Homemade Rice Krispies Treats Recipe
These buttery, crisp, and chewy Rice Krispies Treats are made from scratch with a DIY marshmallow crème, offering a balanced flavor with intense vanilla notes. This recipe elevates the childhood classic, allowing for endless customization with delicious variations.
Ingredients
- 11 cups Rice Krispies cereal
- 2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
- ¼ cup cool water for blooming gelatin
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup water for sugar syrup
- 1 cup light corn syrup
- 2 ¼ cups sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 stick unsalted butter melted
Apple Pie Variation:
- Add 2 teaspoons ground ginger, 4 teaspoons cinnamon, 1 teaspoon nutmeg, and ½ teaspoon ground cloves to cereal.
- Replace the water with 1 ½ cups apple cider.
Brown Butter Variation:
- Use 2 sticks butter, browned in a pan until golden.
Coconut Variation:
- Add 1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut to cereal.
- Replace the water with ½ cup coconut milk and add 1 teaspoon coconut extract.
Malted Milk Variation:
- Replace half the corn syrup (½ cup) with ½ cup barley malt syrup.
- Add 1 cup malted milk powder to cereal.
Peanut Butter Honey Variation:
- Use ⅔ cup honey instead of corn syrup.
- Replace butter with 1 cup creamy peanut butter.
Ultimate Chocolate Variation:
- Add ¼ cup cocoa powder to cereal.
- Bloom gelatin in ¼ cup crème de cacao.
- Mix in ½ cup melted chocolate.
Instructions
- Preparation: Preheat oven to 175°F and adjust the oven rack to the lower-middle position. Grease a 9x13-inch aluminum baking pan and warm the Rice Krispies cereal in the oven.
- Bloom Gelatin: In a small bowl, mix gelatin with ¼ cup cool water and stir. Add vanilla extract and set aside.
- Make Sugar Syrup: In a medium saucepan, combine ½ cup water, corn syrup, sugar, and salt. Heat on medium, stirring until bubbling (about 8 minutes), then increase heat and cook without stirring until the temperature reaches 250°F (6 minutes).
- Mix Marshmallow Crème: Pour the hot syrup into the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix on low until combined, then whip on medium-high until thick and fluffy (5 minutes).
- Combine and Press: Reduce the mixer speed, add melted butter, and mix briefly. Pour the marshmallow crème over the warm cereal, stir, and press the mixture into the prepared pan. Flatten evenly without crushing the cereal.
- Rest: Cover the pan with foil and let rest at room temperature until firm, about 1 hour.
Notes
- Use a digital thermometer to ensure accuracy, avoiding syrup consistency issues.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature or a week in the fridge.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!