Our family’s favorite Rice Krispie Treats for thick, gooey dessert bars filled with sweet and buttery marshmallows and crispy cereal crunch. A “secret” add-in makes these the best Rice Krispie treats ever.
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.
If you love easy party-favorite desserts like Lemon Bars, Pecan Pie Bars or Strawberry Pretzel Salad, these homemade Krispie Treats are a must-try. Watch the easy video below, and you’ll be known for these treats!
Rice Krispie Treats Video
Helpful Reader Review
“I made these for Super Bowl and they were gone fast. I have made Rice Krispy treats for 40 years for my four daughters and this recipe was by far the best. The extra marshmallows were great.” – Cheryl ★★★★★
Best Rice Krispie Treats Recipe
If you love big and gooey Rice Krispie treats, you will love this recipe! Who doesn’t have at least one fond memory of these classic rice treats growing up? Our Rice Krispie squares have the perfect texture – soft, and chewy, with a satisfying crunch. This is our family’s go-to recipe, and it’s a keeper. Easy and done in minutes!
In addition to adding vanilla and salt to balance the sweetness, adding whole marshmallows at the end is the “secret sauce” that makes these the most irresistible. These no-bake crispy rice treats are perfect for a bake sale, potluck, or birthday party – always a crowd-pleaser.
Ingredients for Marshmallow Rice Krispie Treasts
- Butter – I prefer to use unsalted butter so I can control the salt but if you use salted butter, just omit the salt in the recipe. You’ll need additional butter for greasing the pan, too.
- Marshmallows – Miniature marshmallows are my favorite to use when making Rice Krispie treats. Be sure to reserve 2 cups for adding in at the end – it’s a game changer! If you only have large-sized marshmallows, chop them into smaller pieces so they are easier to melt.
- Vanilla and salt – vanilla extract for flavor and salt to balance the sweetness.
- Crispy Rice Cereal – I prefer the original Rice Krispies cereal but a generic version will work.
Pro Tip:
A 16 oz bag of mini marshmallows equals about 8 cups. You can also use 1½ 10 oz bags. Also, 7 cups of crispy rice cereal equals roughly 7 oz. Feel free to scale the recipe up or down as needed.
How to Make Rice Krispie Treats
- Prep – Begin by greasing a 9×9 baking dish and lining it with parchment paper. You can also make this recipe in a 9×13 pan, though your Rice Krispie treats will be on the thinner side. These bars come together in just a few quick steps:
- Melt Butter & Marshmallows – In a large pot over medium-low heat, melt the butter then and 6 cups of mini marshmallows. Gently stir until the marshmallows are melted. Be careful not to overcook the marshmallows, as the sugar will harden.
- Combine – Take the pot off the heat, then stir in vanilla and a pinch of salt. Fold in the crispy rice cereal, then fold in an additional 2 cups of mini marshmallows. You’ll need to work quickly here, stirring until the added marshmallows are just beginning to melt.
- Press into the Pan – Finally, scoop and spread the mixture into your prepared baking dish with a spatula, or lay a piece of parchment paper or plastic wrap over the top while you press the marshmallow mixture into an even layer (see photo below).
- Set – Allow the Krispie treats to cool to room temperature before you cut them into squares.
Can I use a different cereal?
They may not technically be Rice Krispie treats, but you can make this recipe with any cereal you’d like. Fruity Pebbles, Corn Pops (see our Caramel Corn Pops), Cocoa Puffs, Froot Loops, you name it.
Are Rice Krispies Treats gluten-free?
You can make gluten-free Rice Krispie treats, just be sure that the marshmallows and brand of crispy rice cereal you’re using are labeled gluten-free.
Can I double the recipe?
Yes, and it’s easy to do. You can even freeze batches of Krispie treats for later. See below for make-ahead details.
Can I use a different-sized pan?
Absolutely! Instead of a 9×9, you can also use a 10×10 or even a 13×9 pan for Rice Krispie Treats. Keep in mind they won’t be quite as thick and tall in the larger-sized pans unless you scale up the recipe proportionally.
Flavor Variations
When it comes to customizing your crispy rice treats, there are so many ways you can change up this recipe. Here are some ideas:
- Cocoa Krispies – Trade out regular Rice Krispie cereal for chocolate Rice Krispies.
- Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats – Melt creamy peanut butter into the marshmallows for an easy peanut butter-flavored version.
- Chocolate – Drizzle the squares with melted milk chocolate or white chocolate or top them with chocolate chips.
- Holidays – Adding colored sprinkles is an easy way to make Krispie treats more festive. Add red and green for Christmas, red and pink for Valentine’s Day, rainbow sprinkles for a Birthday theme, or make Harvest treats with black and orange sprinkles.
To Store Rice Krispie Treats
It’s hard to beat a fresh batch of Rice Krispies treats; however, they do keep well and stay gooey for several days. Whether you’re making them ahead for a special occasion or simply saving leftovers, Rice Krispie squares are easy to store:
- At Room Temperature: Keep the bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. I don’t recommend refrigerating Rice Krispie treats as they tend to harden.
- Freezing: For longer storage, transfer your krispy rice treats in a freezer-safe bag or container, remove extra air, and freeze them for up to 3 months. Thaw the bars at room temperature before serving.
Rice Krispie Treats are a classic dessert that everyone loves. We can’t wait for you to try this recipe packed with extra gooey marshmallows.
More Easy Dessert Recipes
Check out these other easy desserts that are perfect for parties and potlucks:
- Date Snickers (tastes like Snickers bars!)
