Best Rice Krispie Treats
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A few tweaks to the back-of-the-box recipe make these the best Rice Krispie Treats ever.
I’m always hesitant to say a recipe is the “best ever,” especially for a dessert like Rice Krispie Treats or chocolate chip cookies that everyone knows and loves. But once you’ve tinkered around with a recipe for weeks—asking your kids, their friends, and anyone who passes through your house to sample different versions—you can say it’s the best with some confidence. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with the original back-of-the-box Rice Krispie treat recipe, but it can be made so much better with almost no effort. Here’s how:
- Use more butter (lots more) and brown it to deepen the flavor.
- Increase the marshmallows and stir in some at the end for extra gooeyness.
- Add vanilla extract for flavor.
- Add salt because a little salt makes anything sweet taste so much better.
Table of Contents
“These really are the BEST rice crispy treats! Moist, delicious, and full of gooey marshmallow goodness!”
What You’ll Need To Make The Best Rice Krispie Treats
- Butter: Provides the rich, buttery flavor and helps bind the treats together.
- Mini Marshmallows: The main sweetener and binder, melted marshmallows create the gooey, sticky texture that gives Rice Krispie treats their characteristic chewiness.
- Vanilla Extract: Adds a touch of vanilla flavor, enhancing the overall taste of the treats.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances the flavor of the other ingredients.
- Rice Krispies: The star ingredient, these crisped rice cereal pieces absorb the melted marshmallow mixture and provide a crispiness.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Begin by melting the butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Save the wrappers – you’ll use them later.
After the butter melts, it will begin to bubble, foam, and turn golden around the edges. Eventually it will turn a dark golden color and smell nutty – watch carefully, it will go from golden brown to burned quickly.
You’ll see little bits of golden brown sediment forming; that’s okay. But if they get too dark, go ahead and strain them out and then pour the brown butter back in the pot.
Add all but 2 cups of the marshmallows, the vanilla, and salt.
Place the pot over medium heat and stir the mixture with a wooden spoon until the marshmallows are completely melted.
Remove the pan from the heat and add the cereal.
Using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, stir until evenly combined.
Add the reserved 2 cups of marshmallows.
Stir until they are softened and partially melted. Don’t overmix – you want pockets of goo.
Transfer the mixture to a foil-lined 9×13-in baking dish.
Using the butter wrappers, press into an even layer.
Let cool for at least an hour, then use the foil overhang to lift the treats onto a cutting board.
Use a serrated knife to cut into squares. Store the treats in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Enjoy!
Video Tutorial
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, place the treats in layers separated by wax paper in an airtight container; freeze for up to 6 weeks. Let the treats stand at room temperature for about an hour before serving.
Absolutely! You can swap out a portion of the Rice Krispies in your treats. One of my favorite ways to make them is with a combination of Golden Grahams and Rice Krispies, like in these Chewy, Gooey Golden Rice Krispies Treats. Lucky Charms is another popular variation, especially around St. Patrick’s Day.
Yes, you can add chocolate chips, dried fruit, or candy bits, but keep in mind that some add-ins will melt from the warmth of cereal and marshmallow mixture, so let the mixture cool slightly before folding them in. This way, they’ll partially melt but still maintain their distinct texture in the treats.
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Best Rice Krispie Treats
A few tweaks to the back-of-the-box recipe make these the best Rice Krispie Treats ever.
Ingredients
- 12 tablespoons (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the pan
- Two 10-oz bags mini marshmallows, divided
- ¾ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 8½ cups Rice Krispies or crispy rice cereal (see note)
Instructions
- Line a 9 x 13-in pan with heavy duty aluminum foil and lightly grease with softened butter. Set aside 2 cups of the marshmallows.
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, preferably with a light bottom so you can monitor the color, melt the butter over medium heat (save the butter wrappers; you'll use them later for pressing the mixture into the pan). Swirl the pan occasionally to be sure the butter is cooking evenly.
- As the butter melts, it will begin to bubble and foam, and the color will progress from bright yellow to golden to, finally, a toasty-brown. Once you smell that nutty brown butter aroma, take the pan off the heat. (You'll see little bits of golden brown sediment forming; that's okay. However, if the sediment looks almost black, go ahead and pass the butter through a fine sieve to strain it out, then return the brown butter to the pan.)
- Off the heat, add the remaining marshmallows, vanilla, and salt.
- Place the pot back over medium heat and stir the mixture with a wooden spoon until the marshmallows are completely melted. Remove the pan from the heat and add the cereal. Using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, stir until evenly combined.
