Rice Krispie Treats are a quick and easy no-bake dessert that everyone loves! All it takes is five ingredients and a few minutes to make these gooey sticky squares!
Rice Krispie Treats are a great allergy-friendly dessert that no one can pass up. It also doesn’t hurt that it comes together quickly and requires just a handful of ingredients that you can easily always keep on hand.
Homemade Rice Krispie Treats
The key to making the BEST Rice Krispies is to use real butter, a bit of salt, splash of vanilla, and lots of marshmallows. It’s also pivotal that the marshmallows are only cooked until melted. Follow my recipe and tricks for the best Rice Krispies Treats that stay soft and gooey for days!
Ingredients for Rice Krispies Treats:
- Rice Krispies Cereal– This light and airy cereal is the vehicle for the marshmallow gooey goodness, provides structure, and crispy texture.
- Marshmallows– Miniature marshmallows melt down best and create the gooey goodness that glues the cereal together.
- Butter– I like salted butter best but unsalted works too. Butter makes everything taste better. Don’t skimp or replace the butter!
- Vanilla Extract– Just a little is needed for a little extra flavor. Use pure vanilla extract!
- Salt– Salt helps accentuate the other flavors in a recipe and balance out the sweetness. It’s what really takes these treats up a notch.
How to make Rice Krispie Treats:
Time needed: 10 minutes
- Prep Pan
Line a 9×13 inch pan with parchment paper (or butter the bottom and sides of pan) and set aside.
- Melt
Melt butter in a large pot over med-low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until melted and mixed together. Remove pot from heat and stir in vanilla and salt.
- Mix
Add the cereal and gently stir until evenly coated in the melted marshmallow.
- Press in pan
Transfer mix to the prepared pan. Using a lightly buttered rubber spatula, spread evenly and flat (don’t pack it down!).
- Cool & Slice
Let cool completely, lift out parchment paper, and slice into squares. Store in an airtight container.
FAQs
The key to making soft chewy Rice Krispie Treats is to use fresh high quality ingredients and not overcook the marshmallows. It’s important to cook them over med-low heat until almost all melted and then remove pot from the stove top.
Another key trick is to only lightly press the mixture into the pan instead of pressing it down hard and packing it down.
It takes about 30-60 minutes for Rice Krispies to completely cool. If you have the patience to wait this long, you’ll be able to cut it up into perfect squares. 10-15 minutes is just enough time though to cool down enough to safely handle a deformed but insanely yummy warm treat.
Parchment paper makes removing treats from a pan to evenly slice so easy! The tricky part is spreading the thick batter or mix without the paper sliding all around. To make things easier, press the paper in the bottom of pan, creasing it at the corners and then use either chip clips or binder clips to hold the edges of the paper to pan. Remove clips before placing in oven (if required).
Store in an air tight container at room temperature for up to 5 days (if you don’t eat them all before then).
TOOLS USED TO MAKE RICE KRISPIE TREATS:
- Rubber Spatulas– Get every last ounce of batter out of the bowl and into the pan with these sturdy rubber spatulas. These are also great to use when cooking since they are heat resistant.
- 9×13 Inch Metal Baking Pan with Lid– I LOVE LOVE LOVE this baking pan. I use it for making cakes or any sort of bar treat because it allows me to store and transport with easy and it’s airtight.
- Pot & Skillet Set– These are the skillets and pots I use. They have a heavy bottom making them sturdy and cook the food evenly. I use these multiple times a day.
LOOKING FOR MORE DESSERT BARS? CHECK OUT THESE:
- 6-Ingredient Gooey Butter Cake
- Toll House Chocolate Chip Bars
- Twix Cookie Bars
- The BEST Peanut Butter Scotcheroos
- Oatmeal Chocolate Fudge Chewies
Rice Krispie Treats
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup salted butter
- 16 ounces marshmallows
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 7 cups Rice Krispies® Cereal
Instructions
- Line a 9×13 inch pan with parchment paper (or butter the bottom and sides of pan) and set aside.
- Melt butter in a large pot over med-low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until melted and mixed together.
- Remove pot from heat and stir in vanilla and salt. Add the cereal and gently stir until evenly coated in the melted marshmallow.
- Transfer mix to the prepared pan. Using a lightly buttered rubber spatula, spread evenly and flat (don’t pack it down!).
- Let cool completely, lift out parchment paper, and slice into squares. Store in an airtight container.
These are the best Rice Krispy Treats ever! The sea salt makes all the difference!