Chocolate Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Cups are a perfectly fun, and deliciously easy treat with the classic flavors of chocolate and peanut butter combined with the crunch of Rice Krispies. Sweet, chewy, no-bake treats that are ready in under 15 minutes prep time.
The base is a combination of Rice Krispies mixed with a warm mixture of chunky peanut butter and honey that provides sweetness, as well as chewiness, to counteract the crunch. Each cup is then finished with a layer of smooth, melted chocolate, which hardens in the refrigerator to form a crisp shell of chocolate.
After chilling, each of these cups is ready to enjoy, with the paper liners making for easy serving and storage. They’re ideal as a snack, a speedy dessert or something to take along for on-the-go. This recipe is super customizable, too—substitute vegan chocolate chips, or almond butter to make it plant-based, or top with a sprinkle of sea salt for a little extra flavor!
Why You’ll Love It:
Quick & Easy: Very minimal prep + no baking!
Kid-Friendly: This cups everyone will enjoy making and eating.
Plant-Based Option: This will be a plant-based version if you just replace the honey and chocolate with plant-based options.
Ideal to Bring: Perfect for get togethers, pot lucks or a tasty handmade gift.
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Key Ingredients:
Rice Krispies Cereal: This cereal makes the cups crunchiest. If you want a whole grain option, try brown rice crisps.
Chunky Peanut Butter: Adds a great chewiness with small peanut pieces. Alternatively, you can use smooth peanut butter; that will give you a creamier texture.
Honey: This provides a natural sweetener and binder, but you can switch it up with maple syrup or agave if you want a plant-based alternative.
For the chocolate chips: Semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips would work best for a richer flavor. Dairy-free chocolate chips work great for a dairy-free version.
Salt: A pinch of salt adds peanut butter flavor and balances the sweetness.
Full ingredient amounts and instruction details found in the recipe card at the bottom of the page
Directions:
Preparation:
Line the Muffin Tin: Line a muffin tin with paper or silicone liners so they’ll pop right out when they’ve set.
Peanut Butter Mixture:
Make In a saucepan over low heat, combine the peanut butter, honey and a pinch of salt. Keep stirring until everything is just mixed in and smooth.
Remove from heat: Once it is smooth, take the saucepan off the heat.
Mixing:
This will be used to mix in the Rice Krispies So once you have the mixture combined, add the Rice Krispies cereal to the peanut butter mixture folding it in so that the cereal is coated with the peanut butter chocolate.
Forming Cups:
Fill Muffin Tin: Other than the lined muffin cups, gently press mixture to size the bottom layer in each cup.
Melting Chocolate:
Melt Chocolate Chips: Using another saucepan over low heat, melt the chocolate chips, stirring until smooth and glossy.
Assembly:
Top With Chocolate: Spoon melted chocolate over peanut butter and cereal mixture in each cup and spread to coat evenly.
Chilling:
Chill: Place the muffin tin in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or until the chocolate is set.
Serving:
And you enjoy: Once set, simply pull them from the fridge, peel off the liners and eat your very own homemade healthy peanut butter chocolate treat!
Serving Suggestions:
Garnish: A few crushed peanuts, flaky sea salt or a dusting of cocoa powder over the top of the chocolate while it’s still not set adds an extra flourish.
Serve Cold: These treats are best served cold so they’ll have a firmer texture and cleaner layers.
Gift-Ready: Pack in a gift box or cellophane ith a ribbon on for a lovely homemade gift.
Storage Tips:
Refrigeration: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to a week.
Freezing: For more long-term storage, try putting the cups in an airtight container and freeze for up to 2 months.For quality texture, allow to thaw in refrigerator before serving.
Variations:
Almond Butter Cups: Use almond butter instead of the peanut butter for a new flavor profile.
Dark Chocolate Lovers: Swap out the semi sweet chocolate chips for dark chocolate chips for a deeper, less sweet flavor.
Nut-Free Option: Use sunflower seed butter or cookie butter to make it nut-free.
Add Coconut: Mix ½ cup of shredded coconut into the peanut butter and the Rice Krispies mixture for a delicious tropical spin.
Salted Caramel Drizzle: If you want to kick it into high gear, once the cups have set, drizzle salted caramel sauce on top.
Conclusion:
In no way is this a fancy dessert; the Chocolate Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Cups are the epitome of easy treats — crunchy Rice Krispies meet creamy peanut butter meet luscious chocolate in a deceptively simple and easy package. They’re bound to create smiles with each bite, whether as a family treat or some special gift! Enjoy your no-bake creation!
Chocolate Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Cups
Ingredients
- 3 cups Rice Krispies cereal for crunchy base
- 1.5 cups chocolate chips vegan chocolate chips can be used
- 1 cup chunky peanut butter for peanut flavor and texture
- 6 tbsp honey for natural sweetness
- 1/8 tsp salt enhances flavor
Instructions
- Line a muffin tin with paper or silicone liners to make removing the cups easy after they set.
- In a saucepan over low heat, combine the peanut butter, honey, and salt. Stir until the mixture is smooth and well-blended, then remove from heat.
- Pour the Rice Krispies cereal into the peanut butter mixture, folding it in until evenly coated.
- Spoon the mixture evenly into the lined muffin cups, pressing down gently to form a base layer in each cup.
- In a separate saucepan over low heat, melt the chocolate chips, stirring until smooth and glossy.
- Spoon the melted chocolate over the peanut butter and cereal layer in each cup, spreading to cover.
- Refrigerate the muffin tin for at least 1 hour, or until the chocolate is fully set. Once set, remove the cups, peel away the liners, and enjoy!