- Add the reserved marshmallows and stir until they are softened and partially melted. Don't overmix; you want pockets of goo. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and, using the butter wrapper or damp fingers, press the mixture gently into an even layer in the prepared baking pan. Let cool at room temperature for at least an hour.
- Use the foil overhang to lift the treats onto a cutting board, then use a serrated bread knife to cut into squares. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- Note: Kellogg's no longer makes a gluten-free version of Rice Krispies, so if you have a gluten-sensitivity, make sure the cereal you purchase is certified gluten-free.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: To freeze, place in layers separated by wax paper in airtight container. Freeze for up to 6 weeks. Let stand at room temperature for about an hour before serving.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (24 servings)
- Calories: 162
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated fat: 4 g
- Carbohydrates: 27 g
- Sugar: 15 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Sodium: 93 mg
- Cholesterol: 15 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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This really is the best recipe for rice krispie squares! It is super flavorful because of the browned butter. For new cooks or young cooks with little experience, Browning butter may seem daunting! But your photos are very helpful as are your descriptions of the smell, color and what the butter will actually do during the process. Making this the first time was the first time I had browned butter, but it went well! The recipe turned out fantastic and they were devoured. I think I ended up making three batches that week alone! I’m now on my fifth go since December and I have it down to a science in my kitchen.
I personally think you could add a hair more butter, maybe a total of 1 3/4 cups? I feel like there’s not enough butter to melt the marshmallows. But it always works out.
Another tip? Use the mini mallows for better melting uniformity. Or cut up big mallows. They don’t melt fast enough when whole.
Another tip: the stirring and melting of the mallows into the butter needs to be renamed “beat the ever living snot out of those mallows and stir hard and fast because everything is cooling in record time and you must get these mallows melted!!”
Last time: when mixing in the cereal, the instructions should read “be prepared to use every ounce of power your biceps can muster and don’t be afraid to get your shoulder into the movement! Move move move! Mush mush mush! Beat that cereal into submission!”. Holy crap is that part a workout!
Great recipe! Am going to troll some of your others to see what you’ve done with blueberries as of late 🙂 hehe
OMG I love this review. You just made my day!!
had to comment, this is my first time making Krispie Treats and i was terrified of turning them into dust. thanks to you, i am very much looking forward to the next batch. i have a bone to pick with them mallows. >:)
Someone suggested that she kept the marshmallow mixture on low heat while adding the cereal slowly and said that was the ticket! No workout necessary!
Amazing treats! the whole family loved them! thank you for this recipe!
Awesome! Made these for a Super Bowl Party, added green food coloring, for the EAGLES, and they were a huge hit! Nice and soft
I love how you are something plain and elevate it. Those few simple steps, browning butter, adding marshmallow pockets made something every day special. Just that little bit of effort made a simple treat a dessert!
Just made this today. I love rice Krispy squares! This recipe has so much flavour, probably from browning the butter and the added salt. I agree with the label of Best Ever Rice Krispy Squares!!!
Jenn, I am so happy I found your website! Thank you for giving this non-cook the confidence and instruction to make delicious recipes! Question about the butter browning, about how long ? My butter turned a very dark color and when mixed with the cereal, my krispies became slightly brown. They still came out yummy though!! Any tips would be appreciated.
I, too, am happy that you found the site! 🙂 The browning of the butter should take 3 to 5 minutes. Perhaps you added a bit of the sediment (that forms when browning butter) to the mixture. That might account for the slightly brown color.
These tasted delicious but turned out rock hard! What did I do wrong? (Yes I used butter and followed the recipe exactly). Maybe they sat out too long? I let them sit for 2 Hours (???) before packing them up. Could that be it?!
Angie, Sorry to hear these turned out hard! Letting them sit out for 2 hours shouldn’t make much of a difference. Is there any chance you could’ve made a measuring error?
I love this recipe and so does my family! It turns out perfect every time! The only think I experiment with is the butter. Too my surprise I find that organic butter is the best even better than the expensive European butters. One thing I learned while on the hunt to prefect the RKT recipe was to not pack them too tight when they are warm. Just a light touch to even then out. Over packing will definitely turn them to rocks when cool. 🙂
Thanks for our family’s favorite recipe!
This is the best rice crispie treat recipe I have used.
I want to try this, but don’t want such a big pan hanging around (too tempting!). Can I half this & obtain good results? I’m thinking an 8×8 pan should work. What do you think?
Yep that should be fine. Enjoy!
AMAZING!! I make these at least twice a month. It is a family favorite.