Rice Krispy Treats Recipe (2024)

Published: Jan 22, 2017 · Modified: Mar 12, 2020 by Elizabeth Marek · This post may contain affiliate links · 34 Comments

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Rice Cereal Treat Recipe For Sculpted Cakes And Toppers

This is my recipe for making rice cereal treats for toppers and for sculpted cakes. The main difference between this recipe and a regular rice cereal treat recipe is that it doesn't have any butter and it has chocolate added to it. Butter makes RKT too soft and not ideal for sculpted cakes. The additional chocolate helps keep the RKT nice and solid so they don't pull away from the structure.

Make sure that when you are applying RKT to a structure you have a base of melted marshmallows on the structure or your RKT will fall off. Also remember to let your RKT mixture cool for 10 minutes until it can hold it's shape before attaching to the structure. Wrap the RKT well and let cool fully before attempting to carve.

Recipe

Rice Krispy Treats (RKT)

One of the foundational tools of 3D cake sculpting, rice krispy treats are essential to getting shapes and forms that simply can't be achieved with traditional cake sculpting. After trying and testing several recipes over the course of my career, this recipe is my go-to for getting the job done right the first time.

Print Recipe Rate Recipe

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes minutes

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: 1 lb

Calories: 1811kcal

Author: Elizabeth Marek

Ingredients

8 oz Marshmallows
8 oz Rice cereal
2.5 oz Melted chocolate melties work best
Small amount Vegetable shortening
Plastic wrap

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Put marshmallows into microwave-safe bowl and melt in microwave for 1 minute on high. Check marhsmallows and mix with a spoon and then put back into the microwave for 30 seconds, checking every time and mixing until completely melted.
Melt chocolate over a double-boiler on the stove or in the microwave. Microwave chocolate for 30 seconds and stir 2 times, then microwave for 15 seconds at a time, stirring every time and checking until completely melted. Don't over-heat, if chocolate gets heated for too long it will burn.
Add rice cereal and melted chocolate to marshmallows. Mix until evenly coated.
Let set 5-10 minutes before handling.

