These healthy rice krispie treats are made with peanut butter and topped with dark chocolate for a protein and fibre-rich breakfast, snack or treat that you and your kids will love. Delicious homemade no bake cereal bars that are made without marshmallows and are a great healthier alternative to store-bought! {Gluten-free, vegetarian & dairy-free}
A healthy breakfast or treat
These homemade healthy rice krispie treats have been such a game changer for easy snacks and breakfasts. They’re perfectly crispy, the kids love them, and they’re a great option if you’re always on the go!
Similar to energy balls, I love making up a batch of these healthy cereal bars to store in the freezer for a quick grab and go option. They’re super handy and have that addictive crunch just like rice crispy squares, but are made without marshmallows!
With a few simple ingredient swaps, we transformed this popular treat into a more nutritious option that’s loaded with fibre, protein, healthy fats and antioxidants….and of course that tasty peanut butter and chocolate combo too!
Such an easy and delicious way to give you that boost of energy you need to face the day!
For more no-bake bar recipes, be sure to try my healthy granola bar recipe and peanut butter protein bars too!
Why we love these peanut butter cereal bars
- Make Ahead: These bars have a pretty good shelf life, so you can make up a batch up on the weekend and enjoy the throughout the week. They freeze great too, so be sure to make a double batch!
- No-Bake: This is a huge win in my books! Just mix everything together, chill, cut into squares and they are good to eat!
- More nutritious: Unlike regular rice krispie treats, these homemade cereal bars are made from scratch so you can control exactly which ingredients you put into them! By using puffed brown rice cereal, we incorporate a source of whole grains, while the hemp hearts and peanut butter provide protein and healthy fats. The dark chocolate offers a dose of antioxidants that’s great for the heart. These treats contain less processed ingredients since they’re made without marshmallows and corn syrup, but are equally delicious!
Ingredient notes
- Peanut Butter: Use natural peanut butter for these cereal bars. It has a more oily consistency which helps it to combine more easily. I don’t recommend swapping in regular peanut butter in these bars.
- Coconut Oil: This adds moisture and helps to bind everything together since it solidifies once stored in the fridge. I also love the flavour that it adds.
- Honey: Honey helps to bind everything together and adds the perfect amount of sweetness. Use a runny honey as it will be easier to mix in with the rest of the ingredients.
- Vanilla extract and salt: For some added flavour.
- Hemp Hearts: Hemp seeds are a great way to boost the protein and healthy fats in these bars to make it a more satisfying treat, while also offering a slight nutty flavour. I always love to have hemp hearts on hand!
- Puffed brown rice cereal: I like to use brown rice cereal as it tends to be higher in fibre, vitamins and minerals than rice krispies. You can make these bars with other favorite breakfast cereals too like cheerios or whole-0’s.
- To top: Melted dark chocolate and coconut flakes are optional toppings, but totally kick the flavour up a notch! You can use chopped dark chocolate from a bar or chocolate chips for ease. Aim for chocolate with more than 70% cocoa for greater health benefits.
How to make rice krispie treats without marshmallows
- Melt coconut oil with peanut butter and honey in a medium sized saucepan set over medium heat. Stir until mixture is smooth and combined.
- Remove from heat and stir in vanilla, salt, hemp hearts and brown rice cereal. Mix until all of the ingredients are combined.
- Using a spatula, evenly distribute cereal mixture in an 8×8 inch square baking dish lined with parchment paper. Place in fridge to chill for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, melt chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl in 30 second increments, until chocolate has melted. Stir when you check the chocolate to prevent it from burning to the bottom of the bowl.
- Pour the melted chocolate over the cereal mixture and spread to evenly distribute it.
- Sprinkle with coconut if desired. Place in the freezer for 15-20 minutes, or until the chocolate firms up.
- Once firm, lift the parchment paper with the cereal mixture out of the pan and cut into 16 small bars or 9 larger bars.
Recipe Tips for Healthy Rice Krispie Treats
- Use a spatula when pressing the cereal mixture into the pan. Press it down firmly to ensure that it’s flat on the top and distributed evenly. I like to wet my spatula to prevent the cereal mixture from sticking to the spatula.
- Don’t try to cut these bars when they’re frozen and rock hard, otherwise it will result in a crumbly mess. If frozen solid, allow to thaw at room temperature for several minutes before cutting.
- Use a large sharp knife to cut through these bars. If the knife is too small or dull, it will be tough to cut through the bars without them crumbling.
- Rice krispie treats start to get a little more crumbly if left at room temperature for a while. They still taste amazing, but are just a little more messy. For firmer bars, eat them fresh out of the fridge or thawed for a few minutes out of the freezer.
- You can skip the chocolate layer or only add a bit of drizzle if you want to reduce added sugar. They still taste delicious!
- I typically use puffed brown rice cereal when making these bars, but you could also try subbing in cheerios, whole O’s or your favourite puffed rice cereal.
How to store
- Refrigerator: You can store these bars in the fridge in an air-tight container or covered in the pan for up to a week.
