22 Quick and Easy Recipes in 30 Minutes (or less) + 5 Chef Secrets To Make You A Better Cook!

Best Rice Krispie Treats

Tested & Perfected Recipes

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.

A few tweaks to the back-of-the-box recipe make these the best Rice Krispie Treats ever.

Pile of rice Krispie treats.

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.

“These really are the BEST rice crispy treats! Moist, delicious, and full of gooey marshmallow goodness!”

Laila

What You’ll Need To Make The Best Rice Krispie Treats

ingredients for rice krispies 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.

melting butter in pot.

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.

brown butter in pot.

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.

Sieve straining sediment over a bowl.

Add all but 2 cups of the marshmallows, the vanilla, and salt.

adding marshmallows, vanilla, and salt to the brown butter.

Place the pot over medium heat and stir the mixture with a wooden spoon until the marshmallows are completely melted.

melted marshmallow and brown butter mixture in pot.

Remove the pan from the heat and add the cereal.

adding cereal to the marshmallow mixture.

Using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, stir until evenly combined.

rice krispies mixed with marshmallow mixture.

Add the reserved 2 cups of marshmallows.

adding the reserved marshmallows.

Stir until they are softened and partially melted. Don’t overmix – you want pockets of goo.

rice krispie mixture with pockets of goo.

Transfer the mixture to a foil-lined 9×13-in baking dish.

rice krispie treat mixture in baking pan.

Using the butter wrappers, press into an even layer.

pressing rice krispie treat mixture into an even layer.

Let cool for at least an hour, then use the foil overhang to lift the treats onto a cutting board.

rice krispies treats on 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!

cutting rice krispies treats into squares.

Video Tutorial

Frequently Asked Questions

Can rice krispies treats be frozen?

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.

Can I add use different cereal in my Rice Krispies treats?

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.

Can I add mix-ins to these treats?

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.


Pile of rice Krispie treats.

You May Also Like

Best Rice Krispie Treats

A few tweaks to the back-of-the-box recipe make these the best Rice Krispie Treats ever.

Servings: 20 to 24 squares
Cook Time: 20 Minutes
Total Time: 20 Minutes, plus one hour to cool

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

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.)
  4. Off the heat, add the remaining marshmallows, vanilla, and salt.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. 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.
  9. 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

Powered by Edamam

  • 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.

See more recipes:

Comments

  • How many grams per serving?

    • Hi Nancy, I’ve never weighed them so, unfortunately, I don’t know – I’m sorry!

    • Oh my goodness! So so insanely good! Love the brown butter flavor. Thanks for a yummy recipe with easy instructions!

      • — DeeDee Hurd on April 14, 2022
      • Reply
  • These are absolute perfection. They are my go to for parties and events. People always rave about them.

  • Omg! You were not exaggerating! THE BEST EVER! I’m 63 years old… old enough to say I’ve tasted more than my fair share of Krispie Treats! Oh, why couldn’t I have found these 40 years ago!! Oh, that’s right… you were probably not allowed to use the stove yet since you were a mere wee one!! Delicious, Jenn! Taking them over to my 10 year old granddaughter tomorrow to celebrate the adoption of a new puppy!

  • May I ask are these crunchy/ crispy or soft? Also when cutting witha serrated edge knife, do I slice it or saw it? I am sure you know what I mean…I hope? Thanks

    • Hi Tracy, I’d describe them as soft yet chewy (with a tiny bit of crunch from the cereal). And yes, you’ll use a bit of a sawing motion when cutting them. Hope you enjoy!

  • All this time I’ve been indifferent to Rice Krispies but decided to make them as a fun activity to do with the kids. I decided to use your recipe and I was so astonished at how incredibly delicious these are. The brown butter addition is a game changer. Needless to say, I pretty much devoured the entire batch myself, despite it being for the kids! I am now a Rice Krispie convert. Thank you for sharing it – I can not recommend this recipe highly enough!

  • Oh my word!!! These are sooooo delicious. The small “tweaks” make a huge difference. The brown butter, salt, and vanilla make for an amazing chewy little taste of heaven. Do not bother making any other Rice Krispies treats. Thank you, Jenn.

