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These easy no bake Caramel Rice Krispies Treats are our over the top response to the usual RKT. These thick, bakery style treats have a thick, gooey layer of caramel in the center which turns a classic into something outrageously good.
Chewy. Crispy. Gooey. Sticky. Messy (but in a good way, the way that means you get to lick your fingers after you finish eating and no one judges you for it).
These over the top, ridiculously extra, classic cereal treats have a thick, creamy layer of caramel sauce and while you’re probably looking at them and thinking, nah, that’s just too much, I am here to tell you that you are wrong.
These are actually exactly perfect.
The caramel layer adds this extra bit of goo and chew to our already perfect rice krispies treats. I was worried it would make them overly sweet and just…too extra…but I can happily report that the caramel layer is actually the perfect addition you didn’t know you needed.
It’s no secret that we love no bake desserts (hello, snickerdoodle rice krispies treats and golden graham bars), and I’m really going to need you to get on board and give these a try too.
Ingredient Notes:
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For the Rice Krispies Treats:
Butter – You’ll need some standard RKT ingredients for this recipe, starting with lots of buttery goodness!
Mini Marshmallows – These will get melted together with the butter to create the sticky binding that’ll hold the cereal together. I use the mini kind so they melt easier, but you can definitely use full size.
Rice Krispies Cereal – This classic cereal can be found in pretty much every grocery store.
For the caramel sauce:
Caramel Candies – We’re keeping life easy and starting with a package of caramel candies. The worst part is unwrapping them all, so I highly recommend enlisting the help of any children that might be hoping for a bite of the finished product.
Sweetened Condensed Milk – This will make for a thick, sweet, sticky caramel sauce. We keep cans of this in our pantry at all times.
Butter – A must for caramel!
(Optional) Kosher Salt – Caramel is pretty sweet stuff, which is why salt is often used to balance out the flavor. We really enjoy the salty sweet flavor that kosher salt adds to this sauce, but it is optional!
What We Love About This Recipe:
- Everyone loves the classic RKT but this version takes it up a notch with all that gooey caramel.
- These look like they’re going to be over the top and just too much sweetness to really enjoy, but somehow these are the perfect balance of sweet and chewy and you just want to keep going back for more.
- Got a bake sale? These are the treat to make. They look amazing and taste even better.
How To Make Caramel Rice Krispies Treats:
Melt: We’re basically making two batches of RKTs here. First batch starts with melted marshmallow. We use the microwave to do this and it’s so simple. Heat the butter and marshmallows on low power for about a minute and stir. Keep heating in 15 second bursts until the marshmallows are smooth.
Cereal: You can now start stirring in six cups of the Rice Krispies cereal with the butter and melted marshmallow mixture until it is well combined. Press that mixture into the bottom of a greased 9×13 baking dish.
Helpful Tip!
Spray a piece of wax or parchment paper with non-stick spray and use that to press the cereal mixture into place. The cereal won’t stick to your hands or the wax paper!
Caramel Sauce: Arguably the best part! Add the sweetened condensed milk, caramel candies, and butter to a small sauce pan over medium low heat. Stir it frequently while it cooks until the caramel melts into a smooth sauce!
Pour: When the caramel sauce is ready you can start pouring it over the layer of cereal and marshmallow in the dish. If you like your caramel with some salty flavors sprinkle a bit of kosher salt over the top!
Finish: We need one more layer of marshmallow and cereal mix! Repeat the first three steps under preparing the RKT mixture using the same amount of ingredients.
When the RKT mix is ready press it down gently over the caramel layer using a piece of greased wax or parchment paper. That’s the top layer done!
Chill & Serve: This easy no bake dessert just needs to be chilled in the fridge for a couple of hours before it is ready to be sliced and served!
FAQ’s:
These caramel Rice Krispies Treats can be stored at room temperature or in the fridge in a sealed container for 2-3 days. They will last longer than that but the texture will change the more they sit and they’ll lose that crispness.
You can freeze these caramel Rice Krispies Treats for about two to three months. First slice the treats into bars or squares after cooling and wrap each one in plastic wrap or wax paper before sealing in a freezer bag.
Rice is gluten free but many brands of cereal, including Kellogg’s, contain gluten, so you would need to find a gluten free brand of cereal and make sure that the marshmallows and candies you are using are also gluten free.
Stove Top Method:
Don’t have a microwave or just prefer using the stove? No problem!
Melt the butter and marshmallows in a large sauce pan or stock pot over medium low heat until the marshmallows have melted.
Don’t overcook the marshmallow mixture or your RKTs will be crunchy and a bit hard rather than soft and chewy.
MORE NO BAKE DESSERT RECIPES!
- Edible Sugar Cookie Dough
- Keto Cookie Dough
- Microwave Peanut Butter Fudge
- Pumpkin Rice Krispie Treats
- Keto No Bake Pumpkin Pie
- Cornflake Wreaths
- Chocolate Pretzel Rice Krispie Treats
Caramel Rice Krispies Treats
Ingredients
For the rice krispies:
- 6 tablespoons butter divided
- 8 cups mini marshmallows divided
- 12 cups rice krispies cereal divided
For the caramel:
- 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
- 11 ounces soft caramel candies unwrapped
- 4 tablespoons butter
- kosher salt optional
Instructions
To make the rice krispies:
- To make the first layer of rice krispies treats, add 3 tablespoons of butter and 4 cups of mini marshmallows to a large microwave safe bowl.
- Microwave for 1 minute and then stir until smooth. If the marshmallows are not fully melted, microwave in 15 second bursts, stirring each time, until smooth.
- Stir 6 cups of cereal into the melted marshmallows to combine.
- Press the mixture into a greased 9×13 dish. Don’t press too hard or you’ll compact the bars too much and they’ll be harder than they should be when eating.
To make the caramel sauce:
- Add the sweetened condensed milk, caramel candies, and butter to a small sauce pan over medium low heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until the caramel has melted and the sauce is smooth.
- Pour the caramel sauce over the layer of rice krispies treats in the pan. If desired, sprinkle with kosher salt.
To finish:
- To make the top layer of rice krispies treats, add the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter and 4 cups of marshmallows to a large microwave safe bowl.
- Microwave for 1 minute and then stir until smooth. If the marshmallows are not fully melted, microwave in 15 second bursts, stirring each time, until smooth.
- Stir 6 cups of cereal into the melted marshmallows to combine.
- Gently press the mixture down over the caramel using a piece of greased wax or parchment paper. Don’t press too hard or you’ll compact the bars too much and they’ll be harder than they should be when eating.
- Let cool for 2 hours before slicing and serving.
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