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A childhood favorite you never outgrow—this Rice Krispie Treat recipe gets a few simple upgrades for even more gooey, buttery goodness.
I’m always hesitant to say a recipe is the “best ever,” especially for a dessert like Rice Krispie Treats that everyone knows and loves. But once you’ve tinkered 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: I use more butter and brown it for a deeper, nuttier flavor, add extra marshmallows and fold some in at the end for gooey pockets throughout, and finish with vanilla and a little salt to balance the sweetness. The result is everything I want in a Rice Krispie treat: buttery, gooey, chewy, and crisp without being hard.
“These really are the BEST rice krispie treats! Moist, delicious, and full of gooey marshmallow goodness!”
What You’ll Need To Make Rice Krispie Treats
- Butter: Using more than the classic recipe makes the treats richer and softer, and browning it adds a deep, nutty flavor.
- Mini marshmallows: I use two bags and reserve some to fold in at the end, creating gooey pockets throughout the treats.
- Rice Krispies: The classic choice, though another crispy rice cereal will work, too. Make sure the cereal is fresh for the best crunch.
- Vanilla & salt: Vanilla rounds out the flavor, while salt balances all that sweetness and brings out the flavor of the browned butter.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
How To Make Rice Krispie Treats
Brown the butter: Melt the butter over medium heat and continue cooking until it turns golden brown and smells nutty. A light-colored pot makes it much easier to see the color change. Watch carefully toward the end—once the milk solids begin to brown, they can burn quickly.
Add the marshmallows: Stir in most of the marshmallows and cook just until completely melted, then remove the pot from the heat and stir in the vanilla and salt.
Add the cereal and reserved marshmallows: Fold in the Rice Krispies until evenly coated, then add the reserved marshmallows. They’ll soften slightly from the heat but won’t melt completely, leaving gooey pockets throughout the treats.
Press into the pan: Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and press it into an even layer without compacting it too firmly (the butter wrappers come in handy here). A light hand keeps the treats tender and chewy rather than dense and hard. Let cool completely before cutting into squares.
Cut into squares: Lift the treats out of the pan and transfer to a cutting board. Cut into squares and serve. You can store the treats in an airtight container at room temperature for several days days or freeze them for longer storage.
Video Tutorial
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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 (23 x 33-cm) pan with heavy duty aluminum foil and lightly grease with softened butter. Set aside 2 cups (110 g) 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.
Notes
Nutrition Information
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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Excellent and really easy! I add melted chocolate chips on top, wow ! Thanks!
Totally amazing! I may need to make another pan to take to work as this pan is going to disappear.
Would be a hit at bake sales and any party!
I have light butter in fridge…can I use it for this recipe Jen?
Thank you!
Rochelle
For the best results, I’d stick with regular butter – sorry!
These are the best rice Krisipie treats I’ve ever had!! I’ve made them twice in the past week. The only change I made is that I used a full tsp of vanilla and I also doubled the salt. The gobs of marshmallows not fully melted are amazing
These truly are the best ever rice krispies treats, great recipe. Made a second batch and added peanut butter chips and chocolate chips…OhMyGoodness, they were wonderful.
Game changing rice crispy treats!! Made them last night and I’ve eaten 4 already!! (I did cut them medium sized at least lol) my whole family loved them! I’ve never thought to use browned butter, oh so much flavor!! Thanks for a fantastic recipe!!
HOLY MOLY. These are LIFE-CHANGING delicious. They have such a depth of flavor that elevates something simple, and makes it extraordinary. I will never make Rice Krispies treats the same way again! 😍
Perfection. Delicious. Took to the office and they were devoured.
Followed recipe to the letter. I’ve made the Chewy, Gooey Golden Rice Krispies Treats from this site and be careful: I almost used 2 sticks of butter for this recipe. (uses 1.5 sticks)
Excellent treats.
I have never commented on a recipe before. I don’t enjoy making RK Treats because I can never get them to come out right. Too hard, too sticky, too dry. You name it – they never came out right. These came out perfectly. I only have one complaint . . . I can’t stop eating them. But that is more of my own problem.
The BEST rice krispies squares recipe!!!
Is it 1 1/2 or 2 cups butter? I printed the recipe out for my files last year and the recipe is different online now?
Hi Stacey, the recipe calls for 1.5 sticks (not cups). I think you may be confusing this recipe with the one for Golden Rice Krispies Treats as they call for 2 sticks of butter. Hope that clears things up! 🙂
Please remove “gluten free” from this. You are endangering those with gluten issues by saying it gluten free. Not all rice crispy (any cereal) and marshmallows are gluten free. Someone out there would not understand the “hidde gluten” and would make these to hand out to children declaring it as gluten free. In some cases, this can KILL a child for false advertisement .
Hi Vicky, Thanks for bringing that to my attention. Yes, I’m aware that not all rice cereals are gluten-free. I’m trying to determine how to navigate the gluten-free recipe category carefully since so many gluten-free recipes call for ingredients that aren’t necessarily gluten-free, but rather available in gluten-free versions. While I figure out the best way to go here, I’ve removed the gluten-free category from the index.
I have celiac disease and have made many many many of Jenn’s recipes. If you have celiac disease or care for someone who does, I’d think that the baker or cook is responsible for making sure that THAT particular rice cereal is gluten free. I found GF rice crispy at Aldi. Most marshmallow’s are gluten free – again, really not Jenn’s responsibility.
I’m not trying to be condescending, I’m just pointing out that if someone is making these – even if THEY don’t have celiac, but want to make it for someone who does, then you need to read labels. There’s also an app that I find to be very helpful – GF Scanner. Try it out!
The people who are REALLY responsible are the food companies and sometimes supermarkets. Some GF versions of regular products look almost identical. Go look at the Van’s Waffles in the grocery store. Even my husband picked up the wrong box.
Thanks Jenn for always thinking of us celiacs! xoxoxoxo
Gluten free mom- take it down a notch. I am also a mom to a child with a dangerous allergy. That is my responsibility as a mom to know what I should and should not feed my child- NOT the culinary professionals who share recipes for all people. Jenn, thanks for the recipe- it’s really wonderful!
Exactly Holly. I am Gluten Intolerant and I know what I can and cannot eat. I am making these and making modifications based on my needs. Chill out Gluten free Mom.
The Best recipe for Krispy treats ever!!