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Home » Recipes » traditional flavors

Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats

Published: Feb 12, '22 · Modified: Feb 12, '22 · By: Beth Klosterboer · This post may contain affiliate links.

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These sweet and salty Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats will bring out the child in everyone. Each peanut butter flavored cereal treat is loaded with creamy peanut butter and just the right ratio of marshmallows and rice crispy cereal.

a stack of peanut butter rice krispie treats set on a wood cutting board set next to a small white bowl filled with creamy peanut butter all set in front of a wood slat background

In less than 10 minutes you can have an entire tray of peanut butter Rice Krispie treats to snack on.

Each cereal treat is creamy and crunchy and bursting with peanut butter flavor. If you love peanut butter as much as I do, you are definitely going to want to try this easy peanut butter rice Krispie treats recipe.

I started by making a batch of our Best Rice Krispie Treats and simply stirred in some creamy peanut butter. That's it! It's so easy.

peanut butter rice krispie treats and a bowl of creamy peanut butter

Of course, it's important that you have just the right ratio of ingredients to make the best-tasting peanut butter rice crispy bars.

Being we already had 20 people taste test over 20 versions of the traditional marshmallow cereal treat recipe to find the perfect ratio of Rice Krispies Cereal, butter, and marshmallows, all we had to do was find the perfect amount of peanut butter to add to our recipe.

Let's make rice crispy treats with peanut butter!

You will need:

Peanut Butter

  • ½ cup of peanut butter will give your cereal treats just the right amount of peanut butter flavor without making them too soft.

What peanut butter is best?

  • I prefer Jif Creamy Peanut Butter but you can use the peanut butter that is in your pantry. If you like Peter Pan, Skippy, Reese's, or even a store brand, they will all work well in this recipe.

Can I use natural peanut butter to make these peanut butter treats?

  • This recipe has been tested using natural peanut butter and it tastes great. Just be sure to stir your peanut butter really well before adding it to the recipe.

Can I use almond butter or cashew butter?

  • Yes! Any nut butter can be swapped out for peanut butter. Just note that some types of nut butter have a drier, grittier, texture which will affect the texture of your treats.

If you love peanut butter you might also like these other peanut butter recipes:

  • Peanut Butter Honey Rice Krispie Treats
  • Easy microwave peanut butter fudge
  • Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
  • Peanut Butter Cake
  • Reese's Puffs Cereal Treats

pans and bowls filled with butter, marshmallows, and rice krispies cereal ready to be turned into the BEST Rice Krispie Treats

Marshmallows

  • We found in our taste testing that the best marshmallows to use are Kraft Jet-Puffed Marshmallows. Kraft Jet-Puffed Marshmallows melt easily and they produce a nice gooey Rice Krispie Treat but they are not too sticky.
  • You can use other brands of marshmallows, but just know that the texture may be quite different. We found Kroger and Walmart brands of marshmallows are seriously sticky, hard to stir, and produce an overly chewy cereal treat.
  • Check out our Marshmallow Conversion Chart to see how many of each brand of marshmallows are in a cup.

Butter

  • We always recommend using a good quality, European-style, salted butter to make your treats. It seriously makes a huge difference in flavor! However, being the peanut butter flavor is the dominant flavor in these treats, the flavor of the butter isn't quite as important.
  • Our favorite brands of butter are President European-Style Salted Butter and Private Selection French Cream Salted Butter.
  • European-style butter has a higher cream content (less water) than an American brand of butter, making your cereal treats extra creamy!

Cereal

  • We always recommend using Kellogg's Rice Krispies Cereal because the crisp rice has just the right texture and flavor, but we also found that Kroger brand and Walmart brands taste good too.
  • We do not recommend using the Market Pantry brand from Target though, as the cereal is just too hard and crunchy.

pouring melted butter, peanut butter, and marshmallows over top of rice crispy cereal

How to make peanut butter rice crispy treats:

Stove-top Method:

  1. Begin to melt 4 tablespoons of salted butter and ½ cup of creamy peanut butter in a medium saucepan set over low heat.
  2. Stir in the marshmallows.
  3. Continue to stir frequently until about 75% of the marshmallows have melted.
  4. Then remove from the heat and continue to stir, pressing down on the marshmallows, until they have all melted.
  5. Pour over 5 cups of Rice Krispies Cereal and stir until evenly coated.
  6. Gently press into a well-buttered 8-inch or 9-inch pan.
  7. Let the cereal treats cool for at least 30 minutes before cutting.

