Chocolate peanut butter rice crispy bars star sticky, peanut buttery rice crispy treats topped with creamy chocolate. And they're SO easy to make!
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My family tears through bags of the Trader Joe's chocolate peanut butter rice crispy treats. Rather than deal with the absolutely hectic parking lot at Trader Joe's, I decided to try making my own.
The peanut butter sauce recipe for these rice crispy treats is adapted from my peanut butter popcorn. You can make it in the microwave or in a double boiler on the stovetop. And the same goes for the chocolatey coating! Choose your favorite method, and go with it. If you hate microwaves, you don't even have to yell at me. 😆
These chocolate peanut butter rice crispy bites are crisp and sticky, creamy and chocolatey on top, and so absolutely addictive! They're perfect for snacking or dessert and make a great lunch box treat, too.
💖 Why You'll Love this Recipe
- quick and easy
- sticky, peanut buttery rice crispy treats
- creamy chocolate coating
- versatile! Make them in the microwave or on the stovetop
- naturally gluten-free and soy-free
✓ Ingredients and Substitutions
- smooth peanut butter - The kind that doesn't separate at room temperature works best in this recipe. You can use chunky peanut butter, if you want peanut bits in your finished treats.
- maple syrup - You can use agave nectar or corn syrup instead, if needed.
- vegan butter - Helps the peanut butter set up more firmly, which helps the treats stay together. It also helps the chocolate become more spreadable, which is key to getting that thin layer on top. Choose soy-free, if needed. You can use coconut oil or refined coconut oil instead, if you prefer.
- crisp rice cereal - You can use Rice Krispies or any generic brand of them that you like! Make sure they're gluten-free, if needed.
- vegan chocolate chips - For topping the bars. Make sure they're soy-free, if needed.
🔪 How to Make Peanut Butter Crispy Rice Bites
Line an 8x8" square pan with parchment paper, and pour the crisp rice cereal into a large bowl. Combine the peanut butter, maple syrup, and 2 tablespoons of vegan butter in a small, microwave-safe bowl.
Heat for 1 minute, and whisk until the ingredients are well combined. If needed, heat for another 30 seconds and stir again. Then, pour it over the crisp rice cereal, tossing well to coat. For stovetop, you can melt together the peanut butter, maple syrup, and vegan butter in a double boiler instead.
Then, pour the mixture over the crisp rice cereal, and toss well to coat.
Press this mixture firmly into the lined 8x8" pan, making sure to flatten the top. You want to press it in really well, so it will stick together well. Let this chill in the freezer for 30 minutes.
When the chilling time is up, place the chocolate chips and 1 teaspoon vegan butter into a small, microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high in 30-second bursts, stirring the chocolate well in between, until it's smooth and creamy. For stovetop, melt the chocolate chips in a double boiler instead.
Drizzle the chocolate mixture over the top of the peanut butter rice crispy treats, and spread it out into a thin layer. Then, transfer the pan to the freezer to chill for another 20 minutes.
After chilling, use the parchment paper to pop the whole thing out of the pan.
Then, slice into bars or squares.
💡 Helpful Tips
- Microwaves vary, so how long you need to microwave the peanut butter and the chocolate will vary, as well.
- The vegan butter helps the peanut butter set up more firmly, which helps the treats stay together. It also helps the chocolate become more spreadable, which is key to getting that thin layer on top. You can use coconut oil or refined coconut oil instead, if you prefer.
- Don't skip the chilling times! You need to chill the rice crispy mixture before spreading on the chocolate, so you can get a nice, smooth layer of chocolate on top.
🫙 Storage Directions
Leftover chocolate peanut butter rice crispy bites will keep for up to a week in a closed container in the fridge, though I doubt they'll be around for that long!
🍴 More Chocolate Peanut Butter Recipes
📖 Recipe
🥜 Chocolate Peanut Butter Rice Crispy Bars
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Peanut Butter Rice Crispy Treats
- ¾ cup smooth peanut butter
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons vegan butter or 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 3 cups crisp rice cereal
For the Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars
- ¾ cup vegan chocolate chips
- 1 ½ teaspoons vegan butter
Instructions
Make the peanut butter rice crispy treats.
- Line an 8x8" pan with parchment paper, and pour the crisp rice cereal into a large bowl.
- Combine the peanut butter, maple syrup, and 2 tablespoons vegan butter in a small, microwave-safe bowl. Heat for 1 minute, and whisk until the ingredients are well combined. If needed, heat for another 30 seconds and stir again. Then, pour it over the crisp rice cereal, tossing well to coat. For stovetop, you can melt together the peanut butter, maple syrup, and vegan butter in a double boiler instead.
- Press this mixture firmly into the lined 8x8" pan, making sure to flatten the top. You want to press it in really well, so it will stick together well. Let this chill in the freezer for 30 minutes.
Make the chocolate coating.
- When the chilling time is up, place the chocolate chips and 1 teaspoon vegan butter into a small, microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high in 30-second bursts, stirring the chocolate well in between, until it's smooth and creamy. For stovetop, melt the chocolate chips in a double boiler instead.
- Drizzle the chocolate mixture over the top of the peanut butter rice crispy treats, and spread it out into a thin layer. Then, transfer the pan to the freezer to chill for another 20 minutes.
- After chilling, use the parchment paper to pop the whole thing out of the pan, and slice into bars or squares.
Got a question? Tried this recipe? Leave a reply!