Nutrition

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

Lauren says
June 28, 2018 at 6:50 pm

I used this for my USS Enterprise cake. I made it a couple weeks in advance and it stayed malleable the whole time highly recommend!
Reply
Effy Fred says
October 08, 2018 at 5:38 am
Thanks for coming to India Mumbai.
For the cakeolog exhibition.
You are nice to talk. Sharing caring loving person.
Thank you,
God bless.
Reply
- The Sugar Geek Show says
  October 11, 2018 at 11:46 am
  See Also
  The Best Vanilla Cake Recipe (Reader Favorite!)White Peach Sangria Recipe: Easy & Delicious! - WhitneyBond.com Pumpkin Patch Dirt Cake Recipe Crispy Peanut Butter Marshmallow Brownies Recipe
  I had a wonderful time! Thank you for your hospitality
  Reply
Eman says
December 17, 2018 at 9:20 am
Melted chocolate melties. Are you talking about Wilton chocolate melts
Reply
- The Sugar Geek Show says
  December 17, 2018 at 10:21 am
  Yes those would work, there are many kinds of melties. I use guittard vanilla a'peels
  Reply
Ann says
January 14, 2019 at 11:32 am
Hi...for the melts...is it a 1/4 cup of melted melts?
Thank you!
Reply
- The Sugar Geek Show says
  January 14, 2019 at 1:16 pm
  Yes it is
  Reply
Naomi B says
January 16, 2019 at 2:00 am
Hi... So I just made my first batch.
Can't wait to use it.
Liz it taste so good
Thank You
Reply
- The Sugar Geek Show says
  January 20, 2019 at 12:21 am
  yay so happy to hear it!
  Reply
Jane E says
February 18, 2019 at 1:41 pm
I used the chocolate rice krispies. My goodness it smells good.. this recipe works fabulous. Thanks Liz
Reply
Gina E says
February 27, 2019 at 9:50 am
What is the purpose of the melted chocolates?
Reply
- The Sugar Geek Show says
  March 04, 2019 at 10:01 am
  Stability for carving.
  Reply
Jennifer G says
April 06, 2019 at 4:14 pm
How long will a batch keep? Can it be made ahead of time for a project?
Reply
- The Sugar Geek Show says
  April 07, 2019 at 10:56 am
  RKT are typically used right after you make them because you use them to sculpt into a shape. Once they harden you will not be able to re-shape them. They don't go stale so that isn't an issue
  Reply
  - amanda kuder says
    August 21, 2019 at 8:39 pm
    since it wont go stale could I sculpt with it in Sept or early October for around December 9th?
    I dont want to eat the RKT but will add cake to eat in December.
    I dont want the rkt to mold etc and I'm not sure if it does that or not..
  - The Sugar Geek Show says
    August 22, 2019 at 10:53 am
    No it doesn't mold. I have RKT sculptures that are years old 🙂
Elizabeth Higgins says
June 04, 2019 at 4:40 am
Can you freeze them after you have modelled what you need ??
Reply
- The Sugar Geek Show says
  June 04, 2019 at 8:34 am
  No need to freeze them, they are shelf stable.
  Reply
julie lewis says
June 09, 2019 at 3:28 am
what do I use the shortening for please
Reply
- The Sugar Geek Show says
  June 09, 2019 at 9:16 am
  You put it on your hands so that it doesn't stick when you are molding the treats
  Reply
Sue says
July 13, 2019 at 12:54 am
Can I leave out the chocolate and if so do I change the amounts?
Reply
- The Sugar Geek Show says
  July 13, 2019 at 8:55 am
  The chocolate is part of what gives the RKT it's structure so if you're using it to sculpt a 3D cake or structure, I would not leave it out.
  Reply
Steph says
July 26, 2019 at 8:46 am
Can I use semi-sweet chocolate rather than melties?
Reply
- The Sugar Geek Show says
  July 26, 2019 at 9:03 am
  Yes you can
  Reply
Cynara says
November 03, 2019 at 2:19 pm
Hi, how long after you shape the Rice Krispie sculpture it holds its shape? Is it possible to do sculpture to use in a month time?
Reply
- The Sugar Geek Show says
  November 03, 2019 at 5:46 pm
  It will hold its shape for years
  Reply
  - Cynara says
    November 04, 2019 at 1:23 am
    Thank you ?
Francine- The Garden Baker says
January 17, 2020 at 11:32 am
1- If I make a cube shape while the "dough" is malleable, will I be able to carve the cube with a knife after it has become firm and solid?
2- Can bits that have become solid and been carved off be reheated to use again on a different project?
3- Also, would you recommend putting the rice krispies thru a food processor to make them finer prior to mixing with the marshmallows?
Thanks so much for your help 🙂
Reply
- The Sugar Geek Show says
  January 18, 2020 at 5:35 pm
  Yes you can carve RKT after it's firmed up. I dont think you can heat up cut off pieces. I don't do the crushed rice cereal because it makes it very hard to cut later
  Reply
Francine- The Garden Baker says
January 30, 2020 at 1:16 am
Thanks for replying. I just tried. It must be the marshmallows that I used. Either that or me 🙂 They never really completely melted in the micro and instead looked like they were about to explode inside. So I heated them for 30 seconds at a time several times and still never really completely melted. When I mixed with the cereal I couldn't get them to mix well. I wonder if this has happened to anyone else. For the meantime I'm sticking to MC and fondant sculptures, but I do thank you Liz for sharing and for responding.
Reply
Torrey says
February 24, 2020 at 1:20 pm
Excited to try this. I noticed in many comments you said RKT is shelf stable for a long time. Does that still apply if it’s covered in fondant? I need to make a cowboy hat and since this is my fist attempt I want to give myself plenty of time. However if it works, I’d like to be done with it!
Reply
- The Sugar Geek Show says
  February 24, 2020 at 6:00 pm
  You sure can! I typically would carve down the RKT first to make it smooth, then apply ganache or buttercream to make sure the fondant sticks
  Reply
Susan M says
May 08, 2020 at 10:19 am
How do you “smooth” the rice cereal treat mixture after carving? Or do you coat wth chocolate or ganache before covering in fondant?
Reply
- Elizabeth Marek says
  May 08, 2020 at 10:34 am
  I dont coat it with anything but you could use ganache, buttercream or royal icing
  Reply

FAQs

What happens if you put too much butter in Rice Krispies treats? ›

What happens if you put too much butter in Rice Krispies Treats? If you put too much butter in rice krispies treats they will become oily, the cereal will soak up the butter and the treats will become soggy, rather than crispy.

Find Out More ›

What are the ingredients in Rice Krispies? ›

INGREDIENTS: Rice, sugar, salt, barley malt extract, niacin, iron, vitamin B6, riboflavin, thiamin, folic acid, vitamin D, vitamin B12.

Explore More ›

Why are my homemade rice crispy treats so hard? ›

High heat is the prime culprit for rock hard rice krispie treats. → Follow this tip: It will take a few more minutes of cook time, but melt the butter and marshmallows over low heat. You'll be rewarded with delicious, soft and chewy treats!

