High-Protein PB&J Rice Krispie Bars (Printable)

Chewy rice cereal bars with peanut butter protein drizzle and swirled jelly topping for a protein-boosted nostalgic treat.

# Components:

→ Base

01 - 4 cups crisped rice cereal
02 - 1 cup creamy peanut butter
03 - 1/2 cup honey or maple syrup
04 - 1/4 cup vanilla or unflavored protein powder
05 - 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
06 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Toppings

07 - 1/3 cup peanut butter
08 - 2 tablespoons vanilla or unflavored protein powder
09 - 2 tablespoons milk, dairy or plant-based
10 - 1/3 cup strawberry or grape jelly, slightly warmed

# Directions:

01 - Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, allowing excess to hang over the edges for easy removal.
02 - In a large saucepan, gently heat 1 cup peanut butter and honey over low heat, stirring until smooth and fully combined. Remove from heat.
03 - Stir in vanilla extract, salt, and 1/4 cup protein powder until fully incorporated into the peanut butter mixture.
04 - Add crisped rice cereal and mix until evenly coated with the peanut butter mixture.
05 - Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking pan and press firmly and evenly to create a compact base layer.
06 - In a small bowl, mix 1/3 cup peanut butter with 2 tablespoons protein powder and enough milk to achieve a thick, pourable consistency.
07 - Drizzle the peanut butter protein mixture evenly over the pressed base layer.
08 - Warm the jelly slightly to loosen, then distribute spoonfuls across the top. Use a knife or skewer to create decorative swirls through the jelly and peanut butter drizzle.
09 - Refrigerate for at least 40 minutes until completely set.
10 - Lift the mixture from the pan using parchment paper overhang, cut into 12 equal bars, and serve.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They taste like a legitimate dessert but pack 7 grams of protein per bar, so you're not sacrificing flavor for fitness.
  • No baking required—just melting, mixing, and chilling, which means you can make two dozen in under an hour on a lazy Sunday.
  • The jelly swirl makes them feel fancy and homemade without any complicated techniques or special equipment.
02 -
  • If your peanut butter drizzle seizes up or becomes too thick, add milk literally one teaspoon at a time—it's way easier to thin it than to thicken it back up.
  • Don't skip warming the jelly; cold jelly will just sit on top in lumps instead of creating those beautiful swirls that look intentional and gorgeous.
03 -
  • Use a bench scraper or offset spatula when pressing the mixture into the pan—it distributes pressure evenly and gives you a flatter top for better drizzle distribution.
  • Let the peanut butter and honey cool for just a minute before adding the protein powder, because if it's too hot the powder can denature slightly and become powdery instead of integrating smoothly.
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