These No-Bake Protein Peanut Butter Rice Crispy Bars are the treat I keep making on repeat lately. Each bar has 10 grams of protein, the whole thing comes together in one pot, and the only appliance you need after that is your freezer. It’s the crispy, peanut buttery treat you grew up on, built to actually do something FOR you.

A hand picks up a chocolate-topped dessert bar from a plate stacked with similar bars. The bars have a crispy base and are sprinkled with flaky sea salt.

Friends, I look forward to a sweet treat every single day, and that’s not changing anytime soon. What has changed is what I want that treat to do for me. I’m at a point where I want my food, including my treats, to actually contribute something instead of just filling a craving and disappearing. These bars hit that mark. Ten grams of protein, real ingredients, and they still taste like the peanut butter crispy treats from childhood.

The process is about as low-effort as it gets. You melt everything in one pot, fold in the cereal and hemp hearts, press it into a pan, and pour a peanut butter chocolate layer over the top. Then it goes in the freezer and you walk away. I’ll take a recipe that lets the freezer do the hard part any day.

I used Hu Kitchen chocolate chips for the topping because they melt smooth and keep the ingredient list short, but any chocolate chips you like will work here. The hemp hearts are the other detail I wouldn’t skip. They add a little extra protein and healthy fat without changing the texture at all, so you still get the crispy, chewy bite you’re after.

Bowls and cups filled with Rice Krispies cereal, chocolate chips, nut butter, honey, coconut oil, hemp seeds, and salt are arranged on a beige countertop with a pink cloth. — *You’ll need honey, coconut oil, creamy peanut butter, rice crispy cereal, hemp hearts, chocolate chips, and flaky salt.*

A hand whisks a yellow liquid in a white pot, surrounded by bowls of honey, chocolate chips, peanut butter, and puffed rice on a light countertop. — *You’ll need honey, coconut oil, creamy peanut butter, rice crispy cereal, hemp hearts, chocolate chips, and flaky salt.*

What You Need to Make These Protein Peanut Butter Rice Crispy Bars

Honey: Honey is what binds the cereal together once it’s warmed with the coconut oil, and it keeps these naturally sweetened instead of relying on refined sugar.
Coconut Oil: Coconut oil also helps everything set up firm once the bars hit the freezer.
Creamy Peanut Butter: You’ll need peanut butter for both the base and the chocolate topping, so grab a bit extra. I like a no-stir creamy peanut butter for the smoothest texture in both layers.
Rice Crispy Cereal: This is the crunch factor. Three cups gives you enough structure to hold the bars together without making them dense.
Hemp Hearts: A small amount of hemp hearts adds protein and healthy fat straight into the base, and you can’t taste them. They’re one of my favorite ways to boost a recipe without changing how it tastes.
Chocolate Chips: Melted chocolate chips make up the top layer, paired with more peanut butter for a smoother, easier-to-slice finish. I used Hu Kitchen chocolate chips, but use whatever chocolate chips you keep stocked.
Flaky Salt: A finishing sprinkle of flaky salt on top of the chocolate layer balances all of that peanut butter sweetness.

A hand whisks a creamy, caramel-colored mixture in a white pot, surrounded by bowls of chocolate chips, puffed rice, peanut butter, and honey on a light countertop. — *Start by adding the honey and coconut oil to a large pot over medium-low heat. Whisk gently until they’re combined, then add the peanut butter and keep whisking until the mixture is smooth.*

How to Make These Protein Peanut Butter Rice Crispy Bars

Start by adding the honey and coconut oil to a large pot over medium-low heat. Whisk gently until they’re combined, then add the peanut butter and keep whisking until the mixture is smooth. Remove the pot from the heat, then stir in the rice crispy cereal and hemp hearts until everything is fully coated.

Transfer the mixture to a parchment-lined 8×8 baking dish, or a well-greased pan if you’d rather skip the parchment. Press the cereal firmly and evenly into the pan using a spatula. If it starts sticking to your hands, rub a little oil on your palms first and it’ll press down easily.

For the topping, add the chocolate chips and peanut butter to a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second increments, stirring in between, until it’s completely smooth, usually 2 to 3 rounds. Pour the melted chocolate evenly over the pressed cereal layer and smooth it out.

Freeze for at least 3 hours, but these bars are a little more delicate than a classic crispy treat, so I actually recommend freezing overnight. It makes for a much cleaner slice and keeps the bars from crumbling apart. Once they’re set, remove from the pan, slice into 9 squares, and finish with flaky salt if you’re using it. Store any leftovers in a covered container in the fridge or freezer.

A hand adds crispy rice cereal to a pot with a peanut butter mixture. Surrounding the pot are bowls of crispy rice, seeds, honey with a dipper, and chocolate chips. — *Remove the pot from the heat, then stir in the rice crispy cereal and hemp hearts until everything is fully coated.*

A hand spreads chocolate over Rice Krispies treats in a baking pan, surrounded by bowls of rice cereal, chocolate chips, hemp seeds, and salt on a light countertop. — *Remove the pot from the heat, then stir in the rice crispy cereal and hemp hearts until everything is fully coated.*

If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a review and rating below! To see more recipes and behind the scenes, follow along on Instagram, TikTok, and Youtube! I’m also now on Pinterest, so stop by and take a look at what’s new!