If you like sโmores, youโll flip for these sโmores rice krispie treats. Toasting half of the marshmallows in the oven first gives these treats that signature campfire-toasted marshmallow flavor you love about sโmores, and stirring in graham cracker and chocolate bar pieces (which get all melty in the gooey marshmallow) gives the ultimate sโmores experienceโฆ in rice krispie treat form!
I originally published this recipe in 2012, and have since updated the recipe and photos.
Ever sinceย I had a sโmores fix a few weeks ago, I havenโt been able to get the ooey, gooey, marshmallow-y mess out of my mind. With a quick look through my pantry, I noticed I had a box of Rice Krispies cereal and a sleeve of graham crackers. Ding ding ding! Sโmores Rice Krispie Treats, a summertime-inspired variation of my favorite rice krispie treats.
Chunks of graham crackers, Hersheyโs bars, and tons of toasted marshmallow goo. I can see myself making these again and againโฆ they are really that good. And EASY!
Hereโs Why Youโll Love These Sโmores Rice Krispie Treats
- Makes a big batch to feed a crowd
- Great make-ahead dessert option
- Travels well, hand-held food, & great for parties
- Kids especially love these sweet treats
- Minimal baking requiredโjust toasting the marshmallows under the broiler
Grab These Ingredients:
- Butter:ย Like all good desserts, the base of great rice krispie treats is butter.
- Marshmallows:ย These krispie treats are extra marshmallow-y without falling apart. You need two 10-ounce bags (about 11 heaping cups) of miniature marshmallows.
- Vanilla Extract: This is an easy addition that turns a good rice krispie treat into a great rice krispie treat. You only need 1/2 teaspoon, but what a difference it makes! Homemade vanilla extract is excellent here.
- Salt: Salt is another little flavor enhancer I add to my rice krispie treats. Like vanilla extract, salt is a super convenient ingredient you already have in your kitchen, and you donโt need much of it. Just a pinch adds a depth of flavor otherwise absent from crispy rice treats.
- Rice Krispies Cereal: Whatโs a crispy treat without rice krispies cereal? The best!
- Graham Crackers: You need about 6 full-sheet graham crackers, broken into pieces.
- Hersheyโs Bars: The Hersheyโs milk chocolate bars are the sโmores standard here in the U.S., but you can of course use any milk chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate bars you can find where you live.
Youโll toast one 10-ounce bag of marshmallows on an aluminum foil-lined and greased baking sheet, then melt the other bag of marshmallows on the stove with the butter.
*Donโt use parchment paper, as it can burn under the broiler.
Perfectly toasty, just how we love them for sโmores:
On the stove, melt the butter, and then stir in the other bag of marshmallows until combined. Remove from heat, and then stir in the vanilla, salt, crispy rice cereal, and graham cracker pieces. Finally, stir in the toasted marshmallows and Hersheyโs bars.
Press it into a 9ร13-inch pan lined with parchment paper. Let the bars set, and then you can drizzle the whole batch with melted Hersheyโs bars. The topping is optional, of course. Theyโre plenty chocolatey even without it!
If you canโt get enough of these sweet treats, be sure to also try my cake batter rice krispie treats.
Sโmores Rice Krispie Treats
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 24 squares
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Description
If you like sโmores and rice krispie treats, youโll flip for these easy crispy rice squares. Filled with Hersheyโs chocolate bars, toasted marshmallows, and graham cracker pieces, every gooey bite tastes like a campfire sโmore.
Ingredients
- nonstick cooking spray
- two 10-ounce bags (566g; 11 heaping cups) miniature marshmallows, divided
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- pinch salt
- 7 cups (190g) crispy rice cereal
- 1 and 1/2 cups graham crackers, broken into small pieces (6 graham crackers; 90g)
- 3 Hersheyโs milk chocolate bars, broken into pieces (1 heaping cup; 129g)
Topping (optional)
- 1โ2 Hersheyโs milk chocolate bar(s), melted
Instructions
- Preheat ovenโs broiler on high, about 5 minutes.
- Toast half the marshmallows: Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Spray the foil with nonstick cooking spray. Spread half of the mini marshmallows (one 10-ounce bag) in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Broil on the center rack until the marshmallows are toasted and golden-brown on top, which only takes a couple of minutes. Keep a close eye on them so they donโt burn. Remove from oven and set aside.
- Line a 9ร13-inch baking pan with parchment paper. Lightly grease the parchment. I always use a very light mist of nonstick spray. Set aside.
- Melt the butter in a very large pot over medium heat. Once melted, add the remaining 10 ounces of (non-toasted) marshmallows. Stir the mixture with a rubber spatula until the marshmallows are completely melted.
- Remove from heat, then immediately stir in the vanilla extract and salt. Fold in the crispy rice cereal and graham cracker pieces until mostly combined. Allow to slightly cool for a minute or two, and then fold in the chocolate and toasted marshmallows.
