Description
Whip up these Sweet & Salty Muddy Buddy Rice Krispies Bars. A no-bake treat with chocolate, peanut butter, and powdered sugar magic. Quick, fun, and so tasty!
Ingredients
Scale
- The Crispy Base:
- 6 cups Rice Krispies cereal
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 10 ounces mini marshmallows (about 6 cups)
- The Muddy Buddy Core:
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- The Powdered Sugar Cloud:
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- Finishing Touches:
- Pinch of flaky sea salt (optional)
- Extra chocolate drizzle (optional)
Instructions
- Prep Your Pan & Cereal: First things first, grab a 9×13 inch baking dish. Line it with parchment paper, leaving a little overhang on the sides—trust me, this makes getting these Muddy Buddy Rice Krispies out so much easier later. Lightly grease the parchment too, just a spray of non-stick. Then, measure out your 6 cups of Rice Krispies cereal into a really big bowl. You’ll need space for stirring, and I always underestimate bowl size, ending up with cereal all over the counter. Learn from my chaos, hon!
- Melt the Marshmallow Base: In a large saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter over medium-low heat. Once it’s mostly liquid, dump in your 10 ounces of mini marshmallows. Stir constantly until they’re completely melted and smooth. This part can be tricky; don’t let them brown! I once got distracted by a cat video and ended up with slightly toasted marshmallows, which tasted… interesting, but not quite right for Muddy Buddy Rice Krispies. Keep it low and slow.
- Stir in the Crispy Cereal: As soon as those marshmallows are a gooey, sticky dream, take the pan off the heat. Pour the melted marshmallow mixture over your Rice Krispies cereal in that big bowl. Stir it all together quickly and gently with a buttered spatula or spoon. You want every crispy bit coated, but don’t smash the cereal. It’s a delicate balance, I know. This is where the magic starts to happen for our Muddy Buddy Rice Krispies.
- Create the Muddy Buddy Coating: Now for the good stuff! In a microwave-safe bowl, combine 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips and ½ cup of creamy peanut butter. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring after each, until smooth and melted. This usually takes about 1-2 minutes. Stir in 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Be careful not to overheat it, or the chocolate can seize up—I’ve cried over seized chocolate more times than I care to admit. It’s gotta be silky for these Muddy Buddy Rice Krispies.
- Combine & Powder: Pour that glorious chocolate-peanut butter mixture over the marshmallow-coated Rice Krispies. Stir quickly until everything is fully coated. It’ll look like a delicious mess, but that’s the point! Transfer about half of this mixture to a large zip-top bag with 1 ½ cups of powdered sugar. Seal the bag, leaving some air, and shake, shake, shake until every piece is covered in that beautiful white cloud. Repeat with the remaining mixture and powdered sugar in a second bag, or do it in batches if your bag isn’t huge. This is the signature Muddy Buddy Rice Krispies step!
- Press, Chill, & Finish: Dump the powdered sugar-coated Muddy Buddy Rice Krispies into your prepared 9×13 inch pan. Using another piece of parchment paper or buttered hands, gently but firmly press the mixture down evenly into the pan. Don’t press too hard, or they’ll get dense. Just enough to compact them. Let them cool completely at room temperature for at least an hour, or pop them in the fridge for 30 minutes to speed things up. Once set, lift them out using the parchment overhang, slice, and maybe add a tiny pinch of flaky sea salt on top, if you’re feeling fancy. Enjoy your Muddy Buddy Rice Krispies!