Microwave Rice Krispie Treats Recipe

Speed up the process of making Rice Krispie Treats by using the microwave.

You can have a pan of perfectly chewy marshmallow cereal treats made in about 5 minutes! 

I typically melt my butter and marshmallows to make our award-winning Rice Krispie Treats on the stove, but sometimes I want to speed up the process, so I use the microwave instead. 

Using the microwave cuts the melting time from about 10 minutes to just over 1 minute.

When melting the marshmallows and butter on the stove, I always recommend using low heat to ensure the marshmallows are not overheated because overly hot marshmallows can produce hard Rice Krispie Treats. 

If you melt the butter and marshmallows in the microwave you can use high heat, but once again, you don't want to overheat them. 

 Video

Watch the video to see how to make these Rice Krispie Treats in the microwave using mini marshmallows. 

How to melt butter and marshmallows in the microwave.

1. Heat the butter and marshmallows in a large microwave-safe bowl for 1 minute on high power.
   • The marshmallows will have puffed up quite a bit at this point.
2. Then, let the bowl rest in the microwave for 3 minutes. 
   • The heat inside the microwave will continue to warm the marshmallows allowing them to melt more evenly.
3. Remove the bowl from the microwave and stir vigorously until the marshmallows break down.
   • Stir a lot! At this point, the marshmallows might be completely melted.
   • The more the marshmallows melt now, the less you will have to heat them up. The hotter they get the harder your treats will be, so less is more! 
4. If not all melted, heat the butter and marshmallows for 15-second bursts of high power, letting the bowl rest in the microwave for a minute or so, then stir until melted.

DO NOT OVERHEAT or you will end up with hard Rice Krispie Treats.  

How long will it take to melt the marshmallows in the microwave?

It should take anywhere between one and two minutes to melt 10 ounces or 16 ounces of marshmallows in the microwave. 

The time it will take will depend on two things: 

• the type of marshmallows you are using
  • If you use mini marshmallows, they will melt a little more quickly than large marshmallows. You can use either. Both work just fine to make these treats. 
  • If you are using vegan marshmallows, like Dandies Marshmallows, they will melt much more slowly. I recommend using regular-size vegan marshmallows but cutting them into quarters before melting. 
• the power of your microwave
  • Microwaves can range from 600 watts to 1200 watts. The more powerful your microwave, the faster your marshmallows will melt. 

It typically takes 1 minute to melt a 10-ounce bag of mini marshmallows in my 1200 watt microwave. It takes a little longer to melt regular marshmallows. 

How To Prevent Krispie Treats From Getting Hard

• Do not overheat your marshmallows. When marshmallows get overheated they caramelize which causes your treats to be hard. 
• Also, be sure to use fresh marshmallows. Marshmallows dry out as they age and get tough and hard. Fresh marshmallows are soft and will make perfectly chewy treats. 
• Do not press the marshmallow cereal mixture into the pan too densely. Just gently spread the crispy treat mixture into an even layer and allow the treats to be thick and chewy instead of hard and crunchy. 

How to keep marshmallow cereal treats from sticking to the bowl?

Use a greased bowl to keep the mixture from sticking. 

1. Grease a large mixing bowl with butter or spray it with cooking spray. 
   • I prefer the flavor of butter, so I always use it to grease my bowl, my spatula, and my pan. 
2. Then pour in the Rice Krispies Cereal. 
3. Pour the melted butter and marshmallows over the cereal and stir with a grease spatula or spoon. 

The marshmallows won't stick to the side of a greased bowl! 

You can also, pour the cereal into your bowl of melted marshmallows, but the cereal is more likely to stick to the sides of that bowl. Either way works fine though. 

Microwave Rice Crispy Treat Recipe

you will need:

RICE KRISPIES CEREAL

• We recommend you use Kellogg's Rice Krispies Cereal, but any crisp rice cereal will work too. 
• You can use gluten-free treats. Be sure to check out our Gluten-Free and Vegan Rice Krispie Treats recipe. 

MARSHMALLOWS

• You'll need 10 ounces of marshmallows to make a small 8-inch pan of microwavable Rice Krispie Treats. 
• While different brands of marshmallows weigh slightly differently, you can typically use 40 regular-size OR 6 cups of mini marshmallows. See our printable Marshmallow Conversion Chart, here. 
• Use a scale or the measurement on the bag as a guide. 
• To make a large batch of treats you'll need 16 ounces of marshmallows. 

BUTTER

• This recipe uses 4 tablespoons of salted butter.
• We have found that European-style salted butter provides the best flavor in our cereal treats recipes. You'll be amazed at the difference good butter will make in this recipe.
• We recommend using KeriGold or President Butter. Kroger Private Selection French-style Butter is great too. 

