Small-Batch Rice Krispie Treats

It's so easy to make a small batch of Rice Krispie treats that are perfectly crispy and chewy using either the microwave or the stovetop. In under 10 minutes, you can make two treats which are just enough for a delicious snack.

Sometimes you have a hankering for gooey marshmallow cereal treats but you don't want to make an entire pan of them.

Perhaps you want to make a single serving of rice crispy treats because it would be too tempting to eat an entire pan of them or because they would get stale before you could eat a full pan of them.

Either, way, making a small batch of treats is super easy.

To come up with this small-batch Rice Krispie treat recipe, I started by cutting down our award-winning Rice Krispie treat recipe that uses the perfect ratio of butter, marshmallows, and cereal.

You can make these treats using your microwave but you can also use the stovetop if you don't have a microwave.

Let's make small-batch rice crispy treats!

You will need:

butter - We always recommend using European-style salted butter to give your treats the very best flavor. This type of butter has less water and more butterfat than American butter which means more flavor.

OR coconut oil - You can swap out coconut oil for the butter to make a small batch of our Coconut Oil Rice Krispie Treats.

marshmallows - I suggest using mini marshmallows when making a small batch of treats because they melt so easily but you can use large marshmallows if that's what you have on hand. It's always best to use fresh marshmallows when making crispy rice treats. Fresh marshmallows will make perfectly chewy treats. Old, hard marshmallows will make hard treats that are not easy to chew.

Rice Krispies Cereal - You can use any crisp rice cereal but we recommend using Kellogg's Rice Krispies Cereal. It has the best flavor and texture of all the cereals we have tasted.

Make a small batch of Rice Krispie treats in the microwave.

• Place 1 tablespoon of butter and 2 ½ ounces (1 ⅓ cup) mini marshmallows in a microwave-safe bowl.
• Heat on high heat for 30 seconds.
• Let the bowl rest in the microwave for one minute.
• Then, remove and stir the marshmallows until melted.
• Only if needed, heat for an additional 5-10 seconds, then stir until melted.
• Let the bowl rest for 2-3 minutes. This will allow the bowl time to cool down so your cereal won't get soft when you stir it into the marshmallows.
• Then, stir in 1 heaping cup of Rice Krispies Cereal. If you want an exact measure, use 1 cup plus about 1 ½ tablespoons or 1.166 ounces of cereal.
• Pour the marshmallow crispy mixture onto a piece of buttered wax paper, into a small buttered pan, or onto non-stick tin foil or a non-stick silicone mat.
• Butter your hands and shape the treat into a rectangle.
• Let the treat rest for at least 15 minutes to cool.
• You can simply enjoy the large treat or you can cut it into two rectangles to share with someone else.

Make a single serving of the treats using the stovetop.

• Grease a mixing bowl with butter or non-stick spray.
• Pour one heaping cup of Rice Krispies Cereal (about 1 cup plus 1 ½ tablespoons) into the bowl and set aside.
• Heat 1 tablespoons butter and 2 ½ ounces (about 1 ⅓ cups of mini) marshmallows in a medium saucepan set over LOW heat.
• Stir often until about 75% of the marshmallows have melted.
• Remove from the heat and stir until melted and smooth.
• Then, pour the marshmallows over the cereal, toss to coat.
• Now, follow the steps above.

Tips: If you have issues with hard, stale-tasting, or sticky treats, be sure to check out our How To Make Rice Krispie Treats FAQ. We answer all your questions regarding making the perfect rice crispy treats.

Can I double or triple this recipe?

Yes, absolutely. Just add an additional 5-10 seconds of time in the microwave when you double the recipe and add another 5-10 seconds if you triple the recipe.

Can I use regular marshmallows instead of mini marshmallows?

Yes. They will melt a little more slowly, but you can use any size marshmallow you have on hand.

Be sure to check out our Marshmallow Conversion Chart to see how many regular, S'more Mallow, or Jumbo marshmallows you will need to make this small-batch recipe.

Printable Recipe

Small-batch Rice Krispie Treats

Beth Klosterboer

It's easy to make a small serving of Rice Krispie Treats for a snack for one person or two using butter, marshmallows, and crisp rice cereal.

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 4 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 minute min

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 2

Calories 229 kcal

Ingredients

  

• 1 tablespoon salted butter (preferably European-style butter)
• 2.5 ounces marshmallows (1 ⅓ cup mini marshmallows)
• 1.15 ounces (1 heaping cup) Rice Krispies Cereal

Instructions

 

• Combine the butter and marshmallows in a microwave-safe mixing bowl.
• Heat on high power for 30 seconds.
• Let the bowl rest in the microwave for 1 minute, then remove and stir until melted and smooth.
• If needed, heat for an additional 5-10 seconds if all the marshmallows have not melted.
• Allow the bowl of melted marshmallows to rest for 2-3 minutes before pouring the Rice Krispies Cereal into the bowl.
• Then, add the cereal and stir until well combined.
• Pour the marshmallow cereal treat mixture out onto a buttered piece of wax paper, a piece of non-stick tin foil, or a greased non-stick pan.
• Butter your finger and use them to shape the cereal mixture into a rectangle.
• Let the treat cool for about 15 minutes.
• If desired cut the large Rice Krispie Treat in half.
• Enjoy!

Notes

Stovetop instructions:

• Grease a small mixing bowl with butter and pour the cereal into the bowl. Set aside. 
• Heat the butter and marshmallows in a saucepan set over LOW heat, stirring often, until 75% of the marshmallows have melted.
• Remove the pan from the heat and stir until the marshmallows are melted and smooth. 
• Pour the melted marshmallows over the cereal and stir to combine. 
• Then, follow the instructions above. 

Coconut Oil

• If you want a dairy-free option, you can swap out 1 tablespoon of coconut oil for the butter.

Vegan and Gluten-Free Treats

• Use coconut oil or vegan butter and gluten-free crisp rice cereal to make your treats. 

 

Keyword rice krispie treats

More Rice Krispie Treat Recipes

• Homestyle Rice Krispie Treats - Toss in a few whole marshmallows to make homestyle treats.
• Reese's Cup Rice Krispie Treats - Chop up some candy bars to mix into your treats.
• Single-serve Rice Krispie Treats in a Mug - Make your treats in a coffee mug and top with sprinkles.
• Cocoa Rice Krispie Treats - Use Cocoa Krispies Cereal to make your treats chocolatey.