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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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!!
Made these with my daughter for the first time today, as a treat for the holidays. Absolutely fantastic. No troubles or problems with the amount of cereal and marshmallows. You do need to work quickly because the marshmallows get sticky fast (which is normal, has nothing to do with this particular recipe). Will definitely make these again. Yet another 5 star recipe from Jen! Thank you so much!
Best Ever Rice Krispie Treats!!!!! I’ve tried a few but yes these really are the best according to everyone from my 12 year old and her friends to my 47 year old brother, my 74 year old mother and everyone in between. I followed the recipe exactly after corresponding with Jenn the Chef as I contemplated using a smaller pan but I am glad I didn’t as the treats were perfectly sized. Her advice and ideas were much appreciated. This is the perfect recipe and Ms. Segal was very helpful.
I use these exact same ingredients in MY bars….but your recipe is a hundred times better! Thank you you!
These have ruined me for all other rice krispie treats for ever… So good!!!!!
Hi living in London I ran out of golden grahams so made this . How come despite the same amount of Rice Krispies and marshmallows you use less butter? I had a heck of a time mixing the Rice Krispies into the marshmallow mixture so I ended up using almost 2 cups less. Just curious
Hi Leeann, Sorry you had a problem with these! I’m honestly not sure why I used a different amount of butter here. (I developed the two recipes separately and have never had a problem with either one.)
Absolutely THE BEST!! I get so many compliments when I make these for parties. They always vanish too! Thanks for such an EASY, amazing recipe!
This recipe really is the best!!! My partner and I can’t believe how overwhelmingly gooey and delicious the result is. Thank you!
Worst recipe ever. It’s a complete disaster… Do not try
Wow, what a cranky guy you are! Most likely you are a 4 star keyboard general in stupidity and righteousness. The recipe contains, for most part, the exact ratio and the original. The miniature marshmallows at the end, vanilla extract are the only additions. All recipes can vary through techniques and skills applied. Both of which you have none.
Best ever!! This is the only recipe I use and it’s perfect as is.
These are the best rice krispie treats I have ever had! The brown butter and the golden grahams are the secret. These have become a much requested treat within our extended family.
I love this recipe. I add colored sprinkles to make my granddaughters unicorn rice bars. These are good treats
Hands down the best recipe ever!!!! I sent to my son at college. He was able to trade one small rice crispy treat for two mac and cheese bowls
I can bake almost anything. An elaborate wedding cake? No problem. A 24 layer Dobosh Torte with Swiss meringue buttercream? Can do! Candies, cookies, and more, I can do. But I, for some reason, have never been able to make a halfway decent rice krispie treat. (seriously, you could break your teeth on my earlier attempts.) . Until now. This really is the best recipe around!
Thank you for this recipe. It was a hit for my husband that has never tasted homemade rice krispies! The browned butter adds an extra layer of sophistication.
SoOOooOooo GOOOOD!!!! I haven’t been eating sugar for the past 2 months and decided this was this recipe to cheat with (and it was worth it). These have such a great depth of flavor, I will be making again for F&F 🙂 thanks for sharing!
These were super simple and came out great! I made then for the 4th or July and i went to the store to get the supplies and luckily got the last box of rice crispies!!!
I am an avid home baker. I like Rice Krispie Treats but never made them for anyone but family. I felt like they were a cheat, like store bought cookie dough. And then I made THESE! These are truly The Best Ever. I even tried tweaking them, adding more butter or more marshmallows. Went back to your recipe. I’ve taken them to work, to bake sale, parties… always get the same reaction, they look at them , take one, take a bite, then they get that look on their face! Joy! Thanks for a great recipe. Katrena-June 2018
I made two batches of these for an end of the school year party & they were a huge hit with the adults & children! The amount of browned butter plus addition of vanilla, salt & 2nd batch of marshmallows really amped the flavor without changing it so much they didn’t taste like Rice Krispie Treats anymore. A couple of people said I should sell them!
I made as written but did dip one end into melted white chocolate & sprinkles.
