Peanut Butter Balls with Rice Krispies

Name: Peanut Butter Balls with Rice Krispies
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: ¾ cup of creamy peanut butter; 1 cup of puffed rice cereal; 1 Tablespoon of powdered sugar; 1 ½ cups of vegan white chocolate chips

Easy, no-bake vegan white chocolate peanut butter balls with Rice Krispies (peanut butter snowballs) require just 4 ingredients for a super crunchy, sweet, and delicious crowd-pleasing treat! Gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, & optionally sugar-free!

completed Peanut Butter Balls with Rice Krispies scattered on a white surface

4-Ingredient Peanut Butter Balls Recipe with Rice Krispies

If you love homemade rice Krispie treats, peanut butter, and/or peanut butter snowballs, then get ready to fall in love with a treat that combines all three- delicious, moreish white chocolate peanut butter balls with Rice Krispies (aka crispy peanut butter snowballs). But vegan, of course!

These simple no-bake rice crispy peanut butter balls combine creamy peanut butter, powdered sugar (or sugar alternative), and crispy rice cereal to create a decadent, sweet, crunchy filling rolled into balls and dipped into melted white chocolate (dairy-free) for a super simple yet decadent treat.

Following 15 minutes in the freezer to set, these family-friendly (aka child-approved) treats are packed with texture and ready to enjoy. Gobble them immediately or save them for lunch boxes, after-school snacking, parties, and the holidays (especially Christmas time)! I’ve even gifted them as part of a Christmas cookie tray (with PBJ thumbprint cookies and raisin oatmeal cookies), with plenty of praise.

Plus, this version is not only 100% dairy-free and vegan, but you could make it sugar-free, too, for healthy peanut butter rice crisp balls, or even increase the flavor with several add-ins and/or toppings listed below!

The Ingredients

Just four simple ingredients make up these super delicious, crunchy, no-bake peanut butter balls with Rice Krispies.

ingredients for Peanut Butter Balls with Rice Krispies against a white surface

Peanut butter: Use creamy peanut butter (rather than drippy natural peanut butter) for the best consistency. Smooth or crunchy peanut butter works in this easy peanut butter balls recipe.
Powdered sugar: Use regular icing sugar or a sugar-free version, like powdered erythritol.
Crispy rice cereal: Kellogg’s Rice Krispies aren’t actually vegan-friendly. However, there are several vegan-friendly puffed rice cereal options in grocery stores, health food stores, or online.
Vegan white chocolate: Vegan white chocolate chips (melted) is what gives these peanut butter snowballs their ‘snowball’ look. However, you could also use semi-sweet chocolate for regular peanut butter balls with Rice Krispies. Use sugar-free chocolate if desired.

To make the dairy-free white chocolate easier to work with, you may also want to add a spoonful of either vegetable shortening or melted coconut oil.

What Could I Add To The Rice Crispy Peanut Butter Balls?

Vanilla: Add a small amount of vanilla to enhance the dessert-like flavor of the peanut butter filling.
Spices: Enhance the flavor further with a dash of spices such as cinnamon, pumpkin spice, chai spice, gingerbread, etc.
Salt: If the peanut butter you use contains no salt, adding a pinch to the mixture will help to balance the sweetness and enhance the overall flavor of the rice crispy peanut butter balls.

Decorating Peanut Butter Rice Crispy Treats

After chilling the crispy peanut butter balls and dipping them in the melted vegan chocolate, feel free to add a topping to the melted dairy-free chocolate, like:

Crushed nuts
Crushed cookies (like Oreos)
Sprinkles
More vegan chocolate (drizzled in a zigzag pattern)
Flaky sea salt
Shredded coconut

How to Make Crispy Peanut Butter Snowballs?

Follow just four super simple steps to prepare this family favorite recipe for dairy-free chocolate peanut butter balls with Rice Krispies.

1) First, combine the peanut butter, icing sugar, and rice cereal in a bowl and mix well.

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process shot of mixing ingredients together in a bowl

process shot of mixing ingredients in a bowl with utensil

2) Using a small cookie scoop or melon baller, scoop the mixture into small balls and transfer them to wax or parchment-paper-lined baking tray. Transfer it to the freezer for around 15 minutes for the balls to harden.

process shot of scooping ingredients in a bowl with utensil

process shot of small cookie balls on a baking sheet prior to being dipped

3) Then, melt the vegan white chocolate chips in a tall bowl using a double boiler (placing a small heat-proof bowl over a pot of simmering water - make sure the water isn’t touching the bottom of the bowl). Alternatively, use the microwave (heat for one minute, then in 20-second increments, stirring in between to avoid scorching).

process shot of small cookie balls on a baking sheet with small bowl of dip alongside tray

4) Use a fork to dip each of the frozen peanut butter bonbons into the melted veegan chocolate, then transfer them back to the sheet and return to the freezer until solid (about 15 minutes). Enjoy!

process shot of mixing cookie balls into dip

close up shot of dipped peanut butter ball alongside non-dipped balls

Tap the fork against the side of the bowl to remove excess vegan chocolate before transferring the crispy peanut butter balls back to the tray.

FAQs

Can I use other types of cereal?

That should work, though I recommend crushing up any firmer type of cereal, like flakes, vegan cheerios, etc., as they’re firmer. Graham crackers crushed into crumbs would also work.

Can I omit the rice krispies?

You can omit the cereal if you want to make a more traditional peanut butter snowball recipe. However, both the peanut butter and confectioners’ sugar will need to be increased, using enough sugar to make a rollable dough consistency.

Can I use another type of nut butter?

Yes, you can use a different type of nut or seed butter. I.e., almond butter, sunflower seed butter, cashew butter, pistachio butter, etc. You could even use a vegan Nutella. You may need to adjust the amount of confectioners’ sugar accordingly.

Can I thicken crispy peanut butter balls without icing sugar?

You could possibly use your favorite protein powder instead. I recommend using a vanilla or peanut butter flavored one. If using unflavored protein powder, I recommend still including some sweetener (to taste).

Top Recipe Tips and Notes

Adjust the texture: Leave the cereal whole or crush it (a little or a lot), to adjust the inner texture of the peanut butter rice Krispie treats. However, the more you crush it, the more you may need, as you'll lose volume.
If you can’t form the balls: If the mixture is too thin, add a little more powdered sugar, a couple of spoonfuls at a time, until it’s formable.
Enjoy as balls or bars: Instead of balls, spread the mixture into a parchment-lined baking tin and pour the melted vegan chocolate over the top. After chilling, slice them into delicious peanut butter rice Krispie bars.

Storage Instructions

Store: After preparing the dairy-free white chocolate peanut butter balls, transfer them to an airtight container or Ziplock/Stasher bag and store them in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Freeze: These rice crispy peanut butter balls will last up to 3 months in an airtight container/freezer bag. Allow one to thaw at room temperature for about 10-15 minutes before enjoying it.

More Vegan Treats

If you try these easy peanut butter balls with Rice Krispies (peanut butter snowballs recipe), I’d love to know what you think in the comments below. I’d also really appreciate a recipe card rating!

Photos by Alfonso Revilla