Looking for more easy to make cereal treats? Try my recipes for Puppy Chow, Cornflake Cookies and Sweet Chex Mix.
Rice Krispie Treats with the Best Ratios
Rice Krispie treats were first made back in 1939 by Malitta Jensen and Mildred Day at Kellogg’s company for a fundraiser. They’ve lasted for generations as such a popular treat here in the U.S. And for good reason. These are one of the easiest, quickest treats you can make and they only require 3 simple ingredients you make likely already have on hand. Plus they are inexpensive. Then of course there’s the fact that people of all ages love them. Sometimes if I don’t know what to bring to a party I just go with rice krispie treats and I rarely return home with any left. Rice Krispie treats were actually one of the very first things I learned how to make. And since then it’s probably a bit crazy how many times I’ve made them (definitely in the hundreds). My version (or I should say my Mom’s version, she taught me how to make these) uses the same ingredients as the classic, I just use different ratios. We are talking more marshmallows and more butter! It makes them deliciously sweet and chewy, and perfectly rich and buttery! Once you try them this way you’ll likely never look back! These addictive treats are just too good!
Rice Krispie Treat Recipe Ingredients
Only 3 basic ingredients needed to make these:
Rice Krispies cereal: A crucial ingredient to this recipe. While you can add other mix-ins the majority of this treat should be the cereal. Mini marshmallows: An equal weight of large marshmallows can be used as well, just keep in mind they’ll take longer to melt. Salted butter: I like to use salted butter to balance out all the sugar of the marshmallows (there’s almost 1 1/4 cups sugar in the marshmallows so without the proper amount of salt they’ll be way too sweet). If unsalted butter is all you have on hand then dissolve 1/4 tsp salt with the butter when melting.
The classic version uses 3 Tbsp butter, 1 (10 oz) package marshmallows, 6 cups rice krispies cereal. This recipe uses 1/2 cup butter, 1 (16 oz) package marshmallows and 7 cups rice krispies cereal.
How to Make Rice Krispie Treats
How long do Rice Krispies Treats keep?
Rice Krispies treats can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days.
Can they be frozen?
Yes Rice Krispie treats can be frozen. I just pulled some out of the freezer recently and they were delicious! To freeze them be sure to put layers of parchment paper between layers so they don’t get stuck together, wrap in parchment then store in an airtight container up to 6 weeks. Thaw completely at room temperature before enjoying.
Are Rice Krispie Treats gluten-free?
It will depend on the brand of ingredients you use. The classic Kellog’s Rice Krispies are not gluten-free (they contain malt flavoring which is derived from barley). But you can however find other crispy rice cereals that are, such as Nature’s Path. Butter and marshmallows are generally gluten-free but just be sure to check the labels.
Tips for the Best Rice Krispie Treats
Tip Regarding Sweetness
If you don’t like very sweet treats then you can up the rice krispie cereal amounts to 10 cups to stretch those sugars out.
Variations
Browned butter rice krispie treats: Brown the butter then remove pan from heat, add marshmallows and stir. Return to medium-low heat to help melt fully then stir in rice krispies cereal. Watermelon Rice Krispie Treats Pumpkin Rice Krispie Treats Christmas Tree Rice Krispie Treats Oreo Rice Krispie Treats Coconut Rice Krispie Treats Make them sweet and salty. Add crushed kettle chips and pretzels. Drizzle or spread a thin layer of melted chocolate over the top (if going this route use 10 cups rice krispies cereal so they aren’t overly sweet). Try them with peanut butter. The ratios are a bit different like this recipe here.
