I usually come home from vacation ready to hit the kitchen, but it’s just not happening this week. Maybe the 100 degree temperatures have something to do with it? I don’t know, but these days all I feel like making are no-bake treats, most of which involve cereal.
For the past few weeks I’ve been on a Scotcheroo kick, but this time I wanted to try something a little different, and these bars were just the ticket. The recipe calls for miniature marshmallows, peanut butter and rice cereal. If you happen to have some, Reese’s Miniatures make them even more fun. This version makes a square pan, but if you want an even smaller batch, just halve everything and make the bars in a loaf pan.
Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Krispy Squares
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
A milk chocolate and peanut butter variation on Rice Krispies treats.
Author: Cookie Madness
Recipe type: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Serves: 16
Ingredients
- 8 oz milk chocolate, chopped
- 1/2 cup peanut butter, room temperature or slightly softened in microwave
- 1 1/2 cups Rice Krispies
- 1 cup miniature marshmallows
- 1 cup peanuts, lightly salted and chopped
- 12 Reese’s Miniatures, chopped into quarters and chilled slightly (optional)
Instructions
- Line an 8 or 9 inch square pan with parchment paper, nonstick foil or regular foil. If using regular foil, rub the foil generously with some softened butter.
- Melt about 3/4 of the chocolate in a metal bowl set over but not touching simmering water or in a double boiler. Remove from heat and stir in the remaining chopped chocolate. Stir well until chocolate is completely melted.
- Stir the peanut butter into the melted chocolate.
- Scrape the melted chocolate mixture into a mixing bowl and stir in the cereal, followed by the marshmallows, peanuts and Reese's (if using).
- Pour into the pan and press down so that it’s tight. Chill for a few hours or until very firm, then lift from the pan and cut into squares.
Anna: After seeing this post, I had Scotcheroos on my brain! I was baking cookies and started looking at pantry ingredients I had on hand and came up with another version which you can see here: http://kimscookingfrenzy.blogspot.com/2013/08/trail-mix-cereal-bars.html
These, by the way, go great with the Folgers coffee I won in the the Folgers Black Silk giveaway you had awhile back! I am hoping to make up a cookie recipe using the instant coffee; if it turns out, I’ll be sure to let you know! 🙂
Mmmmm! It would be fun to try this with almond butter and almonds in place of the PB and peanuts. Or cashew butter and cashews.
I am going to do my best to email you my two favorite no-bake cookie recipes, Anna! I just realized that each is from one of my late grandmothers and each is unique, I think. I just began working again and tomorrow is my Monday so it may take me a day or two.
Cindy, in this case the chocolate holds everything together so you have to use it. There are marshmallow based versions that use Cocoa Krispies, but in this recipe the marshmallows are add-ins rather than what holds the cereal together.
Wonder how they would compare if you skipped the milk chocolate and used Cocoa Krispies?