Given the hot weather, I've come to appreciate "no-bake" cookies more than ever and have been experimenting with new recipes. Since my favorite no-bakes always seem to involve Rice Krispies, I consulted with Katrina, an expert on the subject! Between the two of us, we've made loads of different varieties (including Chipotle Rice Krispies Treats) but there was one version neither of us had tried -- Peanut Butter Rice Krispies Treats Without Marshmallows.
The treats themselves were good, but the French burnt peanuts didn't work so well. They weren't horrible, but they didn't do anything to enhance the recipe. If anything, their hard, crunchy texture detracted from it. Still, it was a good excuse to buy some. If you have any other ideas for using French burnt peanuts, let me know. In the meantime, here's the recipe made without them. Looking at the picture and thinking about the texture, I'm thinking Crunch Berries might have been more suitable....
Recipe
Peanut Butter Rice Krispies Treats Without Marshmallows
Ingredients
- 10 oz bag white chips
- 1 cup peanut butter
- 4 cups Rice Krispies
- Some roasted peanuts preferably, not French Burnt, though Katrina tried Boston Baked Beans and they were okay
Instructions
- Line an 8 inch square pan with foil and spray it with some cooking spray or rub with butter.
- In a large microwave-safe bowl, combine the white chips and peanut butter. Microwave at 50% power for two minutes, stirring every 30 seconds, until chips are melted and mixture is smooth. Stir in the cereal and the nuts of choice. Transfer to the pan and chill until set.
- Lift from and and cut into large squares.
Anna says
Great idea about the pretzels! I wish I'd thought to add those.
mep says
Made these yesterday after reading your post -- so easy and so tasty!!! I wonder if some crushed pretzel pieces would be okay to add some more texture and salt (love sweet and salty) ... Going to check out your other no bake treat recipes now! Thank you
miss morsel says
What a fantastic idea! Peanut Butter...all day, every day.
dani says
pb makes everything delicious!
Gloria says
Katrina, sounds like a good stress reliever!
Katrina says
By the way, I put the peanuts in a zip top bag and banged them up with a rolling pin, worked great and didn't turn them into powder!
Katrina says
Lisa Ernst--you're too funny and think just like me. (But we already knew that, didn't we!) I'd suggested maybe using Goobers or chocolate covered peanuts instead of the burnt peanuts.
Thanks for the shoutin' out, Anna. Sorry I'm so slow I didn't get on the band wagon of posting along with you. It was a fun experiment.
Those wondering if burnt peanuts would be good in something savory, just know they are quite sweet. That said--I love the show Chopped, too, and they would be a good ingredient for that show!
Lisa Ernst says
I can see making these with dark chocolate instead of white. Maybe plain chopped peanuts on top for texture? Dipped in ganache? Just kidding....maybe.
vanillasugarblog says
oh anna i'm with you on no-bake. it's been hot here too, not as hot as your area.
seeing those burnt peanuts made me crave them again. haven't had those in years. is red dye now safe? wasn't it bad. i want to buy some but afraid of the red dye. lol
Anna says
Rebecca, thanks for the tip! I checked her book out from the library, but I must have missed that recipe.
Louise, that's a great story. Good to know they pair well with Orange Crush ;).
Gloria, go for it! I want to see a burnt peanut recipe win the state fair. That would be awesome. Katrina also tested the bars with Boston Baked Beans, another funny old candy which might work well in a recipe.
Sue, thanks for the link. I made those a long time ago but don't remember much about them.
BB, the layered treats are a lot of fun. I need to come up with some new ideas, though.
Mary, Fuzz's best friend is a vegetarian so she can't eat anything with marshmallows or gelatin. So yes, that crossed my mind. That being said, my vegetarian friends buy these vegetarian marshmallows at Whole Foods. Also, I think marshmallow creme is actually vegetarian and you can make krispies treats with it. You would know more about it than I would, being a vegetarian and all...
HeartofGlass (Chewthefat) says
Lots of times people have trouble finding vegetarian ways to make Rice Krispie Treats--yours not vegan because of the white chocolate, but because it doesn't have marshmallows it is vegetarian (of course, you can use vegan marshmallows in the regular treats, but they are very expensive).
I made the homemade pb cups for a SE feature and also as a gift.
I wonder if using the burnt peanuts in a savory recipe might be good, like in a crispy crust as a breading...
bakingblonde says
I love Rice Krispies treats, and agree they are perfect for summer!
I have to make some Layered treats one of these days, a total family favorite!
Sue says
I've made something like this in the past! They sound delicious! I think Crunch Berries would be horrible with the peanut though! Regular Cap'n Crunch might be good though?
I went to a pot luck last night and someone brought a no bake bar I've never had. Apparently the rest of the world has had them because there are over 1100 reviews of it on Allrecipes. Peanut Butter Cup Bars! YUM!!! http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/peanut-butter-bars-i/detail.aspx It would be dangerous to have an entire pan of them in the house with just the two of us!
Gloria says
I am a fan of the Food Network show titled Chopped. The burnt peanuts remind me of a mystery ingredient the chefs might be required to incorporate into an appetizer, entree, or dessert. I'll bet you could grind or food-process them and then add them to something. I wish I had a good no-bake brownie or chocolate chip cookie recipe I could practice making to enter into the State Fair!!
Louise says
I loved French Burnt Peanuts as a kid. They sold them as bar snacks at a couple of clubs my dad belonged to. My dad would have a beer and I'd have Orange Crush and a cellophane bag of French Burnt Peanuts. Thanks for the memory.
Rebecca says
Another great no-bake recipe is Alicia Silverstone's vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter cups. I'm not a vegan, so I usually make them with butter but they are good either with or without the vegan ingredients. And no oven!
http://www.thekindlife.com/post/chocolate-peanut-butter-cups