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.
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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
I feel like they would have been so good if I didn’t use the salt! They came out soooo salty. Almost too salty to eat!
Only recipe from Natasha I haven’t liked!
Hi Samantha! I’m not sure why they would be too salty. Did you use salted butter instead of unsalted? The 1/2 tsp of salt was just right for us, it helps the flavor and brings the proper balance.
Made and LOVED these! So good we will probably have to make another pan tonight. I did make the recipe exactly as written, but will note that my 16 oz of marshmallows seemed more like 10 (loosely packed) cups than 8. I just reserved 2 cups for mixing in after and dumped the rest of the entire bag in with the butter. Perfect texture, definitely not too greasy as others mentioned and we even used a high % fat butter. Chewy and delicious. Thank you!
Hi Jessica! I’m so glad you loved the recipe. Thanks for sharing your experience with us.
Almond extract instead of vanilla is also delicious.
I have used this recipe many times and LOVE it! If I were to brown the butter would I need to adjust the butter amount at all?
These are so delicious! Adding some marshmallows that aren’t fully melted really made them even better. Will definitely be making these again.
Hi Erica! Thank you for the feedback. So glad you tried the recipe. We love adding the extra marshmallows.
Best ever!!!
Best rice krispy treats ever. Thanks 😊
So happy you loved the recipe, Carol!
Oh my gosh this is the best recipe! I literally use it over and over again. I get so many compliments all the time! Never any leftovers. Real butter and real vanilla. No compromise! I find they work out best if you melt the butter and then the marshmallows as SLOW as you possibly can. It may take some time but it’s so worth it!!!
can you use coconut oil instead of butter
I personally have not tested this to advise. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
Have made these over and over again, they are always gone quickly, and often requested. The BEST rice krispie recipe I have made!!
The original recipe is 6 cups of cereal with only 3 tablespoons of butter seems like 8 tablespoons is an awful lot?
Hi! I hope you give this recipe a try soon, we believe we found the perfect balance, if no adjustments are made to the recipe it turns out perfect.
I bake for the office frequently and this is the most requested dessert I’ve brought in. There’s something magical a good quality vanilla extract and sea salt brings to such a simple treat. Thank you for the perfect recipe!
Hi Heidi! That’s wonderful! And we agree, the vanilla extract can make all the difference! Thanks for sharing.
Just perfect! Love the hint of vanilla and salt. Such a quick alternative to premade Rice Krispie treats that taste “fake”
Hi Janina, I’m so happy you loved the rice kirspie treats recipe! I completely agree – the store-bought ones are a no-go compared to homemade. Making them from scratch will spoil you forever once you’ve tried the good stuff!
These were greasy and we threw out the whole pan. Definitely way too much butter despite following the recipe and measurements.
Hi Kay, I just checked the metric and somehow the conversion in our system was off for the cereal. Did you measure out 7 cups by a standard measuring cup or use the grams measurement? Thank you for bringing this to my attention – I updated the metric measurement so hopefully that won’t happen again. Sorry we didn’t catch that sooner.
Hi Natasha. I’m planning on making these for a bake sale. How many squares would I get if I cut them 4×4? Thank you!
Hi Serenity! We use a 9×9 square pan so if you’re cutting these 4×4, you’d only get 4 even slices with a thin strip left over.
These came out so greasy and soggy. They were completely ruined. I would significantly reduce the butter.
Hi Lindsey! 8 Tbsp for 7 cups of cereal shouldn’t end up greasy or soggy. If using less cereal, you would want to adjust the butter. Also another thought is to make sure you are melting the butter over medium/low heat. Too high of heat and the butter might seem a little greasy.
Excellent and the measurements are spot on! I read that a baker made them and they turned out greasy. How? No way this can happen, unless the baker’s measurements were way off. I will definitely make again and again… Thank You
I used the correct measurements and all fresh ingredients, but the treats were unfortunately soggy and greasy. Looking at the original recipe compared to this one I was shocked how much more butter this recipe uses. I did like the addition of the additional marshmallows at the end.
Hi Bri, 8 Tbsp for 7 cups of cereal shouldn’t end up greasy or soggy. If using less cereal, you would want to adjust the butter. Also another thought is to make sure you are melting the butter over medium/low heat. Too high of heat and the butter might seem a little greasy.
If we didn’t want the chunks of marshmallow, would I omit them or mix them in to melt with the rest of the stuff?
Hello there! I have not tried omitting them from the recipe to advise. You can try mixing them, I think that will work.
How much butter? I need to scale this a bit, but can’t seem to locate the quantity of butter used.
I recommend clicking “Jump to recipe” at the top of the post, it will take you to our printable recipe where you will see the ingredients list and instructions. I hope that helps!
They are perfect every single time. Definitely curbs my sweet tooth and wan thing something chewy!
Question, would these still hold their shape if you were to dip them into chocolate for chocolate covered rice crispy treats!
I’m happy you love this recipe too! Yes- it should be fine to dip them in chocolate.
Hello is a 130 grams correct ? When input it in to metric it tells me that but when I verified on google it’s around 26-30 grams per cup so I’m hesitating on starting before making sure this converter on your site is correct
Hi Gerald, that is correct. We used 7 cups. I hope that helps.
But when I use the weigh equivalent from the cereal box, a cup of Krispies is about 27.333gr. That puts 7 cups at 189 gr which is almost a difference of 59 gr