Spicy Sichuan Rice Krispies Treats
By Andrea GearyPublished on October 2, 2025
Time
1¼ hours, plus 1 hour setting
Yield
Makes 18 treats
Ingredients
Sichuan Spicy Peanuts
1 cup dry-roasted peanuts 1½ teaspoons vegetable oil 1 teaspoon light corn syrup 1 teaspoon Sichuan chili flakes 1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns, ground fine1 teaspoon table salt ¼ teaspoon white pepper ¼ teaspoon MSG (optional)Treats
3½ cups (3½ ounces/99 grams) Rice Krispies cereal ½ cup light corn syrup ½ cup (3⅓ ounces/99 grams) sugar 2 tablespoons water ¾ cup (6¾ ounces/191 grams) creamy peanut butter 1 teaspoon Sichuan chili flakes 1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns 3 facing heaven chiles, stemmed, halved lengthwise, seeded, and sliced thin crosswiseBefore You Begin
Look for Sichuan chili flakes and facing heaven chiles at Chinese supermarkets. If they’re unavailable, substitute 1 teaspoon gochugaru (Korean chili flakes) for the Sichuan chili flakes in the peanuts and 2 teaspoons (1 for the chili flakes and 1 for the sliced chiles) in the treats. MSG contributes a savory note that recalls the flavor of the Huang Fei Hong peanuts that inspired this recipe, but it can be omitted if desired. Use a spice grinder or mortar and pestle to finely grind the Sichuan peppercorns. This recipe was created as part of ATK’s Rice Krispies Treats Week, which is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by Kellogg’s.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine 1 cup dry-roasted peanuts, 1½ teaspoons vegetable oil, and 1 teaspoon light corn syrup in large bowl. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon Sichuan chili flakes; 1 teaspoon finely ground Sichuan peppercorns; 1 teaspoon table salt; ¼ teaspoon white pepper; and ¼ teaspoon MSG, if using, and toss to coat. Transfer to prepared sheet (do not wash bowl) and bake until nuts are fragrant and light golden brown, about 10 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking. Transfer sheet to wire rack and let sit until cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes. Chop peanuts fine and return to bowl.
- Make parchment sling for 8-inch square baking pan by folding 2 long sheets of parchment paper so each is 8 inches wide. Lay sheets of parchment in pan perpendicular to each other, with extra parchment hanging over edges of pan. Push parchment into corners and up sides of pan, smoothing parchment flush to pan. Grease parchment.
- Add 3½ cups cereal to finely chopped peanuts and stir to combine. Combine ½ cup light corn syrup, ½ cup sugar, and 2 tablespoons water in medium saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat until sugar is mostly dissolved (mixture will be mostly clear), about 5 minutes, stirring constantly and adjusting heat as needed so that mixture does not come to boil. Stir in ¾ cup creamy peanut butter; 1 teaspoon Sichuan chili flakes; 1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns; and 3 facing heaven chiles, halved lengthwise, seeded, and sliced thin crosswise, until peanut butter is melted, about 1 minute. Remove from heat.
- Pour peanut butter mixture over cereal mixture in bowl and stir until fully combined. Transfer cereal mixture to prepared pan. Using greased spatula, press cereal mixture into even layer. Let sit for 1 hour until set.
- Use parchment sling to lift bars out of pan; discard parchment. Cut treats into 3 equal strips. Cut each strip crosswise to create 6 equal rectangles and serve. (Bars can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 days.)
for the sichuan spicy peanuts
for the treats
Time
1¼ hours, plus 1 hour settingYield
Makes 18 treatsIngredients
Sichuan Spicy Peanuts
Treats
Ingredients
Sichuan Spicy Peanuts
Treats
Ingredients
Sichuan Spicy Peanuts
Treats
Why This Recipe Works
Huang Fei Hong peanuts, a beloved Chinese snack that showcases the spiciness of Sichuan chiles and the citric tang and numbing sensation of Sichuan peppercorns, were the inspiration for this sweet and savory cereal treat. We started by making our own version of the peanuts: Instead of frying them per tradition, we tossed them with a small amount of oil and corn syrup to make their surfaces tacky, sprinkled them with spices and salt, and roasted them. Finely chopping the cooled peanuts ensured that they wouldn’t compromise the structural integrity of our treats. Eschewing the usual butter and marshmallows combo, we bound our peanuts and cereal with a warmed mixture of creamy peanut butter, corn syrup, and sugar that had been dissolved in a small amount of water. Additional Sichuan peppercorns, Sichuan chili flakes, and tiny ribbons of dried facing heaven chiles stirred into the peanut mixture reinforced the Huang Fei Hong profile.
Before You Begin
Look for Sichuan chili flakes and facing heaven chiles at Chinese supermarkets. If they’re unavailable, substitute 1 teaspoon gochugaru (Korean chili flakes) for the Sichuan chili flakes in the peanuts and 2 teaspoons (1 for the chili flakes and 1 for the sliced chiles) in the treats. MSG contributes a savory note that recalls the flavor of the Huang Fei Hong peanuts that inspired this recipe, but it can be omitted if desired. Use a spice grinder or mortar and pestle to finely grind the Sichuan peppercorns. This recipe was created as part of ATK’s Rice Krispies Treats Week, which is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by Kellogg’s.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine 1 cup dry-roasted peanuts, 1½ teaspoons vegetable oil, and 1 teaspoon light corn syrup in large bowl. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon Sichuan chili flakes; 1 teaspoon finely ground Sichuan peppercorns; 1 teaspoon table salt; ¼ teaspoon white pepper; and ¼ teaspoon MSG, if using, and toss to coat. Transfer to prepared sheet (do not wash bowl) and bake until nuts are fragrant and light golden brown, about 10 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking. Transfer sheet to wire rack and let sit until cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes. Chop peanuts fine and return to bowl.
- Make parchment sling for 8-inch square baking pan by folding 2 long sheets of parchment paper so each is 8 inches wide. Lay sheets of parchment in pan perpendicular to each other, with extra parchment hanging over edges of pan. Push parchment into corners and up sides of pan, smoothing parchment flush to pan. Grease parchment.
- Add 3½ cups cereal to finely chopped peanuts and stir to combine. Combine ½ cup light corn syrup, ½ cup sugar, and 2 tablespoons water in medium saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat until sugar is mostly dissolved (mixture will be mostly clear), about 5 minutes, stirring constantly and adjusting heat as needed so that mixture does not come to boil. Stir in ¾ cup creamy peanut butter; 1 teaspoon Sichuan chili flakes; 1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns; and 3 facing heaven chiles, halved lengthwise, seeded, and sliced thin crosswise, until peanut butter is melted, about 1 minute. Remove from heat.
- Pour peanut butter mixture over cereal mixture in bowl and stir until fully combined. Transfer cereal mixture to prepared pan. Using greased spatula, press cereal mixture into even layer. Let sit for 1 hour until set.
- Use parchment sling to lift bars out of pan; discard parchment. Cut treats into 3 equal strips. Cut each strip crosswise to create 6 equal rectangles and serve. (Bars can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 days.)
for the sichuan spicy peanuts
for the treats
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