Want to know how to make gooey, soft, and chewy Rice Krispie Treats?
Whether you’re serving them after dinner, taking them to a potluck, or simply making them for a fun snack with your kids after school, find out how to make rice crispy treats that turn out perfectly every time!
Gooey Rice Krispie Treats
Which is it? Rice Crispy Treats or Rice Krispy Treats? Rice Crispies or Rice Krispies? I go back and forth as I’m guessing you all do as well. Luckily, we all know how delicious they are, regardless of how you spell the name!
If you spend any time with me on Instagram, you may have noticed that I’ve been on a wee bit of a homemade rice crispy treats kick lately.
Chocolate-drizzled peanut butter cup rice crispy treats, coconut rice crispy treats, even rice crispy treat ice cream – yes, I went there and it was AMAZING!
Add some chocolate-covered pretzels or really mix things up with these chocolate peanut butter bites, classic rice crispy treats, and ooey-gooey marshmallow-filled soft rice crispy treats; it’s hard to find home style rice crispy treats that I won’t eat.
I like Rice Krispie 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.
Gooey rice krispy treats aren’t complicated. You probably made the original rice Krispies treat recipe at least a time or two when you were a kid. While I’d never turn down anyone else’s rice crispy treats recipe, I’m kind of picky about my own.
This gooey recipe krispie treats recipe delivers soft and chewy rice crispie treats 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 crispy treats = my happy place.
How to Make Rice Crispy 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 these, 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 perfectly soft rice crispy treats ready to eat in just minutes.
If you’re feeling a little extra, I recommend drizzling some melted chocolate across the top of the treats and letting it set up for a bit of chocolate awesomeness in each bite.
Recipe for 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 this pot and this spatula to make this recipe.)
How do you make rice crispy treats? I use 8 cups of mini marshmallows in this recipe which is about one and a half of the standard-sized bags of marshmallows.
The extra marshmallows in these Rice Crispy Treats (along with the butter) are the secret to keeping them soft and gooey even days after cooking.
Stir crispy rice cereal (brand name Rice Krispies or your favorite generic brand) into 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 with 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.
PLEASE NOTE: If you press the rice krispie treat bars down too firmly, the result won’t be nearly as soft and chewy as you might like and you’ll lose some of that awesome gooey factor.
Chewy Rice Crispie Treats
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 and super-gooey chewy rice krispie treats 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 marshmallows 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 Rice Krispie Treats
Are rice krispie treats gluten free? Rice Crispy Treats are safely gluten-free ONLY when made with a specifically labeled “gluten-free crisp rice cereal.” (Kellogg’s rice Krispies do not meet the standard for Celiac disease, as they contain malt flavoring. 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 these gooey rice krispy treats are 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 no-bake desserts. They use cornflakes instead of rice cereal combined with an irresistible blend of honey, melted chocolate, and peanut butter.
Perfect Rice Krispy Treats
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 8 cups miniature marshmallows about 1½ (10 ounce) bags of marshmallows
- 6 cups crisp rice cereal
- optional: additional 2 – 3 cups miniature marshmallows
Instructions
- 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!
Notes
Nutrition
{originally published 3/31/15 – recipe notes and photos updated 8/10/20}
Donna R. says
I made this recipe with the extra marshmallows + added chocolate chips & chopped almonds to make a rocky road treat. I mixed the nuts in when I put the cereal in then I mixed the chocolate chips in at the very last before pressing it together in the pan so the chocolate wouldn’t become a melted mess. I made it into a loaf pan & cut into 5 large blocks, just a little thicker than the Starbucks pound cake slice.
Mary Younkin says
I bet it was delicious that way, Donna!
Gwen says
Yes! This is exactly how I make them too! I always loved how Starbucks marshmallow bars had pieces of marshmallow in every bite, so I started adding more at the very end of making mine. They don’t melt all the way, and make the treats oh so gooey!
