As a delicious twist to an ordinary bar cookie, these easy Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats are sure to be your next family favorite.
COOK + BAKE | March 11, 2019
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I'm pretty sure that most of us can think back to our childhood years and recall favorite cookies that our mothers or grandmothers seemed to whip up on a moments notice. Recipes that are still our favorites today, even if they aren't made on a regular basis as they once were. The flavors and smells can transport us back in time to when the biggest "problems" on our mind were how we were going to convince our parents into buying us the latest Barbie doll.
One such memorable cookie recipe for me is for Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats.
SOME MORE FAMILY FAVORITE COOKIE RECIPES YOU MIGHT ENJOY
This post may contain affiliate links which means I receive a small commission if you choose to make a purchase using the link, but there is no additional cost to you. For more information, you can view my disclosure policy.
Marshmallow, the common ingredient in Rice Krispie treats, is not a favorite flavor of mine. (The lack of marshmallow flavor is why I love my mom's peanut butter fudge so much.)
But I can remember my mom stirring at the stove preparing the sugar and corn syrup "sauce" that would be mixed with peanut butter rather than marshmallows to form these delicious cookies.
While I now realize that this was not a recipe that my mom created just for me, at the time, I felt like I was the luckiest girl ever to have a mom that found a way that allowed me to still be able to enjoy Rice Krispie treats.
When I was thinking about some of my favorite cookie recipes to share here recently, these popped into my mind.
This was the first time I've ever prepared them, so I was a little nervous that it was a complicated process or that I'd mess them up. And while you do have to work pretty quickly once you add the peanut butter sauce to the cereal, there really is nothing to be scared of. Sometimes I think we can get intimidated by just the thought of preparing different recipes, but you're never going to know how you will do until you try.
Before we get into the recipe, I just wanted to point out a few tips.....
A FEW TIPS FOR MAKING PEANUT BUTTER RICE KRISPIE TREATS
- Because of the peanut butter, these Rice Krispie treats get harder than the marshmallow version. They are easiest to cut into bar shapes about ten minutes after preparing them before they really have a chance to set up.
- Also, these treats may get hard after a few days even if they are stored in an airtight container. But if you find that this happens, just stick the cookie in the microwave for five to ten seconds before you eat it and everything will soften again.
- And the chocolate drizzle on the top is a nice touch, but completely optional. As a blogger, I always feel the need to "do something special" whether it is to make it look pretty or more interesting. The chocolate flavor mixes well with the peanut butter, but the cookies are just as good without it.
Enough talking. Now let's get down to how you can create these bar cookies yourself!
STEP 1: Put the Rice Krispies into a very large bowl and set aside. Lightly spray a 9x13 inch pan with cooking spray.
STEP 2: Combine the sugar and syrup in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the mixture comes to a boil, and then continue stirring as the mixture boils for one minute.
STEP 3: Remove the pan from the heat and add the peanut butter. Stir it in until fully mixed.
STEP 4: Pour the peanut butter mixture over the cereal, quickly mixing until all the cereal is completely coated with the sugary sauce.PEANUT BUTTER RICE KRISPIE TREATS
Makes about 18 bar cookies
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup light corn syrup
- 1 cup peanut butter (I prefer Jif brand)
- 6 cups Rice Krispies
- about 6 ounces of chocolate chips, optional
HOW TO MAKE PEANUT BUTTER RICE KRISPIE TREATS
STEP 1: Put the Rice Krispies into a very large bowl and set aside. Lightly spray a 9x13 inch pan with cooking spray.
STEP 2: Combine the sugar and syrup in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the mixture comes to a boil, and then continue stirring as the mixture boils for one minute.
STEP 3: Remove the pan from the heat and add the peanut butter. Stir it in until fully mixed.
STEP 5: Spread the mixture into the prepared pan. Even the bars out by pressing the coated cereal down into the pan with the back of a spoon. If you find the spoon is sticking to the cookie, lightly spray the spoon with cooking spray.
STEP 6: If you would like to add a chocolate drizzle over the top of your Rice Krispie treats, melt about half a bag of chocolate chips in a ziploc bag in the microwave in 30 second intervals, removing and massaging the bag to remove lumps and test for readiness. When the chocolate is melted, snip a small corner off of the bag and begin squeezing it back and forth across the warm Rice Krispies.
STEP 7: Allow the bars to cool for about ten minutes, then slice into bars. A metal dough scraper works great for this with it's straight, sharp blade. The peanut butter makes these bars harder than regular marshmallow Rice Krispies, so they cut better when they are still a bit warm. STEP 8: When set and cool, store these cookies in an airtight container. If you find that the bars get too hard after a few days, place one in the microwave for 5 to 10 seconds before eating to soften the cookie.
