Inspired by classic Rice Krispie Treats, these Rice Krispie Cookies are soft and chewy with a satisfying crunch. Studded with white chocolate chips in every bite, they’re a sweet treat no one can resist!
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Pin RecipeThese cookies were born out of a moment of indecisiveness when it came to making dessert. Honestly, though, I think they’re pretty genius. After all, why choose between Rice Krispie Treats and cookies when you can just have both with Rice Krispies Cookies instead?
Not only are they delicious, but I know you’re also going to love how easy this recipe is to make! With a total time just over 30 minutes and a prep time of 10 minutes, it’s easy to toss together, and the oven does all the hard work!
Rice Krispie Cookie Recipe
As you probably guessed, these cookies are a combination of Rice Krispie Treats and soft-baked cookies like Chewy Macadamia Nut Cookies or Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies. They have all the satisfying crunch you love with none of the sticky marshmallow mess. Instead, I add white chocolate chips to the batter for a boost of sweetness and little to no fuss. No more standing over a hot stove trying to get your marshmallows to melt and mix!
I prefer to keep this recipe short and simple, using just a handful of basic ingredients. However, many other variations also include coconut flaked, chopped nuts, and mini marshmallows, too! Feel free to mix and match whatever you like best. No matter how you make them, these Rice Krispie Cookies are always good!
In fact, you might want to go ahead and prepare a double batch, because they tend to disappear fast!
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Ingredients for Rice Krispie Cookies
See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- Butter – Unsalted butter is best for this recipe because salt is added to the recipe later on.
- White sugar
- Salt
- Vanilla extract
- Baking soda
- Flour – All-purpose flour is best. I like to sift my flour mixture before adding it to the cookie batter just to make sure there are no lumps.
- Rice Krispies – Brandname Rice Krispies are my favorite as I think they are a little crunchier and thicker than the store brands. That heftier texture is good for baking! However, any brand of puffed, crispy rice cereal will work.
- White chocolate chips
Variations
Here are a few ingredient substitutions and alterations that you may like.
- Add 1 cup of sweetened shredded coconut to the batter. This will give the cookies a subtle tropical taste and an extra chewy texture.
- Use salted caramel chips or butterscotch chips in place of white chocolate chips.
- Dark chocolate chips or semi-sweet chocolate chips taste great in place of or in addition to the white chocolate chips. Or, skip the chocolate chips altogether for a simple Rice Krispie cookie recipe.
- You definitely can’t go wrong using M&M minis or chopped-up pieces of your favorite candy bar to give the crispy cereal cookies some fun color.
- Use 1/2 cup of butter and 1/2 cup of creamy peanut butter. This will make delicious peanut butter cookies with a great texture. A crunchy peanut butter cookie is a very good thing!
How to Make Rice Krispie Cookies
- Prepare: Preheat your oven to 300 degrees F. Line two baking trays with parchment paper.
- Beat: Use an electric mixer and a large mixing bowl or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment to beat the butter and sugar until fluffy. Mix the vanilla and baking soda together in a separate bowl, and blend this into the butter mixture.
- Add the dry ingredients: Add the flour to the bowl and blend until smooth. Stir the white chocolate chips and Rice Krispies cereal into the batter by hand. Do not overmix, or the Rice Krispies will get crushed!
- Scoop and bake: Use a medium cookie scoop to scoop the cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Then, remove the tray from the oven, and use a fork to flatten the cookies slightly. Return the tray to the oven to bake the cookies for another 8-10 minutes or just until they’re golden brown around the edges. Be careful not to overbake!
- Cool: Allow the cookies to cool slightly on the baking sheet. Then, transfer them to a wire cooling rack for at least 2-3 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Quick Tip
Make sure you combine the vanilla extract and the baking soda in a separate bowl before mixing them into the cookie batter. This is an important step! It helps activate the baking soda which will make the cookies rise.
How to Store Rice Krispie Cookies
Place the cooled cookies in an airtight container, sealable bag, or a cookie jar, and store them at room temperature for up to 5 days. You can also wrap them up on a tray with plastic wrap. Just seal them tightly, ensuring no air gets through! Enjoy the cookies at room temperature, or pop one into the microwave for 10-15 seconds to make it nice and warm again.
I like to freeze the Rice Krispie cookie dough to easily bake anytime I need a quick, homemade treat. To do so, scoop the prepared cookie dough into balls, and arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Transfer the dough to the freeze for a few hours or until solid. Then, place them in a freezer-safe bag, and freeze your Rice Krispie Cookies dough for up to 3 months.
When you’re ready to bake, follow the instructions as directed in the recipe card below, adding extra baking time as needed until the cookies are golden brown around the edges. Or, to cut down on baking time, simply thaw the dough in the fridge overnight, and bake as normal!
FAQs
Rice Krispies are made by toasting rice in the oven. The rice puffs as it bakes and makes that fluffy, crunchy cereal that you love!
My rice krispie cookies are completely egg-free. This is one reason why the cookies take a longer time to bake than an average homemade cookie recipe. The longer baking time helps bind the dough!
The United States is the birthplace of Rice Krispies and Rice Krispie treats! While you can find both foods around the world now, they both began in the USA. These Rice Krispie cookies are also a treat that was first made in America.
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Rice Krispie Cookies
Equipment
- Large mixing bowls
- Electric hand mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment
- Cookie scoop
- Measuring cup
- measuring spoons
- Baking trays
- Silicone baking mats
- Rubber spatula
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 cups flour
- 1 1/2 cups Rice Krispies cereal
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300ºF. Line two baking sheet trays with parchment paper and set aside.
- Add the butter, sugar and salt to a mixing bowl and beat until fluffy. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure all the butter is incorporated.1 cup butter, softened, 3/4 cup sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Stir the vanilla and baking soda together in a small bowl then pour this mix in with the butter and blend well.1 Tablespoon vanilla extract, 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- Add the flour and mix it into the dough slowly.2 cups flour
- Fold in the rice krispies and chocolate chips. Do not over mix or the rice krispies will become too crushed. Fold gently!1 1/2 cups Rice Krispies cereal, 1 cup white chocolate chips
- Scoop the cookie dough into two tablespoon sized balls and place them on the prepared baking trays about 2” apart.
- Bake the cookies for 15 minutes then remove the tray and flatten the cookies slightly by pressing down on them with a fork. Return the cookies to the oven and bake for another 15 minutes.
- Let the cookies cool on the tray for about 10 minutes then move to a cooling rack.
These sound great – think for christmas I would use the mini M & M’s for color – also want to try with peanut butter. Thanks do you have anyother quick and easy cookie receipes that could be done with children.
We have lots! You can find all our cookie recipes here. 😊