The BEST Rice Krispie Treats recipe (nope, it's not quite the same as the popular original) and tips and tricks to make perfect cereal treats every time.
We all know and love the original Rice Krispie Treats recipe. It's a delicious, easy, no-bake dessert perfect for any occasion or time of year. But after testing over twenty recipes, we came up with just the right combination of butter, marshmallows, and Rice Krispies cereal.
How do you make Rice Krispie Treats?
Read on for the recipe as well as lots of tips, tricks, and troubleshooting. Find more about thebest Rice Krispie Treat RECIPE HERE.
To make a small batch of Rice Krispie Treats, you will need:
- 4 tablespoons salted butter
- 10 ounces of marshmallows
- 4 ⅔ cups Rice Krispies Cereal
- 8-inch or 9-inch square baking pan
To make a large batch of Rice Krispie Treats, you will need:
- 6 tablespoons salted butter
- 16 ounces of marshmallows
- 7 cups of Rice Krispies Cereal
- 9 x 13-inch baking pan
How do you make marshmallow crispy treats on the stove-top?
- Grease a large bowl with softened butter or cooking spray.
- Pour the cereal into the bowl.
- Grease your baking pan and set it aside.
- Combine the butter and marshmallows in a saucepan and heat on low heat, stirring often, until 75% melted.
- Remove the pan from the heat, and stir, until melted and smooth.
- Pour the marshmallow mixture over the Rice Krispies cereal.
- Gently mix until the cereal is fully coated.
- Pour into the prepared baking pan.
- Gently press the top of the treats with a spatula until the treats are spread evenly. (Do not press the treats too firmly in the pan, just make sure the top is even.)
- Set aside to cool completely before cutting into squares or rectangles.
How to make marshmallow crispy treats in the microwave?
- Grease a large bowl with cooking spray, softened butter, or vegetable shortening. Add the cereal.
- Grease your baking pan and set aside.
- Combine the butter and marshmallows in a large, microwave-safe bowl. Heat on high for 1 minute. Stir really well, smashing down on the marshmallows until they burst and melt.
- If needed, microwave at 15-second intervals until the mixture is very smooth.
- Be sure to watch the microwave, as the marshmallows will puff up.
- Pour the melted marshmallow mixture over the Rice Krispies cereal.
- Gently mix until the cereal is fully coated.
- Pour into the prepared baking pan.
- Gently press the top of the treats with a spatula until the treats are spread evenly. (No need to press the treats too firmly in the pan, just make sure the top is even.)
- Set aside to cool completely before cutting into squares or rectangles.
How many servings are in a batch of Rice Krispie Treats?
- An 8 or 9-inch baking pan will yield 16 squares.
- A 9 x 13-inch baking pan will yield about 28 squares.
How long to cool Rice Krispie treats?
It will be tempting to cut into your treats as soon as they are in your pan, but we recommend you allow at least 30 minutes for the marshmallow and butter to cool before cutting your treats.
It's best to wait an hour for the treats to cool completely, but we understand sometimes you just have to have one sooner.
How many marshmallows are in Rice Krispie Treats?
The recipe for a small batch of treats calls for 10 ounces of marshmallows and a larger batch calls for 16 ounces.
Don't worry. We've done the math for you.
If you have a food scale, it's best to measure your marshmallows, as different brands have slightly different weights, but if you do not have a scale, here is a general guideline. Also, check the package for information on weight.
If using regular-size marshmallows
- 16 ounces is about 68 regular-size marshmallows
- 10 ounces is about 40 marshmallows
If using mini marshmallows
- 16 ounces is just over 9 cups of mini marshmallows
- 10 ounces is 6 cups of mini marshmallows
TIPS about marshmallows
We have found that every brand of marshmallow has variations in size and weight. We have created a Marshmallows guide showing you how many marshmallows of each brand (including store brands) to use to make your treats if you do not have the correct bag size (10-ounce or 16-ounce).
Can you make Rice Krispie Treats using marshmallow fluff?
Yes, you can, but they won't be the same.