Can I use coconut oil instead of butter?

• YES, you can use coconut oil in place of the butter. 
• If you use unrefined coconut oil to make rice crispy treats, they will have a delicate coconut flavor, which is delicious, if you like coconut!
• If you do not want your treats to taste like coconut, use refined coconut oil.

TOOLS YOU'LL NEED: 

• 8-inch or 9-inch baking pan (you can also make a large batch in a 9"X13" pan)
• large microwave-safe bowl
• silicone spatula or large mixing spoon
• butter or cooking spray to grease your pan, bowl, and spatula (I prefer the flavor of butter, but the non-stick spray works too.)

buy ingredients & supplies

You can find the ingredients and supplies to make these marshmallow cereal treats from Amazon. I earn a small commission for any sales when you use the links below at NO extra cost to you. 

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Printable Recipe

Microwave Rice Krispie Treats

Beth Klosterboer

Make Rice Krispie Treats by melting butter and marshmallows in the microwave. It's quick and easy to make perfectly chewy treats using the microwave by following a few simple tips.

5 from 3 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 minute min

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 16

Calories 115 kcal

Equipment

• large mixing bowl
• butter or cooking spray to grease bowl, spatula, and pan
• large microwave-safe bowl
• silicone spatula or spoon
• 8-inch or 9-inch square baking pan

Ingredients

  

• 4 ⅔ cups Rice Krispies Cereal
• 4 tablespoons salted butter, cut into small pieces
• 10 ounces marshmallows (use fresh mini or regular marshmallows)

Instructions

 

• Grease a large mixing bowl, a silicone spatula or large spoon, and a square baking pan with butter (or spray with cooking spray).
• Pour the Rice Krispies Cereal into the bowl and set aside.
• Combine the butter and marshmallows in a large microwave-safe bowl.
• Heat the butter and marshmallows on high power in the microwave for 1 minute.
• Let the bowl rest in the microwave for 3 minutes, allowing the heat inside the microwave to warm the marshmallows.
• Remove the bowl and stir the marshmallows until they break down and melt.
• Only if needed, heat the marshmallows for additional 15-second bursts of high power, letting the bowl rest for a minute or so, before stirring, until the marshmallows are completely melted.
• Pour the marshmallow mixture over the cereal and stir just until combined.
• Spread the Rice Krispie Treat mixture into the greased baking pan and gently pat into an even layer.
• Cover and set the pan of crispy treats aside for at least 30 minutes before cutting into 16 squares.

Notes

• Store your Microwave Rice Krispie Treats in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
• Wrap the treats well in wax paper, then overwrap in tin foil and freeze in a zip-top bag for up to 3 months. 
• Use European-style salted butter for the best flavor.
• Use fresh marshmallows for the softest treats. 
• Do not overheat your marshmallows or your treats will be hard. 

• LARGE BATCH INGREDIENTS LIST

  • 7 cups Rice Krispies Cereal
  • 6 tablespoons salted butter
  • 16 ounces marshmallows
  • Use the recipe above but spread the treat mixture into a 9x13 pan. 

Keyword marshmallows, microwave rice krispie treats, rice krispie treats, rice krispies cereal

Rice Krispie Treat Mix-in Variations

Plain rice crispy treats taste great, but they can be even better when you mix in some sweet treats. We have created dozens of variations of this classic no-bake treat including:

• Chocolate Chip Rice Krispie Treats
• Funfetti Cake Batter Rice Krispie Treats
• M&M Rice Krispie Treats
• OREO Cookie Rice Krispie Treats

Single-Serve Microwave Rice Krispie Treat

If you have a hankering for a gooey marshmallow cereal treat, but don't want to make an entire pan of bars, you can make a single-serving in a mug using the microwave. 

Check out the recipe to make a Rice Krispie Treat in a Mug, here. 

Storage Tips

• To keep your treats fresh and chewy, store them in an air-tight container at room temperature. If you have to layer the rice crispy bars, place a piece of wax paper or parchment paper between each layer. 
• DO NOT refrigerator your Rice Krispie Treats! They will get soggy and taste stale.
• You can freeze your treats, however. Wrap them in wax paper, then overwrap them in tin foil or place in a zip-top bag and freeze for up to 3 months. To thaw, set them on your counter for at least an hour before opening the package. 

More Rice Krispie Treat Variations

Lemon Rice Krispie Treats

Neapolitan Rice Krispie Treats

Strawberry Rice Krispie Treats