Easy Fluffernutter Rice Krispie Bars

If you grew up dunking peanut butter sandwiches into jars of marshmallow fluff while pretending it was a health food, congratulations — you’re exactly who I made these for. This is an amped-up childhood classic: gooey marshmallow, salty peanut butter, and crisp Rice Krispies all smooshed together into bars you can eat with your hands and absolutely no shame. It’s nostalgic, ridiculous, and solves the world’s snack emergencies at 3 p.m. and 10 p.m. (also solves hunger while doing a poor job of fixing emotional turmoil — that’s on you).

Family fail: My husband tried to help once and grabbed the “microwave-safe” bowl that was, in fact, ceramic and not microwave-safe. It survived, mostly. The marshmallow, not so much. Our toddler declared the resulting flakiness “modern art” and smeared it on the dog. I pretended to be annoyed, but secretly I was very proud of our collective creative mess. Yes, this pan is too small. No, I won’t wash fewer dishes. I will, however, eat more bars.

Time-Saving Hacks

– Use a silicone spatula and microwave the fluff/peanut butter mix in short bursts. Yes, it’s technically lazy, but also fast and delicious.
– Spray your pan with nonstick spray or line it with parchment paper and call it “cheating with elegance.” Saves a spatula and your dignity.
– Measure cereal by eyeballing. Cereal is forgiving. Your kitchen scale is not required.
– Melt in one bowl, mix in the same bowl — fewer dishes, more time to snack. Don’t tell anyone I said that.
– If you’re in a rush, skip the pressing step and just pat it down with wax paper. It will look rustic and intentional.

Serving Ideas

– Serve with a cold glass of milk like it’s 1998 and you haven’t discovered almond milk yet.
– For adults: pair with coffee, or wine if the kids screamed loud enough to require something stronger.
– Cut into bite-sized pieces and put on a fancy plate to impress someone who doesn’t know how easy this is.
– Serve in a Tupperware and pass it off as “leftovers” to test who in your family cooks more often.
– Honestly, keep it simple: hand-to-mouth method works best.

What to Serve It With

Pair with salty snacks (pretzel sticks, potato chips) for that sweet-salty mashup. Fresh fruit balances the sugar if you pretend you care about nutrition. If you’re hosting, lay out napkins like you’re classy, then proceed to let everyone eat with their hands.

✔Tips & Mistakes

– Don’t overheat the marshmallow; scorch it and you’ll be scraping toasted sugar off the bowl and feeling feelings.
– Press the mixture into the pan while it’s warm — it sticks better and you won’t have crumbs everywhere. Use wax paper to press if you love your fingers.
– If the bars are crumbly, you either didn’t use enough marshmallow/peanut butter glue or you were too stingy with pressure. Be bolder.
– If your pan is too small (it always is), portion into two or just accept the overflow as a “crispy edge bonus.”

✔Storage Tips

Store it in the fridge… if there’s any left. Cold midnight leftovers? Sometimes better than fresh. Keep in an airtight container at room temp for 2–3 days, or refrigerate up to a week if you want them firmer. Freezing works too—wrap individual bars in plastic, then foil, and they’ll cheerfully thaw into your life when you need a sugar hit.

✔Variations and Substitutions

Swap whatever you want—sugar ↔ honey, soy sauce ↔ tamari, or skip steps and call it “deconstructed.” It still counts. Try almond butter for a nutty twist, mini chocolate chips for drama, or toasted coconut for texture. Use gluten-free crisp rice if needed. More peanut butter = more heroism.

Frequently Asked Questions

Easy Fluffernutter Rice Krispie Bars

A deliciously sweet treat combining rice cereal with peanut butter and marshmallows.

No ratings yet

Rate This Yum Pin This Recipe For Later! Share The Yum On Facebook Print

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes minutes

Servings: 12

Calories: 120kcal

Ingredients

 

1x2x3x

Main Ingredients

• ▢ 0.5 cup unsalted butter melted
• ▢ 1 cup peanut butter
• ▢ 4 cups mini marshmallows
• ▢ 6 cups Rice Krispies cereal
• ▢ 0.5 cup chocolate chips for topping

Instructions

Preparation Steps

• In a large saucepan, melt the butter and peanut butter over low heat until smooth.
• Add the mini marshmallows and stir until completely melted.
• Remove from heat and stir in the Rice Krispies until evenly coated.
• Press the mixture into a greased 9x13 inch pan and smooth the top.
• Sprinkle chocolate chips on top and allow to cool before cutting into bars.

Notes

Feel free to add chopped nuts or dried fruit for additional flavor.