I don’t remember when I first ate Rice Krispies Treats. These ubiquitous treats are not a modern creation but have been around for decades. Kellogg’s company says the recipe was created by their employees in the 1930s and then appeared on boxes of Rice Krispies. Fast forward, and they have been popular for almost a century! However, it was inevitable that cooks would change these chewy and buttery bars into different flavors and colors. But one thing always stays the same: they are ready in minutes!
This recipe has Oreos in it, but you can use your favorite brand of dark chocolate sandwich cookies if you prefer. The cookies provide a subtle chocolate taste and crunch without the chocolate overshadowing the classic, gooey, buttery recipe that people have loved for eight decades. If you like a richer chocolate taste, try my Nutella Crispies Bar recipe by clicking here.
Chocolate Sandwich Cookies
Crumble or chop the sandwich cookies–you do not need to remove the cream inside. One good way to break them is to put them into a plastic bag and roll a rolling pin over the bag. Squeeze out the excess air before you seal the bag because it can burst if it is too tight with air when you roll over it.
Melting the Marshmallows
Sometimes the finished crispy rice bars will turn out hard instead of chewy. Usually, this happens because the cooking temperature gets too hot when the marshmallows are melted.
When the marshmallows start melting, turn off the heat to prevent overheating.
The mixture will continue melting with the stove heat off. Stir until it has a smooth appearance. Then add a pinch of salt to balance the sweetness of these bars. Then add the vanilla and stir until well mixed.
Add the Cookies and Cereal
Add the broken cookies and the cereal and stir. This recipe uses less rice cereal than some other recipes, but it has a good balance of crispy cereal to marshmallows. The finished bar will be chewy and buttery.
Pour the sticky mixture into a greased 9×13-inch pan or dish to make thin bars. If you prefer thick bars, use a smaller pan.
Use Waxed Paper
Then place a sheet of waxed or parchment paper onto the sticky mixture. Use a spoon or your hand to flatten the mixture. The waxed paper will prevent the marshmallow mixture from sticking to the spoon or your hand, making it easy to spread and flatten.
Storage
These crispy rice bars will stay fresh for about 3 days. Place them into an airtight container or into a plastic zipper bag. Enjoy!
| Prep Time | 10 minutes |
| Cook Time | 5 minutes |
| Servings |
|
- 1/2 cup salted butter
- 10 ounces miniature marshmallows (about 6 cups of minis or 40 regular-size marshmallows)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- Pinch of salt
- 1 1/2 cups chocolate sandwich cookies, chopped (Oreos used; measure after chopping)
- 4 cups crispy rice cereal
- Extra butter for coating the pan
- 9 x 13-inch pan for thin bars or use a smaller pan for thicker bars
- waxed or parchment paper
Ingredients
|
Rate this recipe!
|
- Use the extra butter to coat the bottom and sides of a 9 x 13-inch pan. Set aside.
- In a large pot, melt the butter on low. Add the marshmallows and stir until the marshmallows are melting. Turn off the heat. Continue to stir until the marshmallows are completely melted. Add the vanilla and salt. Stir to mix.
- Add the cereal and broken cookies and stir until all the rice cereal and cookies are coated in the marshmallow mixture.
- Place the mixture into the prepared pan. Place a sheet of waxed or parchment paper on top and use a large spoon (or hands) to evenly spread out the mixture. The waxed paper will prevent the marshmallow mixture from sticking to the spoon or your hands.
- When cool, cut into squares or use a cookie cutter to cut shapes. Store in an airtight container. These bars will last about 3 days.
Troubleshooting
This recipe makes a crispy, chewy bar. If your finished bars are hard and difficult to break instead of chewy, the heat was probably too high when melting the butter and marshmallows. Be sure to use low heat and remove the butter-marshmallow mixture from the heat before all the marshmallows are melted.
Regular Marshmallows vs. Mini
Mini-sized marshmallows melt the fastest. However, you may substitute large marshmallows for miniature marshmallows. Use the same number of ounces listed in the recipe.