Gooey, chewy, PERFECT, Rice Krispy Treats are one of my very favorite desserts. They’re an easy favorite for serving after dinner, a classic dessert to bring to a potluck or enjoy with your kids as an afternoon snack after school.
Today, I’m excited to share with you the secret for getting perfect Rice Krispy Treats every single time.
Rice Crispy Treats
Which is it? Rice Crispy Treats or Rice Krispy Treats? Who knows? I go back and forth as I’m guessing you all do as well. I can never remember exactly how to spell it and Google was no help at all on this one. So, let’s just agree to use both names interchangeably.
If you spend any time with me on Instagram, you may have noticed that I’ve been on a wee bit of a Rice Crispy Treat kick lately.
Rice Krispy Treats aren’t complicated. You probably made them at least a time or two when you were a kid. While I’d never turn down anyone else’s rice krispy treats, I’m kind of picky about my own.
I like Rice Krispy Treats that are soft enough to pull apart with my fingers, the day after making them, after they’ve been sitting out on the counter.
Perfect Rice Crispy Treats are soft and chewy with plenty of ooey-gooey marshmallow goodness. I want to taste the sweet and sticky marshmallows in each and every bite of my treats.
I’ve tested this recipe by leaving the sliced rice krispy treats on a plate for 48 hours and they remained chewy and not at all hard. (The only thing hard was not eating the entire batch in the first 24 hours after baking them. Lord knows how little self-control I have when it comes to Rice Crispy Treats of all kinds.)
I don’t like my rice krispy treats to scrape the roof of my mouth or become crunchy. So, in short, gooey rice krispy treats = my happy place.
Perfect Rice Krispie Treats
This recipe–it is THE recipe, the only Rice Krispie Treats recipe you ever need. Once you learn how to make rice crispy treats like this, you’ll never go back. No other recipe can compare, I promise.
Have I convinced you yet?
In a nutshell, take the original recipe off the side of the cereal box, add more butter, add way more marshmallows, and there you have it. It isn’t complicated, but oh, it makes me so very happy to have the perfect Rice Krispy Treat ready to eat in just minutes.
How to Make Rice Crispy Treats
Like so many of the best recipes, perfect Rice Crispy Treats start with a respectable amount of melted butter. After melting the butter in a saucepan, add miniature marshmallows to the saucepan and stir them with the butter until fully melted.
I use 8 cups of mini marshmallows in this recipe which is about one and a half of the standard sized marshmallow bags. I’m fully convinced that the amount of marshmallows in these Rice Crispy Treats (along with the butter) is the secret to keeping them soft and gooey even days after cooking.
Stir crispy rice cereal (brand name Rice Crispies or your favorite generic brand) to the marshmallow and butter mixture until well incorporated. Pour the rice cereal mixture into a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and use your hands
At this point, lightly wet your hands or coat them in a thin amount of butter. Use your hands to gently press and pat the cereal mixture evenly across the pan. Take care here not to press the mixture too flat and compact.
Remember how I said extra marshmallows are one of the key differences between my perfect Rice Krispy Treats and the standard recipe on the side of the cereal box? Well, I found a way to add even more marshmallows to this treat (and I have no regrets about this).
Can you have too many marshmallows? I say not for this.
If you love marshmallows as much as I do, take an extra 1 to 2 cups of miniature marshmallows and add them to the cereal mixture just before you pour it onto the baking pan. The marshmallows will soften without melting completely. I love biting into a rice crispy treat and tasting fluffy whole marshmallows in the chewy, lightly crispy cereal bars.
The extra marshmallows are completely optional; we like these Rice Crispy Treats just fine without them as well. Still, I find myself adding the extra couple of cups of marshmallow morsels just about every time I make this recipe.
After patting the rice cereal mixture into the baking pan, let the whole thing cool for a few minutes. Slice the bars into your preferred size. One of the great things about this recipe is that you can customize the bars to any shape or size you like.
I typically make my Rice Krispy Treats in the traditional square or rectangular shape. If I’m making them for a party or a lot of people, I might cut them into smaller sizes so they’re easier to share.
Remember the chocolate covered rice krispy treats I mentioned earlier? That’s what happens when you have just two remaining rice krispy treats and you decide to chop them very small and dip them in melted chocolate.
Pop them in the refrigerator and 15 minutes later, you have a plate full of rapidly disappearing bite-size candies that your kids (and everyone else!) will love!
Chocolate Covered Rice Krispy Treats taste like Crunch candy bars but even better. Everyone you serve them to will be totally wowed because they look and taste like they take a lot of effort. No one else needs to know how easy they are to whip up at a moment’s notice; it’ll be our secret.
Gluten Free Desserts
Rice Crispy Treats are safely gluten free when made with a specifically labeled “gluten-free crisp rice cereal.” (Kelloggs rice krispies do not meet the standard for Celiac disease, as they contain malt flavoring. That said, my gluten sensitive son has always been able to eat rice krispies without any issues. However, he does NOT have Celiac disease.)
This is another reason why rice krispy treats a favorite to bring to parties and gatherings. I know that everyone, even my friends who can’t eat gluten, will be able to enjoy them. As a reader kindly pointed out as well, Post Cocoa Pebbles and Fruity Pebbles are naturally gluten free, making them an easy substitution in this recipe too.
For more ideas for gluten free desserts, check out all of the Gluten Free Dessert Recipes I’ve shared over the years. There are so many naturally gluten free desserts (and gluten free adaptions of classic favorites) you need to have in your rotation!
If it’s no-bake dessert recipes you’re after, I can help you out there too.
No Bake Chocolate Cereal Bars are right up there with Perfect Rice Krispy Treats on my list of favorite easy desserts no-bake desserts. They use corn flakes instead of rice cereal combined with an irresistible blend of honey, melted chocolate, and peanut butter.
I’ve got these No-Bake Snickers Crunch Bars bookmarked for the next time I’m in the mood for something decadent that won’t require me to fire up the oven.
Kitchen Tip: I use this pot and this spatula to make this recipe.
Rice Krispy Treats Recipe
- Line a baking sheet with parchment and set aside. (Feel free to use foil, if you’d prefer. Just don’t forget to grease the foil very well with butter!)
- Melt the butter in a large pot, over medium heat. Add the marshmallows and stir until they melt.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the cereal until well coated. (If desired, add the additional marshmallows now.)
- Scoop the sticky cereal mixture onto the prepared pan. Lightly wet your hands (or butter them, if you’re like me) and gently press the cereal out across the pan, taking care not to press too hard and compact them.
- Let cool for a few minutes before slicing. Store in an airtight container for several days.
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 8 cups miniature marshmallows about 1 1/2 (10 ounce) bags of marshmallows
- 6 cups crisp rice cereal
- optional: additional 2 - 3 cups miniature marshmallows
- Line a baking sheet with parchment and set aside. (Feel free to use foil, if you'd prefer. Just don't forget to grease the foil very well with butter!)
- Melt the butter in a large pot, over medium heat. Add the marshmallows and stir until they melt. Remove from the heat and stir in the cereal until well coated. (If desired, add the additional marshmallows now.)
- Scoop the sticky cereal mixture onto the prepared pan. Lightly wet your hands (or butter them, if you're like me) and gently press the cereal out across the pan, taking care not to press too hard and compact them. Let cool for a few minutes before slicing. Store in an airtight container for several days. Enjoy!
For an especially gooey treat, you can add additional marshmallows right at the end, just before pressing the mixture into the pan. I like the rice krispy treats both ways, but for the most part, I add those extra marshmallows every time.
{originally published 3/31/15 – recipe notes and photos updated 3/5/19}
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