Enjoy the absolute BEST Rice Krispie Treats recipe you will ever taste. They are perfectly balanced using just the right amount of marshmallows, rice crispy cereal, and butter.
Read how we conducted a blind taste test of over 20 versions of the recipe in order to choose the Perfect Rice Krispie Treat Recipe.
If you are looking for the very BEST Rice Krispie Treat recipe you have ever tasted, you've come to the right place.
I know you might be wondering:
- What could possibly make a rice crispy treat the best ever?
- Isn't the recipe just 3 simple ingredients?
- How can you make this basic marshmallow cereal treat better?
I'm here to tell you that after having 20 taste testers try over 20 different versions of this recipe we have definitively found the very best Rice Krispie Treat recipe.
Tasters over at TheKitchn' agreed. They gave our Krispie Treats recipe a 10/10 and voted it the best on the web!
This recipe for Rice Krispie treats makes a nice crunchy cereal treat with just the right amount of marshmallow gooey-ness, and the most amazing, creamy, buttery, marshmallowy flavor. It's the perfect base for adding mixins and making Reese's Cup Rice Krispie Treats, Chocolate-dipped Rice Krispie Treats, and more.
Each of the 20 different rice Krispie treat recipes that we tried was good. I mean, seriously what could be bad about a rice crispy treat?
But when each of our 20 taste testers compared the subtle differences in each cereal treat recipe they came to several conclusions about what makes the best rice crispy treat ever.
Some recipes and ingredients were definitely better than others and finding the right ratio of ingredients was the most important step in the process, so that is where we began.
What is the basic Rice Krispie Treat Recipe?
- The basic recipe calls for melting butter and marshmallows together then stirring in Rice Krispies Cereal, then pressing it into a pan before cutting it into squares or rectangles but the trick is to get the perfect balance of those ingredients.
- Too much cereal and the treats are dry, too many marshmallows and the treats are overly sweet and sticky. Not enough butter and the treats taste bland.
We found just the right amount of ingredients to use.
We started our search for the best rice crispy treat by trying 6 different versions of the recipe, each with varying amounts of butter and marshmallows and cereal.
For each of these recipes, we used the same brand of butter, marshmallows, and cereal. Some recipes called for using a 9-inch by 13-inch pan while others used a square 8-inch or 9-inch pan.
Our tasters did not know what recipe they were trying to make the test completely unbiased.
What is the best ratio of butter, marshmallows, and rice crispy cereal?
Here are the 6 different combinations we tried:
- 3 tablespoons butter, 10 ounces marshmallows, 6 cups Rice Krispies Cereal in 9'X13" pan
- 6 tablespoons butter, 12 ounces marshmallows, 6 cups Rice Krispies Cereal in 9'X13" pan
- 6 tablespoons butter, 16 ounces marshmallows, 7 cups Rice Krispies Cereal in 9'X13" pan
- 5 tablespoons butter, 8 cups mini marshmallows (13.33 ounces) plus 2 cups (3.33 ounces) mini marshmallows, 6 cups Rice Krispies Cereal in 9'X9" pan
- The 8 cups of marshmallows are melted and stirred into the cereal then the other 2 cups are folded in so that they don't melt.
- 8 tablespoons butter, 16 ounces marshmallows, 9 cups Rice Krispies Cereal in 9'X13" pan
- 6 tablespoons butter, 14 ounces marshmallows plus 2 ounces, 6 cups Rice Krispies Cereal in 9'X9" pan
- The 14 ounces of marshmallows were melted then the 2 ounces were tossed in at the last minute.
BEST Rice Krispie Treat Recipe (ratio and pan size)
- 6 tablespoons butter, 16 ounces marshmallows, 7 cups Rice Krispies Cereal in 9"X13" pan
- We found that this ratio was unanimously voted the favorite.
- Tasters commented on this recipe having the perfect ratio of crunch to chew, just the right thickness, and a really amazing flavor.
We'll show you how to make the best cereal treats now, but be sure to scroll past the recipe to read more about our taste test result. We share so many tips on making the best-tasting treats.
Video
You can start by watching this video to see how you can make perfect Rice Krispie Treat bars.
How to make the BEST Rice Krispie Treats on the stove?
- Grease a 9x13-inch pan and a large mixing bowl with butter or baking spray.
- Pour the cereal into the greased bowl and set it aside.
- Begin to melt the butter over low heat in a medium or large saucepan.
- Add the marshmallows to the saucepan and stir.
- Continue to stir often, until about 75% of the marshmallows are melted.
- Remove the pan from the heat and continue to stir, smashing the marshmallows using a rubber spatula or the back of a wooden spoon, until the marshmallows completely melt and become smooth.
- We recommend taking the marshmallows off the heat before they are completely melted, so you will not overheat the marshmallows. The residual heat from the melted marshmallows will heat the unmelted marshmallows slowly, allowing them to melt without getting too hot. When marshmallows are overheated, the sugar crystallizes, turning into hard candy. Overheated marshmallows will make your treats hard to bite into.
