Rice Krispie Peanut Butter Balls {No Bake}

Name: Rice Krispie Peanut Butter Balls {No Bake}
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 20 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 Cup Sugar; 1 Cup Peanut Butter - creamy; 1 Cup Karo Syrup; 6 Cups Rice Krispies

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Rice Krispie peanut butter balls are an easy sweet treat! They are no bake and just require a couple of ingredients. You won't be able to stop at just one!

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 sweet potato casserole at Thanksgiving every year? Why do you ask your mom to make you your favorite meal 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.

overhead shot of a bowl of peanut butter balls with glasses of milk and a spoon of pb

Long story very short. 1, 2, 3....go!

I play on a tennis team. It is a "social" team where we all have lunch together after our Friday morning matches. The home team provides lunch and we all rotate throughout the season.

When it's Pam's turn to bring lunch, I BEG (well no, just politely ask several times lol) for her to bring her peanut butter Rice Krispie balls. Then I proceed to grab handfuls of them to take home with me after the lunch is over. ? They are just small bites of sweet goodness that are addicting and can't get enough of. I don't know what it is but I love them so much!

I asked her if I could have her recipe and she so generously gave it to me! I love it when people share their recipes!

So now, every time I make these in our home, I think of Pam, I think of our tennis lunches, and I laugh at myself for stuffing a styrofoam cup full of them to take back home with me.

Food has so many warm fuzzy memories tied up with them! I hope these bring you warm fuzzies too!

Let's get to baking!

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Secret Tip When Making These No Bake Peanut Butter Balls
How To Make Rice Krispie Peanut Butter Balls
My Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Balls are Really Hard When They Set Up. What Did I Do Wrong?
Frequently Asked Questions
Rice Krispie Peanut Butter Balls {No Bake}

Secret Tip When Making These No Bake Peanut Butter Balls

When Pam sent me this recipe, it was straightforward. 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 is it. ?

So it took me a couple of times to figure out what "bubbles" exactly meant. Just like my No Bake Cookies, I discovered there is a precise cooking time. Don't cook long enough and they didn't set up - bubble too long (aka boil) then they turned 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.

Add in your sugar, Karo syrup, and peanut butter to a medium-sized pot.
Put on the stove and then turn on medium heat.
Start your timer for 7 minutes. Stir constantly.
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.
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.
Once the 7 minutes is up, and you have seen a couple of bubbles, remove from the heat and proceed with the rest of the recipe.

5 minutes on the stove is the key!

peabut butter, sugar, karo syrup, and box of rice krispies

How To Make Rice Krispie Peanut Butter Balls

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 stirring often.
Once the 7 minutes are 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.
PRO TIP: 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!

sugar, karo syrup, and peanut butter in black pot on the stove

peanut butter mixture cooking in a pot on the stove

My Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Balls are Really Hard When They Set Up. What Did I Do Wrong?

You have cooked the peanut butter mixture too long.

When you turn the stove on medium, start a timer for 5 minutes and stir often. Around the 4-5 minute mark, you will see a couple of bubbles. Remove from the heat immediately after the 5 minutes is up.

This does not need to come to a full boil.

peanut butter rice krispie balls scopped out on parchment paper on the counter

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I Use Natural Or Crunchy Peanut Butter When Making These?

Regular creamy peanut butter is the only kind of peanut butter to use in this recipe.
I have not tried crunchy peanut butter or natural. Natural peanut butter would not work with this recipe as it is too oily and not as "stable" as regular creamy peanut butter.

Can I Use Another Type of Cereal?

Yes! Pam actually told me that the original recipe called for cornflakes. Which I also tried and loved! They were so good too. I am sure cereals like Cheerios, Cornflakes, and Chex would all work too!

peanut butter rice krispie balls stacked with a bowl and glasses of milk in the background

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