Chocolate PB lovers, this one is for you. These chocolate peanut butter Rice Krispie treats are gooey, chocolatey, packed with puddles of peanut butter cups, and small batch for just 6 servings! Plus, this recipe is ridiculously easy and no-bake, so you can have dessert ready in under 30 minutes.
It's only May, and it's already hot as hell, which is making me a real grump. So much so that all I can handle doing is sitting in the air conditioning, watching Real Housewives reruns, and making no-bake treats. (Cause obviously, I'm not turning on the oven.)
Even though I literally went to pastry school to learn how to bake, I love a no-bake dessert. Some of my favorites are small batch chocolate peanut clusters or these ridiculously good cinnamon toast crunch marshmallow treats. But lately, I've been on a big chocolate peanut butter kick, and that's where these bars come in!
This recipe is based on my classic small batch Rice Krispies treats. But, I added a big scoop of creamy PB and added a handful of mini peanut butter cups for a little treat. But if you like a chocolate topping, you could totally elevate these using the directions from my chocolate-covered rice crispy treats!
Mini PB cups
A lot of recipes use chocolate chips for that chocolatey factor. And you totally can! But I like peanut butter cups because they have extra peanut butter, and the chocolate stays nice and melty.
Feel free to use any mini PB cups you like here. I love the ones from Trader Joe's, but classic Reese's are good too. Regular cups also work, just chop them into bite-sized pieces!
How to make them
Don't pack the Rice Krispie mixture into the pan, or the bars will come out dense. For light and chewy bars, you want to gently press the mixture together. It won't be perfectly even, but that's fine!
Storing the bars
Place any leftover bars in an airtight container for up to 3 days. They will start to get hard after a few days, so I like to eat them sooner rather than later!
When it comes to small-batch baking, I always recommend using a scale to measure the ingredients. If you don't have a scale, here are all my tips on how I measure ingredients for small batch baking.
If you try this recipe, I would love if you left a star rating and review. I read every comment and love hearing what you think about my recipes. Thanks so much for supporting Midnight Bake Club!
No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats (Small Batch!)
Equipment
- Medium skillet
- 1 loaf pan
- Parchment paper
Ingredients
- 30 grams unsalted butter (2 Tablespoons)
- 65 grams creamy natural peanut butter (¼ cup)
- 180 grams mini marshmallows more for mixing in (3 ½ cups)
- Pinch of Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 75 grams puffed rice cereal like Rice Krispies (3 cups)
- 85 grams mini peanut butter cups roughly chopped (½ cup)
Instructions
- Grease a loaf pan with butter or baking spray. Line the pan with parchment paper and set aside for later.
- Then, melt the butter and peanut butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Stir often, just until the mixture is completely smooth.
- Add the mini marshmallows to the peanut butter mixture. Stir the marshmallows constantly, just until they're melted and well-combined with the peanut butter. Mix in the salt and vanilla extract.
- Remove the pan from the heat and add the puffed rice cereal. Stir until everything is well-combined. Then, add the mini peanut butter cups and a handful of mini marshmallows, and fold just a few more times until they're well distributed. Don't mix it too much, or the peanut butter cups will completely melt.
- Using a greased rubber spatula, gently press the mixture evenly into the prepared loaf pan. Then, let the bars set at room temperature or in the fridge for 20-30 minutes. Use the parchment paper to remove the treats from the pan. Slice into 6 bars and enjoy!
Did you make this recipe? I'd love to hear what you think!