The title does not lie. The combo of the browned butter and vanilla is the kicker. I used more krispies–about 10 cups–cause I don’t like them too goopy. Thought they were perfect. So did everyone at the BBQ. The pan was practically licked clean.
Also used the mallow/butter base for s’mores treats (golden grahams + chocolate chips). All were devoured, with people making a point to tell me they were “seriously good.”
I did notice the marshmallows initially had a hard time mixing with the browned butter. I kept the heat on and vigorously mixed for maybe 4-5 mins and eventually it combined together.
I will be making these again and again. So happy I found this recipe.
I have been using this particular recipe for a few years now, and have it bookmarked on all my devices. I didn’t know much about browned butter before I began making my own RKTs, but now I am obsessed with brown butter blondies with white chocolate. Thank you for inspiring me to do more. You are a genius and it’s obvious you are an expert.
These are the best ever Rice Krispie bars! I was visiting family and they had this recipe to make for a sweet treat. They were easy to make and really are the best I have ever tasted! Thank you for sharing your recipe.
I absolutely love this recipe! I’m 15 and I love to bake, and I had no experience of browning butter, but your descriptions really helped! I nailed it on the first try! They taste really good and I was worried about having too much butter at first, but the cereal absorbed it. Adding the marshmallows at the very end was genius! I agree, it may be too buttery for some, but I like it!
So glad you enjoyed these, Cassie (and love that you’re 15 and know your way around the kitchen!) 🙂
I am a serious fan of RKTs. Wanted to start making my own because I am tired of spending $3 for one at Starbucks every time a craving hits! This was my first attempt (ever) at making RKT and I went with this recipe because of all the great reviews. While the browned butter, salt and vanilla additions are great, the sheer amount of butter used here is just entirely too rich. I had one and almost immediately felt sick. And I’m far from a lightweight (in both body mass and eating habits!) Proceed with caution here. I could cut the butter in half and I’m sure they’d still be great, and actually edible. Perhaps to each their own. But this was way too rich for my blood/stomach.
Thank you, thank you, thank you!! This was the first time I was able to make RKT without them turning into bricks! Amazing recipe, truly the best I’ve ever had! The only bad part is, I’m going to be gaining 10 lbs of marshmallow to my waistline! Also, beautiful pictures and step by step instructions, thank you!
This recipe is absolutely perfect! I never thought of adding mini marshmallows a after mixing in the cereal! This will be a go to for me! ❤️
This recipe is seriously incredible. It takes rice krispie treats to a whole new level. My daughters came home from college and that pan was gone in an hour. There’s simply no going back after trying these. To press it down, I just sprayed my hands with cooking spray pushed them firmly down. Waiting for them to cool down is the hardest part!
These are the BEST Rice Krispies recipe EVER!!! I would probably add a little extra marshmallows in the middle of process to add even more of the gooey texture.
Honestly thought how different could any Rice Krispie treat recipe be from any other. But this recipe is really great. The addition of the vanilla and pinch of salt makes all the difference in the world.
I made these for Valentine’s Day and they were absolutely delicious!! I followed the recipe exactly and everyone loved them. They were not too sweet at all… they were perfect!
These were way to sweet and could never feed these to my kids. Way to much marshmallows and butter. I had one and instantly felt sick. These reviews must be wrong.
I agree way too sweet.
Yes and way too much butter had to throw out the whole batch
Agree!! What a waste of ingredients. All the grease at the bottom and a glob of brown marshmallow. I’ve made RKT so many times and this was awful!! So frustrating also!!
Not wrong, just different taste preferences.
I agree. I really wanted to like these but the sheer volume of sugar and butter is just too much. The texture is also soggy and gross. Boo. I really wanted some Rice Crispie Treats tonight too. I bought Jens cookbook bc the recipes and reviews sounded so sensational and she seems like a really sweet lady, but the amount of salt and sugar in the recipes is off for my family by a lot in the four recipes off the website and the cookbook I’ve tried. I might try another recipe with half the recommended salt/sugar but it’s frustrating to have to mess with adding ingredients/double/triple the recipe to end up with something my family will eat.
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.