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Home » Recipes » traditional flavors

chocolate caramel rice krispie treats

Published: Feb 26, '23 · Modified: Feb 26, '23 · By: Beth Klosterboer · This post may contain affiliate links.

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Add layers of rich buttery caramel and decadently creamy chocolate ganache to marshmallow cereal treats to make this quick and easy no-bake dessert. These irresistible Chocolate Caramel Rice Krispie Treats are easy enough to make for an afternoon snack but they'd make a great party treat too.

rice krispie treats topped with caramel and chocolate

Caramel and chocolate would make just about any dessert taste better and these crispy treats are no exception.

To make these treats, you'll start by making a batch of our award-winning Rice Krispie Treats. They have just the right ratio of butter, marshmallows, and cereal and are perfectly crispy and chewy.

Then, you'll add layers of caramel and chocolate on top. The caramel layer is easy to make by melting some store-bought caramels with a bit of heavy whipping cream. You'll then use more cream along with some semi-sweet chocolate to make a creamy chocolate ganache.

All the layers are simple to make and the final result is amazing!

Jump to:
  • Ingredients
  • Equipment
  • Instructions
  • Variations
  • Substitutions
  • Top tip
  • Storage
  • Related
  • Recipe
  • Chocolate Caramel Rice Krispie Treats

Ingredients

ingredients for chocolate caramel rice krispie treats
  • crisp rice cereal - We recommend using Kellogg's Rice Krispies Cereal for the best texture.
  • butter - Salted European-style butter (with a higher butterfat content than American-made butter) will give your treats the best flavor. See our taste test results for more information.
  • marshmallows - Use mini or regular marshmallows. We use Kraft Jet-Puffed Marshmallows because they produce perfectly chewy treats. Some store-brand marshmallows are really sticky and you may need to add up to an extra cup of cereal. See our marshmallow conversion chart for details about measuring marshmallows.
  • caramel - I chose to use Kraft Caramel Bits because they melt easily and I didn't have to unwrap a bunch of caramel squares. You can use the squares if you prefer.
  • heavy whipping cream - Adding a bit of cream to your caramel will help aid in melting and will keep the caramel soft once it's heated. It also will be added to your chocolate to make the luxuriously creamy chocolate ganache.
  • semi-sweet chocolate - You can use finely chopped bars or chocolate chips to make a simple 2-ingredient chocolate ganache.

See the recipe card for quantities.

Equipment

  • extra-large mixing bowl - You want to use a bowl that allows you room to mix the cereal and marshmallows together.
  • medium-large (3 or 4-quart) saucepan - If you use a non-stick pan, the marshmallows won't stick.
  • 9x13-inch baking pan - You can use a metal or glass pan but I highly recommend lining the pan with non-stick tin foil or tin foil that has been greased with baking spray or butter for easy removal.
  • small saucepan - Melt the caramel and chocolate ganache in a small saucepan. If you have one with a spout, it's even better!
  • silicone spatula - If you grease a silicone spatula (or Spoonula) with butter or baking spray, the cereal treat mixture won't stick. You can also use a wooden spoon but I'd grease it too.

Instructions

Rice Krispie Treat Layer

Rice Krispies Cereal in a box, bowl, and measuring cup

Grease a large mixing bowl with butter and pour in 7 cups of Rice Krispies Cereal. Set aside.

melting butter in saucepan over low heat

Set a saucepan over low heat. Add the butter that's been cut into pieces. Begin to melt the butter.

mix marshmallows into melted butter in saucepan

Stir the marshmallows into the melted butter and allow them to begin to melt.

marshmallows and butter melting in saucepan

Stir often until about 75% of the marshmallows have melted. Then, remove the pan from the heat.

stirring melted butter and marshmallows off heat

Stir the marshmallows until smooth. If needed, return to low heat for 30 seconds, and stir again.

pouring melted marshmallows and butter over Rice Krispies cereal

Pour the melted marshmallows over the Rice Krispies cereal.

stirring melted marshmallows and butter into Rice Krispies cereal

Stir the cereal and marshmallows until well combined. The mixture will be sticky.

9x13-inch pan of rice krispie treats

Gently spread it into a pan that has been lined with non-stick tin foil or greased tin foil.

Caramel Layer

Kraft caramel bits and saucepan of heavy whipping cream

Pour 1 ½ tablespoons of heavy whipping cream into a small saucepan set over low heat.

caramel bits in saucepan set over low heat

Add 14 ounces of caramel bits or unwrapped caramel squares and allow them to begin to melt.