- Pour the marshmallows over the cereal and toss to combine.
- We recommend pouring the marshmallows over the cereal instead of adding them to the pan. If the cereal is poured into the hot pan, the crisp rice may become soft if it gets too hot. Your treats may taste stale immediately after they are made because the cereal will be soft.
- Once the cereal is mixed with the melted marshmallows, pour it into a well-buttered 9"X13" pan.
- GENTLY spread it into an even layer. Do not compress the mixture or your treats will be dense and hard.
- Allow the treats to cool for at least 30 minutes before cutting into rectangles or squares.
Make Rice Krispie Treats in the Microwave:
- Combine the butter and marshmallows in a large microwave-safe bowl.
- Heat on high power for 1 minute then remove and stir until the melted butter blends with the marshmallows.
- Keep stirring until the marshmallows melt.
- Only if needed, reheat for 15-second increments, stirring after each until the marshmallows are fully melted. You do not want to overheat the marshmallows.
- Follow the remaining instructions in the stovetop method.
You can see our Microwave Rice Krispie Treat recipe, here for more details.
Recipe
Read more details about the taste test results and what makes them the very best Rice Krispie Treats below the recipe. We have lots of tips for making your treats the best you will ever taste.
Rice Krispie Treat Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons European-style salted butter, cut into small pieces
- 16 ounces Kraft Jet-Puffed Marshmallows
- 7 cups Kellogg's Rice Krispies Cereal
Instructions
- Grease a 9 inch by 13-inch pan with butter or spray with baking spray.
- Grease a large mixing bowl with butter or baking spray and pour in the cereal.
Stove Top Instructions
- Begin melting the butter in a medium-large saucepan set over low heat then stir in the marshmallows.
- Continue to melt over low heat, stirring often, until about 75% of the marshmallows have melted.
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir vigorously until all of the marshmallows have melted.
- Pour the melted marshmallows over the Rice Krispies Cereal and toss to evenly coat.
- Spread the mixture into the buttered pan and gently press into an even layer.
- Let the cereal treats cool for at least 30 minutes before cutting into 18 rectangles.
Microwave Instructions
- Combine the butter and marshmallows in a large microwave-safe mixing bowl.
- Heat in the microwave for 1 minute then remove and stir vigorously until melted.
- If needed, heat for additional 15-second increments stirring after each until melted.
- Pour the marshmallow mixture over the cereal and toss until evenly coated.
- Spread the mixture into the buttered pan and gently press into an even layer.
- Let the cereal treats cool for at least 30 minutes before cutting into 18 rectangles.
Notes
- European-style salted butter contains more butterfat than American-style butter adding richness to the treats. Salted butter balances out the sweetness.
- We recommend using Kraft Jet-Puffed Marshmallows. They have great texture and flavor. We found store-brand marshmallows to be stickier. If you use store-brand marshmallows, we recommend adding up to one additional cup of Rice Krispies Cereal.
- Store your treats in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
- Do NOT refrigerate your treats. They will become stale-tasting if stored in the fridge.
- You can freeze the treats. Wrap them well, and freeze for up to 3 months. To thaw, bring them to room temperature and let them sit, wrapped, for a few hours. Then unwrap and enjoy.
- Do NOT overheat your marshmallows. This is key to making soft and chewy Rice Krispie Treats, not hard treats.
- Do NOT compact the cereal treat mixture into your pan or you will end up with very dense, hard treats. Gently press the mixture into the pan.
Did you make this recipe and think it was great or do you have any questions? Leave a comment below and don't forget to rate the recipe using the star rating system.
Can I make a smaller batch?
- If you want to make a smaller batch in an 8-inch or 9-inch pan, use 4 tablespoons butter, 10 ounces of marshmallows, and 4 ⅔ cup rice crispy cereal.
- We have found that using a 10-ounce bag of marshmallows in a small-batch recipe works fine. If you look at the ratio in the large batch recipe above, you can calculate the need for 10.5 ounces of marshmallow in a small batch, but our favorite marshmallows come in 10-ounce bags, so that is what we use. This 0.5-ounce variance does not appear to make much difference. If you find 10.5-ounce bags (Stay Puffed makes them) you can use the whole bag.
- If you press this into a 9-inch pan your treats will be a bit thinner than those made in an 8-inch pan.
FAQ - Be sure to check out our Cereal Treats FAQ page for detailed tips and tricks for making amazing cereal treats every time.
What taste testers did or did not like about the recipes:
There was not a single treat that the 20 taste testers found to be truly bad, but everyone had an opinion about which treats tasted the best.
- Everyone agreed that more butter and more marshmallows made for a better-tasting Rice Krispie Treat.
- They also all agreed that the original recipe with just 3 tablespoons of butter and 10 ounces of marshmallows to 6 cups of cereal produced the driest, least flavorful treat.
- Not one single one of the 20 taste testers liked the addition of the whole marshmallows in the cereal treats.
- People complained that the whole marshmallows made the treats too sweet, even if the total amount of marshmallows was similar to another treat where all the marshmallows were melted.
