Get the secret tips and tricks to making the most PERFECT Rice Krispie Treats recipe. Kid and adult friendly! THICK AND CHEWY!
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I spend days and days trying to come up with the perfect cake. Or the most beautiful cupcakes. Or to create the fudgiest brownies.
But, it’s no secret, Rice Krispie Treats have always been the key to my heart. Knowing how to make rice krispie treats has gotten me far in life.
Years ago I shared a story about my favorite treat. How sometimes when I make a batch of krispie treats I have eaten the whole 13×9 before my kids even arrive home from school. I’ve made myself sick many times overeating this treat. But it’s the perfect back to school snack! For me.
I have no willpower. The lure of marshmallow is too powerful. I am weak.
But, it’s not ANY rice krispie treat that has this effect on me. For instance, store bought individually wrapped treats? YUCK. Barf. So fake tasting.
Or I’m sure you’ve experienced the Rice Krispies Treat Square that has been pressed into a crunchy square of grossness. Too hard to enjoy, not the soft and chewy treat you’ve come to love over the years!
The Original Rice Krispie Treats Recipe
I love Rice Krispie Treats so much that I’ve created over a dozen flavors….from Fluffernutter, or Cherry, or Pistachio….to Peppermint, Cinnamon Roll, and PayDay. I’ve even got these adorable TURKEY Krispie Treats for Thanksgiving! And of course, easy Halloween Dessert Recipes too!
But, in the end, it’s the classic RICE KRISPIE TREAT that draws me in. The biggest question is how to spell it. Some people say Rice Crispy, Some say Crispy Rice, some say Rice Crispies. Either way, you get the point!
Step 1: Line an 8 or 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
Step 2: In a large sauce pan, on medium heat, melt butter. Once melted, turn heat to low and add in all but 1 cup of the mini marshmallows.
Stir constantly until marshmallows are completely melted.
Step 3: Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract. Add cereal and the remaining mini marshmallows.
Step 4: Pour into prepared baking dish. Press gently with fingertips until spread. Set one hour. Cut and enjoy!
Tips for the BEST Krispie Treats
- Line a 9-inch square baking dish with parchment paper. This way you don’t have to worry about extra butter on your fingertips, or the other extreme of your bars sticking to the pan! Use binder clips to help the parchment paper stay in place.
- Use fresh marshmallows. Seriously, they make a difference. Don’t grab that bag that’s been in your pantry for months and months thinking it will be okay since you are melting them. It won’t be okay.
- Add my secret ingredient. VANILLA EXTRACT. Not imitation vanilla, but PURE VANILLA extract. It makes a difference in creating the illusion that you’re using homemade marshmallows.
- Toss in some extra marshmallows with your Rice Krispies cereal. This adds a whole dimension of chewiness!
- DO NOT (I repeat) DO NOT press these bars into your pan firmly. Using your fingertips, GENTLY press them in just until they are spread out. The harder you pack them in, the harder they are when it’s time to eat them!
- The trick to pressing them in your pan without sticking to your hands is to run your fingers in water, shake off the excess, and press. Voila. No sticking!
- Store in an airtight container for two days. If they last that long, I’d be shocked! ENJOY
FAQ
- Why do my rice krispie treats get hard?
A: Could be many factors. Starting with stale marshmallows or cereal. Keep heat on low while adding marshmallows. And finally, do NOT press too firm when you’re adding the treats to the pan. - Do Rice Krispie treats need to be refrigerated?
A: Absolutely NOT. It actually could make them hard as well (see above question). Keep them covered at room temperature for best results. - Can I use other cereal to make rice krispies treats?
A: Yes! Cocoa Krispies and Fruity Pebbles are both great options. You could also use Cheerios, Golden Grahams, and Cinnamon Toast Crunch!
Can you freeze Rice Krispies Treats?
I would say no. While some people will tell you they have had success with this…I’m a purist when it comes to the rice crispy treat.
I want it to taste amazing. And freezing it will result in a stale, less than stellar dessert.
Plus, these are super easy to make, so why not just make them fresh!
If you’re crazy about Cocoa Krispies and want a thick and chewy Chocolate Krispie Treat Recipe, enjoy! Same great texture with a chocolate flavor!
