Secrets to The BEST Rice Krispie Treats
Learn how to make the best Chewy, marshmallowy Rice Krispie Treats recipe!
Watch me make these amazing Rice Krispie Treats from start to finish!
Listen, I’m not trying to start family beef (because I know my family reads my blog), but like…I honestly believe I make the best Rice Krispie treats in the family.
I’m just saying. (I also think I make the best collard greens, but that’s neither here nor there.)
There is a reason these bad boys are highly requested, and in this blog post, I will be sharing my tips for the best chewy, marshmallowy Rice Krispie treats on this side of North Carolina.
Let’s go!
What Makes These The BEST Rice Krispie Treats Recipe
First off, I agree that Rice Krispie Treats are a classic, and the recipe shouldn’t be messed with too much. Butter, marshmallows, Rice Krispies, and leave well enough alone. Buuuuut, there are a few hacks to create a better flavor and texture while basically keeping the same ingredients!
Just to compare, here are the ingredients for the Original Rice Krispies Treats™ Recipe:
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 5-1/2 cups JET-PUFFED Miniature Marshmallows
- 6 cups Kellogg’s® Rice Krispies® cereal
And here are the ingredient in this recipe:
- 8 tablespoons salted butter
- 10 oz Dandies natural vanilla flavored mini marshmallows
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 4 cups Rice Krispies cereal (or any brand of crispy rice cereal)
- 1 cup regular mini marshmallows (I use Paskesz brand)
Now you see where we’re going, right? Lots of buttery, marshmallow goodness! Ok, let’s take a deep dive into these ingredients!
Rice Krispie Treats 101
The Marshmallows
In the past, when I made Rice Krispie treats, I made marshmallows from scratch. There. That WAS my secret! (No worries, you won’t need to make homemade marshmallows for this recipe)
Once you’ve had Rice Krispy treats made with homemade marshmallows, you’ll notice their naturally superior flavor!
Homemade marshmallows produce a Rice Krispie treat with an amazing natural butter-vanilla flavor. Not like the slightly artificial taste of Rice Krispie treats made with regular marshmallows.
However, making homemade marshmallows took a bit of time and precision. One of the beauties of Rice Krispie treats is how quickly and easily they come together! For this reason, I only made them for special occasions.
That is until I discovered these vanilla-flavored vegan marshmallows! Game changer!!
It’s the Dandies brand. Use only that brand. They make the best vegan/kosher marshmallows without gelatin, corn syrup, artificial colors, or flavors. So you get that homemade marshmallow flavor in minutes!
We’ll throw in some regular mini marshmallows as well for ultimate stretchy marshmallow action, but the homemade flavor of Dandies will be our base!
Look at God!!!!
You’ll notice that these Dandy marshmallows are much drier than regular marshmallows, and I personally don’t like them for snacking. However, their natural vanilla flavor and how they melt down create incredible Rice Krispie treats that taste exactly like homemade marshmallows. It’s the little things, ya know.
You can find these marshmallows on Amazon. I’ve also found them find them at Wholefoods, Target, or Walmart. Note: You’ll need to adjust the other ingredients if you decide to use regular mini marshmallows for the entire recipe.
As I mentioned above, to get the stretchiness that Dandies marshmallows lack, we’ll throw in a cup of regular mini marshmallows. I use Paskesz brand because it’s the only brand I’ve found that doesn’t have pork gelatin, but any brand that contains gelatin will work.
The Butter
Brown butter will instantly give your Rice Krispie treats an upgrade. For this recipe, we’re going all in and using an entire stick of salted butter.
We will let the butter simmer a little bit until becomes slightly fragrant and golden. This will deepen the flavor of the butter and give a slight hint of caramel flavor.
The salted butter with its caramel notes paired with the sweet marshmallows and a splash of vanilla extract …Lord have mercy.
The Perfect Ratio of Marshmallow & Rice Krispies
Most people have their preference when it comes to the marshmallow-Rice Krispie ratio.
My youngest son likes more cereal than marshmallows. He doesn’t even like to see any trace of white marshmallows in his Rice Krispie Treats.
The rest of my household likes Rice Krispy treats loaded with gooey marshmallows. The more, the better!
These Rice Krispy treats are usually pretty white when I press them into the pan. Yeah, not for marshmallow haters at all.
If you like a more balanced ratio, you can increase the cereal by a cup.
It will still taste fantastic, just not as marshmallowy.
How to Make The Best Rice Krispie Treats Recipe
INGREDIENT
- Salted butter
- Dandies Vanilla-flavored Mini Marshmallows
- Pure Vanilla Extract
- Rice Krispie cereal
- Regular mini marshmallows
INSTRUCTIONS
- Line an 8×8 inch pan or baking dish with parchment paper, leaving a bit of overhang to make lifting the finished treats out of the pan easier. Set aside.
- Melt butter in a large pot or large saucepan (non-stick) over medium heat.
