Rice Krispie Treats Recipe

When I was a kid I loved fresh Rice Krispie treats, all warm and marshmallow gooey. Now that I’m a grown-up at least on the outside I still love them, and love to make them with my kids.

 

Rice Krispie Treats Recipe - Cereal and MarshmallowsRice Krispie treats are really quick, really easy, and don’t use a lot of ingredients. If you keep butter, marshmallows and the cereal on hand you can whip them up at a moment’s notice.

You’ve probably noticed that today I’m using Crispy Rice cereal instead of bona fide Rice Krispies. That’s what we had here, but I really prefer Kellogg’s Rice Krispies. The off-brands never seem as “puffy” and crispy as Kellogg’s. I haven’t noticed any difference as far as marshmallows go, as long as they’re fresh. I wouldn’t advise using fruit-flavored ones though. Ewww!

 

Rice Krispie Treats Recipe - Pan & ButterFirst, butter a 9×13″ pan.

This is a great job for little helpers; they don’t mind getting their hands all buttery!

 

Rice Krispie Treats Recipe - Buttering the PanIf you’re making the Rice Krispie Treats yourself and don’t want buttery hands, just unwrap the stick of butter halfway and hold on to the paper.

Just one of the neat cooking tricks my mom taught me.

 

Rice Krispie Treats Recipe - MarshmallowsAfter buttering the pan I always measure out 4 cups of mini marshmallows or 40 large marshmallows and 6 cups of Rice Krispies before I start melting the marshmallows.

I learned this tip the hard way when I was younger. Once I waited until the butter was melted to measure the marshmallows and ended up scorching the butter, then waited until the marshmallows were all melted before measuring the cereal and ended up burning the marshmallows. That batch of Rice Krispie Treats ended up in the garbage.

 

Rice Krispie Treats Recipe - Melting ButterMelt 3 tablespoons of butter in a heavy pot, stirring so it doesn’t brown.

Little helpers can measure and cut the butter, then put it into the cold pot.

 

Rice Krispie Treats Recipe - Marshmallows in the PotWhen the butter is almost all the way melted, add 4 cups of fresh marshmallows save the stale ones for hot cocoa and stir, stir, stir!

Little helpers can pour in the marshmallows, but be VERY careful so they don’t touch the hot pot!

 

Rice Krispie Treats Recipe - Melted MarshmallowsWhen the marshmallows are almost all the way melted turn off the heat but don’t take the pot off the hot burner.

 

Rice Krispie Treats Recipe - Cereal in PotAdd the 6 cups of Rice Krispies – another step little helpers can do – with CAUTION – and fold into the marshmallow. I’ve found that folding in the cereal gives me better coverage than stirring in circles.

I don’t let my little helpers stir until they’re older because it’s too easy to touch the hot pot while moving the spoon around. I’ve done it myself more times than I want to admit.

 

Rice Krispie Treats Recipe - Mixture in PotWhile the marshmallow/cereal mixture is still warm, turn it out into your buttered pan. Now you’ll have to work fairly quickly, before it cools too much.

Because the mixture in the pan is so hot I distract my little helpers with the spoon, which usually cools quickly, and the pot when it’s cooled. Today I was cooking alone so I got them both all to myself – score!

 

Rice Krispie Treats Recipe - Butter on HandRub your hands across the butter to coat your fingers and keep the marshmallow from sticking to them. You DID wash your hands before beginning to cook, right?!

 

Rice Krispie Treats Recipe - Mixture LeveledThe marshmallow will still be hot, so carefully press down on the cereal mixture until it fills the pan and is fairly even. Re-butter your fingers as necessary along the way.

Another trick from my mom; she says the butter adds extra flavor to the Rice Krispie treats in addition to keeping them off your hands.

 

Rice Krispie Treats Recipe - Cut and Half GoneCut into pieces and you’re done!

Hey, where’d they all go??

 

Rice Krispie Treats Recipe - Peanut Eating OneAh-ha! NOW I know where they all went; Peanut LOVES Rice Krispie Treats.

 

When was the last time YOU made Rice Krispie Treats?

Amy Sue

5 Comments

  1. My daughter makes these all the time. For her 8th grade project, she wanted to be like Cake Boss and make very decorative fondant cakes. Turns out, lots of the shapes they sculpt are rice treats covered in fondant. She made flip flops, and it was the first time we ate sugar coated shoes!

  2. I made some sunday night! Although I don’t have kids of my own (yet), I still love to make them. Sometimes I’ll drag my 18 year old baby brother to help me make them like we used to as kids. I love to add vanilla to the butter after it melts or I’ll add cinnamon to the melted marshmallow.

  3. I love Rice Krispie and I usually like to taste it. This can be made more tasty by adding some chocolate powder. Different Flavors can be made by adding different fruit flavors.

    • I’ve heard of people using unsweetened Kool Aid packets to flavor Rice Krispie treats, and of course chocolate is always a good choice.

      Thanks for the comment!

      ~Amy Sue

  4. Pingback: Valentine Treats and Healthier Eats

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