MORE RICE KRISPY TREAT RECIPES:
- Mint Chocolate Chip Rice Crispy Treats Recipe
- Almond Joy Rice Krispie Squares
- Scotcheroos
- Peanut Butter Rice Crispies Treat
- Easter Krispie Treats
- Biscoff Rice Crispy Squares
- Krispie Treat Fudge
- Neapolitan Krispie Treats
- Pumpkin Spice Latte Krispie Treats
- More Dessert Recipes
Perfect Rice Krispie Treats:
Perfect Rice Krispie Treats
Get the secret tips and tricks to making the most PERFECT Rice Krispie Treats. Kid and adult friendly!
Ingredients
- 6 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 16 oz mini marshmallows, divided
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 6 cups rice krispies cereal
Instructions
- Line a 9-inch square baking dish with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Once melted, add in all but 1 cup of the marshmallows. Reduce heat to low and continue stirring until completely melted.
- Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla. Add the cereal and the remaining 1 cup of marshmallows.
- Pour into the prepared baking dish. Press GENTLY with your fingertips just until completely spread out (the harder you pack them in, the harder they are to eat).
- Allow to set, about 1 hour. Cut and enjoy!
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
9Serving Size:
1 barAmount Per Serving: Calories: 300Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 20mgSodium: 139mgCarbohydrates: 57gFiber: 0gSugar: 31gProtein: 2g
**This recipe for Perfect Rice Krispie Treats was first published on Shugary Sweets on October 27, 2016.
Original Rice Krispie Treats recipe with all the tips and tricks for making them thick and chewy!
I never leave a review BUT I literally just made these with my son and OMG!! So easy, so simple and SO DELICIOUS!! I don’t think these are going to make it through the night. Thank you for sharing this recipe, definitely a keeper.
I’m so glad you all enjoyed them 🙂
I made it! & it’s delicious! I put a 20 oz. bag of marshmallows instead of a 16 oz. bag. I also put 10oz. Of unsalted butter, and 1 1/2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract. It revived so many childhood memories of homemade rice crispy treats.
A different twist, melt 1 cup of semi sweet chocolate chips and 1 cup of butterscotch chips, mix together and pour over the rice crispy treats. Delicious!
With this recipe you gave, you stated a 9×9 pan, can we use a 13×9 pan?
Yes, they will be much thinner.
Hello Aimee,
I was wondering how easy it would be to mold them into heart shapes. Should I do it was I put them in the pan or cut them after? Also, would topping them with sprinkles add flavor or ruin the texture?
Nick,
I have made these a few times (they are amazing!) and I bake them in the pan and use heart shaped cookie cutters after they are set. They are gooey enough you can mold back the excess and keep stamping out hearts. It is a bit over board, but I’ve also melted down white chocolate with a tad of red food coloring to drizzle over the top. This gives them an elevated appearance. Just sharing how I utilize Aimee’s recipe.
Happy Heart Day!
I made these about 8 weeks ago and they are by far the best! My go to from now on. They didn’t last but going to double ingredients and put in 13×9 pan this time. Thanks for sharing.
So glad you loved them!!
Hi Aimee! In the ingredients, you list 16 oz mini marshmallows. Do you mean a 16 oz bag? I used 2 cups of marshmallows and the cereal barely held together. My apologies if you state this in the description! New mom over here trying to put together a quick treat! 🙂
Yep, 16 oz bag of marshmallows.
I’ve made these treats twice in the last week. Oops, this IS a judgment free zone, right? LoL, seriously though, I add almost an extra cup at the end though because some of them melt right away. Best krispy treat recipe ever! Thanks! My son & hubby love them, and so do I! It’s hard to find any dish I can say that about. But, alas, shugary sweets did it big!
Awww love to hear it 🙂 And no judgement from me!
this recipe was so good thank you for sharing it with me
Oh my gosh! We just made these for the school bake sale tomorrow and I hope that I will have enough left to bring. They are ridiculously good! Thanks for the easy recipe.
Perfect Rice Krispie Treats Recipe is great! To be honest, I’m not good at cooking but I like them, they give me joy and excitement every time I finish the dishes, which is a great thing. With your recipe, I just need to follow the instructions and the rest is simple.Thanks for sharing!
Try turning off the heat and putting the melted marshmallows and butter in a bowl to mix. I found this was the trick I wish I had been told years ago! Also try 8TBS of butter not 6. Hope this helps!