If you’re wanting to make more snacks at home this year without baking, buying complicated ingredients, or added sugar these peanut butter crispy rice clusters are the perfect snack to start with! Especially if you have a toddler who loves a little crunch.
They’re made with just 5 simple ingredients, come together in about 10 minutes, and are a toddler-friendly snack option you can prep once and grab all week long. Plus, I love that you can change the flavor up depending on your preferences!
Why You’ll Love These Peanut Butter Crispy Rice Clusters
- no bake and no oven required
- made with 5 pantry-friendly ingredients
- no added sugar (making them perfect for even the younger toddlers!)
- easy to chew and break apart for toddlers
- great for meal prep, daycare snacks, or busy afternoons
You'll also love these peanut butter perfect bar dupes for another easy snack option! We also love these pumpkin peanut butter cups for a snack that feels like a treat.
Jump to:
- Why You’ll Love These Peanut Butter Crispy Rice Clusters
- Ingredients You'll Need
- How To Make Your Peanut Butter Crispy Rice Clusters
- Hint For The Yummiest Crispy Rice Clusters
- Substitutions
- Variations
- Equipment
- Storing Your Peanut Butter Crispy Rice Clusters
- Tiff's Dietitian Tip
- FAQ
- Related
- Pairing
- Easy Peanut Butter Crispy Rice Clusters (no added sugar!)
Ingredients You'll Need
Here's all you'll need to make these easy peanut butter crispy rice clusters or no-bake "cookies":
- crispy rice cereal – light, crunchy, and easy for little mouths
- natural peanut butter – provides healthy fats and protein
- hemp hearts – adds fiber, iron, and omega-3 fats
- coconut oil – helps the clusters bind and set
- vanilla extract – adds flavor without added sugar
See recipe card for quantities.
How To Make Your Peanut Butter Crispy Rice Clusters
- Step 1: Add peanut butter and coconut oil to a microwave-safe bowl. Heat for 20-30 seconds until soft and stir until smooth.
- Step 2: Fold in rice cereal, vanilla extract, and hemp hearts until evenly coated.
- Step 3: Scoop small clusters onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and gently press together flat to make a "cookie" shape if desired. Top with whatever toppings you'd like!
- Step 4: Freezer for 15-30 minutes, until firm. Store in the fridge or freezer.
Hint For The Yummiest Crispy Rice Clusters
They will seem a bit crumbly, but if your clusters feel too crumbly, try warming the peanut butter a little longer (can also add more) or pressing the mixture firmly together before chilling. Because puffed rice is so light, a good press helps everything stick and hold their shape once set. They'll firm up once cooled!
Substitutions
These peanut butter crispy rice clusters are naturally gluten-free, egg-free, and dairy-free making them great for so many little eaters. Here are some other options:
- peanut butter: use sunflower seed butter, almond butter, or cashew butter in place of peanut butter
- hemp hearts: if you don’t have hemp hearts, ground flaxseed or chia seeds can be used instead (texture will be slightly different)
- coconut oil: melted coconut butter can be used and if you need a coconut free version then melted butter should work
- crispy rice: plain puffed millet or puffed quinoa can be used if needed
Variations
Make these crispy rice clusters extra flavorful with adding different mix-ins or toppings!
- chocolate chip - add mini chocolate chips on top or mix inside (beware they'll melt in)
- chocolate drizzle - mix a handful of chocolate chips + 1 tablespoon coconut oil, melt then mix and drizzle on top!
- peanut butter and "jelly" - add crushed freeze dried strawberries on top
Equipment
You’ll just need a microwave-safe bowl, a spoon or spatula for mixing, and a parchment-lined baking sheet or plate for chilling the clusters.
Storing Your Peanut Butter Crispy Rice Clusters
Store peanut butter crispy rice clusters in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. For longer storage, freeze the clusters for up to 2-3 months and let them sit at room temperature for a few minutes before serving. They’re perfect for grab-and-go snacks or quick additions to lunchboxes.
Tiff's Dietitian Tip
Because these are more nutrient-dense thanks to the hemp hearts and peanut butter, keep clusters small for toddlers. Or you can gently break them apart before serving. Pair with fruit or veggie to make this a color-filled snack!
FAQ
Plain rice cereal does not contain added sugar, but it’s always a good idea to check the ingredient label to be sure you’re choosing an unsweetened version. You can also swap with puffed quinoa if you want!
Absolutely. You can swap peanut butter for sunflower seed butter and keep the rest of the recipe the same.
They’ll keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
These are best for toddlers and older kids. For babies, peanut butter should be thinned and textures adjusted, so breaking the clusters down or serving deconstructed ingredients is safer. They do melt and soften fairly quickly when left out too!
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with these peanut butter crispy rice clusters:
Easy Peanut Butter Crispy Rice Clusters (no added sugar!)
Equipment
- parchment paper
Ingredients
- 1½ cups plain crispy rice cereal
- ½ cup hemp hearts
- ½ cup peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Add peanut butter and coconut oil to a microwave-safe bowl. Heat for 20-30 seconds until soft and easy to stir.
- Stir in vanilla extract until smooth.
- Fold in rice cereal and hemp hearts until evenly coated.
- Scoop small clusters onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and gently press together. Add any toppings you'd like before placing in the freezer to firm!
- Freeze for 15-30 minutes, until set. Store in the fridge or freezer (depending on crunch level desired).
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