M&M Rice Krispie Treats are irresistibly chewy and chocolate-studded. Master the humble rice krispie treat with simple ingredient upgrades.
Best Rice Krispie Treats
When I told my BFF I had mastered Rice Krispie treat, she looked at me with confusion. Then she tasted by creation and exclaimed, this is no ordinary rice krispy treat!
The perfect Rice Krispy Treat is chewy, crispy, and flavorful. Admittedly, the original Rice Krispy Treat recipe is delicious and simple--cereal, marshmallows, butter.
And that technique is perfect for a cereal bar with more complex flavors in the ingredients such as my Fruity Pebbles Cereal Bars. But for the original Rice Krispy Treats, I think I can do better.
Rice Krispy Treats Ingredients Improved
- Browned Butter -- I started with browning the butter. However, I found that those treats were just too crispy. As one of my taste testers said, they have the texture of tree bark. Browning the butter removed too much moisture. However, I like the flavor the browned butter imparted so I had to find a way to keep the flavor and counteract the loss of moisture.
- Sweetened Condensed Milk -- Enter the idea of adding sweetened condensed milk. This sweet, gooey milk brought the depth of flavor and texture I needed in order to achieve the best rice Krispy treat. This canned milk product is found in the baking aisle. It is inexpensive to keep on hand and has a long shelf life. This recipe does not use the whole can, but I gladly use the leftovers in my morning coffee.
- Kosher Salt -- Adding a sprinkle of kosher salt elevates and contrasts the sweetness in this easy dessert.
- Vanilla Extract -- Layer upon layer, these rice krispy treats are better than any other. Vanilla extract brings another layer to the party.
- Mini Marshmallows -- A must have ingredient for the perfect rice krispy treat. I prefer the mini marshmallows as the melt easier, but you can use large marshmallows if that's what you have.
- Rice Krispy Cereal -- Brings the crisp and body to the cereal bar. I find that store brand Crispy Rice work well.
- M&M Candies -- Bring the perfect chocolate hint to every bite. Choose a holiday mix, theme colors, or team colors for more tasty fun.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
- Brown the butter -- Place butter in a large, heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Melt butter, stirring frequently. Butter will bubble, then turn golden brown, and it will smell nutty. Don't be alarmed if there are small bits of dark brown. Remove from heat.
- Add sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, and Kosher salt. Stir until combined.
- Add marshmallows and return to medium-low heat.
- Stir vigorously until the marshmallows have melted. Remove from heat.
- Add Rice Krispies cereal and fold cereal in until well combined. Allow to cool for 2 minutes to prevent chocolate from melting.
- Gently fold in half of the M&Ms.
- Pour Rice Krispies into a greased 9x13 pan. Dampen your hands in cold water and press down the cereal treats lightly.
- Top with remaining M&Ms and gently press down.
Hint: Pre-measure all ingredients and prepare pan before starting this recipe for best results.
Substitutions & Variations
- Chocolate Rice Krispies -- Use Cocoa Rice Krispies for a chocolate rice krispies variation.
- Fruity Pebbles Rice Krispies -- for a fruity rice krispies treat.
- Butter - I do not suggest any substitutions for butter in this recipe.
- Salt -- Kosher salt is my favorite salt to use. If using iodized table salt, I would reduce the amount of salt by half to start.
- Sweetened Condensed Milk -- This canned milk product is found in the baking aisle and is NOT interchangeable with evaporated milk. They are not the same thing.
What to Put in Rice Krispie Treats
- Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats - Stir in ½ cup peanut butter along with the sweetened condensed milk for a peanut butter rice krispie treat.
- Sprinkles - Stir in sprinkles for a fantastic birthday rice krispie treat
- Colored Rice Krispy Treats - Add a few drops of food coloring of your choice along with the sweetened condensed milk to get any colored Rice Krispie treat you want. Think red or green for Christmas Rice Krispie Treats, Pink for Easter Rice Krispie Treats, Orange for Halloween Rice Krispie Treats, Blue for Fourth of July Rice Krispie Treats, etc.
- Colored M&Ms -- Match your M&Ms to your holiday to create a holiday treat that matches your holiday colors.
See Fruity Pebbles Cereal Bars for a colorful, fruity cereal treat.
Storing M&M Rice Krispie Treats
Allow M&M Rice Krispie Treats to cool completely before covering. I often leave mine in the pan and cover with wrap or foil.
To store cut Rice Krispie treats, put a piece of wax paper or parchment between layers to prevent the treats from sticking together.
Top tip
To ensure your rice krispie treats remain soft and chewy, avoid overcooking your marshmallow mixture. Only cook until the marshmallows melt and remove from heat when adding ingredients.
FAQ
Overcooking the marshmallows and pressing to hard into the pan result in hard rice krispy treats. To avoid this melt marshmallows on medium-low and only until they are melted. Press the finished mixture into the pan lightly.
Do not use old, hard marshmallows for Rice Crispy Treats. They don't melt well and result in low-quality, hard Rice Crispy Treats. Buy a new bag and use the old ones for hot chocolate or bait for raccoon traps.
No, for soft, chewy rice crispy treats, do not refrigerate. It is safe to store them covered on the countertop.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with M&M Rice Krispie Treats:
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Food safety
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
M&M Rice Krispie Treats
Ingredients
Method
- Place butter in a large, heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Melt butter, stirring frequently. Butter will bubble, then turn golden brown, and it will smell nutty. Don't be alarmed if there are small bits of dark brown. Remove from heat.12 Tablespoons Butter
- Add sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, and Kosher salt. Stir until combined.¾ cup Sweetened Condensed Milk, 1 ½ teaspoons Vanilla Extract, ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt
- Add marshmallows and return to medium-low heat.10 ounces Mini Marshmallows
- Stir vigorously until the marshmallows have melted. Remove from heat.
- Add Rice Krispies cereal and fold cereal in until well combined. Allow to cool for 2 minutes to prevent chocolate from melting.9 cups Rice Krispies Cereal
- Gently fold in half of the M&Ms.½ cup M&M Candies
- Pour Rice Krispies into a greased 9x13 pan. Dampen your hands in cold water and gently press down the cereal mixture.
- Top with remaining M&Ms and gently press down.½ cup M&M Candies
Sydney Hessong says
Literally the best Rice Krispie treats!!! The sweetened condensed milk and the brown butter combo is elite!!! First brown butter Rice Krispie treats I’ve made that weren’t as hard as a rock!
Chuckie says
Sydney-- right???!!! 🙂
Barb says
I made these. Yes, I did have dark flakes in my butter but never saw them in the finished treats. It was much easier to get out of the cooking pan than only using marshmallows. They tasted great. I did miss the pull of the marshmallows when eating them, but overall really good.
Chuckie says
Thank you for sharing your experience with the browned butter. I'm glad you enjoyed them!