Rocky Mountain Avalanche Bars are part rice krispies treat, part peanut butter fudge, and part white chocolate bark. These totally addicting bars are perfect for a holiday cookie platter or for an easy treat any time of the year!
If you are from the West or have spent much time visiting the Western states, you probably have been in or at least heard of the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory. It's a sweet shop that started in Durango, Colorado but has spread throughout a bunch of other states.
I just cannot resist those huge windows filled with rows of gourmet caramel apples, homemade fudge, and chocolate covered pretzels.
And the smell of the freshly made caramel and melted chocolate that wafts out is a siren call to my soul.
Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory used to be one of our go-to date night stops when Paul and I were in law school. We would choose a treat (often an apple pie caramel apple) and split it for dessert.
So when I was thinking about a dessert to include for Colorado Week in my American Eats series where I'm sharing well-known foods from each state, one state at a time, I decided I needed to share these Rocky Mountain Avalanche Bars.
They are a fan-favorite item sold at the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory stores and with the combination of peanut butter, white chocolate, rice krispies, and marshmallows, it's easy to see why!
It's super easy to make the Rocky Mountain avalanche bars at home, which is a good thing if you don't live close to one of their stores and because they are pretty pricey.
Like, you can make an entire batch of these delicious bars for less than the cost of one at the store. Kind of a no-brainer, right?
I'm obsessed with the textures of these bars. There is the almost-but-not-quite fudge-like of the creamy peanut butter and white chocolate, which contrasts with the crunchy rice krispies and the soft, fluffy marshmallows that add a chewy element. Avalanche bars kind of have it all.
How to Make Rocky Mountain Avalanche Bars
- Start by melting chopped white chocolate. The double boiler method works, or you can just do it in the microwave by using short bursts of 50% power and stirring every 30 seconds.
- Stir the peanut butter into the melted white chocolate until smooth. Pour over the rice krispies and stir to coat, then let cool for a few minutes before adding the mini chocolate chips and marshmallows.
- Gently press into a buttered 9x13-inch pan, then cool stick the bars in the fridge for 15 minutes until set before cutting into squares.
Tips for Rocky Mountain Avalanche Bars
- Chop actual bars of white chocolate rather than using white chocolate chips. The bars melt so much better and easier than white chocolate chips which are actually made with ingredients that are intended to help the chips hold their shape rather than melt well.
- For a variation that is more rice krispie treat (albeit not the gooey, chewy kind) and less fudge, double the amount of rice krispies to 6 cups. The other remaining ingredients can handle the increased cereal amount enough to coat the additional rice krispies.
- For a stronger hit of peanut butter, you can double the amount of peanut butter to 1 cup without altering any of the other ingredients. I think the balance is perfect as written, but if you have a huge peanut butter lover you are trying to please, then go for it!
More Great Dessert Bar Recipes You'll Enjoy
- Cookie Butter Rice Krispie Treats
- Fresh Cranberry Shortbread Bars
- Mississippi Mud Brownies
- Salted Brown Butter Rice Krispie Treats
- Easy Caramel Pecan Brownies
Did you make this recipe?
Let me know what you thought with a comment and rating below. You can also take a picture and tag me on Instagram @houseofnasheats or share it on the Pinterest pin so I can see.
Rocky Mountain Avalanche Bars
Ingredients
- 4 cups white chocolate chopped (about 24 ounces)
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
- 3 cups rice krispies
- 3 cups mini marshmallows
- ½ cup mini chocolate chips
Instructions
- Melt the white chocolate in a microwave on 50% heat in 30 second bursts, stirring between each burst, until melted.
- Stir the peanut butter into the melted white chocolate until combined, then pour over the rice krispies in a large bowl and gently stir to coat. Cool for 10 minutes, stirring once or twice until the melted chocolate is no longer warm to the touch.
- Fold in the marshmallows and mini chocolate chips, then gently press into a 9x13-inch pan lined with a parchment paper sling or buttered on the bottom and sides. Refrigerate until set, about 15 minutes, then cut into squares.
Notes
Nutrition
More States I Have Visited in my American Eats Series
Alabama • Alaska • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Connecticut • Delaware • Florida • Georgia • Hawaii • Idaho • Illinois • Indiana • Iowa • Kansas • Kentucky • Louisiana • Maine • Maryland • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Mississippi • Missouri • Montana • Nebraska • New Jersey • New York • Oregon • Puerto Rico • South Carolina • South Dakota • Texas • Utah • Wisconsin
There used to be a Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory near me. They are gone now. Did they all go out of business? These bars were one of my favorite things to get there. Thanks so much for the recipe. Now I can make them at home.
How did I miss these at the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory??? I never seemed to venture past there amazing candy coated apples!! 😉 You can bet these Avalanche bars will be making an appearance in my kitchen, STAT!
this look fabulous and a must try!
The name of these are so fun, but what's in 'em even more so! They would disappear so fast if I had them on a platter over the holidays!!
Found this recipe on pinterest. Pinned! These look AMAZING! I had never heard of avalanche bars then googled them after I found your pin...apparently they are a whole thing I'm missing out on. Yum!
Yes! You have definitely been missing out! These are delicious and I hope you go make some right now!
YUM! These look so delicious and perfect for parties!
Love this recipe! It was a big hit when I made it for the nurses at my dad's SNF. I will definitely make this again and again.
Double the peanut butter for SURE. I don’t use choc chips as an ingredient and it comes out like peanut butter fudge with a light crunch.... SO GOOD!
I had a Peanut Butter Avalanche Bar at Whole Foods the other day, and it was amazing. So I started a serious search to find a recipe so I could replicate it at home. Your recipe with the suggestion to double the amount of rice krispies seemed closest to what I had at the store.
So, I made the recipe following all the instructions, but I did double the cereal and the peanut butter. These came out amazing and are delicious and rich. I am sending a big batch with my daughter to work tomorrow and will be eager to hear the reviews.
However, I did notice that they came out a little bit crumbly when i cut them into squares. So, I am wondering if the increase in rice krispies needed something else increased to help keep them together? Any thoughts on this? What if we melted some mini marshmallows with the white chocolate and peanut butter to help create a better glue???
Yes, if you wanted to increase the rice krispie ratio to make it closer to a rice krispie treat, it would work to melt extra marshmallows to help them stick together more. I would do the marshmallows first (probably 3-4 cups) with a couple tablespoons of butter, just like I was making regular rice krispie treats, then once those were molten, I would add the white chocolate chips and let the heat from the marshmallows melt the chocolate and peanut butter.
Still the best!!!
I researched Avalanche Bars and your recipe was the highest rated out of all. I made them today and they are beyond amazing. I am so excited to put them in treat bags and let all my friends and family enjoy them as much as I do. Thank you!
Question- Can I store them in a sealed container for a few days? Hoping that I can freeze them as well. How long will they last in the freezer?
Hi! So glad you like them! Yes they will be good for 4-6 days in a sealed container. If you freeze them, I would say they would be good for six months. Just make sure you fully defrost them before eating. Enjoy!
These are amazing! Only changes I made were using crunchy peanut butter & cocoa pebbles instead of Rice Krispies.