Rice Krispie Treats

Name: Rice Krispie Treats
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: ¼ cup butter; 1 bag mini marshmallows; 1 tablespoon vanilla; 6 cups Rice Krispies

Rice Krispie treats are a childhood favorite full of ooey-gooey marshmallow goodness!

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Table of Contents

RICE KRISPIE TREATS INGREDIENTS
HOW TO MAKE THIS RICE KRISPIE TREATS RECIPE
HOW TO SERVE
STORAGE
MORE RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE
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These classic homemade rice krispie treats are a favorite with their buttery, gooey marshmallows mixed with crunchy cereal. They are perfect for lunchboxes, snacking, and dessert!

Looking for more irresistible no bake treats? Our chocolate peanut butter no-bake cookies and Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars are both delicious recipes!

RICE KRISPIE TREATS INGREDIENTS

You’ll need:

¼ cup butter
1 bag mini marshmallows
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
6 cups Rice Krispies cereal

PRO TIP:

Be sure to use fresh marshmallows for the best results!

SUBSTITUTIONS AND ADDITIONS

CEREAL: Use other cereal flavors like Fruity Pebbles or Cocoa Krispies instead of the crispy rice cereal. Or, you could add chocolate chips and Golden Grahams cereal, then top with mini marshmallows for s’mores treats.

MARSHMALLOW: You can also substitute a 7-ounce jar of marshmallow fluff instead of the mini marshmallows for this great recipe.

ADD-ONS: Of course, the original recipe is perfect on its own but you can also add mix-ins like peanut butter, M&M’s, sprinkles, or other candy. Or add caramel or chocolate drizzle on top of your cereal treats.

THEME-SPECIFIC: Customize these buttery rice Krispie treats for special occasions. You could make these crispy treats pastel-colored for a special unicorn treat. You could mix pumpkin puree in with the butter and marshmallows for an autumn treat. You could do food coloring or shapes galore to celebrate Christmas, Easter, 4th of July, Thanksgiving, Valentine’s Day, or Halloween. Think Frankenstein and add some green food coloring to the mix.

HOW TO MAKE THIS RICE KRISPIE TREATS RECIPE

STEP ONE: In a microwave-safe large bowl, melt marshmallows and butter for 1 minute.

PRO TIP:

You can make this on the stovetop as well! In a large saucepan, melt butter over low heat, then add in the marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat — it’s important to not overcook!

STEP TWO: Remove from microwave and pour vanilla into the melted marshmallow mixture. Stir until the mixture is completely smooth.

STEP THREE: Add 6 cups of Rice Krispie cereal and stir until the cereal is well coated.

PRO TIP:

You could add just a dash of salt to help enhance the sweet flavors even more.

STEP FOUR: Line a 9×13 baking dish with parchment paper and pour the cereal mixture into the pan. Place a piece of parchment paper over the top and press the Krispies down gently into an even layer.

PRO TIP:

Don’t put too much pressure when pressing down, you don’t need to completely smoosh them! If you’re using your fingers or rubber spatula to press the mixture down, run your hands/spatula under water and shake off the excess before starting. This will help prevent the sticky mixture from clinging to you! You can also spray your hands or spatula with a little bit of cooking spray.

STEP FIVE: Let sit on the counter for an hour or in the fridge for 30 minutes until set.

STEP SIX: Lift the treats from the pan and slice them into extra-thick, giant bars. Or you can make more reasonably-sized marshmallow squares for a delicious snack after lunch, it’s your call!

HOW TO SERVE

This delicious treat is always welcome at snack time, or lunchtime, or really anytime at all. Add a glass of milk on the side or an Instant Pot hot chocolate to keep you cozy and warm.

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Snacks

Crockpot Applesauce

Snacks

Lemon Puppy Chow

STORAGE

IN A CONTAINER: These sweet treats will last for two days in an airtight container at room temperature.

IN THE FREEZER: You could also freeze rice Krispie bars for four to six weeks in a freezer-safe container with wax paper in between each treat.

PRO TIP:

You can place a slice of bread in the container with your Rice Krispie treats to help soften them if they start to get too hard.

Four simple ingredients make this classic treat one of the easiest things to make. It will certainly satisfy your sweet craving and are always a great choice to make and share.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Why are my rice Krispie treats hard?

Getting the marshmallow and butter mixture too hot can lead to your Rice Krispie treats getting too hard. Also, if you don’t use fresh marshmallows or butter, it can impact your treats.

How do you keep Rice Krispies squares from sticking together?

Store any leftovers in an airtight container or bag in between sheets of wax paper to help keep each square from sticking to the others.

How do I mix the marshmallows and cereal without it sticking to everything?

You can dampen your hands and spatula with water or spray both with cooking spray to help avoid the mixture sticking to you.

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Rice Krispie Treats

5 from 3 votes

Rice Krispie treats are a childhood favorite full of ooey-gooey marshmallow goodness!

Prep Time 5 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Servings

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Ingredients

¼ cup butter
1 bag mini marshmallows
1 tablespoon vanilla
6 cups Rice Krispies

Instructions

In a microwave-safe bowl, melt marshmallows and butter for 1 minute.
Remove from microwave and pour in vanilla. Stir until the mixture is completely smooth.
Add 6 cups of rice crispies and stir until the cereal is well coated.
Line a 9×13 baking pan with parchment paper and pour the cereal mixture into the pan. Place a piece of parchment paper over the top and press the crispies down into an even layer.
Let sit on the counter for an hour or in the fridge for 30 minutes until set.
Lift the treats from the pan and slice into 12 pieces.

Notes

TIP: Be sure to use fresh marshmallows for the best results!

TIP: You can make this on the stovetop as well! In large saucepan melt butter over low heat, then add in the marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat — it’s important to not overcook!

TIP: You could add just a dash of salt to help enhance the sweet flavors even more.

TIP: Don’t put too much pressure when pressing down, you don’t need to completely smoosh them! If you’re using your fingers or rubber spatula to press the mixture down, run your hands/spatula under water and shake off the excess before starting. This will help prevent the sticky mixture from clinging to you! You can also spray your hands or spatula with a little bit of cooking spray.