Microwave  peanut butter rice crispy treats:

  1. Combine 4 tablespoons butter with ½ cup peanut butter and 10 ounces marshmallows in a large microwave-safe bowl.
  2. Heat in the microwave on high power for one minute.
  3. Let the bowl sit in the microwave for about a minute before removing it from the microwave.
  4. Stir, pressing down the marshmallows, until melted. This can take a minute.
  5. If the marshmallows are not all melted after stirring for a while, you can heat them for additional 15-second increments, stirring after each, until melted.
  6. Pour 5 cups of Rice Krispies Cereal into the bowl and stir until well combined.
  7. Spoon into a well-buttered 8-inch or 9-inch square pan and gently press into an even layer.
  8. Let the rice Krispie treats rest for at least 30 minutes before cutting into 16 squares.

peanut butter rice crispy treats stacked on top of each other

Large batch peanut butter treats recipe:

  • Use either method above with these quantities:
    • 6 ounces salted butter
    • ¾ cup creamy peanut butter
    • 16 ounces marshmallows
    • 7 ½ cups rice crispy cereal
  • Press into a 9" X 13" pan.

NOTES:

  • It's preferable to let your Rice Krispie treats cool for at least 30 minutes before cutting, but seriously you can cut into them right away if you just can't wait.
  • If you use a good quality non-stick pan you can skip buttering your pan. The treats will probably slide right out.
  • You can also use cooking spray, but I personally prefer the flavor of butter on the cereal treats.
  • Speaking of butter, it is always good to butter your spatula or spoon too so that the gooey marshmallows don't stick.
  • You'll notice in the video below that I butter my hands then press the cereal treats into the pan using my hands.
  • For more tips and tricks for making cereal treats be sure to check out our Cereal Treat FAQ page.

How to store cereal treats.

  • It's best to store your Rice Krispie treats in an airtight container at room temperature.
  • Your treats will taste best if eaten within a few days, but honestly, they will still taste great a week or even two weeks after you make them. I've actually left rice Krispie treats in an airtight container for up to a month and they still tasted good.
  • The treats will lose a little bit of their crunchiness over time but they're still pretty darn tasty!

Can they be frozen?

  • Yes! Just be sure to wrap the treats really well in non-stick tin foil or wax paper before placing them in a freezer bag or airtight container.
  • Then place them in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treat Video

 

rate the recipe

Did you make this recipe or have questions? Let me know by leaving a comment and rating the recipe below.

 

Peanut Butter Crispy Treat Recipe

peanut butter rice krispie treats and a bowl of creamy peanut butter

Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats

HowToMakeRiceKrispieTreats.com
Sweet and salty cereal treats bursting with peanut butter flavor. These 4-ingredient cereal treats can be made on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 mins
Cook Time 5 mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 16 squares
Calories 164 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 4 tablespoons European salted butter, cut into small pieces
  • ½ cup creamy peanut butter
  • 10 ounces Kraft Jet-Puffed Marshmallows
  • 5 cups Kellogg's Rice Krispies Cereal

Instructions
 

  • Begin to melt the butter and peanut butter in a medium saucepan set over low heat.
  • Add in the marshmallows and stir occasionally until about 75% melted.
  • Remove from heat and continue to stir, pressing down on the marshmallows, until completely melted.
  • Alternatively, you can melt the butter, peanut butter, and marshmallows in the microwave using bursts of high power for 1 to 1 ½ minutes.
  • Pour the melted marshmallows over the cereal and stir until well coated.
  • Gently press the cereal mixture into a buttered 8-inch or 9-inch pan.
  • Let cool for at least 30 minutes before cutting into 16 squares.

Notes

Store your peanut butter rice krispie treats in an airtight container or zip-top bag at room temperature for up to a week or wrap well in non-stick tin foil then place in a freezer zip-top bag and freeze for up to 3 months. 
Keyword peanut butter rice krispie treats

This recipe was originally published June 7, 2019. 

