Every time I see Rice Krispie treats in a bakery, they’re HUGE! And for some reason, this makes them taste better. I’ve been chasing after that rich, nutty, and vanilla flavor you get from bakery Rice Krispie treats and how to make them so big.
This is the only Rice Krispie recipe you’ll ever need!
What’s the secret to the best Rice Krispie treats?
Two things. Browned butter, which is optional in this recipe, but so good! And, adding some of the marshmallows along with the cereal so you get those gooey globs of melted marshmallow throughout.
Here is everything you need to make this Rice Krispie treats recipe:
- Butter – You can use salted or unsalted. It doesn’t make a huge difference here.
- Sweetened condensed milk – This adds another flavor level and gooeyness.
- Vanilla extract – For flavor
- Mini marshmallows – You will need a 16-ounce bag, divided
- Rice Krispie cereal – Yes, you can use an off-brand if you like.
How do you make Rice Krispie treats soft?
Don’t press the treats into the pan too firmly. It’s only necessary to press enough in order for the treats to fill the entire 9×13 pan, but if you press too firm, it can make your treats hard.
Also, the ratio of marshmallow to cereal is important. In this recipe, we use 16 ounces of mini marshmallows to 9 cups of cereal.
Other no-bake desserts you might enjoy:
Bakery Style Giant Rice Krispie Treats
simple and soft Rice Krispie treat recipe
-
twelfth
tablespoons
butter -
cup
condensed milk
sweet .sweet -
1
teaspoon
vanilla -
ten
ounces
mini marshmallows
for melting -
6
ounces
mini marshmallows
unmelted -
9
cups
Rice Krispies cereal
-
First, brown your butter in your pan or dutch oven. To do this, set stove to medium heat. Melt butter, stirring frequently, until butter is a dark gold/amber color. It should smell nutty and there might be little bits of brown in your butter—that’s all good! This step adds lots of flavor but it is optional if you’d rather simply melt the butter.
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Once the butter is browned (or just melted), add sweetened condensed milk and vanilla. Stir until well combined. Turn down heat to medium-low.
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Add 10 ounces of mini marshmallows to the pot and stir with your butter/milk mixture until everything is melted and smooth.
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Add your Rice Krispies and stir until thoroughly combined. If needed, you can also pour the melted marshmallow/butter mixture into a large mixing bowl containing the cereal if you do not have a dutch oven or pot large enough to hold and stir everything together.
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Then, add the remaining 6 ounces of marshmallows—you want these to keep their shape to add some texture, so be sure the Rice Krispie mixture isn’t so hot it will melt your marshmallows.
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Carefully pour the Rice Krispie mixture into a buttered 9×13 dish. Take a piece of parchment paper and run it over the top of the dish to perfectly smooth out the Rice Krispies.
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Wait at least an hour until Rice Krispie treats are thoroughly cooled, then cut into desired number of servings. If you want GIANT treats, I think 9 is perfect.
Credits // Author and Photography: Keely Rust and Emma Chapman.
