Caramel Rice Krispie Treats

Name: Caramel Rice Krispie Treats
Prep time: 14 min
Cook time: 6 min
Ingredients: 10 cups rice krispie cereal; 4 ounces (1 stick) salted butter; 1 cup brown sugar; 1 cup light corn syrup; 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk

Published: Jan 13, '20 · Modified: Mar 23, '23 · By: Beth Klosterboer · Commission earned on paid or sponsored links.

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Rich and buttery Caramel Rice Krispie Treats made with homemade caramel instead of marshmallows are a great alternative to the traditional cereal treat recipe. These treats are crispy and chewy and loaded with caramel flavor.

caramel rice krispie treats with no marshmallows

I have been using this recipe to make homemade caramel rice crispy treats for almost 40 years. Everyone loves them.

The recipe was actually printed on a package of holiday Crispy Molds that I purchased back in the 90s. I used those molds to create thousands of teddy bears, bunnies, pumpkins, and snowmen to sell in my candy store. My customers loved them.

Sadly those Crispy Moulds are no longer available but I found a way to use plastic beach toys as molds to create Caramel Rice Krispie Treat Starfish and Turtles to share on my Hungry Happenings blog. I even made a Caramel Cereal Treat Sand Castle using this recipe too.

Buttery and rich caramel rice krispie treats are crispy and chewy.

The rice krispie treat recipe uses sweetened condensed milk, butter, brown sugar, and corn syrup instead of marshmallows. It may seem a little daunting at first because it is a little more challenging than simply melting butter and marshmallows together in a pan and stirring in some cereal.

Don't fret! I promise you this marshmallow-free Rice Krispie Treat recipe is so amazing that you will make it over and over again.

If you follow my instructions carefully this recipe is actually quite simple. You don't even need to use a candy thermometer if you do not have one.

Let's make some treats!

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Instructions
Video
Storage
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Recipe
Caramel Rice Krispie Treats

Ingredients

Rice Krispies Cereal - In our taste test when creating the very Best Rice Krispie Treats, this cereal was voted best.
butter - Use European-style Salted Butter because it gives these treats the very best flavor.
light corn syrup - It will add sweetness to the caramel and help to prevent crystallization.
sweetened condensed milk - It adds a creamy flavor to the caramel.
light brown sugar - If you want an even more intense caramel flavor use dark brown sugar instead.

Making homemade caramel in a medium saucepan to create Caramel Rice Krispie Treats.

Instructions

prep

Grease a 9X13-inch pan with butter or baking spray.
Pour cereal into a large heatproof bowl.

make the homemade caramel

Cut up your butter into small pieces and place in a medium saucepan.
- Do not use a small saucepan as this caramel will bubble up as it comes to a boil and can boil over in a small pan.
Add the corn syrup, sweetened condensed milk, and brown sugar and stir together until the sugar begins to dissolve.
Set the pan over medium heat and let the ingredients heat until bubbles begin to form around the edges of the pan.

Place a lid on the saucepan of boiling caramel to remove the sugar crystals from the side of the pan.

wash the sugar crystals off the sides of the pan

You need to wash the sugar crystals off the side of the pan. If you do not, then the sugar can harden and crystallize, causing the entire pan of caramel to crystalize which will make your treats gritty and unpleasant.

To remove the sugar crystals you can use either of these methods:

Place a tight-fitting lid on the pan for about 2 minutes. As the caramel comes to a rolling boil, steam will build up on the lid, and the moisture will begin to drip down the sides of the pan which will wash the crystals back into the boiling caramel.
- This is my preferred method. It's so easy and it works great.
- You will see this method used in the video tutorial.
Or you can dip a pastry brush in water and brush it on the inside of the pan just above the sugar crystals allowing the water to drip into the caramel, bringing the sugar crystals with it. Continue to dip the brush in water as it drys out.

boil the caramel

Allow the caramel to boil for 5-6 minutes. Set your timer or use a candy thermometer.
- Ultimately you want the caramel to reach a temperature of 240° Fahrenheit (115° Celsius).
- It can go up a few degrees up to 248° Fahrenheit (120° Celsius) but it shouldn't get any hotter.
- I have made this recipe many times without using a candy thermometer and it has turned out fine but if you have a thermometer then I suggest you use it to be sure the caramel does not get too dark or too hot.
- The darker the caramel becomes the harder your treats will be.
- Ultimately you want a nice caramel color, not a dark brown color.

How to keep caramel Rice Krispie treats from getting hard?

If the homemade caramel gets too hot then your caramel treats will become hard.
Be sure your caramel does not get hotter than 248° Fahrenheit (120° Celsius).
If you don't have a candy thermometer, do not allow your caramel to boil for more than 6 minutes.
You can test the temperature by pouring a spoonful of the caramel into a glass of ice water. Let it rest for 60 seconds then roll it into a ball. If it feels firm but pliable, it is ready.

Pouring caramel over Rice Krispies Cereal to make caramel crispy treats.

pour caramel over the crisp rice cereal

Pour the hot caramel over the Rice Krispies Cereal and toss to coat.
Pour into the buttered pan.
Spread into an even layer.
Let the treats cool for at least 2 hours until they are completely cooled.
Cut into 24 squares or 16 rectangles.

Rice Krispy Treats made using homemade caramel are crispy and chewy and do not contain any marshmallows.

Video

Watch the video to see how these caramel crispy treats are made.

Storage

These caramel treats will taste best the day they are made but will stay fresh if stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 weeks. A metal tin will work best but a Rubbermaid or Tupperware-style container will work well too.

Can you freeze caramel Rice Krispie bars?

Yes, you can. Wrap the caramel cereal bars in wax paper (or Glad Press 'n Seal) then place them in a zip-top bag or airtight container. Freeze the treats for up to 3 months. To thaw, set the bag on your counter and let them come to room temperature for about an hour before opening the bag.

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