Delicious and Crunchy Rice Krispie Treats are the ultimate nostalgic no-bake treat. Made with crispy rice cereal, gooey marshmallows, and a hint of sweetness, these homemade delights are perfect for satisfying your sweet tooth.
Try our easy-to-follow 10-minute recipe and enjoy the perfect combination of chewy and crispy textures. Get ready to take a trip down memory lane with every delightful bite!
This rice krispie treat recipe makes perfect, chewy squares in less than 10 minutes. Homemade rice krispie treats are so easy that you will never buy them again!
This no-bake dessert is especially delicious when they are still a little warm and gooey, straight out of the pan. Even my kids have fun mixing up a batch of rice krispie treats and this recipe is easy enough that even the youngest ones can help!
(Love bar recipes? Try my Blueberry Crumble Bars, Cake Mix Brownies, and 3-Ingredient Cereal Bars too.)
Rice Krispie Treats Recipe
To make rice krispie treats at home, you only need five simple ingredients. One thing that really sets these homemade rice krispie treats apart from the store-bought ones is the addition of vanilla extract. A splash of vanilla really enhances the taste of the dessert and makes them taste incredible. You’ll be amazed by how much flavor a tiny bit of vanilla extract can add.
I do want to share one little tip about how to make perfect rice krispie treats. My advice is to stir, stir, stir! Once you add those marshmallows to the pan with the melted butter, you need to stir constantly. This helps melt the marshmallows evenly and prevents them from burning on the bottom of the pot. Then, stir in the rice krispies quickly while the marshmallows are hot and melty.
So, get your arm muscles ready because lots of stirring will help make these easy rice krispie treats truly superb!
Grab My Favorite Tools
Click on the products below to see my favorite tools for making this recipe!
Ingredients for Rice Krispie Treats
See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- Butter – Use unsalted butter for this rice krispie treat recipe.
- Vanilla extract – Don’t skip the vanilla extract! This is what gives the rice krispie treats that gourmet taste.
- Salt
- Marshmallows – I love Jet-Puffed brand marshmallows. They are always super soft and melt quickly.
- Rice Krispies – I think the brand name Rice Krispies really are best. They have the nicest crunch and a subtle vanilla taste that is delicious in rice krispie treats. However, any brand will work!
Variations
Here are a few variations and alterations that you may want to try.
- After the rice krispies are mixed in, add ½ cup of sprinkles to the bowl. Stir two or three times, very quickly, then pour the rice krispies into the prepared pan. You want to move quickly so the color from the sprinkles doesn’t dye the marshmallows.
- If you DO want to dye your rice krispie treats and make them colorful, add 4-5 drops of gel food coloring to the melted marshmallows. Stir the dye into the marshmallows then mix in the cereal. This is an easy way to make themed treats for a dessert bar.
- Make peanut butter rice krispie treats by using 4 tablespoons of butter and 3 tablespoons of cream peanut butter. Melt the butter and peanut butter together at the beginning of the recipe.
Quick Tip
Chocolate chip rice krispie treats are very popular but can be tricky to make. If you mix too much, the chocolate chips will melt and blend into the marshmallow mix. If you want to make chocolate chip rice krispie treats, add 1 cup of mini chocolate chips to this recipe after the cereal has been blended into the marshmallow mix. Stir just twice then pour the mix immediately in the pan. The less you mix and the faster you move, the better!
How to Make Rice Krispie Treats
- Prepare: Spray a 9” square pan with baking spray. Make sure to spray the corners well so the treats don’t stick to the pan!
- Melt the butter: Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Once it starts to bubble, stir in the vanilla extract.
- Add the marshmallows: Add the marshmallows to the melted butter and stir constantly until the marshmallows are also melted. It will be sticky!
- Mix in the cereal: Quickly stir in the rice krispies, making sure you scoop all the way to the bottom of the pot so all the cereal and marshmallows are evenly mixed.
- Pour and press: Pour the mixture into the greased pan and then press it evenly into the pan, making it as flat as possible.
- Cool and cut: Let the rice krispie treats cool then flip them out of the pan and cut them into squares.
How to Store Rice Krispie Treats
Once your rice krispie treats have cooled, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and store them at room temperature. The wrapped rice krispie treats will keep for about a week.
Do not put the rice krispie treats in the fridge as this will cause them to get hard and dry out. Romm temperature treats are best! You can also pop one in the microwave for about 10 seconds to make it warm and gooey. Yum!
FAQs
You can add up to 1 cup of mix-ins to this recipe. Try adding M&M’s, sprinkles, mini chocolate chips, chopped peanut butter cups, or even chopped Twix bars. Get creative! Just remember to add the mix-ins at the end of the recipe, right after you mix in the cereal so they don’t melt!
If you melt the marshmallows over very high heat or for too long, the treats will get hard. Be sure to melt the marshmallows over medium heat, stirring constantly. Try not to let the marshmallow mix boil and remove the pot from the stovetop as soon as the marshmallows are melted.
Adding too much butter will make the rice krispie treats greasy and also cause them to fall apart. Extra butter will make the treats crumble rather than hold them together in a perfect square. Be sure to use exactly the amount of butter listed in my recipe!
More Easy No-Bake Dessert Recipes
Recipes
No Bake Oreo Dessert Recipe
No Bake Desserts
No Bake Cookies (Without Peanut Butter)
Recipes
No-Bake Cheesecake
Recipes
No-Bake Peanut Butter Pie
Rice Krispie Treats
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 bag (16 ounces) marshmallows
- 6 cups rice krispies
Instructions
- Spray a 9 inch square pan with baking spray and set aside.
- Add the butter to a large pot and melt over medium heat. You want the butter to be completely melted.
- Stir the vanilla and salt into the butter.
- Add the marshmallows and stir constantly until they are completely melted.
- Add the rice krispies to the pot and stir quickly, coating all the rice krispies in the marshmallows.
- Pour the rice krispie mixture into the greased baking pan. Use a rubber spatula to press the rice krispies into the pan, making an even layer. If the spatula is sticking, you can spray the spatula lightly with baking spray and then press the krispies with the greased spatula.
- Let the rice krispie treats cool and then flip them out of the pan onto a cutting board. Use a sharp serrated knife to cut them, using a sawing motion, into 9 squares. Enjoy!
Notes
- Put the pan of rice krispie treats into the freezer for about 30 minutes to cool quickly. It is also easier to slice the rice krispie treats when they are super cold.
- Make sure your pot is large. It is easier to stir the rice krispies when using a big pot with a lot of space.
