Make irresistible, crunchy Avalanche Cookies easily with just five ingredients: crispy rice cereal, marshmallows, mini chocolate chips, peanut butter, and white chocolate – no baking required!

Use leftover crispy rice cereal in our Rice Krispie treats recipe, these butterscotch scotcheroos, or these crunchy cookie butter cups.

No-bake Avalanche Cookies with chocolate chips sprinkled throughout.

Avalanche Cookies

These five-ingredient no-bake cookies are our latest obsession. (Along with these Peppermint Ice Cream Bars). My kids can’t get enough of them and I’ll admit I’ve had about 10 too many… in the name of “recipe testing” of course!

They’re sweet and nutty, crunchy with soft bites of marshmallow throughout and loaded with two types of chocolate (like these Chocolate Cookies). 

All the ingredients for this recipe are prepped and ready for easy assembly: marshmallows, chocolate chips, white chocolate, peanut butter, and Rice Krispie cereal.
Melt white chocolate and peanut butter together, then pour over the Rice Krispie cereal for these Avalanche Cookies.

Ingredients

  • Mini Chocolate Chips: For texture, flavor, and topping.
  • White Chocolate Chips: Bind ingredients, add sweetness and creaminess.
  • Peanut Butter: Adds rich, nutty flavor; helps bind.
  • Crispy Rice Cereal: Adds crunch and texture contrast to the avalanche cookies.
  • Mini Marshmallows: Provide chewiness and sweetness.

Quick Tip

Avalanche Cookies make a great gluten-free treat. Make sure to use Malt-O-Meal® crispy rice cereal and ensure all the other packaging clearly lists that the product was prepared in a gluten-free facility.

How To Make Avalanche Cookies

  1. Prepare: Line sheets and freeze mini chocolate chips.
  2. Melt Chocolate: Melt white chocolate, then stir in peanut butter.
  3. Combine with Cereal: Mix in crispy rice cereal.
  4. Add Marshmallows & Chips: Fold in marshmallows and frozen chocolate chips.
  5. Scoop & Top: Place on sheets, add extra chips.
  6. Chill: Refrigerate for an hour to set.
Add marshmallows and chocolate chips to the batter, then mix everything together.

Quick Tips

  • Use Fresh Marshmallows: Choose soft, fresh marshmallows for a better texture.
  • Commercial Peanut Butter: Avoid natural peanut butter; use creamy brands like Skippy® for better consistency and sweetness.
  • Freeze Chocolate Chips: Freeze mini chips before mixing to prevent melting.
  • Extra Chips on Top: Sprinkle more chips on top for flavor and appearance. (We use this method in our Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies)
  • Serve Cold: Best served from the fridge to maintain texture and prevent melting.
Top Avalanche Cookies with mini chocolate chips.

More Sweet No Bake Treats

5 from 3 votes

Avalanche Cookies

No-bake and just five ingredients! These crave-worthy Avalanche Cookies combine crispy rice cereal, marshmallows, mini chocolate chips, creamy peanut butter, and rich white chocolate for an irresistibly crunchy, sweet treat.
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Chilling Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings: 35 cookies

Equipment

  • 2 large sheet pans
  • 2 large bowls
  • 2-tablespoon measuring spoon or cookie scoop

Ingredients 
 

  • 1/2 cup miniature chocolate chips plus more for topping
  • 2-3/4 cups white chocolate chips
  • 1-3/4 cups creamy peanut butter I like Skippy
  • 2 cups crispy rice cereal
  • 1-1/2 cups miniature marshmallows

Instructions 

  • Line 2 large sheet pans with parchment paper, foil, wax paper, or a silicon baking mat and set aside. Place mini chocolate chips in the freezer until ready to use.
  • Add white chocolate chips to a large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 25-second bursts, stirring for 20 seconds between bursts to avoid burned chocolate, until melted and smooth.
  • Stir peanut butter into melted chocolate until fully combined.
  • Add crispy rice cereal to a large bowl. Pour in chocolate-peanut butter mixture and stir gently. Once coated, add marshmallows and stir gently until combined. Let cool slightly until barely warm, then add chocolate chips from freezer. Gently stir to combine
  • Use a 2-tablespoon measuring spoon or cookie scoop (see note 1) to portion mixture onto prepared sheet pans. Top each scoop with extra chocolate chips. I add about 1/2 teaspoon chocolate chips to the top of each cookie.
  • Refrigerate for 1 hour or until firm. These are best enjoyed the same day they’re made, straight from the fridge.

Video

Recipe Notes

Note 1: For smaller treats (think more like a candy than a cookie), use a 1-tablespoon measuring spoon or scoop instead.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 271kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 82mg | Potassium: 146mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 13IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Meet Chelsea


Hello, and welcome to Chelseaโ€™s Messy Apron! Iโ€™m Chelsea, the recipe developer, food photographer, and writer behind the site. Iโ€™m passionate about creating simple, reliable, and delicious recipes that anyone can make.

Thanks for stopping byโ€”I hope you find something delicious to make!

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5 from 3 votes (3 ratings without comment)

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2 Comments

  1. Amy says:

    Wondering if these could be put in a pan and cut like squares?

    1. Chelsea Lords says:

      I don’t see why not! I’ve never tried it personally, but I think if you lined the pan well (with an overhang) so they could come out easily to cut it would be okay