In todays post: Imagine the chewiest, most delicious rice krispie treats you’ve ever tasted with a twist: a sweet swirl of caramel and a touch of salt. These easy no bake treats are good!
Caramel Rice Krispie Bars
I’ve decided rice krispie treats are underrated. They’re not really the treat anyone thinks of when they want to make something special and really delicious. And do you know why? It’s because the “classic” rice krispie treat recipe just isn’t actually that great. And don’t get me started on the abomination that is packaged rice krispie treats. Gross. But I’m telling you that with a few adjustments this simple treat can be elevated into something really quite amazing. They might end up being one of your favorite no bake desserts!
Soft and chewy
The biggest problem with most rice krispie treats is they end up kinda hard and scratchy. And frankly they’re a little boring. But we’re going to fix all those problems with today’s recipe – which is still just as quick and easy to make as the original! Here’s what you’ll do:
- First, we’re going to increase the amount of marshmallows the recipe calls for. This goes a LONG way toward making the treats soft and chewy, instead of hard enough to scratch your mouth when you chew them.
- Next, we’re adding all sorts of flavor! These are caramel rice krispie treats, which means we stir a whole bag of caramel bits right into the marshmallow mixture, which gives you a beautiful caramel swirl all through the treats! We’ll also amp up the flavor with a nice hit of salt and some vanilla extract.
- Finally, when you pour the treats out into a dish, you’ll just pat them down *gently*. This ensures that they stay soft and chewy, even the next day.
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make delicious caramel rice krispie treats:
- Rice Krispies: You’ll use 8 cups of Rice Krispie cereal, or nearly a whole 9 oz box.
- Mini Marshmallows: You’ll use a full 16 oz bag of mini marshmallows. And make sure you get the minis, not the full size, so you can reserve a few to mix in at the end.
- Butter: You’ll use one stick (half a cup) of salted butter.
- Caramel Bits: No need to make a complicated caramel sauce! Instead you’ll use a full 11 oz bag of Kraft caramel bits.
- Vanilla Extract: For flavor!
- Coarse Salt: For more flavor! I like using a coarse salt like sea salt or kosher salt here, and I sprinkle half a teaspoon on top of the treats for a little salty kick. If you don’t want to taste the salt you could decrease that slightly, and if you’re using table salt use only a quarter of a teaspoon.
Caramel Rice Krispie Treats
Ingredients
- 8 cups Rice Krispies Cereal
- 1/2 cup Butter
- 16 oz Mini Marshmallows
- 11 oz Caramel Bits
- 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1/2 teaspoon Coarse Salt or 1/4 teaspoon table salt
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Instructions
- Lightly spray a 9×13 pan with nonstick spray or line with parchment paper.
- Reserve one cup of marshmallows from the bag and set aside.
- In a large pot, melt the butter and all the rest of the mini marshmallows. Stir constantly until completely melted.
- Turn the heat to low and stir in the vanilla. Then sprinkle in the caramel bits and stir well until the caramel just begins to melt, about 30 seconds.
- Remove from heat and immediately stir in the cereal and reserved mini marshmallows until well combined. Turn out into prepared pan and use the spoon to gently spread the treats out in the pan. Immediately sprinkle with half a teaspoon of coarse salt. Then get your hands wet and *gently* press the rice krispie mixture down to level out the top. Don't press them down too much or they won't be as chewy.
- Allow bars to cool for one hour before cutting and serving. Do not refrigerate; that will make them hard. Store covered at room temperature.
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