Classic Chewy Rice Krispie Treats
Gooey, buttery marshmallow bars with a toasty brown butter note and a crisp-tender bite. Made in one pot in about 15 minutes of work, with a few small tricks that keep them soft instead of rock-hard.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 10 min
- Wait
- 45 min
- Total
- 1 hr 5 min
- Makes
- 16 bars (one 9×13-inch pan, cut into 2½-inch squares)
Steps
Before you start
- Measure all ingredients before you turn on the heat; the marshmallow mixture sets quickly once it cools.
- Use a fresh bag of marshmallows and a fresh box of cereal. Stale marshmallows are dry and stale cereal is chewy, both of which give hard or limp bars.
- Grease your spatula and the pan with butter or neutral oil so nothing sticks.
- Plan on about 45 minutes of cooling before cutting.
Prepare the pan
- Line a 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) pan with parchment, leaving an overhang on the two long sides, or skip the parchment.
- Rub the softened 1 tablespoon butter over the bottom and sides of the pan (and over the parchment).
- Rub a little onto your silicone spatula as well.
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Ready when: Every surface that will touch the mixture looks lightly shiny with butter.
Tip: Greasing the spatula is as important as greasing the pan; it keeps the mixture from clinging.
Measure the cereal
- Pour the 6 cups (170 g) cereal into a very large heatproof bowl, or leave it in the measuring container near the stove.
- Have the vanilla, salt and the second portion of marshmallows (about 2 oz / 56 g, roughly 1 cup) within arm's reach.
Brown the butter
- Melt the 6 tablespoons (85 g) butter in the large pot over medium-low heat, stirring often.
- Continue cooking for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring constantly, until it foams, then settles, and the milk solids on the bottom turn golden brown and smell nutty.
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Ready when: Butter smells toasty and nutty and specks on the bottom of the pot are amber-brown, not black.
Tip: Remove the pot from the heat right away if you see dark brown or smell anything acrid; burnt butter can't be fixed.
Melt the marshmallows
- Turn the heat to low.
- Add 8 oz (227 g, about 4½ cups) of the mini marshmallows and the salt.
- Stir slowly and constantly, scraping the bottom and corners, for 2 to 3 minutes until the marshmallows are about 90% melted with just a few small lumps.
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Ready when: The mixture is smooth, glossy and pourable, with only a few small unmelted bits.
Tip: Keep the heat low. Overheated marshmallow turns hard and candy-like once cooled.
Add the vanilla
- Remove the pot from the heat.
- Stir in the 1 teaspoon vanilla until evenly mixed, about 10 seconds.
- It will bubble slightly.
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Ready when: Mixture is completely smooth with no remaining lumps.
Tip: Adding vanilla off the heat preserves its flavor.
Fold in the cereal
- Immediately add all the cereal and fold with the greased spatula, scraping the bottom, for about 30 seconds, until every piece is coated.
- Add the remaining 2 oz (56 g, about 1 cup) marshmallows and fold just 3 or 4 more times so they stay mostly whole.
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Ready when: No dry cereal is visible and whole marshmallows are dotted through the mixture.
Tip: Work quickly; the mixture stiffens as it cools.
Press into the pan
- Scrape the mixture into the prepared pan.
- With a greased spatula or a piece of parchment or wax paper, press it gently into an even layer, reaching the corners.
- Use light pressure only.
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Ready when: The surface is level and about 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick, with the corners filled.
Tip: Pressing hard compacts the cereal and makes dense, tough bars.
Cool and set
- Let the pan stand uncovered at room temperature for 45 minutes, until the bars are fully set and no longer warm or sticky in the center.
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Ready when: The center feels firm and room temperature when lightly touched.
Tip: Don't refrigerate to speed this up; chilling makes the bars hard.
Cut and serve
- Lift the slab out using the parchment, or leave it in the pan.
- Using a large sharp knife lightly greased with butter, cut into 4 rows by 4 rows to make 16 squares, wiping the blade between cuts as needed.
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Ready when: Squares have clean sides and hold their shape when lifted.
Good to know
Tips
- Browning the butter adds a toffee-like depth, but regular melted butter works if you prefer the classic flavor.
- Stirring in a handful of marshmallows at the end gives pockets of extra gooeyness.
- Use 6 cups of cereal for soft, chewy bars; 7 cups gives a drier, crunchier bar.
- Work on low heat and don't overcook the marshmallows, the most common cause of hard bars.
Make ahead
Bars can be made up to 1 day ahead; once cut, store airtight at room temperature until serving.
Storage & reheating
Room temperature: layer between sheets of wax paper in an airtight container for up to 2 days (best texture). Refrigerator: not recommended, as it hardens them. Freezer: wrap individual bars in plastic wrap and freeze in a zip-top bag for up to 1 month; thaw at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes, or microwave a bar for 5 to 8 seconds to soften.
Substitutions
- mini marshmallows → One 7-ounce (198 g) jar of marshmallow creme plus 1 cup mini marshmallows. Gives a very soft, gooey bar; use the creme in place of the melted 8 oz portion.
- unsalted butter → Salted butter, omitting the added salt. Use the same amount and leave out the ¼ teaspoon salt.
- crispy rice cereal → Gluten-free crispy rice cereal. Same amount; check the label, since standard cereal contains malt.
- mini marshmallows → Large marshmallows, 10 oz (283 g). Melt slightly longer, and cut or tear the portion added at the end into small pieces.