Mary Younkin says
Yes! The extra marshmallows really do make them even better. I’m glad you like them, Gwen!
Cassie says
I think I may have bastardized this recipe a bit? Ingredients as directed, but I used cocoa krispies. I browned the butter and lightly salted it before adding the marshmallows. I also added in a handful of peanut butter chips with the addition of the extra marshmallows. This is the best marshmallow treat recipe I’ve come across thus far. So nice and soft. Thanks!!!
Mary Younkin says
Love it! You do you. It makes me smile when readers create a version they love even more than the original.
Angie says
My 11 yr old daughter wants to make these shaped like turkey legs and then write the name of our guests on them. What would you use to write the names?
Mary Younkin says
Maybe a thin white frosting in a piping bag? I’ve never tried that myself.
Debbie B says
Absolutely BEST recipe on the planet hands down!
I will only make them this way for life. Adding the extra marshmallows with cereal pure genius 🤯Can’t wait to try the chocolate covered pieces, since Crunch are my favorite all time chocolate bar!
Best way to spend quarantined days.
Mary Younkin says
I’m so happy that you love the treats, Debbie!
JESSICA BROWN says
I found this recipe was in your compilation of gluten free dessert recipes. Please be careful. Rice Krispies are NOT gluten free. Malt flavoring is from barley. Barley contains gluten. I did not click on all of the recipes but I do like that you have compiled a list of so many. Just please be careful about labeling something as gluten free. Most people who are used to reading labels for gluten or recipes for gluten containing ingredients, may be able pick up any errors, but someone just starting out might not.
Mary Younkin says
In my experience, most people with celiac or a high level gluten allergy are accustomed to shopping for products specifically labeled as safe. (i.e. I’ve noted for most recipes that contain oats, care should be taken to purchase certified products.) The same caution should be applied here. Thanks for the reminder!
Ella says
Thank you because I had no idea my box of Rice Krispies contained wheat! I’m shocked. I usually buy a more natural version at Sprouts or my local co-op, but man, I’m so glad I read this comment and the recipe author’s kind comment in the post alerting those with sensitivities. I thought rice puffs were always gluten-free. Now I’m wondering how bad I’ll react. I luckily only have non-celiac gluten sensitivity. I guess no more Starbucks treats either. I don’t know if those are gluten-free now either.
Donna Rogers says
So looking forward to the variations. Will let you know how they turn out! Thank you!!!
Mary Younkin says
I’m glad you are enjoying the recipe, Donna!
Nell says
I have made Rice Krispies bars forever. But next time I’ll add the miniature ones as well. Great addition
Mary Younkin says
I hope you love the addition, Nell.
Lynn says
My son loved it when I added about a half cup of peanut butter, and topped with melted butterscotch chips…..the taste combo was a hit!
Mary Younkin says
I’m so glad that you like the rice crispy treats, Lynn!
Barbara Kelley says
Hi,
I’m Barbara Kelley from Odessa Texas. I was born and raised in Butler Georgia. My mom never let me in the kitchen growing up and I learned to cook as I got married. I had three sons and they loved Rice krispie treats but I never put peanut butter no chocolate in there that sounds good.I am a widow now I don’t have no more children in my house I have one dog and one cat. I think I’ll try those Rice krispie treats even for me.
Mary Younkin says
I hope that you love them, Barbara!
julia says
these are my favorite to make!! i’m a college student so i make them for my boyfriend and his buddies and they’re always gone right away 🙂
sid says
Really thorough and helpful for someone who bakes but has never made Rice Krispy treats. Your page gave me a total rundown of how I can make them the way I’d like them. Thank you.
Mags says
What is 6 tablespoons of butter if you weigh them?
Mary Younkin says
I am not sure, Mags but you could google a conversion.
Fran D says
Can you make them a week in advance and how would you store them to stay fresh? Thanks
Mary Younkin says
I’ve never tried that, Fran.