Learn More Now ›

Can I use old marshmallows for Rice Krispie Treats? ›

Can you use stale marshmallows to make rice krispie treats? You can but I would not recommend it. The marshmallows will clump instead of melting into a nice even goo.

Can you mess up Rice Krispie Treats? ›

If you melt the marshmallows too fast, it might result in a Rice Kripsy treat that is harder and crunchy than chewy. Take your time and let the butter and marshmallows melt slowly. Use an 8×8 or slightly smaller pan. Use a small and deep pan if you want thick and chewy rice Krispy treats.

Find Out More ›

What does too much butter do in baking? ›

Too much butter will result in a very soft, sticky dough that's difficult to shape, and bakes up greasy and dense.

Get More Info ›

What is the gelatin in Rice Krispies made of? ›

Pork gelatin is used in Kellogg's® Rice Krispies Treats® bars. Beef gelatin is used in Kellogg's® Pop-Tarts® Toaster Pastries. Because the gelatin is used in the icing, our Unfrosted Blueberry, Brown Sugar Cinnamon, and Strawberry varieties do not contain any gelatin.

Learn More Now ›

Do Rice Krispie treats have eggs? ›

Ingredients. Toasted rice cereal (rice, sugar, salt, malt flavor, niacinamide, reduced iron, vitamin b2 [riboflavin], folic acid), corn syrup, fructose, vegetable oil (soybean and palm oil with tbhq for freshness), sugar, corn syrup solids.

Find Out More ›

Is it cheaper to make or buy rice krispie treats? ›

It's Cheaper – The ingredients in this recipe cost me $5.01 and made 16.1 ounces of rice krispies, roughly 30 cents per ounce. I bought an 8-piece box at the store for $4.43 cents, with each piece weighing 0.78 ounces. That's about 70 cents per ounce.

Explore More ›

Why are my rice crispy treats falling apart? ›

An important factor in a rice krispie treat recipe is the ratio of marshmallow to cereal. Too much cereal and the squares will taste dry, crunchy, and bland. Too much marshmallow and the squares will be too sticky and fall apart.

Learn More Now ›

What makes rice krispies taste better? ›

Vanilla Extract: Adds a touch of vanilla flavor, enhancing the overall taste of the treats. Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances the flavor of the other ingredients. Rice Krispies: The star ingredient, these crisped rice cereal pieces absorb the melted marshmallow mixture and provide a crispiness.

Explore More ›

Do you have to refrigerate Rice Krispie treats after you make them? ›

Do Rice Crispy Treats Need to be Refrigerated? No. I recommend keeping these Rice Crispy Treats in an airtight container at room temperature. Refrigerating will make the marshmallow in them super hard, so I advise to leave them at room temperature.

Explore More ›

How to stop rice crispy cakes from going soggy? ›

Proper Storage: Store your Rice Krispie Cakes in an airtight container to prevent exposure to air, which can cause them to lose their crispiness. But, let's be honest, they're so delicious they might not last long enough to worry about getting soggy!

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How many days are homemade Rice Krispie treats good for? ›

Store the container on the counter, in a cupboard, or anywhere that will stay room temperature. Room temperature can fall anywhere between 64 to 73 °F (18 to 23 °C). After 3 days, you should throw away the old rice crispy treats and just whip up a new batch!

Read On ›

What happens if you add too much butter to pastry? ›

Too much butter in your baked goods would give them different texture (flat, greasy..).

Learn More ›

What if you add too much butter to cookies? ›

Too much butter makes cookies turn out just as you'd expect: very buttery. This batch of cookies was cakey in the middle, but also airy throughout, with crispy edges. They were yellow and slightly puffy in the middle, and brown and super thin around the perimeter.

Find Out More ›

What to do if Rice Krispies are too sticky? ›

Alternatively, those greasy used butter wrappers work wonders in helping press your mixture down and keeping things stick-free. Be sure to press down firmly, but not too tight, so that your mixture is easy to cut but doesn't become hard.

Rice Krispy Treats Recipe (2024)

Rice Cereal Treat Recipe For Sculpted Cakes And Toppers

Recipe

Rice Krispy Treats (RKT)

Ingredients

Ingredients

Instructions

Instructions

Nutrition

More Recipe

Reader Interactions

Comments

Leave a Reply

FAQs

What happens if you put too much butter in Rice Krispies treats? ›

What makes rice krispies taste better? ›

References