BEST Rice Krispie Treat Recipe

Small batch rice krispie treats are a fun and quick way to enjoy your favorite treat, without all the leftovers! You can make this batch on the stovetop in just 10 minutes, and enjoy all 4 treats made in muffin cups.

This Rice Krispies Treats Recipe is hard to stop eating!

Rice krispie treats are definitely one of those desserts that I just can’t stop eating.  Every time I walk by the pan, I cut myself another sliver.  Oh, you too?  Well, then let’s scale ’em down to make fewer servings! We’re going to use a muffin pan to make 4 little cups, but you can press this small batch of rice krispies into any small pan—a bread loaf pan, muffin pan, or even just roll them into balls.  You can drizzle them with chocolate, stir in peanut butter, whatever you wish!

Speaking of peanut butter, I have a similar recipe for peanut butter rice krispie treats made in a bread loaf pan. You can make both of these in the same day, and still have less than a standard full-size recipe for rice krispie treats! It makes my heart truly happy.

It’s a great way to use any leftover rice cereal in the box, too! I often have leftover cereal because sometimes, I make my baked breaded chicken strips with a portion of rice cereal because it makes things extra crispy! Try mixing half Panko bread crumbs and half rice krispies next time you want to make a crispy crust on protein.

These treats are a perfect portion for kids to tuck in their lunch, but I’ve also got a naturally sweetened rice krispies treats version for even younger kids, too.

Rice Krispie Treats ingredients

• butter: Any kind of butter here will do–salted or unsalted is fine. If you’re using unsalted, add a pinch of salt to the recipe–salt makes the flavor of sweet desserts really pop!
• marshmallows: I want you to use what you have in your pantry. If you’re using the large marshmallows (the ones that you use to make smores rice krispie treats, of course), use 10 of them, or 70 grams. If you’re using the mini marshmallows, use 1 1/4 cups (also 70 grams). I really like to do this recipe by weight, but also, you can measure marshmallows with your heart and add extras! You can also try stirring in extra mini marshmallows at the very end of the recipe (before putting them in cups) for a double-stuffed experience! Before you put the the mixture in the cups, it has cooled down enough that extra marshmallows stirred in won’t melt fully, and you’ll end up with bits of marshmallows throughout your treats–YUM.
• rice krispie cereal: You’ll need 1.5 cups of rice crispies cereal–measure this very well because too much cereal will make your treats dry after they set.

Best Rice Krispie Treat Recipe variations

1. Strawberry Rice Krispie Treats
2. Smores Rice Krispie Treats
3. Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats
4. Candy Corn Rice Krispie Treats
5. Naturally Sweetened Rice Krispie Treats
6. Chocolate Rice Krispie Treats
7. Pumpkin Rice Krispie Treats
8. Scotcheroos (a butterscotch rice krispie treat topped with chocolate)

How to make Rice Krispie Treats (step by step photos)

This recipe is so easy and doesn’t have many steps, but I’ll show you the steps below.

1. Spray 4 cups in a standard-size muffin pan with a bit of cooking spray to ensure the treats don’t stick.
2. Gather your ingredients: the butter, marshmallows and cereal.
   
3. In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the butter and marshmallows until they’re a sticky homogeneous mixture. Be careful not to let this mixture too hot, or the butter will start to cook off too much and the treats will be dry. Low heat is the best here.
4. Press the mixture into the 4 muffin cups and let sit for about 20 minutes to set up, if possible. We eat them gooey and warm in my house!
   

I know you’re going to ask, so I’ll answer the most asked question: can you double this recipe? Absolutely! Triple it even! I think the muffin size portions are so great for kids.

Watch how to make this Recipe for Rice Crispy Treats

How to store Homemade Rice Krispie Treats

Should you refrigerate homemade rice crispy treats?

Rice krispie treats do not need to be refrigerated because they contain so much sugar, which acts as a preservative. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week, but I doubt they will last that long!

Best Rice Krispie Treat Recipe FAQs

Why are my homemade rice crispy treats so hard?

If your final dessert is hard, it’s most likely because the mixture got too hot on the stove. If the butter mixture boils, the water evaporates from the butter and the sauce reduces, making less gooey mixture to coat the cereal. Try this next time: melt the butter over medium-low heat, and stir often. Remove the pan from the heat when you stir the cereal in so that it does not continue to cook. Low and slow is the name of the game when it comes to this recipe!

How do you make rice crispy treats not fall apart?

If your final product is falling apart, it could be because you’re trying to cut when the dessert is too warm. Or, you may have added too many marshmallows. Place them in the fridge to firm up and try to slice again.

Why are my Rice Krispie Treats rubbery?

A rubbery of flimsy Rice Krispie treat is due to the addition of too much butter! The cereal is coated in more butter than marshmallow, making it soggy.

Why won’t my rice crispy treats harden?

If the treats are soft and falling apart, it. could be because you’re trying to cut them when they’re too warm. Let them cool to room temperature and try again. If they’re still not setting, the mixture did not contain enough cereal. Rice Krispies are soft and gooey in the pan, but quickly set up the baking dish. Follow the recipe below using the exact proportions for perfect results every time!

Can you use old marshmallows for rice crispy treats?

Old marshmallows are stale and lacking in moisture content. If you try to melt them, they will melt unevenly and become lumpy. I don’t recommend using them for a dessert. Try to soften them by placing them in a bag with a slice of fresh bread for a day or two before using them.

 Please, let us appreciate the gooey in the center. If it’s chilly where you are, you’ve got to try the pumpkin spice rice krispie treats version of this recipe! Or, if it’s warm and sunny, you’ve got to try my strawberry rice krispie treats recipe. 

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