- Allow the butter to simmer while stirring until dark golden and fragrant.
- Reduce heat and stir in Dandies marshmallows and allow the marshmallows to melt and become puffy.
- Stir in the vanilla extract.
- Stir in the Rice Krispies until well combined.
- Stir in the regular mini marshmallows just until they soften. (Do not melt these since this will create gooey pockets inside the Rice Krispie Treats)
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and spread it into an even layer.
- Press down firmly until the mixture is packed into the dish.
- Cover and let sit for 1 hour or until room temperature.
- When ready to serve, lift from the pan with parchment paper and cut into squares.
- Wrap individually in plastic wrap and store in an air-tight container.
Tips for Incredible Rice Krispie Treats:
- Keep the heat low. If you melt the marshmallows too fast, it might result in a Rice Kripsy treat that is harder and crunchy than chewy. Take your time and let the butter and marshmallows melt slowly.
- Use an 8×8 or slightly smaller pan. Use a small and deep pan if you want thick and chewy rice Krispy treats. Using larger pans will create a thinner treat.
- Pack it down firmly, but not too tight. I like to use a rubber spatula to press the Rice Krispies into the pan. Press it down firmly to pack the mixture tightly.
- Make sure all ingredients are fresh. Stale Rice Krispies and old marshmallows suck! Make sure all of your ingredients are super fresh.
How to store Rice Krispie Treats?
To store Rice Krispie Treats, cut the treats into squares, wrap them in plastic wrap, and store them in an airtight container. They are best served within 48 hours for ultimate freshness.
Add some FUN!
Rice Krispie Treats are easy to fit any occasion, from using cookie cutters to create themed shapes to throwing some delicious additions! Here are a few fun ideas:
- Add sprinkles! ( Rainbow sprinkles, chocolate sprinkles)
- Use flavored Rice Krispies! ( Cocoa, Strawberry, Cinnamon Sugar)
- Add mini candies or cookies. Min M&M’s, crushed Oreos, mini chocolate chips, mini Reese’s Pieces)
- Add drizzles. (chocolate, white chocolate, peanut butter)
- Add food coloring (Yep, you can add food coloring to plain Rice Krispies or the marshmallow mixture . This is great for birthdays, holidays, event colors, etc.)
FAQ’s
Why are my Rice Krispy Treats hard instead of chewy? If you pack it down super tight, it will become hard. Also, be sure that you cover them tightly.
Why is my rice Krispy Treats loose? Either you have added too much cereal, or you did not pack it down firmly. The marshmallow is the glue, so make sure everything is mixed together well, and it’s pressed firmly into the pan.
Why do my rice crispy treats taste stale? Make sure that before you start, test out your cereal to make sure it isn’t stale. also, be sure to store your finished treats in an airtight container.
Why won’t my marshmallow meltdown, right? Old marshmallows do not melt down easily, so use fresh marshmallows when making Rice Krispie treat recipes.
Can I make these vegan rice Krispie treats? Yes! Use your favorite vegan butter and only the Dandies marshmallows.
Can I use unsalted butter? Yes, you can. However, I’d still add a pinch of salt if using unsalted butter.
Are these rice Krispie treats gluten-free? If you use gluten-free Rice Krispie, then yes.
Can I microwave these? Microwaving will cause the cereal to taste stale.
Get the Recipe: The BEST Rice Krispie Treats
Ingredients
- 8 tablespoons salted butter
- 10 oz Dandies mini marshmallows
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extra
- 4 cups Rice Krispie cereal
- 1 cup regular mini marshmallows, ( I use Paskezs brand)
Instructions
- Line an 8×8 inch pan or baking dish with parchment paper, leaving a bit of overhang to make lifting the finished treats out of the pan easier. Set aside.
- Melt butter over medium heat in a large pot or saucepan (non-stick and light-colored bottom if possible).8 tablespoons salted butter
- Allow the butter to simmer while stirring until dark golden and fragrant. (Be careful not to burn this. It will turn from yellow to golden quickly, so don't take your eyes off it)
- Once butter is golden, Immediately reduce heat to low and stir in Dandies marshmallows.10 oz Dandies mini marshmallows
- Allow the marshmallows to melt and become puffy while stirring.
- Stir in the vanilla extract.½ teaspoon vanilla extra
- Gently stir in the Rice Krispies until well coated.4 cups Rice Krispie cereal
- Fold in the regular mini marshmallows just until they begin to soften. ( Do not let these melt all the way, this will create gooey pockets inside of the Rice Krispie Treats)1 cup regular mini marshmallows
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and spread it into an even layer.
- Press the mixture down firmly using a spatula.
- Cover and let sit for 1 hour or until room temperature.
- When ready to serve, lift from the pan with parchment paper and cut into squares.
- Wrap individually in plastic wrap and store in an air-tight container. Best if served within 48 hours.