More Rice Crispy Squares with Peanut Butter

If you love these treats you might also like to make these other cereal treat recipes...

 peanut butter and honey rice krispie treats without marshmallows

Check out the recipe to make Honey Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats if you want a peanut butter krispies recipe made without marshmallows.

SCOTCHEROOS! The BEST recipe for peanut butter Rice Krispie Treats with a delicious chocolate butterscotch topping.

Scotcheroos are peanut butter rice Krispie treats made with karo syrup and sugar instead of marshmallows. As an added bonus the peanut butter treats have a delicious chocolate topping.

peanut butter butterscotch Rice Krispie treats recipe image

If you prefer to use marshmallows, be sure to check out our Peanut Butter Butterscotch Rice Krispie Treat Recipe. It's amazing!

the BEST chocolate peanut butter Rice Krispie Treats recipe -- easy, delicious no-bake dessert idea. #ricekrispies #chocolate #peanutbutter #ricekrispietreats #chocolatepeanutbutter #nobake #dessert #cereal treats

Love chocolate? Make chocolate peanut butter rice krispie treats.

 

peanut butter flavored cereal treats piled up on a cutting board on a white washed wood background with text overlay

More traditional flavors

  • marshmallow Honey Bunches of Oats Bars with cereal sprinkled on the table next to the treats
    Honey Bunches of Oats Bars
  • chocolate caramel rice krispie treats
    chocolate caramel rice krispie treats
  • cashew rice krispie treats made with cashew butter and roasted and salted cashews
    cashew butter Rice Krispie treats
  • stacked scotcheroos treats
    Scotcheroos
We love creating easy Rice Krispie Treats recipes to share with you and hope you find our tips and instructions helpful. ___ - Beth and Meaghan
rate the recipe Did you make this recipe and think it was great or do have any questions? Leave a comment below and rate the recipe using stars (5 stars is the best!)   

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Sarah

    May 30, 2019 at 12:50 pm

    5 stars
    Great sweet treat. I followed your recipe to the letter. Found mixing the cereal into the marshmallow mix was like mixing cement but a good workout!! I cut them after an hour in the fridge. I will be trying out your other flavoured krispy treats... so quick and easy to prep. Thank you for posting!

    Reply
    • Meaghan Mountford

      May 30, 2019 at 1:13 pm

      That's wonderful! We're so glad it worked well! Every time I have to pysch myself up for the marshmallow/cereal mixing, but I like that I'm building upper body strength :).

      Reply
  2. Ricci Johnson

    June 08, 2019 at 7:46 am

    5 stars
    These treats are the bomb diggity! I made them to bring to work and they were gone in less than 10 minutes. Everyone asked for the recipe and I told them to check out your site. I am excited to try more of your amazing cereal treat recipes. Thanks!!!

    Reply
    • HowToMakeCerealTreats

      June 10, 2019 at 10:42 am

      I am so excited to hear that your coworkers all asked for this Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats recipe! I do hope you give some of our other cereal treat recipes a try. They are all really great.

      Reply
  3. Stacy Keller

    June 12, 2019 at 9:42 pm

    Oh, yeah, now these are my kind of cereal treats. I can't wait to try this recipe.

    Reply
  4. Antonia Sears

    June 14, 2019 at 6:44 am

    5 stars
    This is now my favorite way to make rice krispie treats. I don't know why I never thought to add peanut butter, but now I don't think I'll ever make them without it. Well, not until I try more of your recipes. Then I might change my mind again!

    Reply
    • HowToMakeCerealTreats

      June 20, 2019 at 4:21 pm

      I'm happy that you love this recipe, but am sure you will find a lot more recipes to try too. The Reese's Cup Rice Krispie Treats has an amazing peanut butter flavor and I'm guessing you will enjoy that one too.

      Reply
  5. Brianna

    June 18, 2019 at 4:50 am

    5 stars
    Adding peanut butter to rice krispie treats is such a great idea and your recipe really is perfect.

    Reply
    • HowToMakeCerealTreats

      June 20, 2019 at 4:18 pm

      So glad you enjoyed these peanut butter cereal treats. I agree, that peanut butter makes them even better.

      Reply
  6. Kelly Cruz

    June 22, 2019 at 11:19 am

    5 stars
    I tried this recipe using natural peanut butter and it turned out great. I actually used freshly ground Honey Roasted Peanut butter and they tasted amazing. I highly recommend trying it!