- Banana Pudding
- Fudgy Brownies
- Toffee Recipe
- No Bake Cheesecake
- Apple Crisp
- Chocolate Covered Strawberries
Rice Krispie Treats Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 Tbsp unsalted butter, plus more to grease pan
- 16 oz mini marshmallows, divided into 6 cups and 2 cups*
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 7 cups crispy rice cereal, *
Instructions
- Butter and line a 9×9 baking dish with parchment paper (you can use a 9×13 but the squares won’t be as thick).
- In a large pot or dutch oven, melt butter over medium/low heat. Add 6 cups marshmallows and stir just until completely melted (don’t overcook or the mixture will harden).
- Remove the pan from the heat and immediately stir in vanilla and salt. Working quickly stir in the cereal then fold in the remaining 2 cups marshmallows until well coated and the added marshmallows just start to melt but are still chunky.
- Immediately transfer the mixture to the prepared pan, place a piece of plastic wrap or parchment paper over the top to prevent sticking and lightly pressing it evenly into the pan.
- Set aside to cool completely to room temperature (about 1 hour), then slice into squares and enjoy.
Notes
*For gluten free rice krispies treats, make sure the marshmallows and cereal you use are marked gluten-free.
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
These are delicious! They came out perfect, the only trouble I had was waiting for them to set up before I started eating them!
Mine turned out way too soggy for some reason even though I followed the recipe.
Hi Fiona! That’s not normal for this recipe and that has not been my experience. Did you make any substitutions such as not using real butter? A couple of things to help troubleshoot. I would look over the ingredients list again to make sure you measured your ingredients correctly. If you use too much butter or not enough cereal, they will be oily and the cereal will soak up the butter and become soggy rather than crisp.
Also- are you using fresh, ingredients? If your cereal is old, it could break down and throw off texture and be soggy. I hope that helps.
My three year old and I just made these, they turned out delicious! We couldn’t wait the full hour either—so good and gooey! We enjoyed the YouTube video as well, we loved the touches of humor throughout.
Thank you, Sarabi! I’m so glad you tried the recipe.
So easy to make and the taste is excellent, texture smooth and so delicious!! Thank you for sharing!!!!!😎👍
You’re welcome, Marta!
Like making these since its been years. My son 40 likes these so been making them and me of course. Hope u come up with more treats again. Your kids looked happy helping U. love your sunshine smile and I always liked long beautiful hair.
How many large marshmallows would I need instead of the mini?
Can I add Flavored instant pudding Mix to the melted marshmallows in the pot?
Hi Bonnie! I have not tested the pudding. You can use the same measurement (in weight) of large marshmallows. I would recommend cutting them for easier melting.
Family loves this version & they request them weekly. Been making the traditional cereal box recipe my whole life. These are so much better. Individually wrap each treat & poof! they disappear out the door.
That’s great to hear!
Best krispie treat recipe I’ve ever made!! My boyfriend said the best he’s ever ate! Thank you so much! My pitbull loves them too! 💕
Thank you for your great feedback!
I made these for Super Bowl and they were gone fast.
I have made Rice Krispy treats for 40 years for my four daughters
and this recipe was by far the best. The extra marshmallows were great.
That’s wonderful to hear, Cheryl!
Does NOT need salt! Thought I’d try the salt to see if it made a positive difference but in my opinion it made it less desirable.
You can lessen the salt next time, also did you use unsalted butter? If you used salted butter, there’s no need to use salt.
The salt and vanilla seriously kick these up a notch. So so delicious, I absolutely did not wait for them to cool down to taste them lol! Superb recipe!!
Thank you, Lena! I’m glad you enjoyed it.
I made these for my family and they were gone in a day. Great way to enhance these yummy treats! Will make again…
That’s great, Shawn!
These came out sooooo good. Thank you for the recipe, and all the hints, suggestions and pro tips
You’re so welcome, glad those were all helpful!
Hello Natasha I saw sharky it was on your hand when you patted down the rice-crispy.
And I love the dessert
Hi Cherrie! Good catch. So glad you enjoy this recipe!
So good!! If you follow all the steps, these are perfect. We made them 4 times in 2 weeks after our first batch, they were that good!
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite, Anna!
This recipe is amazing!! Perfect ratio of krispies to marshamallows. I do always brown the butter to kick it up a notch
Thanks for the great feedback, appreciate it!
Natasha, these were the most delicious treats I’ve made in a long time! I followed your recipe exactly and it was perfect! Thank you for another recipe that my family devoured!
That’s wonderful to hear, Amy! Thank you so much for the feedback.
I’ve been making rice crispy treats for years using a basic recipe (probably from the back of a cereal box). But after finding this recipe, I knew it would be my new go to! (Because Natasha’s recipes are the best). I halved the recipe to use up one 10 oz bag of marshmallows, used salted butter + the suggested amount of salt. No issues with that. I love the tip of adding marshmallows at the end. I let them melt quite a bit because I didn’t want big chunks, and it was just the right amount of extra fluff. I decorated mine with mini Christmas m&ms. Simple, yummy and festive. Thank you!
Hi Al! I’m so glad you found this recipe. Thank you so much for the wonderful review!
Great recipe. I typically add more butter in the marshmallow mix. This time, per the recommendation of the recipe but against my better judgment- I got the “knock off” cereal and it is absolutely NOT the same. Don’t make that mistake! Otherwise, instructions are on point and a nice and easy treat!
Thanks for the feedback, Briana!
This is the most amazing rice Krispy treat recipe! I’ve made it multiple times for various events and it is always a hit! Super easy and delicious. Highly recommend!
Thanks so much, Melody for this great review!