The Best Rice Krispies Treats
Make The Best Rice Krispies Treats with just 4 ingredients in 25 minutes. A timeless and nostalgic no-bake dessert for parties and potlucks.
There’s nothing quite like a batch of chewy, gooey, and crispy Rice Krispies treats made from scratch. This classic no-bake dessert recipe is packed with buttery marshmallow flavor and the crunchy texture in every square. This recipe instantly takes me back to childhood summers. Whenever my sisters and I were craving something sweet, these easy homemade Rice Krispies treats were always our first choice. One bite, and you’ll understand why these are truly The Best Rice Krispies Treats recipe you’ll ever make!
THE BEST RICE KRISPIES TREATS
Made with Rice Krispies cereal, butter, marshmallows, and a touch of salt, these classic Rice Krispies treats are incredibly easy to make. What makes this recipe stand out from the rest is the addition of extra marshmallows folded in at the very end; that is my secret. Those pockets of melted marshmallow create the ultimate gooey Rice Krispies treats that stay soft, chewy, and delicious for days. I love serving these Rice Krispies Treats as an easy dessert after a busy week because they come together quickly on the stovetop; no oven required. These classic no-bake bars are also perfect for parties, potlucks, graduations, bake sales, and holidays.
Find my expert tips on how to make the best homemade Rice Krispies treats below! Don’t forget to tag me in all of your creations @lifeinthelofthouse on Instagram and Facebook. Let’s stay connected. 💛
Why You’ll Love These Classic Rice Krispies Treats Recipe:
- Quick & Easy Treat: Ready in minutes with only a handful of pantry staples and no oven required.
- Soft & Chewy: The combination of butter, marshmallows, and crispy rice cereal creates the ideal soft and chewy texture.
- Versatile Party Dessert: Great for bake sales, birthday parties, potlucks, lunchbox treats, holidays, and after-school snacks.
- Make-Ahead-Friendly: These treats stay soft and delicious for days when stored in an airtight container.
Ingredients
- 5 Tablespoons salted butter
- 8 cups mini marshmallows, divided
- 6 cups Rice Krispie cereal
- 1/8 teaspoon salt (optional, but highly recommended if you use unsalted butter)
Instructions
Begin by melting butter in a large pot. Once the butter is melted, add 6 cups of the marshmallows and the salt, if using. Stir continuously until the marshmallows are melted. Remove from the heat immediately to not burn the marshmallows.
Next, add the Rice Krispies cereal. Stir until just combined, then stir in the remaining 2 cups of marshmallows. Line a 9’ x 9’ baking dish with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray. Spread the Rice Krispie mixture into the pan evenly. Let it cool completely before cutting into squares to enjoy.
Servings
Yields: 9 large squares OR 18 small squares.
Storage
This Marshmallow Rice Krispie Treats Recipe stays good stored in an airtight container or large ziplock bag for 2-3 days. Rice Krispies treats are best stored at room temperature. Refrigeration can cause them to become hard and lose their soft, gooey texture. If your Rice Krispies treats have become slightly firm, you can soften them by microwaving an individual square for 5-10 seconds.
Holly’s Tips for The Best Rice Krispie Treats Recipe:
- Use High-Quality Marshmallows: Fresh marshmallows melt better and create softer, gooier Rice Krispies treats.
- Cook & Stir on Low Heat: Melting the butter and marshmallows slowly helps keep the marshmallow cereal bars soft and chewy.
- Press Into Pan Gently: Lightly press the mixture into the pan to avoid dense, hard Rice Krispie squares.
- Allow Dessert To Cool Completely: Let the treats cool completely for clean, even squares.
- Make It Your Own: Add chocolate chips, sprinkles, peanut butter chips, or candy for a fun twist on this classic no-bake dessert. Top it off with sprinkles, salted caramel, or drizzled chocolate for holidays and birthdays.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Absolutely. You can make these homemade Rice Krispie treats a day or two in advance and store them in an airtight container until ready to serve.
Yes! If using regular marshmallows, substitute approximately 64 regular marshmallows for the 8 cups of mini marshmallows. They will melt just as well and produce the same delicious results.
Yes. Double all ingredients and press the mixture into a 9×13-inch baking dish for a larger batch that’s perfect for parties, potlucks, and family gatherings.
Definitely! Try adding chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, M&M’s, sprinkles, crushed cookies, or a drizzle of melted chocolate to customize your homemade Rice Krispies treats.
Hard Rice Krispies treats are usually caused by overheating the marshmallows or pressing the mixture too firmly into the pan. For the softest and chewiest texture, melt the marshmallows over medium-low heat and gently press the mixture into the pan.