- They also complained that the treats felt too gummy because they were biting into too many marshmallows.
- Thickness mattered. The original treats were just too thin while some of the treats were too thick to easily bite into.
What else did we test?
Once we established the perfect ratio of ingredients we wanted to determine which brands of products made the most flavorful Rice Krispie Treats so we cut the recipe in thirds and made small batches using the quantities below:
- 2 tablespoons (1 ounce) of butter
- 5.33 ounces of marshmallows
- 2 ⅓ cups of Rice Krispies Cereal
We used a scale to measure the butter and marshmallows to ensure every single batch was the same.
We pressed the Rice Krispie Treats into a lasagna pan that has 3 long sections, each with a removable tray that helps to lift the treats. This ensured each treat was the same thickness. Plus it made it super easy to remove the treats from the pan.
It was amazing how much difference was detected in the treats using different products.
Which butter makes the best Rice Krispie Treats?
We started by testing five different brands of butter, both salted and unsalted. We even made a batch using vegan butter and one using virgin coconut oil.
- We found that every one of the 20 different taste testers preferred a Rice Krispie Treat made with salted butter.
- The flavor difference between salted and unsalted butter is quite significant so we definitely recommend you use salted butter in your crispy treat recipe.
- You may be asking "can't I just sprinkle in some salt?"
- No! We tried that. The salt did not disperse evenly throughout the treats and made the treats taste salty.
- When using salted butter you don't taste the salt, it just makes the treats taste richer and more flavorful.
American Butter VS. European Butter
What is the difference between European Butter and American Butter?
- American butter has a higher water content than European butter.
- European butter and has a higher butterfat content than American butter.
- Butter made in Europe must have a minimum butterfat content of 82% while butter made in America only needs to have 80%.
- While that may not seem significant, when you melt the butter to make your treats, more water will be evaporated from American butter leaving you with less butterfat, which means less flavor.
- Rice Krispie Treats made using European butter will taste richer and have a creamier texture.
What brands of butter did we use in our taste tests?
- Plugra Salted Butter
- President Salted Butter
- Land-O-Lakes, both salted and unsalted
- Land-O-Lakes, new European Style Salted Butter
- Kroger brand salted and unsalted butter
- Kroger Private Selection Creamy French Style Salted Butter
- We later tried out Kerry Gold Butter too.
We also tried:
- Miyoko's Vegan Butter
- Kroger Private Selection Virgin Coconut Oil
Which butter did we like best in our rice crispy treats?
- Taste testers all agreed that cereal treats made using either President Salted Butter, KerryGold or Kroger Private Selection Creamy French Style Salted Butter had the best flavor.
- Treats made with Land-O-Lakes new European-Style Salted Butter were also very good rounding out our top 4.
Which butter was the loser?
- Kroger brand unsalted butter was definitely the least favorite! Only one of the 20 taste testers even liked the cereal treats made with this butter. She said it had a familiar flavor because that is the butter she uses all the time.
What about the taste of the other butter?
- The biggest revelation was that salted butter was definitely preferred over unsalted.
- Land-O-Lakes unsalted butter was at the bottom of the pack just above Kroger unsalted but the Land-O-Lakes salted butter was in the middle and their new European Style Salted Butter fared even better.
- Plugra Salted Butter had very mixed reviews.
- Three of the taste testers thought the treats made with Plugra Butter tasted peppery, two thought they had an off flavor, while two others listed it as their favorite.
What about the vegan options?
- We tested a vegan butter but none of the testers liked the flavor or texture of the treats made with this butter.
- We also made some treats using virgin coconut oil which gave the cereal treats a definite coconut flavor. Those tasters who like the flavor of coconut found this to be one of their absolute favorite treats. You can find the recipe for plain Vegan Rice Krispie Treats, here, and for Chocolate Vegan Rice Krispie Treats, here.
If you really want to ramp up the butter flavor you can brown it to make Brown Butter Rice Krispie Treats.
What's next?
For the remaining of our taste tests, we chose to use Kroger Private Selection French Style Butter because it is a less expensive option than President's Butter but we highly recommend using either when making your treats.
Which Rice Krispies to use to make cereal treats?
You might have guessed the winner here:
- Kellogg's Rice Krispies Cereal made the best Rice Krispie Treats
We tested three different rice crispy cereal brands. We used the same butter and same marshmallows so that the tasters were only comparing the cereal.
What did our tasters like and dislike about the rice crispy cereals?
- Kellogg's Rice Krispies Cereal definitely was the favorite.
- The puffs of toasted rice stayed crispy in the cereal treats and tasters all agreed that they have outstanding flavor.
- Kroger brand cereal came in a close second but some tasters found the flavor to be a bit too bland and that the puffs of rice were not as full make the treats slightly harder.
- Target's Market Pantry Toasted Rice cereal was a definite loser.
- Tasters complained that the treats actually cut the roof of their mouth or that they dug into their gums around the teeth. The cereal is just too crunchy and hard.
- NOTE: later we tested Walmart brand cereal and found it to be similar to the Kroger brand.
