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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Best recipe ever! The brown butter really adds a great dimension.
At Eastertime shape these rice krispy treats into “nests” and put mini chocolate eggs into the nests. We are making 100 of them for a church take-out meal kit.
The browned butter is a total game changer! We have made these several times and they are always amazing! Thank you for an outstanding recipe!
It was almost dry not gooey enough. Maybe something I did? Maybe it was the butter, idk.
These are marshmellowy deliciousness – your few tweaks make this the Best Rice Krispie Square recipe out there! Thank you!
Absolutely the BEST EVER! ❤️ Thank you!!
These really are THE BEST EVER! I’ve made these the past two weekends. 🙂 Another keeper, Jen!
Once you make these you’ll never go back to the original recipe. No one can wait an hour for me to cut them, by the time I go back to the kitchen they have decreased in size and continue to do so for the rest of the day then magically gone! Delicious and disappearing rice krispie treats, you won’t be disappointed! For those who are gluten free, Wegman’s Store Brand Crispy Rice Cereal doesn’t have the “malt flavor” that the name brand Rice Krispies does, if you’re interested.
Made these rice krispy treats and the family loves them. Best tasting rice krispy treat I’ve ever ate.
Wow, just wow! These are amazing! It is easy to overmix these at the end, but be careful not to. Like Jenn said, the pockets of goo are delicious! I also spray my wooden spoon with nonstick cooking when stirring the rice Krispies into the marshmallow to keep them from sticking to the spoon too much. So delicious!
Love these! Will be my go-to recipe for these. Yum! I wasn’t being to careful when browning the butter so did end up with tiny dark specks but it didn’t really matter.
Can I use salted butter?
Sure, Jess – just omit the salt.
I have made these several times now and they taste just like the Starbucks Dream Bars. Another great recipe. Thank you
I made these for my Garden Club meeting and they were a hit. Definitely a sweet treat that everyone loved!
These are the best treats! I was worried I wouldn’t be able to brown the butter correctly, as I don’t have a light bottomed, large pan, but I trusted my nose, and as soon as the butter emitted a nutty aroma, I removed the pan from the heat. The treats came together easily and quickly, and they are the gooiest. I was never a big fan of RKT, but these are addictive.
Truly the “best” rice Kristy recipe. The “brown” butter adds extra flavor, and adding some of the marshmallows at the end results in some extra gooey marshmallow spots throughout. Yummy!
This is the first Once Upon a Chef recipe I encountered and have gone back and tried so many more. These Rice Krispie Treats are so delicious, I would never go back to the original box recipe. They’re so buttery and with the pockets of marshmallow throughout, they’re sooooo good! I love them as has everyone I have made them for, which is a lot of people! People are always so surprised about how much better than the old original recipe they are!
These really are the best rice krispy treats, and my daughter can attest to that because she eats them up right away! I love the addition of the kosher salt and vanilla. YUM
These really are the “Best Ever”! I make these regularly, and the few simple steps of browning the butter and adding unmelted marshmallows make all the difference.
This has become my go-to dessert recipe when we have guests or when we’re guests at someone else’s home. People ask me for the recipe every. damn. time. Personally, I keep the brown bits in since I like the flavor. Be sure to have all of your ingredients measured ahead of time because those marshmallows need to be stirred continuously. The “wow” ingredient here is the salt – I’ve made it with kosher salt and sea salt and hands down, the sea salt makes a HUGE difference and takes this recipe to another level.
These truly ARE the best ever.
I made these for dessert for some friends about a year ago. They literally still talk about them. 🙂 I have made them several times since anytime we have friends coming over and I don’t feel like cooking something more time consuming.
Tasty treats! Love the extra marshmallows. Easy to follow recipe , the hardest art is waiting for them to set up so you can eat them! Vanilla was a tasty addition. Helped with flavor a lot.
These are easily the best Krispie Squares I’ve ever had. The additional marshmallows that you stir in at the end make all the difference. I have to be careful making them because I usually eat way too many. If you are tasked with bringing a snack to an event, I highly recommend these squares. They will be a huge hit.
