I don’t think it’s any secret that I was a total fat kid. Both in spirit and in actual size… I loved all kinds of snack food and it showed in my waistline. Most of it was baby fat that fell off by the time I started high school, but let me tell ya. 4th & 5th grade I really peaked. And by ‘peaked’, I mean I was at my prime awkward/chubby stage. It was a pre-braces era and I had yellow, crooked teeth, a middle part, and a stomach that had warranted the nickname “watermelon baby” from my cousins. At the time I thought it was because I loved watermelon. Hindsight is 20/20 people. For your viewing pleasure, here’s a picture of me at age 8 or 9, fully embracing everything the Bahamas had to offer an 9 year old; Virgin daquiris, hot dogs, and corn rows.
But aside from hot dogs, I was (and still am) a huge sucker for the sweet stuff. One of my favorite memories at camp each summer was making s’mores. The sticky marshmallows and the melted chocolate just scream summertime to me. Another one of my all time favorite treats are rice krispys. My mom would always make the homemade kind and I could eat a whole pan in one sitting (not that she ever let me, but a 7 year old version of me can dream). So I figured, why not combine the two? So folks, I give you the Peanut Butter S’mores Rice Krispy Treat:
Ingredients:
6 cups Rice Krispy Cereal
4 Tbsp. butter
1 (10 oz.) package marshmallows
For the topping:
1 cup chocolate chips (I used dark chocolate chips, but it’s up to you)
⅓ cup creamy peanut butter
8 marshmallows, toasted, cooled, and cut in half ( I toasted mine under the broiler in the oven)
2 graham crackers, crushed
Directions:
Melt butter in a large saucepan over low heat
Add marshmallows and stir until fully melted
Working quickly, stir the Rice Krispy’s into the melted marshmallow mixture
Spread into a well-greased 9x9 baking dish*
Let cool, then dump out onto wax paper and cut into squares
*Tip: Get your hands slightly wet and press down on the treats to ensure an even layer.
For the topping:
Melt your chocolate chips in a shallow, microwave-safe dish (30 second intervals in the microwave)
Scoop your peanut butter into a microwave-safe bowl and microwave until runny (30 second intervals as well
Dip each Rice Krispy treat into the melted chocolate, and place a half marshmallow in the center
Drizzle with peanut butter to make a diagonal pattern (I used a spoon for this step)
Sprinkle with crushed graham crackers