Healthy Rice Krispie Treats

Looking for a rice krispy treat recipe without marshmallows? Look no further than these healthy peanut butter rice krispie treats that imo taste even better than the traditional version. 

These healthy homemade rice krispie treats use honey to replicate that ooey-gooey texture of marshmallows while naturally sweetening these bars.

Plus, by using tons of sunflower butter, these no-bake rice krispie treats are packed with protein and healthy omega-3 fats. Like what’s not to love?!

Love taking these with me for a quick snack or easy dessert on our hiking and camping trips! 

Ingredients You’ll Need for These Healthy Rice Krispie Treats

Here’s everything you’ll need to make these healthy rice krispie treats. And if you want to, you can make these rice krispy treats vegan by swapping out the honey for maple syrup instead. 

• Rice crispy cereal: Love the One Degree rice cereal brand as it’s super healthy and lightly sweetened with coconut sugar (plus they use sprouted rice so the nutrients are more bioavailable and it’s better for your gut health)
• Sunflower butter or Peanut butters: As a rule with nut butters or seeds butters, there should only be one ingredient (sunflower seeds or peanuts). I don’t like getting the salted version as they tend to be too high in unnecessary sodium.
• Honey: I either use Local Hive Honey or I’ll get honey locally in our area (which is my preference).
• Vanilla paste: Linking my favorite vanilla paste here from Rodelle Vanilla, it has a little bit of added cane sugar, but since we’re using such a small amount in this recipe, I feel like it’s negligible 
• Kosher salt 

How to Make Healthy Rice Krispie Treats

This rice crispy treat recipe couldn’t be simpler to make. 

1. Begin by lining a 9×9 square pan with parchment paper. 
2. Next, pour the rice cereal into a large mixing bowl and set aside. 
3. Add the honey, sunflower butter, vanilla paste and salt into a pot. Heat the mixture on medium heat, stirring occasionally. You’ll slowly see the mixture transform from thick and stodgy, to a silky smooth and runny syrup. Continue to cook the mixture until it gently bubbles (make sure to stir it while it’s cooking otherwise it’ll burn on the sides). Once the syrup reaches this point, it’s done. 
4. Pour the syrup mixture into the bowl of rice cereal and mix together using a flexible rubber spatula. Make sure the cereal is thoroughly coated with the syrup  mixture. 
5. Pour the cereal mixture into your prepared pan and gently spread out into an even layer. Then, using the back of a measuring cup, firmly press the rice krispie mixture into the pan, so that the top is in an even and uniform layer. Once pressed, cover the treats with foil or plastic wrap and let sit in the fridge to firm up for 2 hours. 
6. Once 2 hours is up, cut the rice krispie treats into squares and store in the fridge! 

Cheat Sheet to this Rice Krispie Treat Recipe 

Outlining a few things to help you make these healthy brown rice krispie treats perfectly. 

1. Line your pan with parchment paper and make sure there are ‘flaps’ of parchment on each side of the pan to easily lift out the rice krispies. Linking the parchment paper I use here. 
2. Use a square 9×9 pan, like this one here, to get perfectly straight and tall rice krispie squares. 
3. Make sure the syrup mixture bubbles and becomes silky smooth. This will ensure that the honey and sunflower butter have gone through a chemical process that will help hold together the rice cereal better.
4. Press down the mixture in the pan using a measuring cup, this will ensure the cereal is packed and the bars won’t fall apart later.
5. Store these rice krispie treats in the fridge, as the honey in them will melt if left on the counter too long and the rice krispie treats will fall apart (eeeek)!

Even More Healthy No-Bake Desserts

• Bounty Bites 
• Cookie Dough Bites 
• Healthy Peanut Butter Cups

If you make this recipe, please leave a review and rating below. And don’t forget to snap a picture and tag me on either Instagram or TikTok (if you’re not already following me, make sure to for new recipes and wellness tips)!

Print