Chocolate-Peanut Butter Cup Crispy Treats

This is a great easy-to-make recipe—a fancy version of those classic rice cereal treats! If you like peanuts, these bars have both peanut butter and peanuts in them. And they’re topped with a yummy mixture of semi-sweet chocolate and peanut butter chips, plus peanut butter cups…you can’t go wrong with that! 🙂 This recipe is adapted from one I found at Kraft. The chocolate topping layer in my version is nice and thick, but if you’d rather have a thinner layer of chocolate, just use half the amount of chocolate and peanut butter chips.

You can make these crispy treats two ways…with your microwave or on the stovetop. To save time when you’re making these, unwrap and chop your peanut butter cups ahead of time. Keep these treats in mind the next time you’re craving chocolate and peanut butter! 🙂

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Cup Crispy Treats

Servings: 16-20
Time: 20mins
Difficulty: easy
Print

CHOCOLATE–PEANUT BUTTER CUP CRISPY TREATS by NancyC, adapted from Kraft Foods

Makes a 9 x 13″ pan

1/4 cup (half a stick) butter
1 (10-ounce) package marshmallows
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
5 cups crisp rice cereal
1 cup salted peanuts
1 (12-ounce) bag (2 cups) semi-sweet chocolate chips (or use half this amount for a thinner topping)
1 (10-ounce) bag (1 2/3 cups) Reese’s® Peanut Butter Chips (or use half this amount for a thinner topping)
1 (11-ounce) bag Reese’s® Mini Peanut Butter Cups, unwrapped and coarsely chopped (or cut each mini cup into fourths)

MICROWAVE DIRECTIONS
Grease a 13 x 9″ pan; set aside.

Microwave butter in large microwaveable bowl on high for 45 seconds or until melted. Add marshmallows; toss to coat. Microwave another 1 1/2 minutes or until marshmallows are completely melted, stirring after 45 seconds.

Stir peanut butter into marshmallow mixture until blended. Add rice cereal and peanuts; mix well. Press onto the bottom of greased 13 x 9″ pan. Note: this mixture sets pretty quickly and gets really gooey, so you have to work fast! I used a sheet of waxed paper to help press down this mixture in the pan. If you don’t have waxed paper, try parchment paper or start saving your waxed paper liners from cereal boxes–they come in handy for things like this!

For the topping: Microwave the chocolate chips and peanut butter chips in a small microwaveable bowl for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, or until completely melted and mixture is well blended, stirring every 30 seconds.

Pour topping over cereal mixture and spread to cover. Sprinkle with chopped mini peanut butter cups. Refrigerate 1 hour or until topping is set.

Note: As I mentioned above, the chocolate topping layer is thick. If you’d like a thinner layer, just use half the amount of chocolate chips and peanut butter chips.

STOVETOP DIRECTIONS
Melt butter in a 3-qt. saucepan on low heat. Add marshmallows; stir until marshmallows are completely melted and mixture is well blended. Stir in peanut butter; remove from heat. Add rice cereal and peanuts; mix well. Press mixture firmly onto bottom of greased 13 x 9-inch pan.

Place the chocolate chips and peanut butter chips in saucepan; cook on very low heat until completely melted and mixture is well blended, stirring frequently. Pour over cereal; spread to cover. Sprinkle with chopped mini peanut butter cups. Refrigerate until chocolate topping is set.

NOTE: If you’d rather not frost these crispy bars, you could melt 1 cup chocolate chips and 1 cup peanut butter chips as directed and drizzle this mixture over the cereal bars. Coarsely chop about 10 mini peanut butter cups and lightly sprinkle over drizzle. Refrigerate until topping is set.

Recipe from NancyC | nancy-c.com

These make a great snack for both kids and adults—anyone who loves chocolate and peanut butter! 🙂 Are you a fan of chocolate and peanut butter?

Sharing at Thursday Favorite Things, Full Plate Thursday, Wonderful Wednesday, Tasty Tuesdays, Hearth & Soul, Silver Pennies Sundays, Happiness is Homemade, Inspire Me Monday, Weekend Potluck.

28 thoughts on “Chocolate-Peanut Butter Cup Crispy Treats”

Jewels February 27, 2013 at 9:21

Omygosh these look amazing! I don’t know if I ever told you this before, but I save just about every recipe you post because they all look so yummy. Thanks for sharing!

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nancyc Post authorFebruary 27, 2013 at 9:25

Well thanks so much for letting me know, Jewels–that’s quite a compliment! 🙂

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chefconnie February 27, 2013 at 9:42

Wow. Those are lovely.

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nancyc Post authorFebruary 27, 2013 at 9:45

Thanks, Connie! 🙂 They definitely are a rich treat!

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Anne ~ Uni Homemaker February 27, 2013 at 10:59

Nancy, that looks FANTASTIC. I adore peanut butter cups! Yum…

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foodfrommetwoyou February 28, 2013 at 6:36

oh my , these look like sin in a pan…im a sucker for PB cups…great idea nancy…. lovely post, sarah

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baconisaveg February 28, 2013 at 2:21

This looks amazing! I’m gonna have to try this one out!

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nancyc Post authorFebruary 28, 2013 at 8:31

Thanks, and hope you like them! 🙂

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Susan March 2, 2013 at 9:49

What can I say, but “where do you live!” I’m coming over, XOXO

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nancyc Post authorMarch 2, 2013 at 4:45

Ha! I just may have to send you some goodies sometime! 🙂

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Piera Anastasia March 2, 2013 at 11:27

OMG!!! This look awesome I wanna try it!!! 🙂
Yummy :):)
You have a really nice blog, I love food!! 🙂
If you want to have a look at mine it would be so great 🙂 http://mystylerecipe.com

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nancyc Post authorMarch 2, 2013 at 4:52

Thank you, Piera! You have a fun blog, too! 🙂

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thebakingyear March 2, 2013 at 1:35

These look absolutely delicious! I love rice crispy treats and peanut butter…I don’t know why I’ve never thought of putting them together! I’ll definitely be trying these out!

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RM March 5, 2013 at 8:00

Oh WOW! Those things are fantastic!

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Lorraine March 19, 2013 at 6:15

Amazing looking treat! I know I would love these 🙂

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Trish @ Mom On Timeout March 25, 2013 at 11:11

So gorgeous and I know delicious! We love making these it’s surprising how well the Reese’s go with the krispie treats – amazing! Thank you SO much for sharing at Mom On Timeout! Pinning!

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nancyc Post authorMarch 25, 2013 at 11:40

Thanks, Trish, and thanks so much for pinning! 🙂

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patch2410 September 6, 2020 at 8:22

This looks so yummy my eyes were instantly drawn to this desert.

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nancyc Post authorSeptember 6, 2020 at 9:32

Thanks so much! 🙂

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rawsonjl September 7, 2020 at 12:57

Oh wow; these look delicious!! Pinned.

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Miz Helen September 15, 2020 at 11:38

Your Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Crispy Treats look amazing! Hope you are having a great week and thanks so much for sharing with us at Full Plate Thursday,501!
Miz Helen

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