Homemade Crispy Rice Treats

Homemade crispy rice treats are a beloved snack for any occasion or holiday, and they just happen to be gluten-free. Even though I’m a proud snacker and the opposite of a picky eater, I never liked the taste of pre-packaged crispy rice treats (they just taste… off!) and never opted for them as a snack of choice. However, the first time I had homemade crispy rice treats, I was blown away – they were far tastier than the ones in the blue packaging. Once I started baking as an adult and realized crispy rice treats were the easiest to make, I set out to make the ultimate version.

I’ve tried all different kinds, but below is my go-to recipe that doesn’t stray too far from traditional crispy rice treats but amps the flavor up a bit. These are toasty, sweet, salty, and everything there is to like in a dessert. It’s a bit more work than the usual recipe because you brown your butter and toast your crispy rice but worth the time!

Toasty Nutty Crispy Rice Treats

Pan size: 8x8 square pan

Ingredients:

½ cup (115 grams) unsalted butter

One 10-ounce (285 grams) bag marshmallows

6 cups (160 grams) crispy rice cereal (make sure it’s certified gluten-free if needed)

Large pinch of coarse or flaky sea salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Spread the crispy rice cereal evenly across a large, parchment-lined pan. Bake until lightly toasted and golden, around 3-5 minutes. Keep an eye on them so they don’t char! Set aside to cool.

2. Grease an 8x8 pan with non-stick spray and set aside.

3. In a large pan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Browning butter requires a careful eye so continue to stir after it has melted. It will foam before it begins to brown. Your brown butter is done when it is golden and smells nutty – make sure not to get rid of the brown bits in it, those add all of the flavor!

4. Once your butter is browned, turn the heat to low and add the marshmallows. Continue to stir until the marshmallows fully melted and smooth.

5. Remove the pan from heat and stir in your toasted rice cereal quickly. Once rice cereal is coated in marshmallow mixture, press into your greased 8x8 pan and spread evenly.

6. Once evenly spread, sprinkle the top with coarse or flaky sea salt.

7. Let cool and then cut into squares. Enjoy!

Notes:

• If you don’t have time to brown the butter or just are a bit intimidated by the process, you can continue the recipe after simply melting it! Your final result will not have that nutty, toasty depth to it.

• After spreading the crispy rice and marshmallow mixture into the pan and spreading it, I like to also put a sheet of parchment paper on top of it and press down on it with another 8x8 pan. That way you can get a clean, flat surface on your bars. Do this before you sprinkle with salt.