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 the best 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
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 Krispie 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 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 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.
