There is nothing quite like the sweet, nostalgic crunch of rice krispie treats! Using slightly browned butter and extra marshmallows, this recipe promises that signature chewy texture and satisfying crunch with every bite. They’re simple to make, endlessly customizable and the perfect afternoon snack or party treat.
What Makes These the BEST Rice Krispie Treats?
I know it’s bold to call something the BEST, but these rice krispie treats truly earn that title! Here’s why I think you’ll agree:
Chewy & Crunchy: With the perfect ratio of butter, marshmallows, and rice cereal, these treats deliver the classic chewy texture with just the right amount of crunch. Watch (and hear!) me bite into them in the recipe video below!
Slightly Browned Butter: The butter in this recipe is lightly browned, which adds a subtle depth of flavor. Browning the butter just enough gives these treats a hint of nuttiness and richness without overpowering the delicate flavors of the vanilla and marshmallows.
Not-too-Sweet: While developing this recipe, I wanted to make sure the rice krispie treats were not overly sweet. A little extra butter and a touch of salt create a richer, more balanced treat without overwhelming sweetness, making it the perfect dessert when you need a quick sweet fix.
Looking for some similar sweet snacks? Check out my blondies, lemon bars and brownie recipes!
Why Are My Homemade Rice Krispie Treats So Hard?
Although these no-bake treats are easy to make, there’s one crucial mistake that can be made— overheating your marshmallows!
The most common reason that causes rock-hard, super firm rice krispie treats that are hard to eat, is overheating the marshmallows. Low and slow is the way to go for the perfect end result.
How to Make Rice Krispie Treats
You can find the full list of ingredients in the recipe card at the end of the blog post (for easy navigation, hit the ‘jump to recipe’ button at the top of the blog post). Here is just a quick visual breakdown of the recipe (recipe video is also provided in the recipe card below).
Lightly grease a 9×13-inch sheet pan and line it longways with parchment paper, leaving some of the parchment paper hanging over the edges. Set aside for now.
Place a large pot or large saucepan over low to medium heat and add the butter.
Allow the butter to fully melt and come to a gentle sizzle. Lightly brown the butter (not completely) until it turns a light golden color, develops a nutty smell, and milk solids form at the bottom of the pan. You’ll also notice a thin layer of foam forming on top of the butter. Once the milk solids start turning very light brown, reduce the heat to low. If the butter browns too quickly, remove it from the heat, let it cool for a minute, then return it to low heat.
Once the butter stops sizzling, add in 397g or 7½ cups of mini marshmallows and stir until almost completely melted. Be patient and don’t be tempted to increase the heat.
Once almost melted, add in vanilla and salt. Stir until well combined and the marshmallows are fully melted.
Add in rice krispies cereal (or any crispy rice cereal of your choice) and fold with a spatula until well coated in the marshmallow mixture. Immediately take it off the heat.
Add the remaining 1 cup (53g) of mini marshmallows and fold until they are somewhat evenly mixed and start to slightly melt. Avoid overmixing.
Pour the cereal mixture into the prepared pan and spread out as evenly as possible. Using a piece of parchment paper, plastic wrap or wax paper as a barrier, gently press down to set the mixture in place. Avoid pressing too hard, as the more firmly they are packed, the harder they will be to eat once ready.
Allow to cool to room temperature (about an hour). Once ready, use the excess parchment paper hanging over the edges to lift the rice krispie treats out of the pan. Use a sharp knife to cut into slices. Enjoy!
How to Store Rice Krispie Treats
Store the rice krispie treats at room temperature in an airtight container, where they will stay fresh for a few days.
To extend their shelf life, you can store them in the refrigerator, however this will make them firmer so you will need to let them come to room temperature before consuming. They may also lose a bit of their crunch, but will still taste incredible! 🙂
The Best Rice Krispie Treats
Print Pin VideoIMPORTANT: For accuracy, I would recommend using the gram measurements provided, as those are the exact quantities I use. Cup measurements are given as estimates (based on US cup measurements) to make it easier for those who do not have a scale.
