Loaded with marshmallows, rich buttery flavor, and crisp cereal, these Caramel Rice Krispie Treats are the best kind of no bake dessert bar. Light and airy with a perfectly chewy soft texture what is there not to love?!
Quick and simple, this dessert is great for whipping up when you want something both sweet and a little bit salty. Caramel Rice Krispie Treats are a lovable classic rice krispie treat with a fun twist.
A treat loved by both young and old, make this classic treat perfect for taking to gatherings, dinner parties, bake sales and picnics!
If you are a lover of all the sweet caramel dishes Heath Bar Chocolate Caramel Cake, German Chocolate Caramel Brownies, and Mini Caramel Rolls are must try recipes in our book! And if looking for another kind of dessert bar you have got to give these Scotcheroo Bars a try.
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🥘 Ingredients
With just six ingredients these no bake treats make the yummiest to-go bars or sweet snack everyone will love.
- Butter
- Salt
- Sweetened Condensed Milk
- Werther's Soft Caramels
- Mini Marshmallows
- Rice Krispie Cereal
🍳 Step-by-Step Instructions
Firstly, you want to unwrap each caramel and put them in a large pot over low heat. Then go ahead and add your salt, butter, and sweetened condensed milk to the pot.
After you have everything in allow your mixture to cook over low heat until it is fully melted. Be sure to stir your gooey mixture occasionally until it is well combined.
Once fully melted add the marshmallows and continue to stir the mixture till they are fully melted and mixed in. Then in a large bowl go ahead and add the cereal, pouring the caramel-marshmallow mixture over the top.
Using a lightly greased spatula mix the cereal and gooey mixture together till well combined.
Once everything is mixed together you want to line the bottom of your 9x13 dish with parchment paper and lightly grease the sides. Then transfer the cereal mixture into the dish and gently spread it in the pan.
Be sure not to press too hard or your treats will end up hard and tough. Lastly you will want to set the pan aside and allow your Caramel Rice Krispie treats to cool and firm up. When ready go ahead and cut your treats into bars and enjoy!
👩🏻🍳 Make it Your Own
What makes rice krispie treats so fun is that they are so customizable. It is easy to change up the cereal base, add toppings and mix-ins, or slather them with a layer of frosting or top with a drizzle!
Cereal Base: Swap the rice krispie cereal for Rice or Corn Chex, Fruity Pebbles, Corn Flakes you name it and it will most likely work!
Mix-Ins: Try adding a favorite crushed candy or cookie bits, sprinkles extra marshmallow bits, dried fruit, nuts, pretzels, crumbled bacon, chocolate chips or a dash of food coloring all make for fun additions.
Toppings: Also try spreading a layer of frosting on top, pour on a chocolate ganache or drizzle with your favorite melted topping like peanut butter or chocolate sauce for an extra sweet touch.
Then another way to make your treats that much more unique you can try cutting your Caramel Rice Krispie Treats into fun and festive shapes using cookie cutters or molds.
💬 Top Tips
Low heat is KEY when making any kind of Rice Krispy treat. If the heat is too high when melting your butter, marshmallows and caramels the sweet mixture will seize up making your bars hard and tough. You definitely don't want to rush this step.
Also make sure to use mini marshmallows when making your Caramel Rice Krispie Treats. Mini marshmallows melt quicker and easier than full sized marshmallows do. Which is an additional way to help keep your treats soft and chewy.
Then you will want to gently press your gooey cereal mixture into the pan. Caramel Rice Krispie Treats are meant to be airy and soft. If you press them into the pan too hard they will become tough and rock hard. And no one wants that!
🍽 Storing
Fortunately, leftover Caramel Rice Krispie Treats do not need to be refrigerated. This is one of the things that makes them so awesome for sharing with others! If stored in an airtight container they can last for up to 2-3 weeks. However, keep in mind that they will be freshest in the first 3 or 4 days.
📋 FAQ's
Why are my Rice Krispie Treats hard?
There are a few things that can cause your Rice Krispie Treats to be hard or tough. Pressing your bars too hard or melting your gooey mixture too fast or over heat that is too high are all sure fire ways to end up with a dessert that is hard as a rock.
How do you get gooey Rice Krispie Treats?
The key to getting soft caramel rice krispie treats that are still perfectly gooey and chewy is to use low heat when melting your butter, sweetened condensed milk, marshmallows and caramels. Low and slow will help to keep your gooey mixture from seizing up.
What is the best way to cut Rice Krispie Treats?
To make your Caramel Rice Krispie bars easier to cut place a piece of parchment paper in the bottom of the pan before pressing your cereal mixture into the pan. Then once your treats cool use the edges of the extra parchment paper to lift the treat out. And using a pizza cutter cut the treat into your desired size bars or squares.
How do you keep Rice Krispie Treats from sticking to the pan?
Using marshmallows AND caramels can be real sticky business. To help prevent the cereal treats from sticking to your hands and the pan, spray non-stick cooking spray on both your pan and a silicone spatula.
You can also use a piece of parchment paper to line the pan before adding your cereal mixture. You can also try using a piece of parchment paper to gently press the bars flat in the pan.
📖 Recipe
Caramel Rice Krispie Treats
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter salted
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk
- 10 ounces Werther's soft caramels
- 10 ounces mini marshmallows
- 8 cups rice krispie cereal
Instructions
- Unwrap each caramel and put in a large pot over low heat. Add salt, butter, and sweetened condensed milk.
- Allow mixture to sit and heat over low heat until fully melted. Stirring occasionally until well combined.
- Once fully melted add the marshmallows and continue to stir the mixture till they are fully melted and mixed in.
- In a large bowl add the cereal. Then pour the caramel-marshmallow mixture over the cereal. Using a lightly greased spatula mix the cereal and gooey mixture together till well combined.
- Spread the cereal treat into a lightly greased 9x13 dish. Allow to cool and firm up. Cut into bars and enjoy.
Quinn Johnson says
I used the same brands as Ash so I know it’s not from using an inferior product. I had to add a lot more than 8 cups of Rice Krispies. They never hardened upon setting either. I’m not sure what happened. I make Rice Krispie treats all the time. They tasted creamy so that was good but they are way too loose consistency.
Christine says
I don’t care for rice crispy treats. Not a fan….daughter saw these and had to make them. They are AMAZING! Will definitely be added to my recipe collection for future get together.
Sara says
It was very tasty. My mixture ended up to be so gooey and wet with marshmallow mixture I had to add a ton more cereal. I would make this again with motivations as in minimizing or omitting the sweetened condensed milk.
Lisa says
An easy-to-follow recipe to make and so nice not to have to heat up the kitchen on a hot day. They do stay soft and gooey if you cook them low and slow per the instructions in the tips.
Sadly. we found these too sweet for our taste. If you like sweet, sweet bars then these will be for you.