Whether you’d like to call these rice crispy treats or rice krispie treats, there’s no denying how irresistible these gooey treats are. They’re always a crowd pleaser whether it’s for a bake sale, potluck, picnic, or just a general snack.
These marshmallow squares are a classic, and you only need three simple ingredients to make them. They’re thick, they’re chewy, and absolutely perfect. And the best part is, you don’t even have to turn on the oven. Want to make another no-bake dessert? Try my No Bake Cookies or No Bake Cheesecake.
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE THIS RECIPE
Rice Krispie cereal — feel free to use a generic cereal brand, but I like using the Rice Krispie brand for that snap, crackle, and pop!
Marshmallows — the mini marshmallows help bind the treats together. Mini marshmallows melt quickly and evenly compared to larger marshmallows. Make sure the marshmallows aren’t stale, as you want them to melt into a soft and gooey texture.
Butter — I use salted butter as we don’t add any salt to the rice krispie bars. It is difficult for regular salt to disperse evenly in these squares, so the salted butter adds a ton of flavor without leading to pockets of salt. The salted butter helps balance out the sweetness of the marshmallows as well.
HOW TO MAKE RICE CRISPY TREATS
1. Line a 13×9-inch baking pan with parchment paper or foil.
2. In a large pot, melt butter over medium heat.
3. Add ¾ of the marshmallows. Stir with a silicone spatula until fully melted, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.
4. Add the cereal.
5. Stir until fully combined. The mixture will be very sticky.
6. Stir in the remaining marshmallows until evenly dispersed but not fully melted. This will give little pockets of marshmallows in the treats!
7. Pour the marshmallow mixture into the baking pan.
8. Using the silicone spatula or the butter stick wrapper, press the mixture into an even layer into the pan. Let cool completely, about 1 hour. Use the parchment to remove the treats from the pan. Lightly grease a sharp knife and cut into squares.
PRO TIPS FOR MAKING THIS RECIPE
- For richer and creamier rice krispie squares, use European butter. European butter has a higher butterfat content than American butter, so as the water evaporates when the butter melts, you’ll be left with more buttery goodness if you use European butter.
- Regular marshmallows could be used in place of the mini marshmallows, but you’ll have to keep a close eye on them. They melt much slower.
- Avoid overcooking the marshmallows as the marshmallows will get hard.
- Avoid over-stirring the mixture as it will cause the cereal to break and make the squares dense.
- When pressing the mixture into the pan, don’t press too hard as you don’t want the squares to be dense and hard.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How do I keep the treats from getting hard?
When making the rice krispie treats, be patient. If you throw everything into the pot on high heat, your mixture will harden too much as it cools, and you don’t get the irresistible soft centers. Making sure the marshmallows are fresh is another way to prevent the treats from being hard.
How long do they keep?
These Rice Krispies treats will last for up to three days when kept in an airtight container at room temperature.
Can they be frozen?
These treats are freezer-friendly. Allow them to cool fully before transferring them to a freezer-safe bag or container. If you aren’t freezing them in a single layer, place a piece of parchment in-between, so they don’t stick. When ready to enjoy, thaw and bring them to room temperature.
What else can I add?
The add-ins are limitless! Some ideas of what to add are Oreos, Lucky Charms, Fruity Pebbles, M&M’s, pretzels, and crumbled cookies. You can play around with these. Just make sure not to over-do the add-ins so the bars don’t fall apart.
If you love this recipe try these out!
If you’ve tried this Rice Krispie Treats recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
Rice Krispie Treats
Equipment
- 13x9 inch baking pan
Ingredients
- ¾ cup butter (1 1/2 sticks/170g)
- 2 bags mini marshmallows divided (10-ounce/283g)
- 10 cups Rice Krispies Cereal (310g)
Instructions
- Line a 13x9-inch baking pan with parchment paper or foil.
- In a large pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add ¾ of the marshmallows. Stir with a silicone spatula until fully melted, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.
- Add the cereal and stir until fully combined (mixture will be very sticky). Stir in the remaining marshmallows until evenly dispersed but not fully melted. (This will give little pockets of marshmallows in the treats!)
- Pour the mixture into the baking pan. Using the silicone spatula or the butter stick wrapper, press the mixture into an even layer into the pan. Let cool completely, about 1 hour.
- Use the parchment to remove the treats from the pan. Lightly grease a sharp knife and cut into squares.
Notes
- For richer and creamier rice crispy squares, use European butter. European butter has a higher butterfat content than American butter, so as the water evaporates when the butter melts, you’ll be left with more buttery goodness if you use European butter.
- Regular marshmallows could be used in place of the mini marshmallows, but you’ll have to keep a close eye on them. They melt much slower.
- Avoid overcooking the marshmallows as the marshmallows they will get hard.
- Avoid over-stirring the mixture as it will cause the cereal to break and make the squares dense.
- When pressing the mixture into the pan, don’t press too hard as you don’t want the squares to be dense and hard.
Can these be coated in chocolate?
Thanks, John for the recipe. It’s been such a long long time that I made it. I will definitely make it for my grandchildren when I see them on Halloween. Do you have any idea what I could add to make it more festive? Thank you for your help.