This Rice Krispie Treats Recipe uses double the marshmallows for an extra gooey and buttery treat! Just FOUR ingredients, TEN minutes, and ONE pot.
To be honest, this rice krispie treats recipe was kind of an accident. The original plan was to melt some butter on the stove, stir in the marshmallows, let them melt, then stir in the cereal and call it a day.
BUT as I was tasting the mixture in my stockpot, it wasn’t perfect. So I decided, what the heck, I’ll throw in some salt and just dump some more marshmallows in. AND HOLY COW. Best decision to date.
This rice krispie treats recipe is on another level because I use the WHOLE box of cereal. Seriously, who likes leaving that random bit of cereal at the bottom of the cereal bag?
Ingredients
The best part of this recipe? There’s very little measuring involved! Throw in the WHOLE stick of butter, the WHOLE box of cereal, and TWO WHOLE bags of marshmallows!
- Butter – adds a buttery sweetness that melts with the marshmallows to create a perfect smooth, yet gooey consistency.
- Salt – cuts the sweetness and brings out the other flavors.
- Mini Marshmallows – we melt one bag into the butter to bind the rice krispies together and stir in another bag to be kept hold to make these treats nice and fluffy!
- Rice Krispie Cereal – the base of the recipe. It can’t be a rice krispie treat without rice krispies!
How to make
This recipe couldn’t be quicker or easier. After you’ve measured out your salt, you’re simply placing ingredients into a stockpot and stirring!
- Melt butter in a large stockpot then stir in salt and one bag of mini marshmallows.
- Once the marshmallows have melted, remove from heat and stir in cereal and the other bag of mini marshmallows.
- Pour some of the mixture into a prepared 9×13 inch baking pan and the rest in an 8×8 baking pan.
- Cool completely, cut into squares, and devour!
Be sure to see my all my tips & tricks that make these the BEST rice krispie treats.
Are rice krispie treats gluten-free?
Rice krispie treats made with rice krispie cereal are not gluten-free. Even though the cereal is made from rice (which is gluten free) it also contains a malt flavoring (which is not gluten free).
To make these gluten free simply replace the rice krispie cereal with a gluten free puffed rice cereal like Nature’s Path Organic Crispy Rice Cereal.
Are rice krispie treats vegan?
Rice krispie treats are not vegan or even vegetarian, because marshmallows contain gelatin which is made from animals.
To make these vegan, use a vegan stick butter like Earth Balance and vegan marshmallows like these vegan mini marshmallows. (*not tested).
Why are my rice krispie treats too hard?
Rice krispie treats should be fluffy, chewy, crispy, but certainly not hard or dense. Here are a few reasons why your rice krispie treats might’ve come out too hard:
- Your marshmallows or cereal were stale. Be sure to check the expiration date on the packages. You want to use fresh ingredients.
- You used too much heat too fast and overcooked the marshmallows. The longer and hotter you heat the mixture, the harder the marshmallow will become. Low and slow is key here, friends!
- You over-stirred. Over-stirring can cause the mixture to become too compact.
- You pressed too hard. When you press the mixture into the baking dish to cool, make sure you don’t press too hard or it’ll become too dense. You don’t need to compact these bars into the pan super hard for them to hold their shape. Watch the video for further explanation.
- You didn’t store correctly. If your leftover rice krispie treats became too hard too quickly, chances are they weren’t stored properly. Uncut rice krispie treats will stay fresher longer, so if you can, just cut what you’re going to eat, then store the intact bars, covered (I use a double layer of plastic wrap and tin foil), at room temperature. If you’re going to cut the bars, make sure they’re in a sealed airtight container at room temperature so they don’t dry out.
Tips for making
- Go low and slow. Melting the butter and marshmallows over low heat makes for a super buttery smooth mixture. Be patient. It’s worth it!
- Keep some of your marshmallows whole. I melt the first bag for the treats and then add the other bag whole for extra fluffy texture!
- Don’t push too hard. Make sure you press down very lightly when you put the mixture into your baking dish so the treats aren’t too dense.
- Spray your hands with cooking spray or rub them with butter. Before you press the mixture into your dish, spray your hands with a little bit of cooking spray or rub them with butter. This keeps the mixture from sticking to your hands!
- Grease or line your baking dish. Either spray your dish with cooking spray or line it with parchment paper sling so it’s easier to get the treats out when cut.
- Cut right before serving. Leave the rice krispie treat block whole and then cut right before you’re ready to eat! This helps keep maintain freshness.
variations
This recipe, as is, is a classic! Here are some fun twists if you’re looking to mix things up:
- Alternative Cereal. Try using other cereals like cocoa krispies or fruity pebbles! You could also give this lucky charms marshmallow treat recipe a try!
- Vanilla. Add in just a dash of vanilla for some extra flavor.
- Add-Ins. Try throwing some other sweet things into your mixture like chopped candy or mini M&Ms. Stir these in with the mini marshmallows to prevent melting.
- Color. Add a little bit of the food-coloring of your choice to the marshmallow/butter mixture before you add the cereal. Pink? Blue? You name it!
- Frosting. Make a frosting or icing and top the bars with that. YUM!
How to store
These homemade rice krispie treats can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days or in the fridge for up to a week!
Can you freeze rice krispie treats?
You can freeze rice krispie treats for up to 6 weeks. Let the treats cool completely, cut into square, then store in a sealed airtight container. Be sure to store them in layers separated by wax paper to prevent sticking.
Let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving again.
Rice Krispie Treats Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 (16 oz) bags Mini marshmallows divided
- 1 (12 oz) box Rice Krispies cereal
Recipe Video
Instructions
- Grease two pans with cooking spray (I used one 9x13 in pan and one 8x8 in pan).
- Melt butter over low heat in a large stockpot.
- Once butter has melted, stir in salt and ONE BAG of mini marshmallows.
- Stir constantly until melted.
- Once the marshmallows have melted, remove from heat and stir in cereal and the other bag of mini marshmallows. Stir gently so you don’t crush the cereal.
- Pour mixture into prepared pans and GENTLY press in evenly. If you press too hard, you’ll end up with hard rice krispies.*
- Allow to cool completely before cutting into squares.**
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Nutrition Information
*Note: Nutrition information is estimated and varies based on products used.
This post was originally published November 30, 2015 and has been updated to provide more detailed content.
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