Cereal Alternatives
You can use just about any cereal to make treats, but the ratio of ingredients may vary slightly due to the shape and size of the cereal. We've created recipes using dozens of cereal brands. Some of our favorites include:
Are Rice Krispie Treats gluten-free?
- No, if you use the ingredients we recommend. There is gluten in Kellogg's Rice Krispies Cereal.
- You can make them gluten-free by using gluten-free rice crispy cereal though. See our recipes for gluten-free and vegan treats here:
What's next?
Now we had our favorite butter and favorite cereal so the only thing left to decide on was the marshmallows.
What brand of marshmallows was our favorite?
- Kraft Jet-Puffed Marshmallows won our taste test!
What did our tasters like and dislike about the marshmallows?
- Tasters commented that the cereal treats made using Jet-Puffed Marshmallows had a wonderful vanilla flavor without being overly sweet. They also had the perfect chew. When tasters pulled the treats apart they were gooey but not overly sticky.
- Kroger brand did great in the flavor category but tasters found the treats made with these marshmallows to be just too sticky and chewy. The treats were really dense too. The marshmallows were also much more difficult to work with. These marshmallows were so sticky that they were hard to blend with the cereal.
- Dandies are a brand of vegan marshmallows that have amazing flavor. They are firmer than other marshmallows and are very difficult to melt. Tasters really enjoyed the flavor of the marshmallows in the cereal treats but felt they weren't worth the fuss to use unless making vegan treats.
- In testing recipes for our vegan Rice Krispie Treats we preferred using the large Dandies marshmallows versus using their mini marshmallows, but that the large marshmallows needed to be cut into 4 smaller pieces in order to melt more quickly.
- These marshmallows will never melt completely and they are much more difficult to mix into the cereal. You'll need to use your hands to get them completely mixed.
How many cups of marshmallows are in my bags?
Mini Marshmallows:
- Each cup of mini marshmallows weighs approximately 1.67 ounces.
- A 10-ounce bag contains 6 cups of mini marshmallows.
- A 16-ounce bag contains 9 ⅔ cups of mini marshmallows.
NOTE:
- For some reason, Kellogg's original Rice Krispie Treat recipe says there are 4 cups of mini marshmallows in a 10-ounce bag. We've weighed and measured this many times and there are definitely 6 cups in 10 ounces.
Standard (large) Marshmallows:
- Each large marshmallow is approximately 0.24 ounces.
- Each brand of marshmallow weighs slightly different amounts.
- 7-8 marshmallows = 1 cup of mini marshmallows
- There are approximately 40-48 marshmallows in a 10-ounce bag and 64-70 in a 16-ounce bag.
- Kraft Jet-Puffed Marshmallows are lighter than some other brands. If using them you'll need 40 marshmallows for a recipe calling for 10 ounces and 64 for a 16-ounce recipe.
What about Dandies Vegan Marshmallows?
- Dandies Marshmallows are twice as heavy as traditional marshmallows.
- Each weighing in at about 0.4 ounces.
- There are 24 marshmallows in a 10-ounce bag.
Check out our marshmallow conversion chart for specific amounts in each brand of marshmallows.
What about adding vanilla?
Once we had found the absolute best Rice Krispie Treat recipe using European-style salted butter, Kellogg's Rice Krispies Cereal, and Kraft Jet-Puffed Marshmallows, we decided to see if adding vanilla would enhance the flavor.
We got very mixed reviews:
- Some of our tasters loved the addition of the vanilla finding both pure vanilla extract and vanilla bean paste gave the cereal treats an enhanced vanilla flavor. Some ranked these treats as their absolute favorite.
- While others complained that the vanilla flavor overwhelmed the other yummy Rice Krispie Treat flavors. Some went so far as to say that the vanilla ruined the treats.
Tasters were so divided on this that we have decided to leave this up to your own taste buds. If you really want an intense vanilla flavor then add ½ teaspoon of pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste to your treats.
Other mix-ins:
You can add so many different mix-ins into your cereal treats. Why not try:
- Reese's Cup Rice Krispie Treats
- S'mores Rice Krispie Treats
- OREO Rice Krispie Treats
- Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats
Get creative:
You can have fun making cute shapes for holidays and special occasions, like...
- Flower Rice Krispie Treats
- Red, White and Blue Rice Krispie Treat Stars
- Mickey Mouse Rice Krispie Treats
- See 20 cute Easter Rice Krispie Treat Ideas
Or you can really go all out and decorate them...
How to store marshmallow cereal treats?
- Your cereal treats will taste best if eaten within the first few days but they will stay crispy and fresh for up to a week if stored properly in an airtight container or large zip-top bag.
- Using salted butter helps to increase the shelf life of a Rice Krispie Treat.
- Do not refrigerate the treats as they may become soggy and soft.
- You may freeze your cereal treats for up to 3 months.
- Wrap the treats in plastic wrap or Glad Press 'n Seal, then overwrap them in tin foil. Place them in a zip-top bag and freeze.
