Chocolatey Peanut Butter Rice Krispies Treats Review: It's A Match Made In Heaven

Sometimes we need a not-so-guilty snack to grab and go. Enter the geniuses behind the Rice Krispies brand with a solution sure to fulfill every craving and bring joy to your mundane routine. Since they premiered in 1941, the iconic Rice Krispies Treat has snapped, crackled, and popped into the hearts of millions. The latest variety to hit store shelves this Spring is the Chocolatey Peanut Butter flavor. This treat, available from retailers nationwide for a suggested retail price of $4.49 for a box of seven or $8.42 for a container of 14, is like a marriage between the classic and a chocolate peanut butter cup. 

While many permutations of this legendary treat recipe have emerged, featuring secret ingredients and unusual mash-ups designed to elevate the classic, including deep-fried delights and smoky, seductive grilled variations, chocolate peanut butter is one that I didn't know I needed in my life so I jumped at the opportunity to get a first taste of this new creation. Luckily, the folks at Rice Krispies obliged and sent a box. Read on to find out all my thoughts about this novel delicacy and decide if you should run out and grab a box or 10 to keep in the pantry.

Some recommendations are based on first-hand impressions of promotional materials and products provided by the manufacturer/distributor/etc.

The convenience of opening a box and diving right into a Rice Krispies Treat is highly appealing for someone with a busy schedule and no time to bake anything. These snacks had that going for them from the get-go. However, I was slightly disappointed at the relatively muted aroma when I first opened a packet of these delicacies. I anticipated something more of a pronounced chocolate and peanut butter kick, but it was relatively subdued.

I was also somewhat surprised at how dry the treat was. I am accustomed to homemade Rice Krispies treats being almost annoyingly sticky. That is part of the charm of this recipe — licking the marshmallows and residual rice crisps off your fingers after you dig into a batch (and feeling them stuck to your teeth for hours afterward). These pre-made iterations lacked some of that luscious quality that I have come to expect and love. That said, I was determined to see if the flavor was everything I had imagined.

Fortunately, the taste did not let me down. The thin layer of chocolate and peanut butter complemented the Rice Krispies treat without overwhelming it. It was sweet but not cloying, and there was a hint of a salty aftertaste from the peanut butter that I quite appreciated, as it helped to counterbalance the sweetness of the marshmallows. And the treat is just dainty enough to feel like you are indulging but not overly so.

The new Rice Krispies Treats Chocolatey Peanut Butter variety comes in packs of seven or 14 pieces. Each individually-wrapped 20-gram bar contains 90 calories, 3 grams of fat, 75 milligrams of sodium, 14 grams of carbohydrates, 9 grams of sugar, and 1 gram of protein. Allergens listed include peanuts, milk, and soy. The treats may also contain tree nuts.

Rice Krispies Treats Chocolatey Peanut Butter also has trace amounts of palm kernel oil with TBHQ or Tertiary Butyl Hydroquinone, an FDA-approved synthetic antioxidant used in conjunction with BHT to stabilize the fat, thereby helping to prevent the final product from becoming rancid too quickly. The product also contains less than 2% DATEM, an emulsifier used to improve the final texture and extend the shelf-life of baked goods. According to a study published in Microbiome, this, along with several emulsifiers, has been linked with the disruption of healthy gut microbiota. It is yet to be determined if such a minute amount would significantly impact long-term gastrointestinal health unless you intend to eat an excess quantity of them.

Overall, I'd give this a solid B+ grade. If I had just one minor criticism, it would be the texture. I wanted something more ooey-gooey as advertised. Despite this, I would gladly purchase and consume these as a snack or special treat any day.

In thinking about what I could do to give this treat just a hint of a boost, I'm reminded that some heat can transform just about anything. Toasting the cereal and browning the butter can impart a rich, nutty flavor by infusing the ingredients with some Maillard Reaction action when making Rice Krispies Treats from scratch. While you wouldn't want to overheat this snack or you'd melt the chocolate, a little warmth would help to soften it, giving it more of that quintessential chewiness that I so craved. You could do this in the microwave, toaster oven, oven, or be a crazy chef like me and bust out your blow torch to flame up the top for a second or two. Try it, you'll thank me.