These Homemade Rice Crispy Treats Are Exactly What You Need Right Now

Whether you're working from home right now or just spending a lot more time indoors, your pantry has probably been calling out to you. If you have the itch to bake but perhaps lacking the skills or kitchen intuition of Martha Stewart, these homemade rice crispy treats are the no-frills, all-yum answer. And, good news: They take just a few minutes to whip up.

This 5-ingredient recipe puts a spin on traditional homemade rice crispy treats, by swapping the typical fixings of marshmallows and butter for good-for-you alternatives. This healthier take on the classic dessert uses creamy cashew butter and honey instead, making the recipe refined sugar- and dairy-free. The keto-approved cashew butter also gives the vegan dessert a hint of savory, along with some heart-healthy fat. Plus, it helps to hold the homemade rice crispy treats together along with the honey. (

Homemade Rice Crispy Treats with Chocolate Chips and Cashew Butter

Makes: 12 bars

Ingredients:

• 4 1/2 cups rice crisps cereal
• ½ cup cashew butter
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Line a 9x9 baking dish with tinfoil, hanging it over the sides so that you can easily pull treats out from dish once complete.
2. Place cereal into a mixing bowl.
3. In a small saucepan, combine cashew butter, honey, and vanilla extract. Warm over low heat, stirring often, until mixture becomes smooth and starts to bubble.
4. Pour cashew butter mixture into a mixing bowl. Use a wooden spoon to quickly stir cashew butter mixture throughout cereal, coating cereal evenly.
5. Transfer cereal mixture to baking dish, using wooden spoon to firmly press treats into the pan.
6. Add chocolate chips throughout dish, using your hands to push them into the treats.
7. Cover and chill treats in refrigerator until firm and cooled, at least an hour.
8. Lift tinfoil up and pull treats out of baking dish. Remove tinfoil and place on a cutting board or serving platter. Cut into a dozen treats and enjoy.

Nutrition facts per bar: 175 calories, 7g fat, 2g saturated fat, 25g carbs, 2.5g protein