Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats – Careful with the Coating, and Hold the Fake Almond Extract

Because I bought a giant tub of Skippy Peanut Butter a couple of weeks ago and hadn’t opened it yet, and because I had two unopened boxes of Rice Krispies sitting on top of my refrigerator—both of them a year past the “Best if used by” date—this Wednesday I decided it was time to make some Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats.

Yes, I did just say the Rice Krispies were a year past the “Best if used by” date. And that’s right, I wasn’t afraid to use them. Neither box had been opened. Also, that date doesn’t represent a food safety deadline; it’s mainly a taste guideline. After opening one of the boxes, I tasted the cereal and decided it would work just fine for Rice Krispie Treats, even if we are a bit past October 2009. And I would hate to throw those boxes away.

I expected making Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats to be a simple task, and for the most part it was. However, I was a little dismayed when I poured the Rice Krispies into my butter, marshmallow, and peanut butter mixture, intending to “stir mixture to coat well,” and discovered that the mixture immediately hardened to the point where I couldn’t stir it at all. I tried my best, but the mixture I pressed into the pan most definitely had areas with LOTS of marshmallow/peanut butter coating and other areas with very little coating.

Maybe next time I should add a little less cereal (and consequently, press the mixture into a smaller pan). I could, of course, add more marshmallows, but that would mean opening a second bag and not using all of it. I think using two full bags would really be overdoing it.

I added ½ tsp amounts of both vanilla and almond extract to the mixture. The almond extract was imitation almond extract, and I could really taste it in the finished treats. Chris said he couldn’t taste the almond extract at all, and he gobbled up his treats after dinner; but in my opinion there was just too much fake almond extract taste present for me to be completely happy. Next time I will add vanilla only.

But, if slightly uneven coating and a somewhat noticeable fake almond taste are the worst of my problems, I think I can call this one a general success. I’m sure some people have had Rice Krispie Treat crises that put my problems to shame. I think I had such a crisis once myself—seems like several years ago I managed to burn the butter and marshmallow. And I think that may have been the last time I tried making Rice Krispie Treats. Well, I’m back on the bandwagon now.

The recipe I used:

Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats

2 Tbsp butter

1 package of marshmallows

½ cup peanut butter

6 cups Rice Krispies

½–1 tsp of vanilla extract and/or almond extract (optional)

In a large saucepan, melt butter. Add marshmallows. Stir frequently. As marshmallows are melting, add and stir in vanilla and almond extract if using either. When marshmallows are melted, remove the pan from the heat and stir in peanut butter until it is completely melted and mixed in. Pour in Rice Krispies and coat well. Spread mixture into a greased 9×13 pan and let harden. Cut into squares and serve.