Treats made using marshmallow fluff will not have the same chew as those made using marshmallows.
Why are my Rice Krispie Treats hard?
Even though it's tempting to make your cereal treats as quickly as possible, if you're making the treats on the stove-top, do keep the heat low.
If you rush things and increase the heat to medium or high, the temperature of your marshmallows will get too hot, basically turning the sugar in the marshmallows into hard candy, thereby making hard Rice Krispie treats.
Similarly, when melting the butter and marshmallows in the microwave, we start with just one minute of cooking time to avoid overheating. Remove the marshmallows and stir, smashing the marshmallows with the back of your spoon or spatula to allow the residual heat to melt them all.
If all the marshmallows will not melt, then you can heat them on high power for 15-second intervals, stirring in between each until melted.
We've seen recipes that tell you to heat your marshmallows for up to 3 minutes. Unless you have a seriously weak microwave, that is going to be way too long and your marshmallows are going to get very hot and your treats are going to be very hard.
How to soften hard Rice Krispie Treats
If you are just eating them, then you can pop a treat in the microwave for 5 -10 seconds to soften it slightly before eating.
Otherwise, you can place a few slices of white sandwich bread in your container with the treats, seal the lid, and allow the treats to absorb some of the moisture from the bread.
Your treats will never be as ooey gooey as they could have been if you had not overheated your marshmallows, but this sure beats throwing them out.
Can I use marshmallows that are past their expiration date?
Well, you can, but the older your marshmallows get, the harder they become. So we recommend using really fresh, soft marshmallows when making your treats.
If you use old marshmallows your treats will probably be a bit too hard.
My cereal treats are sticky, why?
We found in our experimentation that some brands of marshmallows produce very sticky rice crispy treats. Kroger brand marshmallows were exceptionally sticky.
If, as you are mixing your cereal treats, you find that they are just too sticky, add a bit more cereal, a small amount at a time, until the treats no longer feel overly sticky.
Should you refrigerate Rice Krispie Treats?
It is not necessary to refrigerate Rice Krispie Treats. If you are in a real hurry to cool your pan of cereal treats you can pop them in the fridge for a short time, but otherwise, it is best to just allow them to cool at room temperature.
How do you store Rice Krispies treats?
Store your treats in an airtight container or large zip-top bag at room temperature.
How long do Rice Crispy Treats last?
Rice Krispie Treats will stay crispy and fresh, if stored in an airtight container or zip-top bag at room temperature, for up to a week if you use salted butter, which is what we recommend.
Marshmallow cereal treats will taste best within the first few days, but in our taste tests we found that the treats still had a nice crispy texture and tasted fresh on days,5, 6, and 7.
In most of our recipes, we give you quantities to make a small batch in an 8-inch or 9-inch pan as well as a large batch in a 13 x 9-inch pan so you can make just the amount you need.
Can Rice Krispie treats go bad?
Yes, ultimately they can go bad because they are made with butter.
Butter will go rancid if left at room temperature for too long. Salted butter will stay fresh for up to a week if left at room temperature allowing your treats to stay fresh longer than if you use unsalted butter.
If you need to keep your cereal treats for more than a week, we have a solution.
Can you freeze marshmallow cereal treats?
Yes!
Wrap the cereal treats in non-stick tin foil or Glad Press 'n Seal or wax paper then place them in an airtight container or place them in a zip-top bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
To thaw, remove the container or bag from the freezer and let sit at room temperature for at least an hour before opening the container and serving the treats.
Do Rice Krispie Treats have gluten?
It depends on the products you use to make your homemade rice crispy treats.
If you need gluten-free rice Krispie treats you cannot use Kellogg's Rice Krispies Cereal, which is our favorite brand. There are several gluten-free crispy rice cereals on the market though so just be sure to choose one of those brands.
Kraft Jet-Puffed Marshmallows, which is our favorite brand, is gluten-free and so is butter, so to make gluten-free rice crispy treats just be sure to use gluten-free cereal and you will be good to go.
Are Rice Krispie treats vegan?