Ingredients
- ¾ cup (170 g) unsalted butter
- 8½ cups (450 g) mini marshmallows - divided into 7½ cups (397g) and 1 cup (53g)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract/essence
- ½ tsp salt
- 7½ cups (200 g) rice cereal - Rice Krispies, rice bubbles, rice pops, etc.
Instructions
- Lightly grease a 9x13-inch sheet pan and line it longways with parchment paper, leaving some of the parchment paper hanging over the edges. Set aside for now.
- Place a large pot over medium-low heat and add the butter. Allow the butter to fully melt and come to a gentle sizzle. Lightly brown the butter (not completely) until it turns a light golden color, develops a nutty smell, and milk solids form at the bottom of the pan. You'll also notice a thin layer of foam forming on top of the butter. Once the milk solids start turning a very light brown color, reduce the heat to low. If the butter browns too quickly, remove it from the heat, let it cool for a minute, then return it to low heat.
- Once the butter stops sizzling, add in 7½ cups (397g) of the marshmallows and stir until almost completely melted. Be patient and don't be tempted to increase the heat (see note 1).
- Once almost melted, add in vanilla and salt. Stir until well combined and the marshmallows are fully melted.
- Add in rice cereal and fold until well coated in the marshmallow mixture. Immediately take it off the heat.
- Add the remaining 1 cup (53g) of mini marshmallows and fold until they are somewhat evenly mixed and they start to slightly melt. Avoid overmixing.
- Place the mixture into the prepared pan and spread it out as evenly as possible. Using a piece of parchment paper or cling wrap as a barrier, gently press down to set the mixture in place. Avoid pressing too hard, as the more firmly they are packed, the harder they will be to eat once ready.
- Allow to cool (about an hour). Once ready, use the excess parchment paper hanging over the edges to lift the rice krispie treats out of the pan. Use a sharp knife to cut into slices. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information are estimates only as they are automatically calculated by a third party application. Actual values may differ based on brands and types of products used.
16 Comments
BEST RECIPE EVER
Haha awww thank you!! So glad you loved it Xavier 😀
What if want to add, Coco chips, butterscotch chips, almonds and some Wheaties? How much marshmallows/butter do I need then? Will it change?
Hi Connie! 🙂
Hmm it depends on how much of each mix-in you want to add in – I think an extra cup of mix-ins in total should be okay without any adjustments needed, but if you want to add more in then you’ll likely need to add more marshmallows to ensure everything holds together. So sorry I couldn’t be of more help!
This sounds amazing, I was wondering if you could use regular size marshmallows instead. I have some from making s’mores with kids and don’t want them to go to waste. Thanks for sharing, can’t wait to enjoy these with the family!❤️
Heya! Thanks so much 😀
Yes you can totally use regular sized marshmallows 🙂
The only this is, when it comes to mixing some of them in at the end, it may result in larger bits of marshamallow throughout the rice krispies. If you prefer smaller bits, then you can maybe slice the extra marshamallows into quarters before folding them in 🙂
Hope that helps and hope you enjoy the recipe!
Hi Maryam
I absolutely love all your recipes.
You are definitely my favourite Chef.
Aww thank you so much Noeleen! That means so much to me 🙂 so happy to hear you’re loving the recipes!
Salaam
I am going to try your rice Krispies.
It looks easy .
And delicious 😋
Wassalaam Abeedah! 🙂
So glad you’re wanting to give the rice krispies a go – hope you enjoy the recipe 😀
Wallah your recipes are soo delicious and the way you show each method, super useful!!! Just made your rice krispie treat and it was so easy to make and tasted so yum alhumdulilah! May Allah SWT give you loads of barakah in your career sis! ❤️
Aww yay! So so happy to hear you loved the recipe Azra, and thank you so much for your wonderful message and duas 😀
Really appreciate the feedback 🙂
it looks soooooo gggoooood. i am defenitly going to make this in the weekend if my mum lets me. yummmmm
Thanks so much Imaan! Hope you enjoy the recipe 😀
can this be used for molding cake toppers for cake decorating
Hi Amanda! 🙂 Yes that should work fine, although I would recommend melting all the marshmallows at the beginning (as opposed to folding some in at the end). Hope that helps and hope you enjoy the recipe 😀