  • This is a fantastic recipe!! My family loves it! The rice krispy treats aren’t as sickenly sweet as store bought, and they have a wonderful buttery taste.

  • In my opinion these are indeed THE BEST. I’ve been making the regular ones for many, many years but for my grandson’s birthday decided to give these a shot. So much nicer. And you get bigger squares!! They mixed up easier and are just wonderful. This will be THE recipe for me from now on. BUT I might still try the one with the Golden Grahams and see what we think of those. Really appreciate you giving us this great recipe!

  • They’re a bit plain ….😓

  • Hi!
    Excited to try, but have novice question…. I only have one bag of large marshmallows, is that the same as one bag of mini marshmallows? Obviously can’t use it for the mix in, but want to make with what I’ve got on hand.

    Thanks!!

    • Hi Jackie, I’ve never tried this with big marshmallows, but I suspect you could use them if you cut them in quarters before starting the recipe. (Keep in mind that they may take slightly longer to melt.) And not sure how many ounces your bag contains but you’ll need a total of 20 ounces of marshmallows for the recipe. Hope that helps and that you enjoy!

    • Jackie i only had 1 bag of marshmallows too but i needed to Use them up and i know anything Jenn makes is awesome so i halfed the recipe and they are awesome- the browned butter and vanilla is a game changer! I am definite they would be even better done with the mini ones and the extra ones mixed in at the end. I’ll be making it again the “right” way next time! 😊.

  • It’s true. This is the best ever recipe. I had no idea rice krispies squares could be this good – huge hit with my friends and family, now my new favourite treat!!

  • Probably a stupid question but is it ok to double this recipe ?

    Thanks!

    • Not a stupid question! Sure you can double them (I’d bake them in two separate 9 x 13-inch pans.) Hope you enjoy!

  • We love this recipe and just tried it today. Flavor is perfect and it’s perfectly gooey. Very easy to make, and I’m no cook. We love Noodle CO’s rice Krispy treats and all agreed these are way better! We did a half batch since it’s just a 3-person household right now. Worked out great!

  • I just finished eating my second square of these incredible rice krispie treats. So delicious and easy to make. The directions made preparation a snap and the gooey deliciousness is the best I’ve ever had. I can’t wait till these times are over so I can make them for friends and family. For now, I’ll just have to eat them all myself!

  • Turned out great!! I stopped making these treats years ago because they were never sweet or chewy enough. This recipe finally changed my mind and my family and friend’s minds about homemade rice treats. I used different cereals and it also worked out well too!

  • This recipe is phenomenal. The brown butter gives them so much flavor, and the pockets of gooey marshmallows make them truly irresistible. This is a favorite in my household. And the fact that they freeze well is of course an added bonus. I’ve only ever been able to freeze a couple treats because they’re all gone so quickly!

  • I will eat this entire tray. These are the best marshmallow treats I’ve ever had. Thank you so much for this recipe!!

  • This is a very good rice Krispie treat recipe. I love the whole marshmallows added at the end. I also added 3 TBSP white miso to the butter/marshmallow mix and it was SO good!

  • This recipe is great! I only had a 7 oz bag of marshmallows so adjusted the recipe accordingly. I did add about a cup extra of Rice Krispies. Also do NOT skip the salt! Makes this sweet treat even better!

  • These are the BEST rice krispie treats I have ever made!!! It was so delicious. My whole family enjoyed this dessert.

  • Used this recipe today, not kidding, awesome! Love the brown the butter trick.

  • So delicious! Made for my husband the Rice Krispie connoisseur.

  • I saw this recipe and didn’t have any idea what the whole “brown butter” hoopla was all about. However, I jumped in and followed the recipe exactly and carefully monitored the changes in the butter color and consistency. After I poured the finished mixture into the dish and licked the spoon, I finally understood brown butter. As my daughter would say, “OMG”. It was like a religious experience.

