These peanut butter rice krispie bars were so simple to make and even more delicious to eat!

This recipe was inspired by a reader asking me if you could turn my wildly popular Peanut Butter Balls with Rice Krispies into bars.

The answer was yes! This makes the classic no-bake treat even easier (no dipping required!) We absolutely loved these in bar form and they cut so easily.

All you need is just 5 ingredients and these come together in just a few minutes! The hardest part is waiting for them to chill in the fridge.

These rice krispie bars taste like a peanut butter cup. For a chocolate and peanut butter lover, this is a dream dessert!

Peanut Butter Balls with Rice Krispies

Ingredients needed

Peanut Butter: you will need no stir creamy peanut butter for this recipe.
Powdered Sugar
Chocolate Chips: I used semi-sweet, but other dark or milk chocolate would also be delicious!
Salted Butter: you can swap this out for unsalted with little difference in taste if you need to.
Rice Krispies

peanut butter, chocolate chips, powdered sugar, butter, and rice krispies

How to make rice krispie peanut butter bars

Step 1: Mix together the peanut butter and melted butter until smooth.

Step 2: Add the powdered sugar and mix until combined.

Step 3: Add the rice krispies and mix until just combined. Do not over mix.

mixing the peanut butter and butter together

Kitchen tips

Be sure to only mix the rice krispies into the peanut butter until combined, do not over mix them. If you over mix the rice krispies the batter will become way too sticky to work with. It should be easy to press into the pan and not overly sticky.

Step 4: Melt the chocolate chips with peanut butter together in the microwave until smooth. Check and stir the chocolate every 30 seconds to ensure that it doesn’t burn.

Step 5: Line an 8×8 inch pan with parchment paper. Press the peanut butter rice krispie batter into the dish in an even layer.

Step 6: Spread the melted chocolate over the top of the peanut butter rice krispies in an even layer. Smooth it out using a spoon or rubber spatula.

Step 7: Refrigerate until firm, then grab the parchment paper to remove the bars from the pan. Cut the rice krispie bars into 12 squares.

adding the rice krispies to the peanut butter mixture

rice krispie peanut butter batter stirred together

Storing

Leftover peanut butter rice krispie bars can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days, or in the freezer for 1-2 months.

These no-marshmallow rice krispie treats are so simple to make and come together in just minutes! Here are a few tips to ensure success.

Tips for success

Use the right peanut butter: this recipe calls for no-stir creamy peanut butter which is smooth and doesn’t separate. Natural peanut butter is not a direct substitute.
Do not over mix the rice krispies: I made this mistake once and it resulted in a far-too-sticky batter that wouldn’t spread and made a big mess. Be sure to mix your rice krispies into the peanut butter until just combined.
Allow the bars to set properly: be sure to allow proper time for these bars to set before you remove them from the refrigerator. The chocolate should be all of the way hardened before you cut into them and they should cut smoothly.

By following these tips, your bars should come out perfect every time!

I love that this recipe does not use marshmallows, as I find it a lot easier to make and harder to mess up.

It’s a family tradition for us to always make these bars at Christmastime, but they make a great crowd pleasing dessert for any time of year!