BEST Rice Krispie Treats Recipe You'll Ever Try!

Best Rice Krispie Treats Recipe that everyone loves! It is a classic dessert recipe that tastes amazing!

Best Rice Krispie Treats Recipe

There is nothing better than classic Rice Krispie Treats! Most of us grew up with these as an after-school treat or a dessert bar for a special occasion.

Whenever I saw the box of Rice Krispies as a kid, I would hope and dream that there were marshmallows somewhere in the house that could magically turn into these classic dessert bars.

As a teenager, I will admit to making a microwave version of these bars before realizing how to make them on the stovetop. Thankfully, the recipe I used as an adult is 10 million times better than the one I made as a teenager.

Don't get me wrong—tossing some Rice Krispies cereal and marshmallows in a bowl and microwaving them together does the trick if you need a quick, fast rice crispy treat, but this is the best Rice Krispie Treat Recipe you will make!

All you need is simple ingredients, a few minutes, and some patience to wait for them to cool, and you will have the perfect sweet treat.

One of my goals this year is to share the classic recipes I grew up with. I make the recipes without stopping to write down the ingredients and steps.

So far, I have shared our time-honored banana bread recipe, graham cracker crust recipe, and Watergate salad.

I aim to share a mix of classic recipes with fun new recipes this year.

Have you ever wondered who invented Rice Krispie Treats?

Mildred Day, who worked for Kellogg's Cereal Company in Battle Creek, Michigan, is credited with inventing them.

She tested recipes for Kellogg's and held cooking classes for the company in 38 states. Mildred Day and her co-worker Malitta Jensen made the treats around 1939, if not earlier.

Marshmallow Squares was the first name for these treats. The recipe first appeared on the Rice Krispie cereal box in 1941, the first time it appeared on the cereal box, though it had appeared in newspapers before.

This was the first time it appeared on the cereal box though it had been printed in newspapers before this.

Ingredients

This is a quick overview of the simple ingredients that you'll need to makethe best Rice Krispie Treats! Specific measurements and step-by-step instructions are included in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.

• Rice Krispies
• Butter
• Mini Marshmallows
• Vanilla Extract

Butter - We use unsalted butter but you can definitely use salted butter if you want to balance out the sweetness a bit.

Mini Marshmallows - We find that mininiature marshmallows melt evenly and are the perfect mix for this recipe. You can use large marshmallows but you will want to make sure they are fully melted before adding in the rice krispies. We use a full 16oz bag of mini marshmallows. Make sure to check that you have a 16oz bag and not a 10oz bag.  You can buy Kosher and Gluten Free mini marshmallows on Amazon.

Rice Krispies - We use classic Rice Krispies cereal for this recipe. For a fun holiday treat you can use the colored Rice Krispies cereal that comes out for most holidays.

Equipment

• 9x13 casserole dish - You can use an 8x8 pan if you want really thick homemade Rice Krispie treats. They will be really really thick in a smaller pan.
• Nonstick cooking spray - We use non-stick cooking spray for our baking dish along with spraying our hands and the wooden spoon to keep them from getting really sticky.
• Large sauce pan/ Large Pot - Make sure you use a pot that is large enough to stir the Kellogg's Rice Krispies crispy rice cereal with the marshmallows. A large Dutch oven would also work.
• Wooden Spoon/ Spatula - We use a wooden spoon every time we make these.
• Parchment Paper - Parchment paper is a great tool for making it a lot easier to remove the gooey soft Rice Krispie treats from the pan.

How to make Rice Krispie Treats

I've included complete instructions in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post, but here's a quick version.

Spray the casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray and set it to the side. 

Melt butter over medium-low heat in a large saucepan.

Set 1 cup of marshmallows to the side for later. This step helps achieve the perfect ratio of cereal to marshmallows.

Add the remaining marshmallows to the saucepan and stir with the butter. Reduce the heat to low, maintaining steady heat and stirring.

Stir until completely melted. If you heat the marshmallows too hot, the sugar will turn hard, making the Rice Krispie Treats crunchy.

Once the butter and marshmallows have melted, remove them from the heat and turn off the stovetop.

Add in vanilla extract and stir into marshmallow mixture.

Stir in Rice Krispies cereal in increments. I like to mix the Rice Krispie Treats in half and slowly add cereal until I get the perfect marshmallow-to-cereal ratio.

After you have stirred in most of the cereal, add the remaining 1 cup of marshmallows. Gently fold them into the mixture.

Don't over-mix them! You want them to be soft, pillowy pockets of marshmallow goodness.

Pour the Rice Krispies and marshmallow mixture into the prepared casserole dish. Gently press the mixture into the pan until evenly spread out.

Grease your spatula and your hands with either butter or non-stick cooking spray to keep the treats from sticking.

Press down on the mixture sparingly, or it will become stiff. You want to keep the structure as fluffy and open as possible, even in the baking dish.

Press the Rice Krispie Treat mixture into the baking dish gently, using the least force possible.

Allow to sit for an hour and then enjoy. Cut into squares, or use a cookie cutter to cut fun shapes.

 

How to Make Classic Rice Krispie Treat in the Microwave

In a microwave-safe bowl, heat butter and marshmallows on high for 2 minutes, stir, and microwave for an additional minute.