- Freezer: Freeze these bars in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to three months. If stacking the bars, be sure to separate them with parchment paper so that they don’t stick together
Recipe FAQs
A cereal bar is made by mixing cereal such as rice cereal or cheerios with adhesive ingredients (in this case honey and peanut butter) and then pressing the mixture into a pan and cutting it into bars. A cereal bar can be enjoyed for breakfast or as a snack as a convenient option.
Store bought and certain homemade cereal bars aren’t always the healthiest choice as they can contain lots of sugar, sodium and highly processed ingredients. These homemade rice krispie treats are made from scratch with some healthier swaps for added nutrients. By making them yourself, you also know exactly what’s going into them!
Yes! These will easily keep in the fridge for up to a week, and any leftover cereal bars can be frozen.
I highly recommend using natural peanut butter due to its oilier texture and thinner consistency. This texture and consistency makes it easier to coat the cereal mixture in the peanut butter, which helps it to better adhere together. If you try to use regular peanut butter, chances are these bars won’t work out properly since regular peanut butter tends to be more thick and sticky, meaning it won’t distribute as evenly.
Puffed brown rice cereal mimics the taste and texture of rice krispie squares, while offering more fibre and nutrients than Rice Krispies. I typically use Nature’s Path Brown Rice Crisps, but you can use another brand if preferred. You can also sub in cheerios or whole O’s for bars with a different texture.
There are a number of ways that you can prevent crumbly bars. First, use natural peanut butter rather than regular peanut butter for the best consistency and to ensure that the cereal mixture adheres together. Secondly, it’s important that you line the pan with parchment paper to make it easier to lift the bars out of the pan and cut into bars. If you try to cut the bars right in the pan, they’ll be much more crumbly when you try to remove them. Finally, you’ll want to make sure that the cereal mixture is pressed down very firmly in the pan. If it’s only packed loosely, the bars will be crumbly when you try to cut them.
Serving suggestions
Serve these peanut butter rice krispie treats as is or top with a sprinkle of shredded coconut, chopped nuts or sea salt.
You can wash them down with a glass of milk, or pair them with a cup of tea or a smoothie (try this strawberry banana smoothie with yogurt)!
Rice krispie treats variations
- Switch up the cereal: Make these bars with other favourite cereals. I prefer using a whole grain cereal that contains some fibre.
- Switch up the nut butter: Use almond butter or cashew butter instead of natural peanut butter.
- Add dried fruit: Try mixing in dried fruits like cranberries or raisins.
- Use different chocolate: Use dairy or white chocolate to top the bars if you prefer, or leave it off altogether.
- To make nut-free: Try using a seed butter instead of natural peanut butter.
- To make lower sugar: Skip the dark chocolate layer or reduce the amount of chocolate and just use a light drizzle.
More similar recipes
- Healthy Chocolate Granola Recipe
- Healthy Oatmeal Breakfast Bars
- Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Bars
- Larabar Recipe
- Lemon Larabars
- Halloween Popcorn Balls Recipe
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Healthy Rice Krispie Treats with Peanut Butter and Chocolate {No Bake}
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup natural peanut butter
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup hemp hearts
- 3.5 cups puffed brown rice cereal
For topping
- 4 ounces dark chocolate chopped (or 3/4 cup dark chocolate chips)
- 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes (optional)
Instructions
- Melt coconut oil with peanut butter and honey in a medium sized saucepan set over medium heat. Stir until mixture is smooth and combined.
- Remove from heat and stir in vanilla, salt, hemp hearts and brown rice cereal. Mix until all of the ingredients are combined.
- Using a spatula, evenly distribute cereal mixture in an 8×8 inch square baking dish lined with parchment paper. Place in fridge to chill for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, melt chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl in 30 second increments, until chocolate has melted. Stir when you check the chocolate to prevent it from burning to the bottom of the bowl.
- Pour the melted chocolate over the cereal mixture and spread to evenly distribute it.
- Sprinkle with coconut if desired. Place in the freezer for 15-20 minutes, or until the chocolate firms up.
- Once firm, lift the parchment paper with the cereal mixture out of the pan and cut into 16 bars.
Notes
- Use a spatula when pressing the cereal mixture into the pan. Press it down firmly to ensure that it’s flat on the top and distributed evenly. I like to wet my spatula to prevent the cereal mixture from sticking to the spatula.
- Don’t try to cut these bars when they’re frozen and rock hard, otherwise it will result in a crumbly mess. If frozen solid, allow to thaw at room temperature for several minutes before cutting.
- Use a large sharp knife to cut through these bars. If the knife is too small or dull, it will be tough to cut through the bars without them crumbling.
- Rice krispie treats start to get a little more crumbly if left at room temperature for a while. They still taste amazing, but are just a little more messy. For firmer bars, eat them fresh out of the fridge or thawed for a few minutes out of the freezer.
- You can skip the chocolate layer or only add a bit of drizzle if you want to reduce added sugar. They still taste delicious!
- I typically use puffed brown rice cereal when making these bars, but you could also try subbing in cheerios, whole O’s or your favourite puffed rice cereal.
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