- To thaw, remove the cereal treats from the freezer and let them sit, wrapped, on the counter for at least 1 hour before unwrapping.
- You can wrap the entire pan of treats or wrap individual treats depending on how you want to use them later.
Calories in Rice Krispie Treats
As far as desserts go, Rice Krispie Treats are relatively low in calories.
- If you cut a 9x13 pan of these RiceKkrispie Treats into 18 rectangles each treat will have 158 calories.
- Of course, you can cut them into 24 squares instead so each treat will have only 86 calories.
Here's are the Rice Krispie Treats Nutrition Facts for 18 servings.
Now that you have a basic recipe you can use it to make other treats with rice krispies.
Rice Krispie Treats Variations
Brown Butter Rice Krispie Treats
Rice Krispie Treats with Chocolate
Rice Krispie Treats with Peanut Butter
Shannon Big says
You are so right!!!!!!!! This was the very best Rice Krispie Treat recipe I have ever tried. Thank you so much for all the great tips. I used European salted butter for the very first time and OMG, it tastes so good! It really does make a difference in the cereal treat recipe. I also used Kellogg's Rice Krispies Cereal and Kraft Jet-Puffed Marshmallows. YUM! Thank you, thank you, thank you.
HowToMakeCerealTreats says
We are so happy to hear that you loved this rice krispie treat recipe so much! We couldn't agree more that the right ingredients in the right quantities makes all the difference in the world.
Bee says
I used Kerrygold butter and Trader Joe's cereal and marshmallows. The marshmallows were jumbo so took a while to melt on low heat but it was worth the wait. also added 2 teaspoons of rainbow sprinkles and they were amazing! Thanks for the hard work to produce this great recipe!
Beth Klosterboer says
You are so welcome. I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe! It's definitely worth waiting for the marshmallows to melt on low heat. This one step really does make a big difference in the texture of the treats.
NanB says
Great info on rice crispy treats, just one question, how many cups of RC cereal is there in the largest box? Thanks!
Beth Klosterboer says
Thanks! The size of the cereal boxes continues to get smaller but the good news is that it's easy to determine the number of cups in a box based on ounces. 1 ounce of Rice Krispie Treats equals 1 cup of cereal so a 14-ounce box contains 14 cups of cereal.
Kennedy says
These are the absolute BEST Rice Krispie treats you can make. I haven't found a better recipe out there!
HowToMakeCerealTreats says
I'm so happy to hear that you love this recipe!
Amanda Wetzel says
YUM! That's all that I need to say.
Jessica Williams says
These treats do have the perfect ratio. I love the suggestion of using really good butter. It made a huge difference in the flavor!
HowToMakeCerealTreats says
That is great to hear.
Ashton Christiana says
You are so right! These are the best rice krispie treats I've ever eaten. Everyone in my family agrees. Thanks for the perfect recipe.
HowToMakeCerealTreats says
I'm so glad you and your whole family loved this recipe!
Missi S. says
We loved this Rice Krispie Treat Recipe! It is gooey and chewy. It's perfection!
HowToMakeCerealTreats says
I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe!
Ginger Velez says
Thank you for all the effort you put into this recipe. I've been disappointed with so many other recipes but this one truly is perfect. It's gooey without being overly sticky and has a great flavor.
HowToMakeCerealTreats says
I'm so happy you enjoyed this recipe!
Giada says
Yum, yum, yum!!!! These are the best treats I've ever tasted. I can't believe how much better they taste with good butter. Thanks for doing all that taste testing. I'm sure it was a fun job!!
HowToMakeCerealTreats says
Thanks, Giada. It was a fun job! I'm happy you agree with our taste test results.
Gery says
I never imagined anyone would put this much effort into creating the perfect rice krispie treat recipe but you did it! These are delicious!
Beth Klosterboer says
We were very happy to do the work to find the best recipe and we are so glad you agree!
Madeline says
I have to agree. These are amazing! Thanks for putting so much effort into this recipe.
Beth Klosterboer says
You are very welcome!!! I'm glad you like the recipe.
Dorthy Sellars says
I've been making rice krispie treats using the traditional recipe for so many years and never really thought about changing up the amount of ingredients or using better butter. WOW! What a difference it makes. I'll be using this recipe from now on. Thanks for putting so much time into testing the various recipes.
Toni A. says
These were seriously the BEST rice krispie treats we have ever tried. My whole family agreed. Thanks for working so hard to find this amazing recipe.
HowToMakeCerealTreats says
Thanks! That's great to hear.
Kylee Compton says
The very best rice krispie treats I've ever made. Perfect ratios of all of the ingredients made them stay soft and sticky and gooey and yummy! Seriously the best!
HowToMakeCerealTreats says
I'm so happy you found this recipe to create the best Rice Krispie treats ever!
Chrissy Degraves says
I'm blown away by what you went through to find the very best rice krispie treats. I was so inspired that my friends and I did our own taste test with 4 recipes. We brought the treats into work with us and your winning treats were our winning treats too. Most everybody agreed that the flavor and texture were superior to the other recipes we made. We had a lot of fun doing our taste test too. Thanks for the great recipe and the inspiration.
