Fashioned after the popular chocolate bar, these Sweet Marie Bars feature peanut butter-flavoured crispy rice cereal and topped with a peanut-studded chocolate layer.
Sweet Marie chocolate bars were a longtime favourite of mine but sadly, were discontinued in 2013. I’m plenty old enough to have eaten many of them though, so trust me when I say, these Sweet Marie bars will deliver all those same great flavours and textures!
Ingredients and substitutions
A few notes about the key ingredients …
Crispy Rice Cereal – such as Rice Krispies or any similar brand..
Peanut butter – use regular, smooth peanut butter for best results. I haven’t tested these bars with natural peanut butter so I don’t know how it would affect the final results. Crunchy peanut butter could be used, though it would obviously introduce peanuts to the base layer as well.
Peanuts – any shelled, roasted peanut is fine to use here.
Corn syrup – I don’t have any issue with using corn syrup occasionally, and I do recommend it for the best consistency in the finished bars. If you would prefer not to use corn syrup, Tate and Lyle’s Golden syrup is a good substitute, although it will introduce a slightly different flavour profile.
Milk chocolate and semi-sweet chocolate chips – I tested this recipe with all milk chocolate chips, all semi-sweet chips and a combination of the two. The combination created the perfect balance for my taste and to replicate the chocolate bar experience. I highly recommend the combination, but you can use all milk chocolate or all semi-sweet chocolate chips if you like.
How to make Sweet Marie bars
- Add the peanut butter, brown sugar, butter and corn syrup to a saucepan.
- Heat over medium-low heat just until melted and smooth. Do not overheat or boil this mixture.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
- Add the Rice Krispies and stir together.
- Spoon the base mixture into a parchment-lined pan. Dip a fork into a glass of cold water to press the mixture firmly into the pan without any sticking.
- Ensure you have pressed firmly into an even layer.
- Scatter the coarsely chopped peanuts overtop of the base layer.
- Melt together the chocolate and peanut butter and use a spoon to spread it evenly over the top. Pop into the refrigerator to set before removing from the pan and cutting into squares.
Recipe tips!
- Don’t overcook the peanut butter mixture. Heat just until melted and combined and don’t allow it to boil.
- A parchment-lined baking pan makes for easy removal of the finished bars.
- Dip a fork in a glass of cold water to press the rice crispy layer into the pan without sticking.
- Press the rice krispie layer into the pan firmly.
- To fully channel the Sweet Marie experience, chop the peanut coarsely and not finely. This will produce a craggy rather than smooth top, but it’s exactly like the Sweet Marie bars were.
- I love to finish sweets with a sprinkling of finishing salt, but it’s certainly optional.
- Need more? Double the recipe and make in a 9×13-inch pan instead.
Making ahead, storing and freezing
Once the bars have chilled and the chocolate is set, remove from the pan and cut into squares. Store the bars in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days or in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.
For longer storage, freeze the bars for up to 3 months in an airtight container.
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Get the Recipe: Sweet Marie Bars
Ingredients
Base mixture:
- 1/2 cup dark corn syrup
- 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter, not natural peanut butter
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 3 Tablespoons butter
- 2 1/2 cups crispy rice cereal, such as Rice Krispies
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Peanut topping;
- 1/2-3/4 cup salted peanuts, shelled and roughly chopped
Chocolate topping:
- 2 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips, about 1/4 cup
- 4 oz milk chocolate chocolate chips, about 1/2 cup (or use more semi-sweet chocolate chips)
- 1 teaspoon butter
- 3 Tablespoons smooth peanut butter, not natural peanut butter
Optional topping:
- Coarse salt, for sprinkling over chocolate
Instructions
- Parchment-lined 8×8 pan (double for 9×13 pan)
- Line an 8×8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, covering the bottom and two sides, extending the parchment beyond the sides to use as handles to lift the bars from the pan later. Set aside.
- In a medium saucepan, add the corn syrup, peanut butter, brown sugar and butter. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, just until melted and smooth. Do not overheat and don't boil the mixture.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Add the crispy rice cereal and stir together well.
- Spoon the rice cereal mixture into the prepared pan. Dip a fork into a glass of cold water and use it to press the mixture firmly and evenly into the pan.
- Scatter the coarsely chopped peanuts over-top of the cereal mixture.
- In a measuring cup, combine the chocolate chips, butter and peanut butter. Microwave for 30 seconds, stir, then microwave in 10-second increments, stirring after each one, just until the mixture is melted and smooth. (You can also melt in a small saucepan if you prefer).
- Pour the warm chocolate mixture over the peanuts and use the back of a spoon to spread it evenly over the top. The top will be craggy from the peanuts. If desired, sprinkle a bit of coarse salt over the top as well.
- Place the pan into the refrigerator to chill for at least 30 minutes before removing from the pan and slicing into bars.
Notes
More bar recipes to love!
Hi! I’m Jennifer, a home cook schooled by trial and error and almost 40 years of getting dinner on the table! I love to share my favourite recipes, both old and new, together with lots of tips and tricks to hopefully help make your home cooking enjoyable, stress free, rewarding and of course, delicious!
My grandchildren loved these so much! So did I, too much! :-) Thank-you Jennifer!
So glad to hear, Susan and I can relate to that ;) Thanks!