    But I didn’t stop there. To make this already excellent recipe even more decadent, I decided to add a topping. I combined 1 cup of Nutella, 1.5 cups of chocolate chips and 1 tbl of vegetable oil. I melted these together in the microwave using 30 second bursts and mixing at each interval. After about 3 rounds, the mixture was silky smooth. I spooned it over the rice krispie treats and then popped in refrigerator to set to 30 minutes. Then cut them into squares and put into individual cupcake cups so my daughter could take them to work. Received phenomenal reviews from everyone.

  • Hi Jenn,
    Love you, Love your recipes! My grandchildren love these – sometimes I add a chocolate drizzle – yum. Now I send them to my granddaughter in college. I always make 2-3 batches because all the other kids love them too. Every time I send a “care” package, this is always on her wish list. What a WINNER! Thanks –

  • I love this recipe and when anyone asks for a rice krispie recipe, this is the one I share. It’s perfect as is. To smooth out the top, I layer either parchment paper or plastic wrap, and then roll whatever canned food I have over it.

  • Once Upon AMAZING Rice Krispie treats ever! Making more than once a week! Thank you!

  • These are the Best ever!!
    I have made these the last couple years for each of my kids birthday treat to take to school. They request them every year. I grew up never liking Rice Krispie treats because they were always hard. This recipe has a wonderful buttery taste and they are always soft! I will never try another Rice Krispie treat recipe again.

  • Literally THE BEST rice krispie treat recipe anywhere. My kids are already big krispie treats lovers and when I made these I had to make two batches the same week because we were addicted. Now any special occassion or holiday comes around this is what they ask for. The browning of the butter makes ALL the difference. This is the perfect way to take a classic treat to the next level and really impress your friends and family!

  • These are the best I have ever had and tried. I made them for a work bake sale and received so many compliments. For the holiday season I added a drizzle of white chocolate and some Christmas sprinkles. So good. I need to make more for family and friends. Thank you

  • These really are the best rice krispies treats!! Everyone I serve them to, raves about them!

  • I’ve made these twice, and they’ve been amazing both times!

    • These are stupid good. I made a pan for dessert, and have already eaten a row before dinner. 🤦

      • LOL – glad you like them! 🙂

  • I love these! They are perfect and I always get compliments when I take them to a get together! If you throw away the butter wrapper, you can also flip the marshmallow bag inside out, place your hand in it, and press it into the pan 🙂

    • — Victoria Robertson
    • Reply
  • Thanks Jennifer for this tried, tested and true recipe! I absolutely love the browned butter, and the marshmallow-to-butter-to-cereal ratio is bang on!! 🙂

  • WOW! I have a 3.5 year old so we have had our fair share of Rice Krispies in our lifetime. These are hands down the absolute best recipe. The vanilla, dash of salt and browning the butter really take these to the next level! I don’t think I’ll ever go back to the back of the box recipe! 15/10!!

  • The browned butter makes all the difference! I added 1 extra tsp butter and rainbow sprinkles for a pop of color, and pressed them into muffin cups for a kid’s birthday party.

  • Made these earlier today and my husband says they are the best ever! I believe the browned butter makes all the difference, as well as reserving some mallows and adding them at the end! Love all your recipes!

  • I made these for a July 4th pool party. They were easy to make and were a total hit at the party. I sprinkled some red, white and blue sprinkles over them for a festive touch. Thanks for this tweak of an old standby.

  • This is an outstanding recipe! I have had other good rice krispy treats before, but this recipe is as good or better than any of them. The directions are very clear and accurate and the preparation time is also as represented. I have now served them at numerous events and everyone loves them!

    • — Kathy in California
    • Reply
  • I have made this recipe countless times as written. It’s fantastic and I always get lots of compliments. But yesterday I finally got to try something that I’ve wanting to do for a while: half Rice Krispies and half Fruity Pebbles. My goodness. It was marvelous. Make it either way and it will be addictive.

  • I couldn’t get a picture because these bars disappeared so quickly. They had more substantial buttery, caramel flavor than other Rice Krispie treats!

  • OMG, the title says it all – these are the best rice krispie treats ever! My husband watched me browning the butter and was intrigued. After watching me assemble them and tasting later he declared the brown butter and extra marshmallows the secret to the “pockets of fluff”. I served them to visiting family and they raved about them, too! Another winner, Jenn.