HowToMakeCerealTreats says
Wow, that is so cool! I love that you did your own taste test and am really happy that your results were similar to ours. I'm very happy everyone loved our best Rice Krispie Treat recipe and that you had some fun! - Beth
Raquel says
Thank you so much for this! I was frustrated that my treats got hard and were way too chewy within 12 hours. These stay perfectly gooey.
Beth Klosterboer says
You are very welcome!
Keira says
Thanks for this post! I really appreciate all the information you shared. I made these treats and they are fantastic!!! They are so much better than the ones I've made for years using the traditional recipe. I'll never go back to that recipe again.
Donna says
This is the first time I have ever made rise krispie cake and I was confused about the measurements. I had no idea if 16 ounces was 2 cups or if it was a pound so I asked my mom and she said 2 cups. It is always so unclear when ounces are used in a recipe, I wish it was either cups or pounds across the board. What a waste of time and food this one was. Will probably try it again at some point, using 9 and 2/3 cups of marshmallows instead of 2 cups (16oz).
Beth Klosterboer says
Hi Donna,
I do talk about the weight and cup measurements of the marshmallows in this blog post. I'm sorry you didn't read the post to see that every brand of marshmallows weighs out slightly differently so it's best to use standard 16-ounce bags of marshmallows. Here's what you missed in the post:
How many cups of marshmallows are in my bags?
Mini Marshmallows:
Each cup of mini marshmallows weighs approximately 1.67 ounces.
A 10-ounce bag contains 6 cups of mini marshmallows.
A 16-ounce bag contains 9 2/3 cups of mini marshmallows.
NOTE:
For some reason, Kellogg’s original Rice Krispie Treat recipe says there are 4 cups of mini marshmallows in a 10-ounce bag. We’ve weighed and measured this many times and there are definitely 6 cups in 10 ounces.
Standard (large) Marshmallows:
Each large marshmallow is approximately 0.24 ounces.
Each brand of marshmallow weighs slightly different amounts.
7-8 marshmallows = 1 cup of mini marshmallows
There are approximately 40-48 marshmallows in a 10-ounce bag and 64-70 in a 16-ounce bag.
Kraft Jet-Puffed Marshmallows are lighter than some other brands. If using them you’ll need 40 marshmallows for a recipe calling for 10 ounces and 64 for a 16-ounce recipe.
What about Dandies Vegan Marshmallows?
Dandies Marshmallows are twice as heavy as traditional marshmallows.
Each weighing in at about 0.4 ounces.
There are 24 marshmallows in a 10-ounce bag.
I hope this helps the next time you make Rice Krispie Treats.
Meaghan Mountford says
Hi Donna! Beth already answered well, but just so you don't make the same mistake with other recipes in the future, please let your mom know that 2 cups is 16 ounces ONLY for liquid (this is called 16 "fluid" ounces). You should never use the 2 cups = 16 ounces assumption for food. 2 cups of marshmallows won't weigh the same as 2 cups of chocolate chips, for example.
Cheralee Eleanor England says
Okay, this is going to give my age up a little. I remember when rice crispy treats were first a thing. The "official" recipe was different then it is now. It was much closer to the what won the tast test.
Rice crispy treats are near and dear to my heart. When I was pregnant with each of my 6 kiddos I craved them sooo bad! I guess it was being a 70's kid I don't know, but they couldn't be the store bought kind they had to be homemade.
Thanks for this it makes my hear smile!
Beth Klosterboer says
I'm a child of the 70's too and I can totally relate to your experience with the original recipe. It was one of my favorite pot luck desserts.
I'm glad to have made you smile!
Mandy Brumbly says
WOW, what a difference the right ingredients make. Plus, pulling the marshmallows off the heat before they are all melted makes such a huge difference to the texture of the treat. Thanks for that great tip!
Beth Klosterboer says
You are welcome! I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe and I'm glad you found the tip about partially melting the marshmallows on the stove was helpful.
Nancy says
Original recipe says 4 cups equals 10 oz of Regular Size Marshmallows, NOT Mini ones. Ty!
Beth Klosterboer says
If you read the post you will notice that I wrote that "For some reason, Kellogg's original Rice Krispie Treat recipe says there are 4 cups of mini marshmallows in a 10-ounce bag. We've weighed and measured this many times and there are definitely 6 cups in 10 ounces."
How many cups of marshmallows are in my bags?
Mini Marshmallows:
Each cup of mini marshmallows weighs approximately 1.67 ounces.
A 10-ounce bag contains 6 cups of mini marshmallows.
A 16-ounce bag contains 9 2/3 cups of mini marshmallows.
Lupita T. says
I've had so many dry and hard rice krispie treats over the years at picnics and parties and it was nice to find a recipe that makes really chewy treats. They were delicious!
Beth Klosterboer says
I know what you mean! I've had my fair share of hard treats that tear the roof of your mouth when you bite into them. I'm glad you enjoyed this recipe!
