Protein Rice Krispies

The journey toward strength doesn't have to mean giving up your favorite treats! Whip yourself up a batch of protein rice krispies and get a little boost of muscle-building power with your sweet snack.

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Protein rice krispies

Rice krispies are simple, easy to make, and almost universally loved. So why mess with a good thing? Well, you never have to, but if you can enjoy those treats and sneak in a little more protein, why not?

Are rice krispies a good source of protein?

At less than 1 gram per serving, rice krispie treats aren't what you want to rely on to meet your nutrition goals. That said, it's not like they're pretending to offer much on that front, so it's not like there's a scam afoot!

I decided to mix protein powder into my protein rice krispies because I'm always looking for different ways to help get to my goals—dessert doesn't have to be left out of that. This treat offers 5 grams per serving instead of the minimal amount from the originals. If you really like the powder you're using, you could always make more!

Protein rice krispies ingredients

You might have already guessed this, but these are made like normal rice krispie treats... with your favorite protein powder mixed in for extra goodness.

But what goes in to making rice krispie treats in the first place? I'm glad you asked:

• Butter
• Mini Marshmallows
• Crispy rice cereal

And that's pretty much it. Add in your favorite protein powder (ratio suggested in the recipe below) and you're good to go!

I also like to add a chocolate drizzle or sprinkles as a topping sometimes—we're still talking about dessert, people!

How to make protein rice krispie treats

Most boxes of crispy rice cereal (and bags of marshmallows, for that matter) will provide basic instructions for making these treats. Here's how I go about the process:

• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spray the parchment paper with cooking spray and set aside.
• Heat a large skillet or pot over low-medium heat.
• Add butter and stir until melted.
• Add marshmallows and stir frequently until melted.
• Quickly stir in protein powder! If you don't stir quickly, the marshmallow and marshmallow mixture will thicken.
• Quickly stir in the rice krispies. Start by pouring about ½ of the rice krispies, stirring, and then pouring the remaining rice krispies. Again, stir quickly before the mixture thickens!
• Press the rice krispie mixture onto the baking sheet.
• Optional: Add sprinkles or drizzle chocolate as a topping.
• Let sit for about 30 minutes.
• Use a knife to cut. Enjoy!

Tips for making protein rice krispies

Stir, stir, stir

When you're mixing in the protein and cereal to the marshmallows and butter, time is of the essence! The longer you wait, the harder it will be to stir.

All about the ratios

You can add extra protein to these if you'd like. I picked the ratio in the recipe because I think it balances the flavors and textures of the ingredients quite well. Even the tastiest protein powder isn't particularly delicious on its own, but a good one can complement these treats pretty well.

For cooling, patience is key

If you make treats like this, you might be tempted to toss these in the fridge to speed up the cooling process. I recommend against this: these treats can actually cool down too quickly, making them brittle and difficult to cut.

Just wait for about half an hour after transferring the mixture to a baking sheet, and you'll be able to enjoy your creation with the soft, chewy texture you've come to love.

Customize to your liking

Part of the fun of these is adding toppings to improve both the look and taste of the treats. Like I mentioned before, I like chocolate drizzles and sprinkles occasionally, but the sky's the limit.

How to keep rice krispies

Store in sealed, airtight container to avoid them going stale. These can last a decent amount of time if stored properly!

Is rice krispies a good pre-workout?

Depending on how hip with the youth you might be (hint: if you say "hip with the youth," there's a chance you're not...), you may have seen a TikTok about people eating rice krispie treats as a pre-workout snack.

This might sound strange, but there's definitely something to it: having sugar and carbs can give you a boost of energy to fuel a tough workout.

While most nutritionists focus on protein as an essential recovery tool, it also isn't a bad idea to have a little before a workout. So these protein rice krispies might work extra well as a pre-workout snack!

Are rice krispie treats healthy?

I think this is a reasonable question to ask, like it is of any food.

A nutrition plan built around the mass consumption of rice krispie treats—even the ones with more protein—is unlikely to set you up for success. At the end of the day, these are sweet treats offering little in the way of nutrients your body craves.

But does that mean you need to skip these entirely if you're looking to have a well-rounded food intake? Of course not!

The point is, you have to think of your food in context. If your dinner is a plate of these treats piled up high, you might have lost the plot. If you're planning on having one of these before a workout or just as an afternoon pick-me-up, you could do much worse.

Want more recipes?

Try one of these Jordo's World staples:

• Healthy Peanut Butter Cups
• Easy Peanut Butter Fudge
• S'mores Dip