Homestyle Rice Krispie Treats with Kosher Marshmallows

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These homestyle rice krispie treats are a classic dessert that the whole family will love! They are sweet, chewy, and filled with gooey marshmallow goodness!

This easy dessert is made with simple ingredients like brown rice cereal, Kosher marshmallows, vanilla extract, and butter.

Close up on a gooey rice krispie treat square.

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Similar to traditional rice krispie treats this homestyle version is thick and chewy and filled with pockets of gooey marshmallows. This delicious kid-friendly treat is one that you will be making again and again! 

Homemade rice krispie treats aren’t complicated at all! This simple recipe is made with clean ingredients and it’s super easy to make with the entire process taking under a 1 hour! It’s a fun way to spend time with your kids in the kitchen making a delicious dessert! 

You can serve these tasty treats during the holidays, for special occasions, or whenever you are craving a sweet treat!! I love to eat them with a cup of tea as a fun work snack. 

Have fun adding sprinkles or chocolate chips, or drizzling them with melted chocolate for an even better no bake treat!

Why use Kosher marshmallows

The marshmallows are the star of the show here! My family and I don’t eat pork and most of the time the gelatin used to make marshmallows is pork gelatin. 

I always enjoy making homemade and organic versions of my favorite treats and using Kosher marshmallows is a great way to enjoy this classic treat! It’s made with fish gelatin and it tastes just like regular marshmallows. 

You can find them on the International Foods aisle at your local grocery store or simply use vegan marshmallows instead!

Of course, you can also use regular marshmallows if you like!

Homestyle Rice Krispie treats ingredients

Ingredients for homestyle rice krispie treats on a table.

The best part about this recipe is that’s made with just 5 ingredients in one pot! 

Rice krispies cereal – I used brown rice cereal because it’s organic and non-GMO but you can also use the name-brand rice krispie cereal if you like!

Kosher marshmallows – I used these large marshmallows. About 8 cups worth plus a few more to mix into the rice krispie mixture. You can also use regular marshmallows or vegan marshmallows.

Vanilla extract – use a high-quality vanilla extract to add a nice sweet vanilla flavor to your rice krispies treats. 

Salt – to balance out the sweetness of this recipe. 

Melted butter – unsalted and cooked with marshmallows to create a gooey marshmallow mixture. 

How to Make the Perfect Rice Krispie Treats

All ingredients, measurements, and instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Step one. Line a 9×13 baking dish with parchment paper or spray with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside. 

Step two. In a large saucepan or pot heat the butter on medium heat until it’s almost completely melted, then add in the marshmallows. 

Step three. Cook the marshmallows stirring constantly until they are almost completely melted but still chunky.

Close up on a melted marshmallows mixture.

Step four. Remove the pot from the heat, then add in the vanilla extract and salt. Stir until combined, then immediately add the rice krispie cereal to the melted marshmallow mixture. Stir to coat the cereal then add in a few more marshmallows. 

Overhead image of rice krispie treats in a baking pan.

Step five. Pour the cereal mixture into the prepared baking dish, gently spreading out the mixture as evenly as you can without pressing down too hard. Allow it to cool completely for 30 minutes – 1 hour before cutting. 

Step six. Cut the rice crispy treats into squares. Serve and enjoy!

Overhead image of cut rice krispie treats.

Variations

  • Dip the treats into melted milk chocolate or white chocolate
  • Mix chocolate chips into the cereal mixture. 
  • Stir in rainbow sprinkles or festive sprinkles.
  • Add a couple of drops of food coloring to the melted marshmallows mixture to add fun colors to this no bake treat. 
  • Dairy-free version – use vegan butter or margarine.
  • Instead of cutting the rice krispie treats into squares use a cookie cutter to make fun shapes with your kids. 

Recommended Tools

Parchment paper or nonstick cooking spray so the rice krispies mixture doesn’t stick to the pan.

Large saucepan or pot

9×13 baking dish

Side view of rice krispie treat squares.

Pro Tips

For best results have everything out and ready before your start. This process is easy but everything happens really quickly, so prepping all the ingredients beforehand it helpful!

Melt butter and marshmallows on medium-low heat. We don’t want the marshmallow mixture to burn or cook too fast and become too sticky. 

How To Store these gooey rice krispie squares

Store at room temperature for 3-4 days in an airtight container or inside the pan covered with plastic wrap.

Frequently Asked Questions  —

Why are my homemade rice krispie treats hard?

Your treats could be hard for a number of reasons. Your cereal or marshmallows might have been stale.

Or you pressed the rice krispie cereal mixture down too hard. The more it’s compacted the harder your treats will be.

Lastly, when storing the treats, they might have been exposed to the air. Properly storing them in an air-tight container can solve this problem!

Should you refrigerate rice krispie treats?

No, they should be stored at room temperature. The refrigerator will make them too hard and they’ll lose their gooeyness. 

How long do rice krispie treats remain fresh?

They will stay fresh for 3 – 4 days. After 5 or 6 days they will start to taste a little stale. 

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3/4 view of sliced rice krispie treats squares on parchment paper.

Homemade Rice Krispie Treats Recipe

Homemade Rice Krispie Treats are the best treat ever! I love how chewy, sweet, and full of marshmallow goodness they are! Crispy rice cereal paired with gooey marshmallows is so good! 
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Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 12 pieces
Author: Tonya | The Midwest Kitchen Blog

Ingredients

Instructions 

  • Line a 9x13 pan with parchment paper, so the rice krispie cereal mixture doesn’t stick to the pan. Set aside. 
  • In a large saucepan or pot melt the butter. When the butter is almost completely melted add in the marshmallows. Stir constantly for 5 - 7 minutes until the marshmallows are almost completely melted. There should be some marshmallow chunks.
  • Remove the pan from the heat then stir in the vanilla extract and salt. Immediately add in the rice krispie cereal and stir until the cereal is coated in the melted marshmallow mixture. Add ¼ cup more marshmallows to the mixture then pour it into the prepared baking pan.
  • Gently press down the mixture as evenly as you can then allow the rice krispie treats to cool completely before cutting. 30 minutes - 1 hour. 
  • Once cool, cut the rice krispie treats into squares and enjoy!

Notes

Store rice krispie treats in a airtight container or plastic bags for 3 - 4 days for peak freshness and flavor.

All nutrition information is automatically generated and should be only used as a rough estimate. This recipe card may contain affiliate links.

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