Want an easy after-school snack to make for your kiddos? Try these chocolate peanut butter rice krispie treats! Made with just a handful of common pantry ingredients, this recipe is comes together with minimal fuss. No marshmallows and no butter necessary!
Ingredient Notes
Here’s a photo of all the ingredients you’ll need, along with selected ingredient notes:
- Chocolate chips – There are quite a few varieties of dairy free chocolate chips on the market these days. My two favorites are Enjoy Life dark chocolate morsels and Guittard extra dark chocolate chips (note: amazon affiliate links; I earn a commission on purchases). Both of these are soy free too! Keep in mind that some brands, like Guittard, have other varieties that are *not* dairy free, so be sure to check the labels to ensure you’re choosing the right option.
- Crispy rice cereal – You can use Rice Krispies or any store-brand version. You can also use puffed rice or puffed millet cereal if you prefer.
- Peanut butter – I prefer natural peanut butter for this recipe, which are made with just peanuts and salt. Teddie’s or Smucker’s Natural are my go-to options. However, you can use conventional peanut butter if that’s all you have on hand.
Instructions
You’ll find the full recipe amounts and instructions in the recipe card below, but here’s a helpful overview with photos and tips.
Start by putting the peanut butter, honey, coconut oil, and vanilla in a large pot. Heat over low heat, stirring often with a wooden spoon.
When it’s all combined, turn off the heat and add the rice cereal. Stir well until it’s fully coated.
Pour the rice cereal into a greased 8×8 dish. Press it down with the back of the wooden spoon firmly and evenly throughout the dish.
Melt the dairy free chocolate chips in a bowl using the microwave. The key is to do this in short intervals to avoid burning the chocolate. Use 30-second intervals, and stir between each one. It should only take 2-3 intervals to fully melt the chocolate.
Drizzle the melted chocolate over the peanut butter rice krispies.
Now pop that in the fridge for about 30 minutes, then cut into bars. You can make 12 smaller bars or 9 larger squares – the choice is yours!
Dig in and enjoy that sweet treat.
Recipe FAQ
Here are some common questions that may come up as you’re preparing this recipe:
Store in an airtight container or ziptop bag in the fridge for up to a week.
Regular rice krispies are not vegan, as they contain animal-derived Vitamin D3. However you may be able to find a vegan store-brand version – you’ll need to look at the labels. If you do locate one, you can make this vegan by swapping out the honey for maple syrup.
Allergens in this Recipe
Disclaimer: Always double check ingredients and labels yourself prior to making a recipe. While I try to check all ingredients for allergens, there’s always the chance I may miss something, or manufacturer formulations can change.
As written, this recipe is dairy free, egg free, and soy free (provided your ingredient choices fit these needs – double check the cereal and chocolate chips).
This recipe does contain nuts (in the peanut butter).
Most crispy rice cereal does not contain wheat, however, note that some brands (for example, name brand Rice Krispies) do contain malt flavor derived from barley, and as such, are NOT gluten free. Some people with wheat allergies are allergic to the specific gluten protein, and obviously anyone with celiac can not consume gluten. You will want to exercise caution using a rice cereal that fits your needs. There are several generic brands of rice cereal that may be safe if you cannot consume gluten; check labels to see what fits your needs.
More Peanut Butter Treats
If you’re looking for more delicious snacks and desserts using peanut butter, be sure to give one of these a try:
- 4-ingredient peanut butter cookies
- Chocolate peanut butter crinkle cookies
- Banana peanut butter freezer pie
- Banana peanut butter breakfast bars
I hope you enjoy this recipe! If you get a chance to try it, please leave a recipe rating or comment below.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup natural peanut butter
- ⅓ cup honey (or maple syrup)
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- ½ tsp vanilla extract (optional but adds flavor; imitation is fine)
- 3 cups crispy rice cereal
- ¾ cup dairy-free dark chocolate (i.e. Enjoy Life, see notes)
- ⅛ tsp coarse sea salt (optional)
Instructions
-
Grease an 8×8 baking dish with a little coconut oil and set aside for now.
-
Add the peanut butter, honey, coconut oil, and vanilla to a large pot over low heat. Stir often with a wooden spoon until the ingredients are fully combined.
-
Remove from heat and add the rice cereal. Stir until all the cereal is coated with the peanut butter mixture.
-
Pour the cereal mixture into the prepared 8×8 dish. Press down with the back of the wooden spoon to spread the mixture evenly into the dish.
-
Place the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe dish. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until the chocolate is fully melted (it should only take 2-3 intervals).
-
Drizzle the melted chocolate over the cereal mixture in the baking dish and spread somewhat evenly. Sprinkle on the coarse salt (if using).
-
Refrigerate for 30 minutes, until the mixture is firm and can be cut into bars. Enjoy! Store bars in the fridge.
Recipe Notes
- This recipe uses enough chocolate for a thin layer on top. If you’d like a thicker chocolate layer on top, double the amount of chocolate for the topping.
- This recipe makes 9 large squares or 12 smaller treats. The nutrition analysis below is based on a large square. Dividing into 12 smaller treats will result in fewer calories and less sugar per treat.
Nutrition analysis (approximate per serving): 290 calories, 19 g fat, 7.5 g saturated fat, 135 mg sodium, 33 g carbohydrate, 4.5 g fiber, 18.5 g sugar, 6.5 g protein, Vitamin D: 3%, Calcium: 2%, Iron: 16%, Potassium: 6%
Please pin this post to share with others – these are yummy! 🙂
