This is a great easy-t0-make recipe…a fancy version of those classic rice cereal treats! If you like peanuts, these bars have both peanut butter and peanuts in them. And they’re topped with a yummy mixture of semi-sweet chocolate and peanut butter chips, plus peanut butter cups…you can’t go wrong with that!  This recipe is adapted from one I found at Kraft. The chocolate topping layer in my version is nice and thick, but if you’d rather have a thinner layer of chocolate, just use half the amount of chocolate and peanut butter chips.

You can make these crispy treats two ways…with your microwave or on the stovetop. To save time when you’re making these, unwrap and chop your peanut butter cups ahead of time. Keep these treats in mind the next time you’re craving chocolate and peanut butter!

CHOCOLATE–PEANUT BUTTER CUP CRISPY TREATS by NancyCreative, adapted from Kraft Foods

Makes a 9 x 13″ pan

• 1/4 cup (half a stick) butter
• 1 (10-ounce) package marshmallows
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 5 cups crisp rice cereal
• 1 cup salted peanuts
• 1 (12-ounce) bag (2 cups) semi-sweet chocolate chips (or use half this amount for a thinner topping)
• 1 (10-ounce) bag (1 2/3 cups) Reese’s® Peanut Butter Chips (or use half this amount for a thinner topping)
• 1 (11-ounce) bag Reese’s® Mini Peanut Butter Cups, unwrapped and coarsely chopped (or cut each mini cup into fourths)

MICROWAVE DIRECTIONS

Grease a 13 x 9″ pan; set aside.

Microwave butter in large microwaveable bowl on high for 45 seconds or until melted. Add marshmallows; toss to coat. Microwave another 1 1/2 minutes or until marshmallows are completely melted, stirring after 45 seconds.

Stir peanut butter into marshmallow mixture until blended. Add rice cereal and peanuts; mix well. Press onto the bottom of greased 13 x 9″ pan. Note: this mixture sets pretty quickly and gets really gooey, so you have to work fast! I used a sheet of waxed paper to help press down this mixture in the pan. If you don’t have waxed paper, try parchment paper or start saving your waxed paper liners from cereal boxes–they come in handy for things like this!

For the topping: Microwave the chocolate chips and peanut butter chips in a small microwaveable bowl for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, or until completely melted and mixture is well blended, stirring every 30 seconds.

Pour topping over cereal mixture and spread to cover. Sprinkle with chopped mini peanut butter cups. Refrigerate 1 hour or until topping is set.

Note: As I mentioned above, the chocolate topping layer is thick. If you’d like a thinner layer, just use half the amount of chocolate chips and peanut butter chips.

STOVETOP DIRECTIONS

Melt butter in a 3-qt. saucepan on low heat. Add marshmallows; stir until marshmallows are completely melted and mixture is well blended. Stir in peanut butter; remove from heat. Add rice cereal and peanuts; mix well. Press mixture firmly onto bottom of greased 13 x 9-inch pan.

Place the chocolate chips and peanut butter chips in saucepan; cook on very low heat until completely melted and mixture is well blended, stirring frequently. Pour over cereal; spread to cover. Sprinkle with chopped mini peanut butter cups. Refrigerate until chocolate topping is set.

NOTE: If you’d rather not frost these crispy bars, you could melt 1 cup chocolate chips and 1 cup peanut butter chips as directed and drizzle this mixture over the cereal bars. Coarsely chop about 10 mini peanut butter cups and lightly sprinkle over drizzle. Refrigerate until topping is set.

Do you like chocolate-peanut butter flavored treats?

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