If you use Kraft Caramel Bits, you will melt one whole 11-ounce bag plus ½ cup of Caramel Bits from a second bag.

caramel bits and heavy whipping cream melting in saucepan

Stir often until the cream and caramel come together.

stirring melted caramel

Stir until smooth and creamy then remove from the heat. Let the caramel cool, stirring it occasionally, for five minutes.

puring melted caramel over a pan of rice krispie treats

Pour the caramel over the Rice Krispie Treats.

caramel spread in a layer over rice krispie treats

Spread the caramel into an even layer.

Chocolate Ganache Layer

bag of Hershey's Special Dark Chocolate chips in front of a saucepan of heavy cream

Pour ½ cup of heavy whipping cream into a small saucepan. Optionally, add 1 teaspoon of corn syrup (for shinier ganache).

chocolate chips and heavy whipping cream in saucepan heating over low heat

Stir the finely chopped semi-sweet chocolate or chocolate chips into the cream and heat over low heat, stirring often for about 3 minutes.

take chocolate ganache off the heat when 75% of the chocolate has melted

Once about 75% of the chocolate has melted, remove the pan from the heat and let it rest for 3 minutes.

The residual heat will help melt the remaining chocolate.

stirring chocolate ganache in saucepan

Stir the chocolate and cream until smooth.

If needed, you can return to low heat for 20-30 seconds then let rest, then stir until smooth.

pouring chocolate ganache over caramel-topped rice krispie treats

Pour the chocolate ganache over the caramel-topped Rice Krispie treat.

chocolate ganache spread over the top of a pan of rice crispy treats

Spread into an even layer. Set it aside to cool for 4 hours.

chocolate and caramel topped rice krispie treats

Once the chocolate has firmed up enough to cut, remove the treat from the pan using the tin foil as handles. Then peel away the tin foil.

rice krispie treat bar topped with caramel and chocolate

Cut the pan of cereal treats into squares or rectangles. Clean your knife with hot water in between cuts and wipe dry with paper towels.

The chocolate ganache will be firm enough to hold its shape once cut but will still have a creamy texture.

Variations

You can add a layer of caramel and chocolate to many of our other Rice Krispie Treat flavors or you can sprinkle other ingredients over these caramel and chocolate-topped treats.

  • peanut butter - Top our delicious Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats with layers of caramel and chocolate to give the treats a deeper, richer flavor.
  • cashews - Sprinkle chopped cashews over the top of these treats or use our Cashew Butter Rice Krispie Treats as the base for this recipe.
  • chocolate chips - Imagine our Chocolate Chip Rice Krispie Treats with layers of caramel and chocolate. Yummy!
  • bacon - If you love sweet and salty, add some bacon on top or inside your marshmallow cereal treats. See our Bacon Rice Krispie Treat recipe.

Substitutions

You can swap out some ingredients if you'd like.

  • coconut oil - Use coconut oil in place of the butter in the same quantities.
  • peanut butter and honey - If you'd prefer a gelatin-free (marshmallow-free) treat, you can make our Honey Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats to use as the first layer.
  • milk chocolate - If you prefer a sweeter treat, you can use milk chocolate but you'll need to add an extra 2 ounces in order for the chocolate ganache to set firmly enough.

If you simply pour melted chocolate over the caramel layer, the chocolate will harden making the treats difficult to cut. Making a firm ganache allows you to cut the treats easily. Plus the ganache tastes amazing!

Top tip

Do not overheat your marshmallows or press your cereal treat mixture into the pan too firmly or your treats will be hard.

We recommend pouring the hot marshmallows over a bowl filled with the cereal instead of pouring the cereal into the hot pan. The extra heat from the pan can cause the cereal to get too hot. When this happens, the cereal gets soft or soggy which can make your treats taste stale even when they are freshly made.

Storage

These caramel chocolate Rice Krispie Treats will taste the best the day they are made but they can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

To keep them longer, you can freeze them in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

Related

Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:

  • stacked scotcheroos treats
    Scotcheroos
  • salted caramel rice krispie treats recipe image
    Salted Caramel Rice Krispie Treats
  • Caramel Apple Rice Crispy Treats speckled with caramel bits and dried apples.
    Caramel Apple Rice Krispie Treats
  • chocolate Rice Krispie Treats
    chocolate Rice Krispie Treats

Recipe

chocolate caramel rice krispie treats

Chocolate Caramel Rice Krispie Treats

Beth Klosterboer
Add layers of buttery caramel and creamy chocolate ganache to a pan of perfectly chewy Rice Krispie treats to make this delicious no-bake treat.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 25 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Resting Time 4 hrs
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 24
Calories 266 kcal

Ingredients
  

Rice Krispie Treat Layer

  • 7 cups Rice Krispies Cereal
  • 6 tablespoons salted butter (European-style for best flavor)
  • 16 ounces marshmallows (Kraft Jet-Puffed is recommended)

Caramel Layer

  • 1 ½ tablespoons heavy whipping cream
  • 14 ounces caramel bits or caramel squares (unwrapped)

Chocolate Ganache Layer

  • ½ cup heavy whipping cream
  • 12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate (finely chopped bars or chips)

Optional

  • 1 teaspoon light corn syrup (to make your ganache shiny)

Instructions
 

  • Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with non-stick tin foil or plain tin foil that's been greased with baking spray or butter. Set aside.

