These classic rice krispie treats aren’t healthy, but they also aren’t terrible for you. Plus, they taste infinitely better than the store bought version because making them at home allows you to completely control the flavor without any added preservatives. These come together in minutes and are super addicting, which makes them the perfect treat to make with kids or to take to nearly any event. Trust me, they’ll be gone instantly!
I have a few tricks that make these classic rice krispie treats really special. First, I use high quality salted butter. Second, I add a big pinch of kosher salt (both salty elements help balance out the sweetness). Third, I brown the butter. This makes them take a bit longer, but they still come together in minutes and it is totally worth the few minutes of extra time.
Classic Rice Krispie Treats:
- 1 stick of salted butter (8 tablespoons)
- About 5 cups of rice krispies or whatever puffed rice cereal you have (I used the Trader Joes version)
- 1 10oz bag of mini marshmallows
- Pinch of kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Note that I usually just make this recipe by feel. The stick of butter and bag of marshmallows come premeasured, so those amounts always stay the same, but I tend to add about 5 cups of puffed rice cereal, mix, then assess to see if I need to add any more cereal to the mix.
Start with a large pot over medium heat. Add the butter and the kosher salt and let the butter melt, then get golden brown. Use a spatula or wooden spoon to mix the butter every so often so that it doesn’t burn. You want the butter to get to be a light caramel color. It will foam up, then the foam will begin to subside and you’ll notice that the butter is browning. This process will take about 5-10 minutes.
While the butter is browning, line a 9×13 inch baking dish with parchment paper and set aside.
Once the butter has browned, turn the heat to low, add in the marshmallows, and stir everything to combine. Mix with a spatula until the marshmallows are all melted and the butter and marshmallows are completely combined. Turn off the heat, add in the vanilla extract, and mix to combine.
Next, add in the rice krispies and mix everything so that it’s all evenly coated in the marshmallow mixture. If you feel like the mixture is too wet and there aren’t enough rice krispies, add in some more. You want to see mostly rice krispies but have the marshmallow mixture stretch when you pull off a bit of the mixture.
Once you get your desired consistency, transfer the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Grab another piece of parchment paper, place it on top of the rice krispie mixture, and then press down to form the rice krispie treats to the pan. The parchment paper will act as a barrier so the mixture doesn’t stick to your hands, and will allow you to compact the mixture in the pan. Really press down and be sure to compact the mixture as well as possible. This allows the rice krispie treats to stay formed when you cut them without them falling apart.
Once compacted, set aside and let cool completely for 30 minutes to one hour. If you’d like to add sprinkles, sprinkle the tops of the rice krispie treats with sprinkles prior to letting them cool. They can be made ahead of time. Just cover them and leave at room temp.
Slice into 24 squares and serve! These classic rice krispie treats are easy, delicious, and the perfect treat to make in a flash!