Made these for my son’s Halloween party at school and they were such a hit! I really love homemade sweets but sometimes am overwhelmed by all the steps that are involved and I end up just buying the storebought version. This recipe was simple and not time-consuming. I love and appreciate knowing exactly what I’m feeding my family. I’ll be making this recipe for a long time!
These really are the best-ever. So worth the extra few minutes to brown the butter. Nearly ate the whole pan myself over 2 days.
This is THE BEST recipe ever!! I get rave reviews whenever I make this. I do make it my own by adding some ube flavor and my homemade ube halaya, it is amazing!! I do have leftovers since and what’s amazing is that the rice kripsy stays soft and chewy for days!! I’m shook!! I love this recipe!! Thank you so much!!
My go to recipe for kid’s picnics.. the adults always ask what is in them and why are they do good!? Salt and brown butter for the with! Not to mention the soft and gooey, half melted marshmellows. Makes to get the mini ones!
Not really understanding the reviews stating these didn’t turn out well. This was an AMAZING recipe and we all loved them!! Thank you!
I cannot believe what a difference these small changes make to this classic recipe. Delicious! I ‘ve made twice now and the hardest part is not eating the whole pan;)
These were truly the best!
This is our favorite recipe. The brown butter totally kicks up the taste.
I would like to make these and mail them to our son in another state. Will they last?
Hi Pam, these are best if eaten within about 2 days, so unless you’re overnighting them, I’m not sure they’re the best candidate. A couple options that I think would work nicely: any of my banana breads, Toffee Almond Sandies, any of my biscotti, and Scottish Shortbread. Hope that helps!
Oh yes, it stays soft and chewy for days. I sealed them in a cellophane bag and shipped them out with no complaints. 🙂
@onceuponachef
Substitute a portion of the butter for an equal portion of peanut butter. Yum!
Wonderful recipe! I used regular marshmallows for the main portion but then added strawberry marshmallows in the final step. They turned out pretty and delicious! Thx
Worst recipe ever.
Whatever you do, don’t ever brown the butter for rice crispies! Destroyed my entire batch this way.
Sorry that happened Paul. I’ve made these krispie treats at least four times in the last couple of years and everybody wants the recipe and I of course eat too much of them 😊. Browned butter adds an extra special taste to it …….a sort of a nutty taste.
Paul, I am sorry you were unable to successfully brown the butter. It is an art that’s not as easy as you’d think! It is the key skill to other recipes though, so perhaps a bit of resilience is in order here! Use a light colored pan so you can watch it. Start by not browning the butter, when it gets foamy and is still golden, pull the pan off the heat. You will still have a delicious result for your efforts. You can progress to browning it a batch at a time until you get the hang of it. Try on a day when you have woken up on the right side of the bed. It’s a great recipe actually. Some of my batches turn out better than others, but that’s on me, not the recipe! My teenage boys and their friends eat the entire batch every time I make them. I have a pine nut brittle recipe I get right about 30% of the time, so I feel your frustration here, but trust me…..try this once more! The salt and vanilla make these fantastic. When you brown the butter, even better. It’s not imperative though.
Sounds like you burned butter rather than browned..
I just made these and added a little brown sugar and sweetened condensed milk and they are SO good! (Next time I’m just going to add the brown sugar as they’re a little too sweet with both.) I don’t think I got the butter as browned as it needed to be because I didn’t think ahead and used a dark colored pot. Next time I’m going to use something light so I can see better. I can’t wait to drop some off at my friends’ house – I’m not going to tell them they’re made differently and see what they say. Thanks!
These are the best treats! I was worried I wouldn’t be able to brown the butter correctly, as I don’t have a light bottomed large pan, but I trusted my nose, and as soon as the butter emitted a nutty aroma, I removed the pan from the heat. The treats came together easily and quickly, and they are the gooiest. I was never a big fan of RKT, but these are addictive.
So, I’ve made these twice now and both my husband and dad think these are the best rice krispie treats they’ve ever had!
They are perfect.