Rice Krispie Treat Layer

  • Grease an extra-large mixing bowl with butter or baking spray. Then, fill it with the Rice Krispies cereal. Set aside.
  • Cut the butter into small pieces and place them in a medium-large (3 to 4-quart) saucepan.
  • Set the saucepan over low heat and allow the butter to begin melting.
  • Stir the marshmallows into the melted butter.
  • Let the marshmallows begin to melt, stirring often until about 75% of the marshmallows have melted. This will take 5-8 minutes.
  • Remove the pan from the heat and stir until the marshmallows have completely melted. This will make your treats perfectly chewy. Overheated marshmallows make hard treats.
  • Pour the marshmallows over the cereal in the mixing bowl and stir until well combined.
  • Gently spread the marshmallow cereal mixture into the lined pan.

Caramel Layer

  • Pour 1 ½ tablespoons of heavy whipping cream into a small saucepan.
  • Set the pan over low heat.
  • Add the caramel and stir frequently until melted.
  • Remove from the heat and let rest in the pan for 5 minutes, stirring about every minute or so, to allow the caramel to cool slightly.
  • Pour the caramel over the Rice Krispie Treat layer.
  • Spread the caramel into an even layer.

Chocolate Ganache Layer

  • Pour ½ cup of heavy whipping cream into a small saucepan and set it over low heat.
  • Stir in the finely chopped chocolate or chocolate chips.
  • If desired, add 1 teaspoon of corn syrup. This will make your chocolate ganache shiny.
  • Allow the chocolate to begin melting, stirring often. Once about 75% of the chocolate has melted, remove the pan from the heat. This should take 2-3 minutes.
  • Now, allow the chocolate to rest in the pan without stirring for 3 minutes, and then stir until smooth and creamy.
  • Pour the chocolate ganache over the caramel and spread it into an even layer.
  • Set the pan aside for 4 hours until the chocolate ganache firms up.
  • Lift the chocolate caramel treats out of the pan using the tin foil as handles.
  • Peel away the tin foil.
  • Cut the treats into squares or rectangles.
  • Serve and enjoy!

Notes

Storage

Store these treats in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. 
Or freeze them in an airtight container for up to 3 months. To thaw, remove them from the freezer and let them thaw for several hours in the container before opening to keep condensation from forming. 

Tips

If you use Kraft Caramel Bits, you will use one whole 11-ounce bag plus ½ cup of caramel bits from a second bag. 
Do not overheat your marshmallows or your treats will be too hard. Use low heat and be sure to remove the marshmallows from the heat before they have completely melted. 
Do not press down on the marshmallow cereal treat mixture too firmly or your treats will be too dense. 
Do not pour overly hot caramel over your crispy treats as the caramel will soften the cereal. Let the caramel cool for a few minutes before spreading it over the treats. 
Do not overheat your chocolate or it may burn. Use low heat, stir often, and remove from the heat before all the chocolate has melted. 
 
 
Keyword caramel, chocolate, rice krispie treats

More traditional flavors

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  • cashew rice krispie treats made with cashew butter and roasted and salted cashews
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  • a variety of pink rice krispie treats including light pink, bright pink, and neon pink
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  • Special K Bars made using Special K Original Crisp Rice Cereal
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We love creating easy Rice Krispie Treats recipes to share with you and hope you find our tips and instructions helpful. ___ - Beth and Meaghan
rate the recipe Did you make this recipe and think it was great or do have any questions? Leave a comment below and rate the recipe using stars (5 stars is the best!)   

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    Recipe Rating




  1. J. Moore

    March 08, 2023 at 10:02 am

    5 stars
    I was fortunate enough to try these at the swimming banquet last week. Thank you so much for sharing them with all the simmers, divers, and parents. They were amazing! My whole family gave them 5 stars.

    Reply
    • Beth Klosterboer

      March 08, 2023 at 4:28 pm

      I am so happy your whole family loved these treats.

      Reply

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