Stir until smooth. Add in vanilla extract.

Add in Rice Krispie treats until well coated. Gently press into a prepared baking dish.

Preparation and Storage

Make-Ahead: 

This recipe is make-ahead-friendly! Your homemade Rice Krispie Treats will be ready to enjoy once they have cooled in your fridge for about an hour.

Storage: 

Store leftover treats in an airtight container at room temperature and enjoy them within three days. We do not recommend refrigerating them since they harden at cooler temperatures.

Freezing/How to Freeze:

While you can freeze these Rice Krispie Treats, the texture may differ after thawing. Once you have cut the treats into squares, place a layer of parchment or wax paper between each treat.

Any remaining Rice Krispie Treats can be frozen in an airtight, freezer-safe container or bag and enjoyed within three months. Thaw them at room temperature until soft enough to break apart and bite into.

 

Recipe Variations

Substitutions:

We use unsalted butter, but salted butter can balance the sweetness.

We find that mini marshmallows melt evenly and are the perfect mix for this recipe. You can use large marshmallows but melt them thoroughly before adding the Rice Krispies.

We use a full 16-oz bag of mini marshmallows. Make sure to check that you have a 16-oz package and not a 10-oz one.

We use classic Rice Krispies cereal for this recipe. For a fun holiday treat, you can use the colored Rice Krispies cereal that comes out for most holidays.

If you want fun twists on this classic recipe, check out our Oreo, Peanut Butter, Chocolate Dipped, Salted Caramel, and Pumpkin Spice Treats. We even made Lucky Charms Treats.

You can also use multi-colored marshmallows if you want to change up the look. Doing so will change the flavor since they are typically fruit-flavored.

Top with sprinkles or chocolate chips

Vegetarian Option: 

To make these Classic Rice Krispies Treats vegetarian, use vegetarian Rice Krispies cereal and gelatin-free mini marshmallows. Rice Krispies cereal contains an animal-derived form of vitamin D3.

Vegan Option: In addition to the guidance for vegetarians, replace the butter with a plant-based alternative.

Gluten-Free: 

Use gluten-free rice cereal and marshmallows to make this recipe safe for a gluten-free diet.

You can buy kosher and gluten-free mini marshmallows on Amazon.

Smaller Serving Size:

The written recipe makes 12 servings using a 9x13 baking dish.

You can use an 8x8 pan for thicker (but fewer) homemade Rice Krispie treats. They will be thicker in a smaller pan. 

Larger Group/More Servings:

This recipe doubles and triples easily for more servings. Adjust the slider in the recipe card to your desired yield.

Sugar-Free: 

The written recipe contains 23 grams of sugar per serving, but the final sugar content depends on your ingredients. Use sugar-free mini marshmallows and Rice Krispies cereal to make sugar-free Rice Krispie treats.

Why Are My Rice Krispie Treats Hard?

A couple of things can lead to hard Rice Krispie Treats.

The first possibility is melting the marshmallows on too high a heat. The high heat will cause the sugar in the marshmallows to harden, turning them into hard treats.

The second possibility is pressing the treats too hard into the baking dish. The treats can become stiff and crunchy if you have pressed the air out.

How to Cut Rice Krispie Treats

A serrated knife works best for cutting smoothly through your Rice Krispie Treats.

Tips for the Best Classic Rice Krispie Treats

• Reserve some mini marshmallows in the Rice Krispie mix at the last minute so the treats are nice and gooey.
• Add a pinch of salt to enhance the flavor of these sweet treats. 
• If your Rice Krispie Treats turn hard, you can microwave them for 5-10 seconds to get them soft and gooey.

What to Serve with Classic Rice Krispie Treats

From family dinners to picnics and tailgating parties, these Classic Rice Krispie Treats are crowd-pleasing sweet treats that take only four ingredients to whip up! Here are some pairing suggestions to inspire your menu planning.

Sides: Broccoli Casserole, Apple Stuffing, Funeral Potatoes, BLT Pasta Salad, Southern Fried Cabbage with Bacon, Air Fryer Baked Potato, Jiffy Cornbread with Sour Cream, Sweet Potato Casserole with Candied Yams, Southern Style Green Beans, CrockPot Bourbon Baked Beans

Main Dishes: Cracker Barrel Broccoli Cheddar Chicken, Stovetop Meatloaf, Chicken Casserole with Ritz Crackers, CrockPot Rosemary Pork, Cracker Barrel Chicken & Dumplings, CrockPot Macaroni & Cheese with Ham, CrockPot Salisbury Steak, CrockPot Ham & Cheese Grits

Desserts: Marbled Cherry Pie Cake, Lemon Bars, Lemon Icebox Pie, Lemon Dump Cake, Pig Pickin' Cake, Bisquick Apple Cobbler, Bisquick Peach Cobbler, Molasses Cookies, Banana Bread, Classic Chocolate Brownies, Texas Sheet Cake Cookies, M&M Cookies

Drinks: Coke Slushie, Red Robin Freckled Lemonade, CopyCat McDonald's Sweet Tea

When to Serve

• Lunch
• Dinner
• Afternoon Snack
• Coffee or Tea Snack
• Potluck
• Picnic
• Party Food
• Game Day 

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