This is one of those simple recipes you teach your kids to get them excited about cooking, which is precisely where I learned it! Staying at a friend’s house during summer vacation in middle school, we felt accomplished making these easy treats for ourselves. Decades later, I still crave these bars from time to time as an adult.

NOTE: Unsweetened natural peanut butter works beautifully with this recipe. In fact, I find these bars a little too saccharine when made with sweetened peanut butter. So don’t think you have to use the sweetened stuff. If the oil separates from your natural peanut butter, be sure to mix it well before adding to the bowl.

BONUS! If you love the chocolate/peanut butter combo, throw in a half cup of semisweet chocolate chips. They’re delicious!

Peanut Butter Butterscotch Crispy Rice Bars
(Original recipe: Kim Williams)

1 cup your favorite creamy peanut butter
1 12-oz bag of butterscotch chips
6 cups of puffed rice cereal (ie Rice Krispies®)

In a double boiler on the stove, melt and combine the peanut butter and butterscotch chips. The mixture should be smooth, but be careful not to burn it.

In a large bowl, pour the mixture over the cereal. Fold gently to combine, making sure all the cereal is evenly coated. (If you’re going to add chocolate chips, gently fold those in now.)

Scrape the mixture into a 9×13 pan and allow to cool in the refrigerator for an hour before cutting into squares and enjoying!