    Reply
    • HowToMakeCerealTreats

      June 22, 2019 at 2:05 pm

      Ooh, that does sound good. I love the Honey Roasted Peanut Butter so I will definitely give this a try.

      Reply
  7. Ellen Stark

    June 25, 2019 at 7:08 pm

    5 stars
    Made these to bring to a bake sale and they were the very first desserts to sell out. People came back wanting more after they ate their treats. Next time I'll make several batches. They are so GOOD!!!

    Reply
    • HowToMakeCerealTreats

      June 27, 2019 at 11:00 am

      That is great to hear!! So glad the treats helped to make your bake sale a success.

      Reply
  8. Rachael S.

    July 02, 2019 at 6:20 pm

    I'm so excited to make these for our 4th of July picnic. They look amazing.

    Reply
    • HowToMakeCerealTreats

      July 11, 2019 at 12:06 pm

      I hope everyone at your picnic loved their peanut butter cereal treats!

      Reply
  9. Paula Buchi

    July 06, 2019 at 3:24 pm

    5 stars
    I agree with everyone else, adding peanut butter to a rice krispie treat recipe is a fabulous idea. I made these for our church group and everyone wanted the recipe. I could't lie and tell them it was my recipe so I sent them all to your site.

    Reply
    • HowToMakeCerealTreats

      July 11, 2019 at 12:07 pm

      We are very grateful that you shared this recipe with your church group and love knowing that the treats were a big hit.

      Reply
  10. Marli

    July 17, 2019 at 1:19 pm

    5 stars
    Totally agree with the other comments. These are amazing!

    Reply
  11. Mickey Nes

    July 29, 2019 at 2:45 pm

    5 stars
    These are the best cereal treats ever!

    Reply
  12. Willma Russel

    August 02, 2019 at 7:32 am

    5 stars
    I'd never added peanut butter to a rice krispie treat before and have to say that I loved them! So did everyone how tried them. I'm not sure I'll make plain cereal treats again.

    Reply
  13. Miki Carrington

    October 17, 2019 at 9:37 am

    5 stars
    I'm so full! I ate half the pan of these peanut butter rice krispie treats. YUM!!!!!!!!!!!

    Reply
    • HowToMakeCerealTreats

      December 17, 2019 at 7:43 pm

      HaHa! I know how you feel. These were so hard to put down. I'm glad you enjoyed them.

      Reply
  14. Blaine Rurman

    January 08, 2020 at 3:49 pm

    5 stars
    Thanks for this great recipe. I'm making my second batch already.

    Reply
    • HowToMakeCerealTreats

      January 11, 2020 at 9:07 am

      You are welcome. I'm glad you like this recipe.

      Reply
  15. Vickie

    January 13, 2020 at 5:28 am

    5 stars
    I am in love with these peanut butter cereal treats!!!! I have eaten way too many of them but I can't stop. Thank you for this fantastic recipe.

    Reply
    • HowToMakeCerealTreats

      January 13, 2020 at 12:50 pm

      Haha! I understand. These cereal treats are hard to resist.

      Reply
  16. Nareen Wooka

    February 29, 2020 at 11:41 pm

    Wrap individually in plastic wrap. Crispy treats will last, well wrapped, at room temperature for up to 4 days.

    Reply
  17. Filomena Osario

    March 15, 2020 at 6:39 pm

    5 stars
    Life can be wonderful and these treats need to be a part of everyone's life! 🙂 Kisses everyone!

    Reply
    • HowToMakeCerealTreats

      March 16, 2020 at 8:47 pm

      I totally agree!

      Reply
  18. Justine Melba

    April 16, 2020 at 4:47 am

    5 stars
    These are my new favorite cereal treats. I used Jif Creamy peanut butter and President Butter and Kellogg's Rice Krispie Cereal. So, so, yummy!

    Keep up the good work!

    Reply
    • HowToMakeCerealTreats

      April 19, 2020 at 8:27 am

      Thank you, Justine! I'm happy you enjoyed this recipe.

      Reply
  19. Celina Abercrombie

    May 05, 2020 at 11:27 pm

    5 stars
    YUM!!!