Adela Martinolli says
YUMMY!!!!!!!!!!!! I've always loved rice krispie treats and was skeptical that your recipe and suggestions for using good quality salted butter would make a difference. Was I wrong! This is by far the very best rice krispie treat recipe I have ever made. I bought a pan of the treats to work and a bunch of my coworkers asked for the recipe so I told them about your site.
Thank you for putting so much effort into creating this really informative recipe.
Beth Klosterboer says
Hi Adela,
I am so happy to hear that you thought these were the best treats you've ever tried! Thanks for sharing the site with your coworkers too. I hope you give some of our other cereal treats recipes a try too. Enjoy!
Jill Golkin says
Seriously the best rice krispie treats ever!!! My whole family agreed.
Christina says
I just made these and these are amazing! Hands down! I had NO problem with any of the measurements actually bags in US are 12 oz and just eyed the other 4 oz and came out perfectly!! This is my all time favorite dessert I am NOT a fan of the store made kind nor the ones from Starbucks once in a while I will stumble across someone who can make them but never have I found anyone that came close to the ones I had from my childhood (a friends grandmother). These remind me of hers. Thank you!! Took me damn 40 years to find 😊🍀
Beth Klosterboer says
I am so happy that this recipe reminds you of your friend's grandmother's rice krispie treats. I remember how gooey and chewy the treats of my childhood were too and that is what I was trying to recreate with this recipe.
Various brands of marshmallows do have different package sizes and I'm glad you were able to easily measure out 16 ounces to make your treats. I use Kraft Jet-Puffed Marshmallows, and in Ohio, where I'm at, the bags are either 10 ounces of 16 ounces but I've seen 12-ounce bags too. Jet-Puffed actually used to sell 10.5-ounce bags. I assume other brands might as well. It's ever-changing!
I agree that there's nothing quite like a homemade Rice Krispie Treat and I'm excited that you enjoyed this recipe so much.
Megan says
How long do they last before going soft? I want to use this for cake decorating?
Meaghan Mountford says
Hi Megan,
The treats will last about a week in an air-tight container if you use salted butter, and best the first few days.
If you're decorating with royal icing (which dries relatively hard), it works really well and lasts a week or so before starting to taste stale. Here is an example: https://howtomakecerealtreats.com/spring-rice-krispie-treat-cake/
If you're using buttercream to decorate, I usually refrigerate the treats. It's not necessary, but I like to really set the buttercream and it will keep the treats firm.
Hope this helps!!
Beth Klosterboer says
Hi Megan,
I have found that if stored in an airtight container these treats can stay fresh for up to 2 weeks. I store them in a Rubbermaid or Tupperware container and they taste delicious and the texture is good.
If the treats are exposed to air or are covered in fondant or modeling chocolate, they will soften much more quickly than if they are stored in an airtight container.
When I sculpt using rice krispie treats, I like to add some candy melts to the mixture. You can see that recipe here - https://howtomakecerealtreats.com/rice-krispie-treat-pumpkins/
Kirsten Norheim says
Hey Beth!
Thanks for your life story that literally none of us care about(: please keep it shorter next time, seeing as we are literally just looking for the recipe. (:
Thanks for the recipe!
Kathleen antrican says
I’m on make that rice crispy treat the best one that you recommend I’m doing a baby shower and I’m using baby cookie cutters with a recipe for that and will that be too thick for them
Beth Klosterboer says
Hi Kathleen,
I used this recipe to make some cute baby shower rice krispie treats and was able to cut through them using a metal cookie cutter. You can see my baby shower treats here - https://howtomakecerealtreats.com/baby-shower-rice-krispie-treats/
Kate says
THANK you for the amount of effort that went into this long rice krispie journey. I'm making these tomorrow (with some halloween-colored sprinkles mixed in) and can't wait to try them in the afternoon. One of my favorite treats and this looks like the holy grail of them all. Much appreciated!
Beth Klosterboer says
You are welcome! I hope you love them as much as we all did. Adding Halloween sprinkles is a fun idea. Enjoy!
Noreen Holdcraft says
YES! These were amazing. Thank you so much for this recipe. I loved all of your tips.
Beth Klosterboer says
It's great to know that my tips were helpful. I'm glad you loved this recipe.
Sally Blocklinger says
YUM, YUM, YUM!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is now my favorite Rice Krispie Treat recipe. You were so right about using good quality butter. It really makes a difference in the flavor. Oh, and the texture of these was perfection!
Beth Klosterboer says
Thank you! I'm happy you loved this recipe.
Bobette Favreau says
I really appreciated all of the work you went through to find the very best rice krispie treat recipe. I enjoyed reading your entire post. It was so informative. My daughter and I made this recipe today and we completely agree that they are fantastic. We will never make the recipe on the box again. THANKS!!!
Beth Klosterboer says
Thank you! I am so glad you and your daughter enjoyed the recipe and that you appreciated detailed tutorial.
Delores Han says
You are right! These treats are delicious.
Beth Klosterboer says
Thanks! 🙂
Dianna Perdew says
These are seriously delicious! Thanks for all the great tips. I can't believe you went to so much work to find the very best Rice Krispie Treat recipe, but you sure did!
