These Rice Krispie Peanut Butter Balls require only four ingredients: regular peanut butter, Karo syrup, sugar, Rice Krispie cereal, and a simple cooking process on the stove. No baking is necessary; simply cook the sugar, syrup, and peanut butter on the stove, mix in the rice krispies, form them into balls, and let them set. Enjoy these easy, no-bake treats for a quick and delicious snack.
Why do we all love certain foods so much? Because they are delicious? Well yeah, of course. But why else? Why do you ask for your favorite old-fashioned sweet potato casserole with marshmallows at Thanksgiving every year? Why do you ask your mom to make you your favorite dinner recipe on your birthday? Of course, it's because they all taste amazing, but it is also the memories tied up with the meal or dish that you love even deeper down. These Rice Krispie peanut butter balls are one of these recipes for me.
Long story very short. 1, 2, 3....go!
A sweet lady I played tennis with brought these after a match and I instantly became OBSESSED. I needed the recipe ASAP and she generously gave it to me.
It is a very simple recipe with just 4 ingredients: regular peanut butter, white sugar, Karo syrup, and rice krispie cereal. The mixture is cooked on the stove, and then the Rice Krispies is stirred in. They are then scooped out into balls on a piece of parchment or waxed paper, and let to cool and set. They are sticky sweet and 100% addicting. Perfect for any tailgate or game night, bridal or wedding showers, or just for a weeknight dessert treat. Any time or any occasion these will be enjoyed and devoured.
Tip from Recipe Testing
When Pam sent me this recipe, it was very straightforward only saying "Put the sugar, syrup, and peanut butter in a pan and cook until it bubbles. Then add the Rice Krispies and scoop into balls."
That was it. Seemed easy enough. Until I made them and realized there was a bit more it when they didn't turn out like hers but were instead hard as rocks and grainy.
It took me several times making these myself to figure out what "bubbles" exactly meant. Just like my No Bake Cookies, I discovered there is a precise cooking time. Easy recipes like these can be tricky. If you don't cook long enough and they didn't set up - bubble too long (aka boil) then they turn out rock hard!
Must be a trend with no-bake desserts. Exact cooking times. So for these peanut butter balls, you need to cook on the stove for 7 minutes.
Around 5 minutes you will see everything melted together well, the sugar granules have dissolved, and a couple of bubbles will start to pop up every now and then.
PRO TIP - This is a very thick mixture so it isn't going to come to a full boil. These "bubbles" are more like "plops" coming up in the middle. Just know what you are looking for in this.
After trial and error and making these several times, this is the best way I found to form the balls:
- Stir until well combined and the peanut butter mixture coats over all the Rice Krispies.
- Using a cookie scoop, scoop out balls onto wax or parchment paper.
- Once you have scooped all the balls, either spray your hands with non-stick cooking spray or wear disposable kitchen gloves, to form the balls you just scooped into tighter round balls with your hands. You will have some time to do this while the peanut butter balls are still warm. Pack the balls like you would a snowball and then let them cool.
- Once they have cooled and set, enjoy!
Trouble Shooting Your Recipe
If you come across these problems, here is what I have found when testing these precisely in the kitchen to be true.
- If your balls are really hard when they set = You have cooked the peanut butter mixture too long.
- If your balls never set up/soft/don't hold their shape = you have not cooked the peanut butter mixture enough. It also could be grainy too.
I also recommend NOT using natural peanut butter. It will alter the taste, texture, and results of these. Use regular old-fashioned creamy peanut butter only. If you want to switch things up, you can use cornflakes instead of Rice Krispies for a no-bake cornflake peanut butter ball version - and they are equally as delicious!
Recipe
Rice Krispie Peanut Butter Balls {No Bake}
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 60 balls 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
These Rice Krispie Peanut Butter Balls require only four ingredients: regular peanut butter, Karo syrup, sugar, Rice Krispie cereal, and a simple cooking process on the stove. No baking is necessary; simply cook the sugar, syrup, and peanut butter on the stove, mix in the rice krispies, form them into balls, and let them set. Enjoy these easy, no-bake treats for a quick and delicious snack.
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Sugar
- 1 Cup Peanut Butter - creamy
- 1 Cup Karo Syrup
- 6 Cups Rice Krispies
Instructions
- To a medium size pan, add the sugar, peanut butter, and Karo syrup. Place on the stove and turn on medium heat.
- Start a timer for 7 minutes. During that 7 minutes, stir often. Around 5 minutes everything should be melted together, the sugar dissolved, and tiny bubbles will start to pop up.
- Once the 7 minutes is up and you can see bubbles in the middle of your pan, remove from the heat and add in 6 cups of Rice Krispies.
- Stir until well combined and the peanut butter mixture coats over all the Rice Krispies.
- Using a cookie scoop, scoop out balls onto wax or parchment paper.
- Once you have scooped all the balls, either spray your hands with non-stick cooking spray or wear disposable kitchen gloves, form the balls you just scooped into tighter round balls with your hands. You will have some time to do this while the peanut butter balls are still warm. Pack the balls like you would a snowball and then let them cool.
- Once they have cooled and set, enjoy!
Notes
- Store these in an air-tight container or bag. This will help keep them fresh and soft longer.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Dessert - No Bake
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 ball
- Calories: 66
- Sugar: 8.4 g
- Sodium: 37.2 mg
- Fat: 2.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 11.1 g
- Fiber: 0.2 g
- Protein: 1.2 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Mary says
You intermingle 5 minutes and 7 minutes in the description before the recipe. When you answered someone’s question about timing you said set the timer to 5 minutes. But the recipe says 7 minutes. Do you look for “plops” at the 5 minute mark? But no longer than 7? If you could clarify. Thanks!
Heather Bilyeu says
Hi Mary, thanks for clarifying. It will cook on the stove for 7 minutes total. Around the 5 minute mark is when you will start to see it bubble and everything come together, but it will take 7 minutes in total to cook. I just wanted to try and be as descriptive as possible about the cooking process - it's an easy recipe but sometimes these "candy like" recipe can be really easy to mess up and under/overcook. I hope that helps clear up any confusion - thanks again for asking and I hope you enjoy them!
Crystal Hart says
One of my favorite treats from child hood! I see in a previous comment that you clarified that the mixture cooks for 7 minutes, but please go back and update your post to clear up the confusion. There are places where it does imply that you need to remove the mixture from the heat at 5 minutes.
Heather Bilyeu says
Hi Crystal - I am so glad you liked this and it was a childhood treat! I updated the recipe card but I will definitely make the post more clear!
Susan Miller says
How long can I store the rice, crispy peanut butter balls, and how to store them?
Heather Bilyeu says
These will keep for about 3 days. Keep them in an airtight zip-top bag to keep their freshness.
Katie says
Great recipe! Just wondering if I can use raw cane sugar instead of sugar. Would that alter the time on the stove or taste a big difference?
Heather Bilyeu says
While I have never tested this with raw cane sugar, I do not think it would work as a subsitution for regular white sugar. It does not dissolve the same as white sugar and that is a critical element and step in the recipe. I hope that helps!