Really great! I’ve always thought these could be better but I wasn’t sure how to fix the recipe. I’ll be making these for a welcome basket and I think the family will really enjoy them. My kids and husband ate the entire pan and said they were the best treats they had ever had.
Add a little condensed milk to it!
Best homemade Rice Krispy Treats I’ve had!
These were very good Krispie treats, but it was just too much butter for us. Made them again with the great add-ins of the salt, vanilla and the extra mini marshmallows (which make them awesome!) but only 4 T of butter. Much better for us. Still tasted great, but not so overwhelmingly rich. Added bonus of using less butter is I could eat more of them!
Hi Jenn. Would this recipe work with vegan marshmallows like the one you can find at Trader Joe’s? We can’t have gelatin so wanted to find out if the vegan ones would work.
Hi Ayesha, I’ve never used vegan marshmallows so I can’t say for sure – I’m sorry! If you do try it, please report back and let me know how it works out!
Made my first Cannabis Rice Krispie with the recipe. Fantastic, thanks!
AMAZING! These are truly the best way to make Rice Krispie Treats. When the adults keep coming back for more, you know it’s a keeper recipe. The tip about “pressing the mixture gently into the baking pan” is key!
This really is a great recipe. I’ve made it twice now and both times it turned out amazingly delicious. I don’t think I’ll ever use another rice krispie treat recipe again.
One thing that I should mention is that the foil is completely unnecessary, at least if you’re using a glass pan. I just buttered the pan itself and the treats cut and come out cleanly with no sticking at all. No need to waste a section of foil.
It’s definitely the best-ever rice krispie treats I’ve ever made, and I’ve followed a lot of recipes. My family agrees. Never browned the butter before, so would have to say that’s the secret to these best-ever treats. Having a dark Dutch oven and never having made brown butter before, I was winging it. Your instructions were perfect. Eventually the small bubbles came and kept increasing till it was almost a frothy foam. I noticed also that the white particles of the butter were breaking down during this time. Still didn’t see any sediment so just kept stirring and smelling. Eventually I started to see a yellowish coating on the bottom of the pan. Had to look hard though because that frothy foam made it hard to see sediment against the darkness of my pan. It was also beginning to smell sweeter which is what I thought you might mean by a nutty smell. I was patient and kept stirring until I started to see a little darkness on the edges. I took my pan off the heat quickly because was I afraid it might burn. Never was able to note the color change you talk about in your instructions (yellow to golden with brown sediment) due to the darkness of my pan, but definitely think I came very close to brown butter because of the changes I’ve mentioned. Thank you again for this delicious recipe. It’ll be my “go to” from here on.
i dont have unsalted butter will it make that much
of a difference?
Hi Debbie, Salted butter will work fine; just reduce the salt to 1/8 teaspoon. Enjoy!
Please pay extra attention to the rice cereal that’s used if you would like to maintain gluten free. Learned the hard way that the blue rice cereal box isn’t gluten free. The malt flavor in there has gluten in it.
Tried out the recipe, and my results are perfect. Best rice krispie treats I’ve ever had.
These turned out amazing! The extra marshmallows and cereal (8.5 cups is more than the box recipe) with a 9 x 13 pan results in thick treats. I expected them to be overly sweet and gooey and they were not at all. We added a chocolate topping, with melted semi-sweet chocolate chips (a few handfuls) mixed with 2 Hershey milk chocolate bars.
Best d@mn rice krispie treats, just as the name implies. In a pinch, the empty cereal bag can be used to press the mixture into the dish, if like me, you threw out the butter paper.
We’ve made this so many times for family functions and parties and special days in the last 2 years. We LOVE it. We can’t even eat others regular rice krispies anymore. Thanks for posting it. Best ever.
This was an amazing recipe! No wonder why this was is five stars.
Best krispy treats ever! Everyone loves them whenever I bring them. Thank you!
Uhhhh….yeah! These are fabulous! I was never in love with rice crispy treats, but my hubby just switched to a gluten free diet and I thought I’d give these a shot.
Totally worth it!