These Healthier Pumpkin Spice Rice Krispie Treats are a fun fall twist on the classic no-bake treat. They're a marshmallow-free version, using peanut butter and honey (or maple syrup) to hold them together. Cozy pumpkin spice flavour and a boost of protein and fibre from the hemp hearts! The perfect fall, kid-friendly snack!
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Obviously we love a classic rice krispie square, but this is a fun version that skips the marshmallows. This version is lower in sugar than the classic, and adds in hemp hearts for a little extra fibre and protein! Everyone in my house has been loving having these around!
Table of Contents
Why You'll Love These Pumpkin Spice Krispie Treats
- No-bake! - everything comes together on the stovetop and in one bowl, no oven needed.
- More protein and fibre - thanks to the peanut butter and hemp hearts, these offer a little more staying power than a store-bought, marshmallow-based treat.
- No marshmallows needed - peanut butter holds everything together here instead.
- A fun one for little hands - stirring, pouring, and pressing the mixture into the pan are all toddler-friendly jobs.
- Perfect on their own or with fruit - serve as a simple snack, or pair with some sliced apple or pear for a more balanced plate.
Ingredients for Pumpkin Rice Krispie Treats
Here is what you'll need to make these pumpkin spice rice krispie bars!
- Smooth natural peanut butter - the "glue" that replaces the marshmallow. It holds everything together and adds protein and healthy fats.
- Coconut oil - helps the bars firm up as they chill, so they set and slice into clean squares.
- Honey - adds sweetness and stickiness that helps bind the cereal. (Maple syrup works too)
- Vanilla extract - rounds out the flavour and makes the pumpkin and spice taste a little warmer.
- Pumpkin puree - brings the fall flavour and colour. Use plain pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
- Hemp hearts - adds a little plant-based protein and fibre boost.
- Pumpkin pie spice - the cozy cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg flavour, with no added sugar.
- Crisp rice cereal - the crunchy base of the bars.
- White chocolate chips (optional) - melted and drizzled on top for a pretty finish - a spider web is fun for Halloween!
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Pumpkin Spice Rice Krispie Treats
Here is an overview of how to make these bars, or you can scroll down to the recipe card for the full instructions.
In a small saucepan over medium heat, stir together the peanut butter, maple syrup, and coconut oil until melted and smooth. Remove from heat.
Stir in the vanilla and pumpkin puree until well combined.
In a large bowl, add the crispy rice cereal, hemp hearts and pumpkin pie spice. Stir to combine.
Pour into an 8x8-inch baking dish lined with parchment paper. Press down firmly (as firm as possible! This is key!) and evenly with a spatula. This is important since firm, even pressing is what helps the bars hold together once cut.
Then freeze for 15-20 minutes until just firm.
Add the wet ingredients to the crispy rice cereal and mix until the cereal is evenly coated.
Remove from freezer after 15-20 minutes and cut into squares (you want to do this before it's frozen solid). Option to melt some white chocolate and pipe on top of the squares. I've done a spiderweb above, or you could do mini spider webs on each square for a Halloween theme!
Place back in the fridge for 1-2 hours to set.
Hint: if you're adding the white chocolate topping, melt it in a microwave-safe bowl in 30-second increments, stirring after each one, until smooth, then pour, pipe, or drizzle it over the top before chilling.
Substitutions
A couple of easy swaps if you need them:
- Honey - you can swap the honey for maple syrup in equal parts if that's what you have on hand. Just keep in mind that honey shouldn't be given to babies under 12 months old (although this recipe is intended for older toddlers and children). I do find honey holds the bars together better than the maple syrup, but both will work.
- Peanut butter - for a peanut-free version, you can use almond butter. For a nut-free version, sunflower seed butter should work, however, I have not tested this swap out.
- Pumpkin pie spice - If you don't have any of this, cinnamon will work fine!
Variations
For other fun rice krispie treat ideas, check out my Healthier Chocolate Peppermint Rice Krispie Treats. And for more pumpkin spice flavoured treats, be sure to try these Baked Pumpkin Spice Yogurt Melt Puffs and these Pumpkin Spice French Toast Muffins for more fall flavour.
For another easy no-bake option, try my Strawberry Funfetti Energy Bites or these Apricot & White Chocolate Tahini Energy Balls.
Equipment
- A small saucepan
- A large mixing bowl
- An 8x8-inch baking dish
Storage
Store the rice krispie treats in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days, or in the freezer for up to 2 months. If you're freezing them, I like to layer parchment paper between the bars so they don't stick together.
These are a great one to batch prep for grab-and-go snacking, and they travel well in lunch boxes (note that there is peanut butter in these, so be sure to check allergy policies before packing in a school lunchbox). One thing to note: since these are held together with peanut butter rather than marshmallow, they can soften and crumble a little more as they come up to room temperature. They'll still taste delicious, but just know they will crumble a little as they warm up!
Toddler Tip
This is a fun, simple recipe that your child can help with! Toddlers and kids love scooping, pouring and mixing ingredients and this is a great recipe to get them involved with.
FAQ
Yes, honey works well as a one-to-one swap for maple syrup in this recipe.
Always avoid honey for babies under 12 months, (although this snack is intended for older toddlers/children anyways).
No - the freezer is just used briefly to help the bars firm up enough to cut cleanly. After that, store them in the fridge or freezer for longer-term storage.
This usually means the mixture wasn't pressed down firmly enough in the pan. Use a spatula (or the bottom of a measuring cup) to press hard and evenly across the whole pan before chilling.
Recipe
Healthier Pumpkin Spice Rice Krispie Treats (no marshmallows)
Equipment
- Small saucepan
- 8x8-inch baking dish
- Large bowl
Ingredients
- ¾ cup smooth natural peanut butter
- ¼ cup coconut oil
- ¼ cup honey or swap maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoon pumpkin puree
- ⅓ cup hemp hearts
- 1¼ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 3 cups crisp rice cereal
- ¼ cup white chocolate chips optional, melted, for drizzling on top
Instructions
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, stir together the peanut butter, maple syrup, and coconut oil until melted and smooth.
- Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla, pumpkin puree, hemp hearts, and pumpkin pie spice until combined.
- In a large bowl, add the crisp rice cereal. Pour the wet mixture over top and mix until fully combined.
- Pour into an 8x8-inch baking dish lined with parchment paper. Press down firmly (very firmly!!) and evenly with a spatula.
- Optional: melt white chocolate chips in the microwave in 30-second increments, stirring between each, until smooth. Drizzle or pipe over the top. For Halloween season, I like to pipe into a spider web!
- Freeze for 15-20 minutes until just firm. Lift out using the parchment, cut into squares, then transfer to the fridge for another 1-2 hours.
Notes
Nutrition
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