Traditional rice crispy treats made using Kellogg's Rice Krispies Cereal, Kraft Jet-Puffed Marshmallows, and salted butter are not vegan.
You can make vegan cereal treats using either vegan butter or coconut oil, vegan marshmallows, and vegan crisp rice cereal.
Can I make dairy-free treats?
Yes, you can swap out coconut oil for the butter in the recipe. See our recipe to make Dairy-Free Rice Krispie Treats.
How to dip Rice Krispie Treats in chocolate?
Check out our Chocolate-Dipped Rice Krispie Treats tutorial for step-by-step instructions for dipping treats into chocolate. We share tips for making lollipops, bites, and bars dipped in chocolate.
If you prefer, you can drizzle chocolate over your treats. Check out our White Chocolate Rice Krispie Treats recipe for tips.
Can you color Rice Krispie Treats?
Of course! You can make Rice Krispie treats in just about any color. We share tips on coloring treats for holidays, sports teams, school events, and more.
Check out our Rice Krispie Treat Colors post for links to each individual color. There are some tricks to making your treats look vibrant or pastel.
Can you use other cereal to make Rice Krispie Treats?
Absolutely! We have used just about every kid's cereal to make treats and are constantly creating more recipes for cereal treats when new cereals come on the market. Check out all of our Kid's Cereal Treats recipes.
The trick is knowing the perfect ratio of ingredients for each type of cereal. Amazingly, the shape of the cereal can impact the amount of cereal needed to make treats that aren't too sticky.
So, be sure to check each recipe when using your favorite cereal.
Can I add mix-ins to my Rice Krispie Treats?
For sure! We've had so much fun trying out different flavor combinations. We've made Turtle Rice Krispie Treats using caramel and pecans, Strawberry Rice Krispie Treats made with freeze-dried strawberries, and Cashew Rice Krispie Treats using cashew butter and cashews.
We've even added bacon to our Maple Bacon Rice Krispie Treats.
Check out our Gourmet Rice Krispie Treats for many more delicious treat recipe ideas.
Can you decorate Rice Krispie Treats with icing or frosting?
Yes, and it's so much fun! You can decorate Rice Krispie treats with royal icing or buttercream frosting. Royal icing will harden so you can package or stack your treats. Buttercream will crust but will remain soft so we don't recommend stacking the treats.
Check out our Rice Krispie Treat Popsicles post for tips on decorating your treats with royal icing and check out our Birthday Cake Rice Krispie Treats post for tips on using buttercream frosting.
Can you decorate rice crispy treats using candy melts?
You can use candy melts instead of icing to add decorations to your treats. These Sugar Skull Rice Krispie Treats are decorated using colored candy melts.
You can paint (dab) the color onto your treats using a paintbrush or you can pipe it onto your treats.
Can you decorate Rice Krispie Treats with modeling chocolate or fondant.
Definitely! There are so many fun treats to be made using modeling chocolate or fondant decorations like these adorable Unicorn Rice Krispie Treats, our Baby Shower Rice Krispie Treats, or even Mini Mouse Rice Krispie Treats.
How about candy?
If you prefer, you can use candy to decorate your treats. Use gummy bears and fish to make Rice Krispie Treat Sushi, or peanut butter cups and red licorice to decorate Rice Krispie Treat Snowmen, or Starburst Fruit Chews and candy eyes to make Rice Krispie Treat Turkeys.
Can you cut Rice Krispie Treats using cookie cutters?
Sure! It's easier to cut through treats that aren't too thick. Check out our Rice Krispie Treat Shapes tutorial for tips.
Can I sculpt with Rice Krispie Treats?
Yes, as long as the mixture is sturdy enough to hold its shape. Check out our Rice Krispie Treat Ghosts for tips on making treats that hold shape well.
Can I find your recipes in print?
Yep! We compiled 60 of our most popular Rice Krispie Treat Recipes in a printed book. You can find How To Make Cereal Treats, 60-easy, no-bake marshmallow rice crispy treats for every occasion by Beth Klosterboer and Meghan Mountford on Amazon.
We hope you enjoy making our Rice Krispie Treat Recipes.