- Transfer mixture to prepared pan. Using a rubber spatula (greasing it lightly helps), gently spread mixture to fit the pan. Lightly grease the back of a flat spatula and very gently press the mixture down into the pan. Do not pack it down with force, just lightly press down until it is secure in the pan.
- Allow treats to set for at least 1 hour at room temperature, and up to 1 day. Cover tightly if leaving out for more than a few hours.
- Optional topping: Drizzle melted chocolate over the top of the cooled treats, if using, and place in the refrigerator for about 15โ20 minutes to set the chocolate. (Not too much longer, or the treats will be too hard to cut.)
- Lift the rice krispie treats as a whole out of the pan using the edges of the parchment paper. Cut into squares.
- Cover and store leftover treats at room temperature for up to 3 days. To store, place in an airtight container, with sheets of parchment or wax paper between layers.
Notes
- Freezing Instructions: Rice krispie treats arenโt the best dessert to freeze because the texture isnโt always completely the same after thawing. That being said, you can still freeze these squares. Freeze in layers between sheets of parchment or wax paper in a freezer-friendly container for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Baking Sheet | 9ร13-inch Baking Pan | Parchment Paper | Large Pot (such as a Dutch Oven) | Silicone Spatula | Flat Spatula
- For the pinch of salt, I add a little less than 1/8 teaspoon.
- Chocolate: Instead of Hersheyโs bars in the treats, you can use chocolate chips. For the topping, you can use any milk or semi-sweet/dark chocolate.
- Recipe updated in 2024: This recipe used to call for 6 cups of crispy rice cereal, 1/4 cup butter, one 10-ounce bag of marshmallows, 1 cup of chocolate chips, and the vanilla, salt, and graham crackers as listed above. I have since increased the volume to fit a 9ร13-inch baking pan, and an additional bag of marshmallows for toasting to add wonderful toasted marshmallow flavor!
Reader Comments and Reviews
So so good! The only problem I really had was I was struggling to get the toasted marshmallows off the foil sheet (I sprayed the sheet as instructed). Is there a good way of getting it off? I lost a good chunk of it bc it was sticking to the foil too much and almost impossible to get off.
This recipe seriously needs more tips on placing the marshmallows in the oven. I am a seasoned baker and knew to sit there and watch the marshmallows very closely so they would not burn. Tell me why it started a fire in my oven then. After putting out the fire and dealing with the smoke alarms after a little research learned that different kinds of marshmallows and the level in the oven you put your tray at is very important information to have. Please fix this so more people donโt almost set their house on fire.
Iโm so sorry this happened. That sounds incredibly stressful. Thank you for taking the time to share your experience. Youโre absolutely right that broiling marshmallows requires extra care, as oven strengths and rack positions can vary quite a bit. Iโll update the recipe to include more guidance about rack placement and keeping a close eye during this step. Iโm glad youโre okay, and I really appreciate your feedback. It helps make the recipe safer and clearer for everyone.
I made it as is and it was delicious! The second time I made them, I browned the butter and added a good 1/4 tsp salt, and subbed one dark chocolate hershey bar for a milk one. I decorated with more graham, big toasted marshmallows, and drizzled with more dark chocolate and oh my! This recipe has been passed to everyone who has tried them! Thank you!
Hi Sally!
I love all your recipes, definitely my go to for all occasions. Today I made these sโmores rice krispie treats but I am wondering if took the instructions too literally โ I waited 2 minutes after mixing in the rice Krispies and graham crackers before doing the chocolate and marshmallows and a lot of kind of all melted together when I think it was meant to chunky. Should I have waited longer?
Hi Katie! Some of it will melt together! If you would like the chocolate less melted, wait a little longer to stir it in next time. Hope you still loved these!
They were delicious! Everyone at work loved them! 10/10ยก But the graham crackers didnโt come through very strongly so I might add more next time, and wait a little longer before mixing the other stuff in. Also yesterday I made the brown butter sugar cookies which was my first foray into browned butter and everybody loved them, too. Everybody thinks I am a great baker but it is really just because o know about your website!
Is there a trick to the toasted marshmallows? They were glued to the sprayed aluminum foil and would absolutely not come off. I threw them away. Phooey!
Hi RaeCharles, Those marshmallows sure can get sticky. Were they overbaked by chance? You could try reducing the broil time by just a minute or so for next time. And yes, (very!) generously spraying the aluminum foil is keyโso a few extra sprays should help!
I also had the same issue with the toasted marshmallows. Completely stuck to the foil I sprayed GENEROUSLY, and carefully watched in the oven and didnโt reallyโtoastโ I ended up having to use my kitchen torch to get the toasty look you got. I was able to pull some globs off with my hands, but it didnโt really incorporate well. The treats themselves were good and got great compliments, but not sure it was worth it for rice krispy treats.
Rae, I had the same issue. I hadnโt added the cereal to the melted marshmallows so I scraped the glob in the pot anf proceeded with the recipe. It lost the toasty marshmallow taste, but were good. I wonโt be making these again though.