Beth Klosterboer says
Thank you! I'm glad you liked the recipe. 🙂
Georgia Berth says
YUMMO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Kathy Harikas says
These treats were absolutely delicious! I never knew that using good butter could completely change the flavor of rice krispie treats. Thanks for all the great tips!
Beth Klosterboer says
Thank you! I'm so happy you enjoyed this recipe.
Lynn says
This is the best and most thorough recipe I've ever seen! I am so impressed. It looks like a lot of time and effort went into this. Thanks for sharing!
Myron Kealoha says
These treats are the best I've ever tasted. 🙂
Marylin Keaton says
Yum, yum, yum!!!! My family loved the flavor and texture of these treats. They are a winner in our book!
Kathryn Garcia says
Thank you for taking such painstaking efforts to find a perfect treat. I would love to see a redo of this test featuring organic ingredients, I honestly do not like supporting large corporate brands like Kellog’s and Kraft since the companies that own them deal in very shady environmental and human rights violations on a regular basis (look up Kellog’s employee reviews or Krafts use of palm oil and treatment of Indonesian workers etc.). These companies and many other transnational corporations have a track record of being highly profit driven valuing money over people’s lives and our environment. Thanks again.
Wilma W. says
Seriously delicious!
Jacquelyn Greaves says
Best rice krispie treat recipe ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Valerie says
I just made this and let me tell you.....AMAZING. It was so easy yet so good! Definitely a fun treat to try with the family and I’m excited to try other recipes❤️
Sherri says
Hi! Odd question: what bowl do you use in your video? )The white one with the hole in the handle.) When I make Rice Krispie treats, they really stick to the sides of the pan or bowl. I tried searching online to see if I could find something like it but have had no luck. Thanks!
Beth Klosterboer says
Hi Sherri, that is actually a great question. I use a Tupperware That's a Bowl. I love the handle! I've had two of them for over 30 years! They were with me when I owned my candy store and have seen a lot of use over the years. You can still find them. I use the large 32-ounce bowls.
You can find one here on Amazon - https://amzn.to/3iAaUur
There's also an entire set of different sizes here - https://amzn.to/393pLu0
Sherri says
Awesome! Thank you so much!!!
Megan L. says
Who knew a few tweaks to a rice krispie treat recipe could make such a big difference in flavor and texture? These treats are amazing. Thanks for all the effort you put into determining the very best rice krispie treat recipe. I totally paid off.
Beth Klosterboer says
Thanks, Megan. It was a labor of love! I'm glad you enjoyed the recipe tweaks.
Clarice Snell says
YUM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! These were so delicious. I've made them twice already.
Beth Klosterboer says
That's great! I'm so happy you enjoyed this recipe.
Stacie Miller says
You are RIGHT! These are the absolute best rice krispie treats I have ever made.
Julia Miller says
Thank you, thank you, thank you! I cannot believe how little tweaks to this simple recipe could make such a big difference. I never bought European-style butter until now. Wow! It's so much better and seriously made a difference in the flavor of my rice krispie treats. I will never use another rice krispie treat recipe again.
Beth Klosterboer says
You are so very welcome! I do feel this taste test was totally worth the effort when we have so many happy readers. I'm glad you love this recipe. Be sure to check out our other recipes too. We always use the base recipe then add some fun.
Nevana says
Delicious!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Lauren G says
I love all of the time and effort that you put in to testing each ingredient and its importance. I appreciate reading all of the feed back and thoughts of what works and what doesn't. I can't wait to try this recipe out!
Beth Klosterboer says
I hope you enjoy the recipe!
Cassi says
I run a butter chunk around the pot (or bowl for microwaving) greasing the inside real well and then add the rest of butter and marshmallows on top. It makes for much easier stirring as it creates a nonstick surface so the melted marshmallows just slide around and you stir to combine vs sticking to the sides/bottom. The remaining butter melts on the bottom first creating a protective butter pool for the marshmallows and also making for easy stirring.
Really appreciate all the work that went into this post!
Beth Klosterboer says
Thanks for sharing your tip! I do that too and it works great. I'm glad you enjoyed the post. Enjoy your treats. 🙂
Diane Anthony says
The recipe is the best!! We are definitely a family of Rice Krispie Treat lovers. I would love it if you could test make a Rice Krispie Scotcheroo recipe. I have always used a recipe from my grandmother, which is probably 50 years old. they are good, but can almost be too sweet.
Also, I am wondering what the brand is for the 3 section pan you use. It does not show up with your link, nor with a search.
Thank you!!
Beth Klosterboer says
Thanks, Diane. I'm so glad you and your family enjoyed this Rice Krispie Treat recipe! I have been meaning to work on a Scotcheroo recipe and will try to get it done in the next few weeks.
Sadly, it appears as though that 3 section pan is no longer available. Here's one that has 3 sections - https://amzn.to/3tJyk54. Unfortunately, it doesn't have the metal plates that lift out of the pan.