The secret is adding the remaining 2 cups of mini marshmallows after the cereal has been mixed in. This creates pockets of gooey marshmallow throughout the treats, giving them an extra-soft texture and incredible flavor.
Making these Rice Krispies Treats gluten-free is easy! Simply substitute the Rice Krispies cereal with a certified gluten-free crispy rice cereal, as traditional Rice Krispies contain malt flavoring derived from barley, which is not gluten-free. Also, double-check that your marshmallows and any optional mix-ins are labeled gluten-free.
Similar Recipes
Craving something similar? Try my Salted Caramel Rice Krispie Treats.
Wanting something a little different? Make my Golden Grahams S’mores Bars.
Can’t get enough of cereal treats? Make these highly-rated recipes next: Gooey Chex Mix, Loaded Rice Krispie Treats, and Candy Corn Rice Krispie Cupcakes.
Have you made The Best Rice Krispies Treats recipe? 💛
Leave a review, and don’t forget to tag me in your creations on Instagram and Facebook! @lifeinthelofthouse! #TheBestRiceKrispieTreats #LifeInTheLofthouse
The Best Rice Krispie Treats (Easy No-Bake Dessert)
Ingredients
- 5 Tablespoons salted butter
- 8 cups mini marshmallows divided
- 6 cups Rice Krispie cereal
- 1/8 teaspoon salt optional
Instructions
- Line a 9×9-inch pan with aluminum foil. Spray foil with non-stick spray, set aside.
- In a large pot, over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Once butter is melted add 6 cups mini marshmallows and salt (if using). Stir constantly until marshmallows are melted.
- Remove from heat and stir in Rice Krispie cereal. Stir until just barely coated in marshmallow mixture. Now stir in the remaining 2 cups of mini marshmallows.
- Pour mixture into prepared pan and press evenly into the pan.
- Allow to cool completely before cutting into squares. Serve and enjoy!
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Please oh please! I am NOT a fan of marshmallows, but melt them, and I will gobble them up. These look so tasty…such a perfect summertime treat!
I’ve never heard of adding salt to these, but I’m excited to try it and see what it does for the flavor. I can easily demolish a batch of these once a week. I wish I were kidding. 😉
These RKTs are making my mouth water! I absolutely adore this classic, standard recipe.
I never thought of salt! Just love the sweet and salty. Have you ever tried adding about 1 tsp. of vanilla extract to the melting marshmallows? That was always my mom’s little secret. It makes a huge difference in the taste.
I think that’s funny you brought up using vanilla extract that’s what I do when I make mine for my kids my mom never used it but I do I also use butter extract along with this salt I think it gives it that little extra something
Try this with reeses peanut butter chips and chocolate chips addef with the last bit of marshmallows. Yummo!
This is the best recipe I have ever used. My family devoured them. My sons friend said that they were his favorite.thanks so much for sharing with us.
ooooh can’t wait to try them! about to make now.
These are ok but I would have preferred less butter- the extra butter overpowers everything- too buttery.
Sounds easy…I add just a half tsp. Vanilla & half cup shredded unsweetened coconut ….turned out great
Iade this for my church’s youth group a few days ago. I added a caramel and chocolate drizzle on top. The kids loved them. However, they were very soft and sticky. Could you advise what to do to make them a little more stiff and less sticky (similar to the treats you buy in the store)? Thanks for the recipe and tips!
These truly are THE BEST RKT’s ever! I made these and took them to work and they were all gone in a matter of seconds. I should of doubled the batch! LOL
Hahaha, “last 2 days”. These wouldn’t last 2 hours at my house. My sister and I also used to devour pans of these things. Now with the kids grown, I don’t make them often enough.. Once I made them with browned butter and topped with sea salt. I saw some like that for sale for a ridiculous price somewhere and told myself “I can do that”. Yes, it was also good stuff. Yours look wonderful and with summer coming, sounds like a great idea. Especially for my gluten free husband because several marshmallows and rice cereal are gluten free.
These are the best ever Rice Krispie treats!
I just made these, they are hands down the best rice crispy treat I’ve ever made/eaten! Will never make them the regular way again. Thanks for sharing!
BEST RICE KRISPIE TREAT RECIPE!! This has been my go to for the past few years because everyone raves about them at my parties! Hands down would not change a thing (other than making a double batch because they disappear so quickly!)
This has been the only way I have made Rice Krispie Treats since I discovered this recipe a few years ago. Let me just say, I receive sooooo many compliments, every single time, to the point that I only make a triple batch when I’m taking them as a treat somewhere. I also refuse to share “my” recipe LOL
These are outstanding, truly the best you’ll ever have.