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CPA: Certified Pastry Aficionado

Crispy Peanut Butter Bars

bars and brownies· snacks
June 14, 2022

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Crispy Peanut Butter Bars – Marshmallow crispy rice bars with peanut butter and a chocolate layer on top

close-up of crispy peanut butter bars

Now that it’s getting so hot outside, turning the oven on just doesn’t seem like something I want to do. That’s why no-bake recipes are perfect for these hot months. My new favorite recipe is for these Crispy Peanut Butter Bars. Chewy, sweet, and salty – plus a little richness from the chocolate. What else could you want?!

I first attempted to make no-bake bars similar to these – scotcharoos. They’re similar but have corn syrup and butterscotch chips in addition to peanut butter and chocolate. They are way too sweet in my opinion. I wanted something a little more balanced and these Crispy Peanut Butter Bars achieve just that.

Take a look at my Crispy Peanut Butter Bars!

cut crispy peanut butter bars sitting on a table top with marshmallow garnish
crispy peanut butter bars stacked on eachother
overhead shot of cut crispy bars on a tabletop

How to make these bars

These chewy bars are made just like rice crispy treats, just with a peanut butter added to the marshmallow mix and chocolate spread over the top of the bars when they’re in the pan.

To start, the butter is melted with the peanut butter and then the marshmallows are added. They’re mixed together until the marshmallows are melted. The butter is super important in this recipe because it keeps the marshmallow from being too sticky.

Next, the mixture is removed from the heat and the cereal is added and stirred in the pot until combined. Then, the mixture is pressed into the pan to form the bars. Melted milk chocolate is smoothed over the top. The bars are left to sit until the chocolate firms up, about 2 hours. Then, the bars will be ready to cut.

Tips and Tricks

  1. Do not overheat. Make sure not to overheat the marshmallows or they could caramelize and turn brown. Heat just until they melt into the peanut butter.
  2. Cool before cutting. Make sure the chocolate is cooled completely before cutting the bars to ensure a clean cut. Otherwise, the chocolate will get everywhere and create an awful mess.
Print Recipe

Crispy Peanut Butter Bars

Prep Time15 minutes mins
Cooling time2 hours hrs
Servings: 16 bars

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons butter unsalted
  • ¾ cup peanut butter
  • 10 ounces mini marshmallows
  • 6 cups crispy rice cereal
  • 8 ounces milk chocolate chopped

Instructions

  • Spray a 9×13 pan with nonstick spray. Set aside. In a large pot, melt butter and peanut butter together. Add marshmallows and stir constantly until smooth. Remove from heat and add cereal. Stir until cereal and peanut butter mixture is combined.
  • Pour mixture into greased pan and press down firmly into one even layer. In a microwave safe bowl, place chopped milk chocolate. Microwave in 30 second increments until smooth, stirring after each one. Pour over the peanut butter cereal in the pan. Using an offset spatula, spread into a thin, even layer.
  • Let the bars cool completely before cutting, about 2 hours. The cut into 16 even bars. Store in a covered storage container for up to 3 days.

Pin for later:

More recipes you’ll love:

Reese’s Crispy Cereal Bars
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Churro Marshmallow Bites
bowl of Churro Marshmallow Bites in a bowl with a bite out of one of them
Crispy S’mores Bars
slices of crispy smores bars on parchment paper with a marshmallow and golden graham next to it, shot from overhead

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20 Comments

« Oatmeal Brookie Bars
Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie »

Comments

  1. JenL says

    August 12, 2024 at 1:52 am

    My mom used to make these, snd I continue to at 65yrs because they are so good. She used to make the topping with semisweet choc chips blended with butterscotch chips, but I sometimes make with just straight semisweet as I like the contrast with the peanut butter. My adult kids tend to prefer them without any topping, just the pb rice krispie base. Thanks for reminding me to make some!

    Reply
  2. Freya says

    June 19, 2022 at 3:04 pm

    I love any cereal based treat but this is my new favourite! Quick and simple to make, but so much flavour!

    Reply
  3. Katie Crenshaw says

    June 19, 2022 at 2:16 pm

    These were so easy to make and turned out perfect! I loved the chocolate and peanut butter combination. My family loved them too.

    Reply
  4. Amanda says

    June 19, 2022 at 9:46 am

    These bars were fantastic! I just love chocolate and peanut butter together, and they were great in this recipe. Already looking forward to making these again!

    Reply
  5. Tristin says

    June 18, 2022 at 11:45 pm

    The chocolate on these peanut butter bars completely elevated them to a whole new level! YUM!!

    Reply
  6. Natalie says

    June 17, 2022 at 6:23 am

    I love making your desserts Sharon. These peanut butter bars were perfect to bake with my kids. Thank you!

    Reply
  7. LaKita says

    June 16, 2022 at 2:31 pm

    OMG, you had me at chocolate and peanut butter with this dessert recipe! So crispy and delicious, they did not last long in my house because everyone loved them!

    Reply
  8. veenaazmanov says

    June 15, 2022 at 8:57 pm

    Looks crispy and Peanut Butter makes it unique. Looks like my snack box or dessert box for the week is ready.

    Reply
  9. Tisha says

    June 15, 2022 at 5:47 pm

    These are one of my favorite snacks!

    Reply
  10. Amanda Mason says

    June 15, 2022 at 11:17 am

    These are so much better than traditional rice krispy treats and so easy to make! My kiddos loved them!

    Reply
  11. Helen Little says

    June 15, 2022 at 9:15 am

    Absolutely yummy! My kids will love these, if they get them before I do!

    Reply
  12. Julie says

    June 14, 2022 at 8:38 pm

    I made these for my boys and they loved them!!! So crispy and the perfect amount of peanut butter. We loved them.

    Reply
  13. Cam says

    June 14, 2022 at 6:50 pm

    These peanut butter bars take me back to my childhood, my mom used to make something very similar but this one is so much better!

    Reply
  14. Amber Myers says

    June 14, 2022 at 6:17 pm

    These are some of my favorite kind of bars. I haven’t made them in ages so I will have to!

    Reply
  15. Amy says

    June 14, 2022 at 5:30 pm

    These were so good! Just what I needed to curb my pb & chocolate cravings!

    Reply
  16. Colleen says

    June 14, 2022 at 4:47 pm

    This recipe takes rice krispie treats to the next level. I can’t wait to try this delicious looking version.

    Reply
  17. Dannii says

    June 14, 2022 at 4:45 pm

    You had me at peanut butter. Even better with chocolate on. These look amazing.

    Reply
  18. Kathleen says

    June 14, 2022 at 4:11 pm

    Give me all the peanut butter treats like these bars. You can’t beat a good pb, marshmallow and chocolate snack, yummy!

    Reply
  19. Heather says

    June 14, 2022 at 4:04 pm

    Such a great easy treat for summer! And who doesn’t move peanut butter and chocolate… can’t wait to try!

    Reply
  20. Mimi says

    June 14, 2022 at 3:44 pm

    This looks delicious! I need to give it a go over the weekend

    Reply

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Hi, my name is Sharon. I’m an accountant by day, risk-taking baker and food enthusiast by night. Come join me as I share my favorite recipes and test out new ones along the way!

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