Chill for an hour or two until the chocolate is set.
- To slice neatly, heat a sharp knife in boiling water or gently with a kitchen blow torch and press it to the surface of the chocolate just until it cuts through to the rice. Make a grid like this all over the chocolate layer into 16 squares, wiping and reheating the knife as needed. Wipe off the knife and cut down through the puffed rice portion.
- Please take a moment to leave a comment & rating. It’s appreciated and so helpful.
Notes
- Tablespoons: I use a standard Australian 20ml tablespoon (equal to 4 teaspoons). Check yours before measuring.
- This recipe is created with creamy peanut butter, not natural peanut butter. As natural peanut butter is runnier than creamy, cut the amount down by about 2 tablespoons and stick to honey or golden syrup (not maple syrup).
- Nutrition details are approximate only – scroll below the recipe to find the full nutritional information.
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