Protein Rice Crispy Treats

protein rice crispy square topped with a chocolate coating on parchment paper.

Protein Rice Crispy Treats

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 9

Cook Time: 1

Total Time: 10

Servings:

Calories: 188kcal

Author: Megan Gilmore

These Protein Rice Crispy Treats taste like a crunchy peanut butter cup and have a sneaky serving of protein in each bite! You can stir them together in just minutes.

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Ingredients

Protein Rice Crispy Treats

3 cups crispy rice cereal (see notes for gluten-free)
½ cup unsweetened protein powder
½ cup honey
⅔ cup all-natural peanut butter
3 tablespoons coconut oil (see notes)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt

Optional Chocolate Topping

4 ounces dark chocolate
1 teaspoon coconut oil

Instructions

Prepare an 8-inch square pan by spraying it with oil, then press a piece of parchment paper into the bottom of the pan. In a large bowl, stir together the rice cereal and protein powder, then set it aside. Measure out the peanut butter and coconut oil so it's ready to go for the next step.
Add the honey to a small saucepan and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. As soon as it starts to bubble significantly around the edges of the pan, set a timer for 1 minute.
When the timer goes off, remove the pan from the heat and stir in the peanut butter, coconut oil, vanilla extract, and salt. Stir well until the mixture looks smooth.
Pour the peanut butter mixture over the bowl of cereal and stir well. Once the cereal looks well coated, transfer it to the prepared pan and press it firmly into a flat layer. Place the pan in the fridge to cool.
If you'd like to add a chocolate topping, melt the chocolate chips and coconut oil together, stirring until smooth. (Use a microwave in 30-second increments or a double boiler; the latter is my preference.)
Remove the bars from the fridge and spread the chocolate evenly over the top. Then return the bars to the fridge and let them chill for 1 hour, or until they are firm in the center. Slice the bars into 16 slices and serve chilled. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Notes

Nutrition information is for 1 of 16 bars with the chocolate topping. This information is automatically calculated and is just an estimate, not a guarantee.

Rice Cereal Note: If you need to make a gluten-free recipe, be sure to look for a rice cereal that says "gluten-free" on the front of the package. (Whole Foods 365, Nature's Path, and Aldi's all make a gluten-free option.) Rice Krispies® brand cereal is not gluten-free because it contains malt flavor.

Coconut Oil Note: Use expeller pressed or refined coconut oil if you prefer to have zero coconut flavor added to your dessert. You can also swap this for vegan butter or real butter if you prefer.

Nutrition