    Reply
  20. Tanja Becker

    June 09, 2020 at 11:49 am

    5 stars
    These were absolutely delish!!!

    Reply
  21. J. Redmond

    September 14, 2020 at 11:21 pm

    YUMMO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Reply
  22. Nancy Weeks

    November 18, 2020 at 7:40 pm

    5 stars
    I was looking for a quick and easy peanut butter recipe and was so happy I found this one. These treats are so yummy! I made them for my daughter who loves everything peanut butter. She loved them! She's a picky, hard-to-please, preteen, so your recipe gave me some points with her. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Beth Klosterboer

      November 19, 2020 at 8:21 am

      I am so happy that this recipe scored you some points with your daughter! I'm glad she loved the treats.

      Reply
  23. Christine Knight

    December 19, 2020 at 8:53 pm

    5 stars
    I'll never make normal treats again. Adding peanut butter makes everything taste better. Yummy!

    Reply
  24. Tiffany

    February 05, 2021 at 2:24 pm

    5 stars
    Yummm!! I’ve always loved rice crispy treats, adding peanut butter takes them to a whole new level! I will definitely be making these more often! I couldn’t even wait til they were cooled before I tried them!

    Reply
  25. Flora Murphy

    February 16, 2021 at 9:26 pm

    5 stars
    Thank you for this recipe. My kids loved these peanut buttery treats. I did too!

    Reply
  26. Aimee Adevy

    April 20, 2021 at 4:54 pm

    5 stars
    YUM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! These were so delicious. My kids couldn't get enough of them and asked me to make another batch as soon as the first batch was gone.

    Reply
  27. Stacy A.

    May 06, 2021 at 8:04 am

    5 stars
    These peanut butter rice krispie treats were delicious! I will definitely be making these again.

    Reply
  28. Stephanie Leadford

    May 15, 2021 at 1:38 pm

    5 stars
    Oh, my goodness. These peanut butter rice krispie treats are to die for! I will be making another batch this weekend and probably next weekend and the weekend after that.

    Reply
  29. Kathy Inka

    June 19, 2021 at 12:32 pm

    5 stars
    Delicious!!!!!

    Reply
  30. Tracy B.

    June 27, 2021 at 12:50 am

    5 stars
    I couldn't agree more with all the other comments. These peanut butter treats were so delicious. They had the perfect ratio of peanut butter to cereal. I'll definitely be using this recipe again.

    Reply
  31. Janice Ball

    June 28, 2021 at 2:42 am

    5 stars
    OMG, these were sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo good! Thanks for the perfect recipe.

    Reply
  32. Karina M.

    July 02, 2021 at 1:37 am

    5 stars
    I just made a batch of these to take to a picnic and am not sure how many will make it! I want to eat them all myself. They are delicious!

    Reply
  33. Charlotte Sams

    July 03, 2021 at 5:50 pm

    5 stars
    This recipe had the perfect ratio of all the ingredients. They were chewy and crispy and perfectly peanut buttery.

    Reply
    • Beth Klosterboer

      July 04, 2021 at 7:35 pm

      I'm so happy that you found perfection in this recipe!

      Reply
  34. Julia Hormel

    July 12, 2021 at 12:05 pm

    5 stars
    YUMMY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am a peanut butter freak and these treats were freaking amazing!

    Reply
  35. Doris D.

    August 20, 2021 at 5:26 pm

    I am in love with these treats!!!! So, so yummy. Thanks for the great recipe.

    Reply
  36. Alice

    September 05, 2021 at 3:50 pm

    I was looking for something different than the regular rice krispie treats... I used the Gluten Free Krispies as my family is Celiac. Such an easy treat to make for them. Thanks.

    Reply
    • Beth Klosterboer

      September 05, 2021 at 5:11 pm

      I'm so glad you and your family enjoyed the recipe using gluten-free rice crispy cereal.

      Reply
  37. Michaela B.

    December 01, 2021 at 1:45 pm

    5 stars
    OMG, these are amazing. I love peanut butter but had never added it to my rice crispy treats. I can't wait to try more of your treat flavors.

    Reply
  38. Darlene Christopher

    April 25, 2022 at 9:03 pm

    5 stars
    I never imagined a rice krispie treat could taste so good. I love the addition of the peanut butter. Yummy!

    Reply

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