Peanut Marshmallow Bars

Peanut marshmallow bars are a layered dessert consisting of a shortbread cookie crust, pillowy marshmallow center, and a sweet peanut fudge topping with roasted peanuts and crispy rice cereal. 

Calling all peanut fans, this is the dessert recipe for you! It’s also the perfect sweet treat during baseball season. Nothing pairs better with baseball than a bag of peanuts.

These peanut marshmallow bars are an ideal sweet and salty snack!

These bars are made up of everything you’d want in a treat: sweet, salty, and crunchy. 

This layered dessert is made up of three layers:

1. Bottom cookie layer sort of resembles a shortbread crust. It is crumbly and flavorful.
2. Middle layer is sweet melted marshmallows.
3. Top layer is a sweet and salty crunchy mixture of peanut butter, peanuts, and rice cereal.

For added decadence, a generous drizzling on melted dark chocolate completes the treat. The chocolate topping is optional. The bars are just as delicious without the chocolate!

Ingredients and Substitutions

These are the ingredients with the most questions:

• Brown Sugar: Use either light or dark brown sugar. In a pinch, you may use granulated sugar mixed with molasses. See recipe notes for exact measurements.
• Vanilla Extract: High quality pure vanilla extract is best. Stay away from imitation vanilla extract. You may use almond extract, if you prefer a different flavor.
• Mini Marshmallows: These small sized marshmallows melt faster and more evenly than larger sized marshmallows. If you don’t have mini marshmallows, you can chop or cut larger marshmallows into smaller pieces.
• Light Corn Syrup: This helps prevent unwanted crystallization. It keeps the bars chewy. Light corn is different from high fructose corn syrup! Please do not omit this ingredient. It serves a structural purpose while also providing sweetness.
• Peanut Butter Chips: Use Reese’s peanut butter chips. Widely available in supermarkets, Target, Walmart, and Amazon.
• Crisp Rice Cereal: Any brand or variety of puffed rice cereal works. Use Rice Krispies, puffed brown rice cereal, or cocoa rice puffs (such as Cocoa Krispies).
• Peanuts: I used a mixture of honey roasted peanuts and salted peanuts for a sweet and salty balance. Feel free to simply use one variety of peanuts. Or, sub in unsalted peanuts.

Ingredients FAQ:

Where can I buy peanut butter chips? 

• This recipe was tested using Reese’s Peanut Butter Chips. This can be purchased online, Target, and most supermarkets. 

What else I can do with peanut butter chips?

• Use excess peanut butter chips to make these chocolate peanut butter chip cookies!

Can I sub in peanut butter for the peanut butter chips?

• No. The peanut butter chips are a vital part of the fudge. 
• I have found this recipe for homemade peanut butter chips. However, I have not tested it for this recipe. 

Can I sub out the corn syrup or use something else in its place?

• No. The light corn syrup is necessary for the formation of the fudge-like topping. 

How to make layered bar treats

1. Make the crust: the shortbread crust is quickly mixed together in a stand mixer. You may also mix the dough together by hand. Be sure that the butter has softened to room temperature for easy mixing. 
2. Bake the crust: Press the crust into a thin even layer in a 9×13-inch baking pan lined with greased foil. Leave a foil overhang on the sides so you can easily lift the bars out of the pan later. Bake the crust for about 10 minutes in a 350 degree F oven.
3. Add marshmallow layer: Remove crust from oven and immediately sprinkle mini marshmallows on top. Return to oven for 2-3 minutes to soften marshmallows. Use a buttered/greased mini offset spatula to spread warm marshmallows into an even layer. 
4. Melt the filling ingredients: Gently heat corn syrup, butter, and peanut butter chips over low heat until smooth. Alternatively, heat at half power for 30 second intervals in the microwave until smooth. Fold in crisp rice cereal and peanuts. 
5. Spread peanut butter filling: Using a buttered/greased mini offset spatula, spread the peanut butter filling over the marshmallow layer. 
6. Chill: Allow the bars to cool to room temperature, about 3 hours. Or, speed up the process by cooling the bars in the fridge, about 1 hour. You may slice into bars once the peanut butter fudge topping is set.
7. Add chocolate: Drizzle melted chocolate over cut bars and enjoy! 

More Peanut Recipes

• Peanut Butter Ice Cream
• Boiled Peanuts (stovetop and pressure cooker method)
• Peanut Butter Cake Doughnuts
• Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Brownies