  • This recipe is amazing! These are elevated rice krispy treats. Your instructions to brown the butter were so helpful. I’d never done it before this recipe. Browning butter is my happy place. The smell is heaven! My family, friends and co-workers have all enjoyed this recipe many times. Thanks so much for posting this recipe!

  • I’ve made this recipe twice so far and it’s been a big hit in my house. My sister loved it – only my mom said there were too many marshmallows. I quartered the recipe. However, the first time I made these treats, I think I browned the butter too much. But I definitely recommend this recipe.

  • My family (adults!) loves the Chewy, Gooey recipe with the secret ingredient. Now a staple.

    • — Maryann Guevara
    • Reply
  • I absolutely love this recipe… have used it several times since I first saw it on your website. It is so much better than the original recipe on the Rice Krispies box. The problem is that when I make a batch, I can’t stop eating them!

    Also love all your other recipes. I signed up a number of years ago to get them by email. Haven’t found a single one I didn’t like. Your website is the first place I go to when I need something to make for guests and want to be sure it will be great. The details and pictures you include also help me to be successful.

    Thanks for always being there for me!

  • I have made these many times over, and they are fantastic. I love the addition of salt and vanilla, and browning the butter is the clincher. People always ask, “what’s in here??”. A tip for browning the butter is to use a pan with a light colored bottom so you can see the stages the butter goes through, and pull the pan away from the heat at just the right moment. In my opinion, using a wooden spoon to constantly stir the marshmallows while they melt seems to help.
    After reading some of the negative reviews, I was left to wonder about the expectations of some people. I think “treat” in the name says quite a bit. That’s what they are, a sugary, gooey, delicious treat, not a main course. If you want a salad, then eat one but don’t criticize a dessert food for butter, sugar etc. By following the directions, and studying the pictures for just a minute, these are fool-proof!

  • Sadly, there are no Rice Krispies available over here anymore… 🙁 And I don’t want to spend $8 (for a seriously small box!) and have them shipped via Amazon, that seems a little over the top.
    So my choices are:
    Chocolate Krispies
    some grain shaped cereals made from oats
    plain puffed rice

    Any suggestions what to use for best results?

    Thanks,
    Anna

    • Hi Anna, I think you’ll get the most predictable results with the Chocolate Krispies. The other options may work, but the texture will be different. Please let me know what you end up using! 🙂

      • So, I made half a batch using Chocolate Krispies and half a batch using puffed rice. Because the puffed rice has no added sugar I melted some more Marshmallows to have a comparable sugar content.
        The Chocolate Krispies batch looked weird, but tasted great, I especially liked the “crunch”.
        The puffed rice batch was a lot higher (I used the same pan), and tasted great. But it missed the “crunch” and although the taste was really good, it was too chewy for my taste.
        Next time I’ll try whether other manufacturers have something more similar to Rice Krispies than the puffed rice.
        But Chocolate Krispies were the better substitute. If I have to keep using the Chocolate Krispies I might try adding some peanut butter…. 🙂

      • Jenn, Rice Krispie Treats (named brand) are NOT gluten free. They did have a GF version at one time but are no longer in production. I have a cottage food business and going to incorporate these into my line up. They are amazing and have added a couple small changes. I did find gluten free crispie cereal at my local Winco. It is their store brand. Thanks again for making a difference in the original dry crispie treats!

        • So glad you like these enough to incorporate them into your line up! (And regarding them being gluten-free, I know that not all brands of rice cereal are gluten-free, but put them in the gluten-free adaptable category because they are available in gluten-free versions. (I have a disclaimer at the bottom of all the gluten-free adaptable recipes indicating that.) Hope that clarifies! 🙂

  • I love you!!!

    Great recipe. Really good detail on adding the reserve marshmallows. This is the only thing I can make that actually turns out really good.

    Thank You

  • These rice krispy treats are perfection. I love the brown butter! Thank you for another five star recipe!

  • Other than to use it to pull it out of the pan, is there a reason to use the foil lining in the pan as long as you butter it? Could you use parchment?

    • Hi Beth, sure, parchment will work here too. Hope you enjoy!

Add a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.