Description
Peanut butter and chocolate puffed rice treats are a slightly healthier version of rice crispy treats. Only requires 6 ingredients and 15 minutes to make.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup unrefined coconut oil
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 cup honey, (or sub agave nectar)
- 3/4 cup natural peanut butter
- 3/4 cup (3.50 ounces) dark chocolate chips (or dark chocolate bar, chopped)
- 3 3/4 cup rice crispy cereal (or puffed rice cereal) – (see notes)
Instructions
- Prepare: Prepare a 9×9 baking dish by lining it with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on two sides. Grease the parchment paper and the remainder of the exposed sides of the pan with a neutral tasting oil (such as avocado or grape seed oil). Set the prepared pan aside. Also at this time measure all of your ingredients and have them ready, this recipe moves fast.
- Melt: To a medium sized sauce pot add the coconut oil, salt, honey (or agave nectar), and peanut butter in the sauce pot. Turn on the heat to medium low and stir just until everything is melted and well combined. Add the chocolate and stir until all the chocolate is melted and well combined. Remove from the heat.
- Stir in the cereal: Once off the heat immediately stir in the rice crispy cereal until all the cereal is well coated.
- Press into the pan: Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish. Use a spatula to evenly distribute the mixture into the pan so that it’s in a smooth layer. Press gently, just so that everything is well compacted.
- Cool: Allow the pan to cool at room temp for 15 minutes. Then pop it in the freezer for 15 minutes, or just until everything is firm.
- Cut: Run a butter knife around the edges of the puffed rice treat to loosen it. Use the parchment paper tabs to help pull the entire thing out of the pan. Use a sharp knife to cut into squares.
- Enjoy/store: Enjoy immediately or store in an air tight container at room temp. If you kitchen is too hot you might want to pop them in the freezer to firm up for about 10 minutes, before eating them – however, you don’t want to store them in the fridge otherwise the cereal might get soggy.
Notes
rice crispy cereal or puffed rice cereal: The original recipe was written to use puffed rice cereal, which is not the same as rice crispy cereal. I prefer to make this dessert using rice crispy cereal. However, you can use either kind of cereal. Both are delicious, both work really well. Puffed rice has a more dense texture while rice crispy cereal has a more light and airy, tender crunchy texture. Again, both work really well. And you can use a brown rice version for a slightly healthier treat.
A note on puffed rice cereal: If using puffed rice cereal, you may want to use less than the called for amount if using rice crispy cereal. Puffed rice is more dense, meaning you might need less of it in the recipe. I would say you will need about 2 to 2 1/2 cups of puffed recie cereal.
Peanut butter: You can swap the peanut butter for any other kind of natural nut butter or seed butter you like.
Gluten free: To make this dessert gluten free make sure to use puffed rice cereal, or rice crispy cereal that is gluten free.
Vegan: to keep this recipe vegan make sure to use vegan chocolate and agave nectar instead of honey. I think agave nectar will work best here because the consistency is more similar to honey.
Dairy free: to keep this recipe dairy free make sure to use dairy free chocolate.
