Crispie Treats

These are a peanut butter twist on classic Rice Krispie treats shaped into balls instead of bars and studded with M&Ms for color. The half cup of peanut butter melted into the marshmallow base is what sets these apart, adding nutty richness and just enough body to bind the candies in alongside the cereal.

Low heat is critical when melting the marshmallow mixture. Marshmallows scorch fast over high heat and turn the whole batch grainy and bitter. Stir occasionally over a low flame and pull the pan the moment everything is smooth.

The pinch of salt is doing important work. It cuts through the sweetness of the marshmallows and candies, making the peanut butter taste more pronounced. Skip it and the treats taste flat-sweet without any complexity.

Work fast once you pour the marshmallow over the cereal and candies. The mixture sets up quickly as it cools, and you have about 3 to 4 minutes to toss everything together and shape into balls before it gets too stiff to handle.

Greased fingers (a light coat of butter or cooking spray) keep the sticky mixture from clinging to your hands. Without it you’ll spend more time peeling treats off your palms than actually making them.

Pro Tips

• Use fresh marshmallows. Old, dried-out marshmallows won’t melt smoothly and leave hard bits in the finished treats.
• Add the M&Ms at the very end after tossing the cereal with the marshmallow mixture, so their candy shells don’t melt and bleed color into the base.
• Form balls quickly while the mixture is warm. Once cooled it crumbles instead of holding shape.
• Store in an airtight container with parchment between layers for up to 3 days.

Variations

• Use chocolate chips or chopped Reese’s peanut butter cups in place of M&Ms for an even more peanut-butter-forward version.
• Drizzle finished balls with melted chocolate for an extra touch.
• Roll the balls in chopped peanuts or sprinkles for textured exteriors.