5 Mistakes to Avoid When Making Rice Krispie Treats (2024)

Kelli Foster

Kelli FosterSenior Contributing Food Editor

Kelli is a Senior Contributing Food Editor for Kitchn. She's a graduate of the French Culinary Institute and author of the cookbooks, Plant-Based Buddha Bowls, The Probiotic Kitchen, Buddha Bowls, and Everyday Freekeh Meals. She lives in New Jersey.

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updated Aug 17, 2022

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5 Mistakes to Avoid When Making Rice Krispie Treats (1)

When it comes to no-bake desserts, it’s hard to find anything better than ultra gooey, marshmallowy rice krispie treats. They’re a classic. While they seem easy enough to make, there are a few missteps that can leave you with bars that are far from the soft and chewy treats you hoped for. Here are five common mistakes to avoid, plus our favorite tips for making the best rice krispie treats ever!

1. Don’t skimp on the marshmallows.

This is not an area to be stingy. The best way to think about rice krispie treats is the more marshmallows, the better. We’re also pretty sure there’s no such thing as too many marshmallows. Not using enough marshmallows yields boring treats that may fall apart easily.

Follow this tip: Use a minimum of 1 1/2 cups of marshmallows (that’s a little more than a standard size bag of large marshmallows). But don’t be afraid to use more! For extra marshmallowy treats use a 1:1 ratio of marshmallows and cereal.

2. Don’t use old marshmallows.

After marshmallows have been sitting around for a while, they start to dry out and the exterior gets firm. Most importantly, they don’t melt nearly as well. Instead of becoming soft and gooey, they melt into a one giant blob.

Follow this tip: Save the older marshmallows for hot cocoa and s’mores, and pick up a fresh bag of marshmallows to ensure a really great batch of rice krispie treats.

3. Don’t crank the heat on the stovetop too high.

We get it, you want to get these quick-to-make squares set as soon as possible so you can dig in. It’s tempting to turn up the heat to speed up melting the butter and marshmallows, but resist the urge. High heat is the prime culprit for rock hard rice krispie treats.

Follow this tip: It will take a few more minutes of cook time, but melt the butter and marshmallows over low heat. You’ll be rewarded with delicious, soft and chewy treats!

4. Don’t shy away from add-ins.

Sure, the standard original recipe is always a hit, but rice krispie treats are a blank canvas that are begging for your culinary creativity to run wild. Try testing these famous rice krispies treat recipes and see which one is your favorite.

Follow this tip: Don’t be afraid to broaden your horizons and try a new variation! Consider swapping your PSL for pumpkin spice rice krispie treats. Or, try adding anything from peanut butter, Nutella, malt balls, chocolate chips to crispy, crumbled bacon.

5. You have to eat them fast enough!

Ok, so this probably isn’t a big problem for many of you, but we just want to make sure none of these sweet treats are going to waste. After a few days rice krispie treats lose their freshness and begin to go from soft and gooey to stale, rock hard and inedible.

Follow this tip: Don’t let this happen to you. Rice krispie treats are best when eaten as soon as possible after being made, preferably within three days.

Try these rice krispies treats!

What are your best tips for making rice krispie treats?

5 Mistakes to Avoid When Making Rice Krispie Treats (2024)

FAQs

5 Mistakes to Avoid When Making Rice Krispie Treats? ›

If you melt the marshmallows too fast, it might result in a Rice Kripsy treat that is harder and crunchy than chewy. Take your time and let the butter and marshmallows melt slowly. Use an 8×8 or slightly smaller pan. Use a small and deep pan if you want thick and chewy rice Krispy treats.

What causes rice crispy treats to get hard? ›

If you melt the marshmallows too fast, it might result in a Rice Kripsy treat that is harder and crunchy than chewy. Take your time and let the butter and marshmallows melt slowly. Use an 8×8 or slightly smaller pan. Use a small and deep pan if you want thick and chewy rice Krispy treats.

What happens if you put too much butter in Rice Krispies Treats? ›

What happens if you put too much butter in Rice Krispies Treats? If you put too much butter in rice krispies treats they will become oily, the cereal will soak up the butter and the treats will become soggy, rather than crispy.

Why are my homemade Rice Krispies soggy? ›

Second, you may have used too much butter. The butter is there to add flavor depth and to coat the pan so the marshmallow/cereal mixture doesn't stick too much. We don't want too much or it won't mix properly and it can cause the cereal to become soggy. Why do my rice crispy treats get hard?

How to stop Rice Krispie Treats from getting hard? ›

Don't crank the heat on the stovetop too high.

High heat is the prime culprit for rock hard rice krispie treats. → Follow this tip: It will take a few more minutes of cook time, but melt the butter and marshmallows over low heat. You'll be rewarded with delicious, soft and chewy treats!

How do you keep Rice Krispie Treats from sticking to your hands? ›

Or use The Cookie Elf's favorite trick for pressing a sticky mixture into the pan: wet your fingers. Shake off excess moisture and then press the mixture into the pan. Wet fingers prevent extra mess!

Why did my Rice Krispie Treats fall apart? ›

An important factor in a rice krispie treat recipe is the ratio of marshmallow to cereal. Too much cereal and the squares will taste dry, crunchy, and bland. Too much marshmallow and the squares will be too sticky and fall apart.

Why are my rice crispy treats too sticky? ›

Butter: I use unsalted butter, then add salt later to control the sodium. It helps keep the crispy rice treats soft and less sticky. If using salted butter, omit the added salt.

How do you keep Rice Krispie Treats fresh longer? ›

If you want to store them for longer than two days, try freezing them. To Freeze: Allow these gooey Rice Krispie Treats to cool completely and cut them into squares. Freeze in an airtight container, or wrap each square in a piece of plastic wrap and place them in a gallon freezer bag. Freeze them for up to 3 months.

Is it cheaper to make or buy rice krispie treats? ›

It's Cheaper – The ingredients in this recipe cost me $5.01 and made 16.1 ounces of rice krispies, roughly 30 cents per ounce. I bought an 8-piece box at the store for $4.43 cents, with each piece weighing 0.78 ounces. That's about 70 cents per ounce.

How far in advance can you make rice crispy treats? ›

Allow to thaw at room temperature before serving. Make-ahead- I truly believe the best rice krispies are the ones fresh from the pan but if you want to make them in advance remember to make them no more than 3 days before you plan to serve them or freeze them right away.

Can you use stale cereal for rice krispie treats? ›

Recipe Notes

** Any brand is fine, but be sure the cereal you use is fresh. Stale cereal will make for stale-tasting Rice Crispy Treats. To make a half-batch of Rice Crispy Treats, simply divide all ingredients in half and use an 8×8-inch baking pan.

What is the best way to store 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!

Why do rice crispy treats give you a better pump? ›

Rice Krispies treats make for a suitable pre-workout snack due to their simple carbohydrate content. Carbs are the body's primary fuel source, so eating them before training can boost energy and performance.

What are the facts about Rice Krispies Treats? ›

Rice Krispies Treats were invented in 1939 by Kellogg Company employees Malitta Jensen and Mildred Day "in the Kellogg kitchens in Battle Creek, Michigan as a promotional vehicle for the cereal." Kellogg's began commercially to produce plain and chocolate-based treats under the trademark brand-names of "Rice Krispies ...

Why are my rice crispy treats not sticking together? ›

Why are my Rice Krispies Treats not sticking together? Usually, this means you have too much moisture in your recipe. This could be because the marshmallows were over-melted or because the brand of butter you used has higher water content.

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