Healthy Peanut Butter Rice Crispy Treats
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These Healthy Rice Crispy Treats are loaded with peanut butter and chocolate chips, naturally sweetened with maple syrup, and marshmallow-free. Made with only 7 feel-good ingredients, they’re an easy no-bake treat to share with your family, friends, and kids.
Why you’ll love this family favorite recipe!
Healthy twist on a classic – These bars put a healthier twist on rice crispy squares, thanks to all-natural peanut butter, natural sweeteners, and zero marshmallows.
Only 7 ingredients – And I bet you have all or most of them in your pantry right now!
Great for kids and adults – My daughter and I will always split one of these bars for a midday pick-me-up or during dessert. 🥰
Table of Contents
I originally shared these Healthy Peanut Butter Rice Crispy Treats as an email-only recipe, but they were so good that I just had to give them a permanent spot on the blog!
Without the marshmallows or funky ingredients, these are far from the sugary rice krispie squares we ate as kids. Instead, I kept things simple and wholesome, using staples like peanut butter, maple syrup, honey, and crispy rice cereal.
They’re seriously so easy to make that they might just put you in the mood to make even more healthy dessert bars! You’ll have to try my no bake chocolate pretzel bars and my healthy pecan pie bars next.
Healthy Rice Crispy Treat Ingredients
Peanut butter – Opt for all-natural peanut butter with only peanuts and salt listed in the ingredients. Smooth peanut butter from a fresh jar is always best! It’s easier to mix with the rest of the ingredients, and you won’t end up with dry chunks of peanut butter in your bars.
Honey – I originally tested these without honey, but they didn’t hold together as well. If you need a substitute, use brown rice syrup instead.
Rice crispy cereal – I used the same unsweetened crispy rice cereal from my puffed rice protein bars.
This list is to provide further clarification on a few of the ingredients. See recipe card below for the full ingredient list.
Variations
- Almond butter swap – The bars will taste a little different, but all-natural almond butter will work in place of the peanut butter.
- Dairy-free option – Just use dairy-free chocolate chips to make dairy-free rice crispy treats.
- Vegan version – I didn’t love the results when I omitted the honey, but you could try using only maple syrup to make vegan rice crispy squares.
- Add protein powder – Try stirring 1 scoop of your favorite unsweetened protein powder in with the peanut butter mixture for a sweet post-workout treat!
- Not in the mood for chocolate chips? Replace them with chopped peanuts or raisins.
How to Make Healthy Peanut Butter Rice Crispy Treats
Step 1: Mix the ingredients. Stir the peanut butter, maple syrup, honey, and vanilla together in a large bowl. Add the rice crispy cereal, chocolate chips, and salt, then stir to combine.
Step 2: Chill. Transfer the rice crispy mixture to a prepared pan. Place it in the freezer until the bars have hardened.
Step 3: Slice and serve. Slice into bars, then serve and enjoy!
Erin’s Tips and Tricks
- To help the rice crispy squares stick together, really pack them firmly into the pan by pressing them down with the back of a spatula.
- It’s best if you leave the bars in the freezer for at least 30 minutes before slicing. On hot days, I usually give them an hour or so.
- This recipe makes 9 large bars or 16 small bars, depending on how you slice them.
My Pro Tip
Top With Melted Chocolate
You can make your peanut butter rice crispy bars taste like a peanut butter cup by melting 1/2 cup of chocolate chips with 1 tablespoon of coconut oil, then spreading it on top of the bars before freezing.
Storage
Refrigerator: Store the bars in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Freezer: Or keep them in the freezer for up to 1 month. Thaw them on the kitchen counter for about 30 minutes before serving.
More Healthy Sweet Treats
If you made this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and star rating below. Thanks!
Healthy Peanut Butter Rice Crispy Treats
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-natural peanut butter
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp vanilla
- Pinch salt
- 3 ¼ cups rice crispy cereal
- ⅓ cup mini chocolate chips
Instructions
- In a large bowl, stir the peanut butter, maple syrup, honey, and vanilla together. Then, pour in the rice crispy cereal, chocolate chips and salt and use a rubber spatula to stir to combine.
- Line an 8×8 pan with parchment paper, leaving a 1″ overhang for easy removal, then spray the sides of the pan with nonstick spray. Transfer the rice crispy mixture into the pan, using the spatula to smooth out the top.
- Place the pan in the freezer for at least 30 minutes to allow the bars to harden. Remove, slice into 9 large bars or 16 smaller bars and enjoy! Store bars in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Notes
Nutrition
