This is the best Rice Krispie Treats recipe for good reason—they’re ooey-gooey, buttery, and loaded with lots of marshmallowy goodness! They take less than 20 minutes to whip up, with a minimum of 1 hour to set, then it’s time to eat!
I know that just about everyone says their rice krispie treats are the best, but guys—these really, truly are the best—no joke! My family, my husband, his co-workers, and our neighbors can all attest to how good these really are!
Table of Contents
Ingredients
The ingredients below are used to make these easy rice krispie treats. Items noted in the bulleted list are key ingredients that need a bit more explanation.
- Unsalted Butter. Unsalted butter is preferred, but if you only have salted butter on hand, omit the salt.
- Vanilla Extract. You can also use vanilla extract paste. And on occasion, I’ve also added 1/4 teaspoon of almond extract, but this is optional.
- Mini Marshmallows. This probably goes without saying, but make sure the bags of mini marshmallows you use are fresh. Stale mini marshmallows won’t melt as well. You can tell if the mini marshmallows are stale if their exterior feels thick and dry. Mini marshmallows are preferred over the large marshmallows.
- Rice Krispies Cereal. I’ve used both name-brand Rice Krispies cereal and generic—both are fine! I usually like to get whatever is on sale at my grocery store that week.
Recommended Tools
These are the tools I swear by whenever I make my rice krispie treats recipe!
- 9″ x 13″ Rectangular Baking Pan. I have a few rectangular baking pans, but my favorite one to use is my Nordic Ware pan. It’s inexpensive, durable, and comes with a lid (which also doubles as a small cookie sheet if needed), and I love the vintage look to it.
- Aluminum Foil / Parchment Paper/ or Wax Paper. Lately, I have preferred placing overlapping sheets of aluminum foil inside my 9″ x 13″ pan when making this recipe, but you can also line the pan with parchment paper or wax paper. Whatever you decide to use, it will help later when removing them from the pan to cut the rice krispie treats into squares.
- Large-size Pot or Sauce Pan. You’ll need something that will be able to hold a good amount of rice krispies cereal!
- Wooden Spoon. Using a wooden spoon is just my preference when mixing all of the ingredients together. If you don’t have one, it’s totally okay!
- Spatula. After I’ve mixed everything together and scooped it into the foil-lined rectangular pan, I like to use a spatula to press the rice krispie treats mixture down and level everything out. Be sure to read my quick tips below for how to avoid getting the mixture stuck to the spatula.
Helpful Tips
This list of how to make the best rice krispie treats is a short one, but they really help!
- After placing aluminum foil, parchment paper, or wax paper along the inside of the pan, lightly spray the inside with baking spray. You don’t have to go crazy; you want enough to allow the aluminum foil to come off easier later, after you’ve lifted the rice krispies from the pan. You can also use non-stick aluminum foil!
- To prevent the mixture from sticking to the bottom of the spatula you use while pressing the mixture down into the rectangular pan, spray the bottom of it with a little flour-based baking spray. Using the spray keeps all that ooey-gooeyness in the pan, rather than all over your spatula. If you don’t have any baking spray, rubbing some butter along the bottom of the spatula will work too.
- Let the rice krispie treats sit at room temperature for a minimum of one hour before removing them from the pan to cut them into squares.
- Store the rice krispie treats in an airtight container after making them. They’ll last a few days sitting out at room temperature. I don’t recommend refrigerating or freezing them because they’ll get rock-hard.
Alternative Holiday Version
You can swap out the original Rice Krispies cereal for any of their holiday-themed versions to make this recipe, like their 4th of July red, white, and blue cereal! Don’t forget to add the extra mini marshmallows!
More Easy Dessert Recipes to Enjoy!
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Perfect Rice Krispie Treats
This is the BEST Rice Krispie Treats recipe you will ever need! They are ooey-gooey with just the right amount of butter and loaded with lots of marshmallowy goodness! They take less than 20 minutes to whip up, with a minimum of 1 hour to set, then it's time to eat!
Ingredients
- 8 tbsp Unsalted Butter, melted
- 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1/8 tsp Salt
- 21 oz Mini Marshmallows (2, 10.5 oz bags), divided (1 1/2 bags for the initial mixture, the remaining 1/2 bag for the end)
- 9 cups Rice Krispies Cereal
Instructions
- Line a 9" x 13" baking pan with aluminum foil, then butter or spray the inside with a little baking spray. Set aside.
- In a large-size pot, melt the unsalted butter over medium heat. Stir in the vanilla extract and salt. Note: 1/8 tsp salt = a pinch of salt.8 tbsp Unsalted Butter, 2 tsp Vanilla Extract, 1/8 tsp Salt
- Reduce the heat and stir in 1 1/2 bags (15.75 oz.) of mini marshmallows until completely melted.21 oz Mini Marshmallows (2, 10.5 oz bags)
- Remove from heat and add in the rice krispies cereal, stirring until the mixture is fully combined.9 cups Rice Krispies Cereal
- Add in the remaining 1/2 bag of mini marshmallows and stir until they’ve been evenly distributed through out the mixture. Do not continue to stir these until they’ve full melted. You want to have the mini marshmallows showing in the rice krispie treats after cutting them into squares.
- Scoop the rice krispie treats mixture into the aluminum foil-lined and buttered pan and, using a spatula (see tip for this above in main blog post!), press down on the mixture and smooth out until level and all the corners have been filled in.
- Allow the rice krispie treats to set for a minimum of 1 hour before removing them with the foil from the pan and cutting them into squares.
- Keep them stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. You can also individually wrap them in plastic wrap if giving out to friends.
Video
Notes
- For a more buttery taste, reduce the number of rice krispies to 7 1/2 – 8 cups.
- After placing the aluminum foil, parchment paper, or wax paper along the inside of the pan, you can lightly spray the inside with some baking spray. You don’t have to go crazy, you just want enough that it will allow the aluminum foil to come off easier later after you’ve lifted the rice krispie treats from the pan. You can also use a non-stick aluminum foil.
- To keep the mixture from sticking to the bottom of the spatula you use while pressing the mixture down into the rectangular pan, spray the bottom of it with a little flour-based baking spray. Using the spray keeps all that ooey-gooeyness in the pan and not all over your spatula. If you don’t have any baking spray, rubbing some butter along the bottom of the spatula will work too.
- Let the rice krispie treats sit at room temperature for a minimum of one hour before removing them from the pan to cut them into squares.
- Keep the rice krispie treats stored in an airtight container after making them. They’ll last a few days sitting out at room temperature. I don’t recommend refrigerating or freezing them because they’ll get rock hard.
Nutrition
Calories: 153kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 88mg | Potassium: 16mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 815IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 2mg | Iron: 3mg
Nutritional information provided above is an estimate only and will vary based on specific ingredients used. See Nutritional Disclaimer for more info.
Like this recipe? Leave a comment below!
These are worthy of being called “The Best”! My go-to Rice Krispies Treat recipe now. Love the vanilla and salt and extra butter. Plus they are a chunky size which is so yummy. I shared them with my coworkers and they are a huge hit!
Thank you, Emily!🥰
These look like all my childhood dreams realized. Also, yes to the tip about stale marshmallows! I have been down that road more than once!
Aw thanks Jo! ❤️