These super easy and healthy rice crispy treats are for peanut butter lovers and are richly topped with chocolate.
These are no-bake, no-marshmallow cereal treats that are also refined, sugar-free, and so easy to customize.
Present them in cute cupcakes, and you have the perfect crunchy sweet bite with a delicious peanut butter flavor.
Like my chocolate coconut bites or energy balls with dates, these peanut butter rice crispy treats are healthier treats, fun and easy to make, and come together in no time. Let's make them!
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Recipe Features
- This is a much healthier option than your classic Krispy treats to serve at a kid's party or as a weekend indulgence.
- Simple ingredients are used to make it all ridiculously easy.
- It's created in cupcake cups for easy handling.
- You can use Kamut puffs for a crispier, firmer texture and more wholesome flavor.
- Or use crispy rice cereal to keep it gluten-free.
- It's a no-bake treat naturally sweetened with either raw honey or brown rice syrup (to make it vegan-friendly).
- Made with crunchy peanut butter, you can easily swap it for almond butter (crunchy or creamy) or any other flavored nut butter.
- And they are deliciously topped with a dark chocolate swirl for a richer experience.
Let's make these healthy peanut butter rice crispy treats!
Ingredients, notes & substitutions
Kamut Puffs—Kamut puff cereal adds a crunchier bite and a fuller flavor. They tend to be a bit thicker than your regular (brown) rice cereal. But they are not gluten-free (see substitutions in my recipe notes).
You can find them easily in the cereal aisle. I buy mine often online or in Whole Foods. Feel free to swap with crispy rice cereal or rice puffs.
Nut butter—I usually go for salty, crunchy peanut butter. Substitute for creamy peanut butter or cashew butter. Swapping this ingredient will determine the overall flavor of your rice crispy treat.
Sweetener—if you want to keep it vegan-friendly, stick with brown rice syrup; it's sticky, but you might need an extra tablespoon because it is less sweet. Otherwise, raw honey is an excellent choice.
Dark chocolate—adding a chocolate topping is optional, but it does add a nice contrasting texture—and who doesn't love some chocolate? I love a sugar-free version (if on sale) or a very dark one with at least 70% cocoa. But you can also use semi-sweet dark chocolate chips.
Coconut Cream—A small amount helps melt the chocolate, give it a beautiful shine, and tone down its intense cocoa flavors.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Equipment
- Nope, they're not your classic rice Krispies. And I'm deviating here, too, from using a square pan or baking dish.
- Instead, you'll need a muffin pan and liner because we are shaping them into cute, crispy peanut butter cupcakes.
- The muffin pan allows the rice crispy treats to hold their shape when you firmly press down the prepared Kamut puffs or rice puffs and helps obtain a firm texture.
- Don't have a muffin pan? Use reasonably sturdy cupcake liners.
How to make healthier rice crispy treats
See the full recipe with measurements in the recipe card.
Note: if you don't use a muffin pan, place the crispy rice treats on a large cutting board to drizzle the chocolate over the cupcakes.
Take them out of the cupcake liners when ready to serve.
- They're crunchy.
- Full of delicious sweet and salty peanut flavor.
- With a touch of dark chocolate.
Topping ideas
Go for anything you like. Here are a few suggestions:
- Fine coconut shreds.
- Chopped nuts like cashews, hazelnuts, or Brazil nuts.
- Finely chopped dried fruits like apricots, apples, or pineapple.
Storage
Keep in the freezer until ready to eat for up to six weeks.
📖 Recipe
Chocolate Peanut Butter Rice Crispy Treats
Mariska RamondinoIngredients
- 4 cups Kamut puffs, puffed Kamut Cereal 85 grams (or use crispy rice cereal or rice puffs to keep it gluten-free)
- 1 cup crunchy peanut butter 250 grams
- 3 tablespoons raw honey (or use brown rice syrup to keep it vegan-friendly)
- 3.5 ounces 70% cocoa dark chocolate 100 grams (or use semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips)
- 2 tablespoons coconut cream 30 grams
Instructions
- In a medium-sized bowl, mix the nut butter with two tablespoons of honey or brown rice syrup until smooth and well combined.
- Add in batches the Kamut puffs or crispy rice cereal to the nut butter mixture. It’s best to use a large spoon to gently stir in the cereal until every grain is well coated with the peanut butter mixture.
- Drizzle one tablespoon of honey (or brown rice syrup) on top of the coated Kamut puffs and gently stir it in—you should have one sticky mixture.
- Place paper or silicone cupcake liners in a 12-cup muffin pan.
- Then divide the Kamut or cereal puff mixture evenly into the lined cupcake molds.
- Start with ½ tablespoon, firmly pressing the sticky puffs down the bottom of the cupcake liner with the back of a spoon.
- Then add another ½ of a spoon, etc.
- Repeat the firm but gentle pressing of the coated puffs with each batch until you have generously filled the cupcake holder—repeat with the rest.
- Place the filled muffin pan in the freezer and reserve. You can cover it loosely with plastic wrap or parchment paper (optional).
- In a small saucepan, add the dark chocolate pieces or semi-sweet chocolate chips and the coconut cream.
- Place on stove top over lowest heat setting and stir continuously until the chocolate has melted—the coconut cream will give the melted chocolate a beautiful glossy look and a softer flavor.
- Then remove from the heat.
- Take the muffin pan with the rice crispy treats out of the freezer.
- Take a spoonful of the melted chocolate and make a waving motion to create chocolate streaks over each rice crispy treat—it’s okay if some of these chocolate streaks fall onto the muffin pan instead.
- Continue until all melted chocolate is used up. You should have a generous amount of chocolate covering each rice crispy treat
- Sprinkle on top some fine coconut shreds and finely chopped nuts of your choice (optional).
- Place immediately in the freezer for 4 hours or until the rice crispy treats have sufficiently hardened.
- Keep them stored in the freezer, and only remove them when you are ready to eat them.
- Remove the cupcake liner and enjoy your rice crispy treat.
Notes
- To make it gluten-free: use gluten-free brown rice cereal crisp or rice puffs.
- To replace peanut butter: use almond butter or any other preferred or flavored nut butter. Feel free to use creamy nut butter instead of crunchy. Best to use salted peanut butter or make your own combination of peanut butter with a pinch of sea salt.
- To make it vegan-friendly, use brown rice syrup (you can also use maple syrup, but brown rice syrup is much stickier and better at holding the puffs together).
- Don't love dark chocolate? Explore with white chocolate chips. Just know that the result will be much sweeter.
- Instead of coconut cream, you can also use coconut oil to get that glossy chocolate shine.
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Nutrition (% Daily value)
Disclaimer: This nutritional data is calculated using third party tools and is only intended as a reference.
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