Healthy Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats (vegan & gluten-free!)

Sometimes the best kind of treats are the ones you haven’t made in FOREVER. That includes the very famous, classic rice krispies that were always in lunch boxes and at your aunt’s house during family birthday parties. I created this new version back in 2018 and haven’t stopped making them since.

When I was a kid, I discovered ‘Special K’ bars — a combination of butter, peanut butter, butterscotch, and Special K cereal topped with semi-sweet chocolate + butterscotch chips. No mini marshmallows involved! These became a staple in my life, and as a full-blown adult, I knew I wanted to make a more nutritious version (that’s equally as delicious).

These chocolate peanut butter rice krispie treats are a combination of a rice krispie treat and a special k bar. There’s no refined sugar or marshmallows involved, and the bars are made with only 6 ingredients (or 7 if you make them with a little protein powder!).

Ingredients in healthy peanut butter rice krispie treats

You just need a handful of simple ingredients to make these quick peanut butter rice krispie bars. I find that they’re easier to make than classic rice krispie treats because they’re not overly sticky. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Peanut butter: because who doesn’t love a chocolate peanut butter combo? Natural, drippy peanut butter will help keep these healthy rice krispie treats together without using marshmallows.
• Coconut oil: unrefined coconut oil has a slight coconut flavor that adds a subtle sweetness to these bars and helps the filling stay together. It also keeps the bars dairy-free!
• Maple syrup: for an all natural sweetness we’re adding a little pure maple syrup.
• Vanilla extract: extra delicious flavor! Learn how to make your own vanilla here!
• Rice krispies: feel free to use regular or brown rice krispies. If you need these to be gluten-free, remember to check your labels to ensure the crispy rice cereal you’re using is certified gluten-free.
• Dark chocolate bar: I love to pair dark chocolate with peanut butter. Feel free to use a bar or chocolate chips.
• For topping: I like to sprinkle these bars with a little flaky sea salt for a sweet-salty combo.

Optional ingredient swaps

Out of a few ingredients? These peanut butter rice krispie treats are easy to customize! Here’s what I can recommend:

• For peanut butter: as I mentioned, feel free to use cashew, almond, or, to keep them nut-free, sunflower butter. You may need to add an extra 1/2 tablespoon of coconut oil.
• For the coconut oil: you may use butter or vegan butter.
• For the maple syrup: feel free to use honey or brown rice syrup.

A note on keeping these bars vegan

Make sure you use vegan/dairy-free chocolate to keep these bars both vegan and dairy-free.

Want to add a boost of protein?

Turn these into a higher-protein treat or snack by adding 1/2 cup of your favorite protein powder! I like to add collagen peptides because they’re flavorless.

Choose your favorite topping

I love the combination of chocolate and peanut butter (I mean, check out this full post), but these bars would also be delicious with melted white chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate on top!

You can also simply drizzle chocolate on top instead of coating the full bars if you’d like.

How to make peanut butter rice krispie treats without marshmallows

1. Mix the wet ingredients. Place a medium pot over low heat and add the wet ingredients. Mix until smooth and well combined, about 1 minute.
2. Make the “batter.” Next, add in the protein powder (optional) and crispy brown rice cereal; stir until combined and cereal is completely coated.
3. Prep your pan. Pour the mixture into a pan lined with parchment paper (I prefer this to cooking spray), and use a spatula to flatten the top so it is even.
4. Add the chocolate. Melt your chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl or on the stovetop over low heat until it’s smooth and creamy. Pour the melted chocolate over the bars and tilt your pan so that they’re evenly coated.
5. Refrigerate & devour. Place the pan in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or until the chocolate is solid. Sprinkle bars with fancy sea salt, then cut into 16 bars and enjoy!

Storingn tips

1. In the fridge: store these bars covered or in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. When you’re ready to eat them, just let them come to room temp for about 5 minutes so that they soften a bit.
2. In the freezer: place the bars in a container or freezer-friendly bag in the freezer for up to 2 months. I’d recommend separating the bars with parchment or wax paper as well. When you’re ready to eat them, let the bars thaw in the fridge and then bring them to room temperature as described above.

See how to make the healthy rice krispie treats

Tools you’ll need

Get all of my fav kitchen tools here!

More no bake treats to try

Get all of my no bake treats here!

I hope you love these peanut butter rice krispies treats! If you try them, be sure to rate them below and let me know how you liked them.

The
Ambitious Kitchen
Cookbook

125 Ridiculously Good For You, Sometimes Indulgent, and Absolutely Never Boring Recipes for Every Meal of the Day

Healthy Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats

byby :Monique Volz of AmbitiousKitchen.com

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

ServesServes 16 bars

Healthy rice krispie treats made with peanut butter, maple syrup and brown rice krispies. These vegan and gluten-free peanut butter rice krispie treats are topped with dark chocolate and taste just like a crunchy peanut butter cup. Option to add protein powder to make these a great post workout treat!

Ingredients

• For the treats:
• ¾ cup (192g) natural creamy peanut butter
• ⅓ cup (104g) pure maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons virgin coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• pinch of salt (if your peanut butter isn’t already salted)
• Optional: ½ cup (40g) Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides
• 2 ½-3 cups (93-111g) crispy brown rice cereal (or rice krispies)*
• For the chocolate topping:
• 3.5 oz 85% dark chocolate bar, broken up into pieces
• To garnish:
• Fancy sea salt, for sprinkling on top

Instructions

• Line an 8×8 inch pan with parchment paper. Set aside.

• Place a medium pot over low heat and add in peanut butter, coconut oil, maple syrup and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth and well combined, about 1 minute.

• Next add in the protein powder (optional) and crispy brown rice cereal; stir until combined and cereal is completely coated. Pour into prepared pan, and use a spatula to flatten the top so it is even.

• Next make the chocolate topping by adding chocolate to a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high in 30 second intervals, stirring in-between, until chocolate is completely melted. You can also melt the chocolate in a small saucepan over very low heat if you prefer.

• Pour melted chocolate over the bars and tilt your pan to spread out the chocolate evenly. 

• Place pan in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or until bars are completely cool and chocolate is hardened. Sprinkle bars with fancy sea salt, then cut into 16 bars. Enjoy!

• Bars should be kept covered in the fridge and will stay good for up to 1 week. Take bars out 5 minutes before you are ready to serve to ensure they aren’t too crunchy! They soften up at room temp.

Recipe Notes

*Note that traditional Rice Krispies cereal is not certified gluten-free, so be sure to check your box and use a brown rice krispies cereal alternative that’s gluten free if need be.
Feel free to use cashew, tahini, almond or sunflower butter in place of the peanut butter. You may need to add an extra 1/2 tablespoon of coconut oil.
Instead of coconut oil, you may use butter or vegan butter.
Feel free to use honey, brown rice syrup or coconut syrup instead of maple syrup.

Nutrition

Serving: 1rice krispie treatCalories: 176calCarbohydrates: 13.9gProtein: 6gFat: 11.2gSaturated Fat: 4.5gFiber: 1.9gSugar: 5.9g

Recipe by: Monique Volz // Ambitious Kitchen | Photography by: Eat Love Eats

Post originally from June 2018, republished March 2020, republished on July 5th, 2023, updated with new photos on June 8th, 2026, and republished on June 9th, 2026.