Rice Krispies Treats are a delicious and easy treat, but Microwave Rice Krispies Treats are even better because there is less mess and you can have them ready to eat in just 5 minutes! And not only do we love eating Rice Krispies Treats - I love using them to sculpt things to go on my cakes!
Originally published February 2015, updated February 2022
Table of contents
This is the exact recipe I've always used to make Rice Krispies Treats that we eat and that I sculpt with and it always comes out terrific!
Here are a few reasons these are a favorite treat at our house.
Why is Rice Krispies Treats Microwave version our favorite?
First, they can be ready to eat in less than 10 minutes...start to finish!
Second, they're a cheap and easy snack.
Third, they only require two or three ingredients.
Fourth, they're low fat...to fat-free.
Fifth, cleanup is super easy!
Sixth...my kids LOVE Micrwave Rice Crispy Treats!! I made these one afternoon last week and they were gone lickety-split!
And last, I can use them to make things for cakes... like this XBox controller and this owl and the football and the cowboy hat part of this Duck Call cake ... and even this truck:
Equipment
- Microwave-safe Bowl
- Turner/Spatula
- 9x13 Baking Dish or Pan
Rice Krispie Treats Ingredients:
As I mentioned above, you only need two or three ingredients to make these easy homestyle Rice Krispies Treats!
- Rice Krispies Cereal
- Marshmallows
- Butter (optional)
- Nonstick Cooking Spray
If you skip the butter, you have a fat-free treat. You may have to add extra marshmallows or fewer Rice Krispies to get the right texture, but it's totally doable!
Shop for Ingredients
How to Make Rice Crispy Treats in the Microwave
- First, pour the marshmallows into a microwave-safe bowl - add 3 cut-up tablespoons of butter (be sure to mix the butter in so that marshmallows cover it up).
2. Microwave for about 1 minute. Stir. Microwave for another minute.
3. Stir again. If it's still not a very thin, melted consistency (like here in my marshmallow fondant), repeat at 30-second intervals until it's all melted and smooth.
4. Then stir in Rice Krispies, a little at a time, until they're evenly coated.
If they're too gooey, add a little more cereal*. I like to use a silicone spatula to do this...it's easy cleanup!
5. Next, spray a 9"X13" dish with non-stick butter spray or coat the pan with butter.
6. Scoop or pour the cereal mixture into the dish, then take the back (flat) side of the spatula and spread the cereal, and flatten it. It works beautifully!
Now..here's a fun tip! Also, take a spatula with a very flat turner and coat the underside with butter or butter spray - that way the cereal won't stick to it when you're spreading it out!
7. At this point, you can (if you must) let this 'set' for a an hour or two so that they're no longer gooey. OR you can eat warm, sticky, yummy Rice Krispie treats right away! All in all, this takes less than 10 minutes (more like 5), and if you wash your bowl immediately, the clean-up is SUPER easy!
8. ENJOY!!
Video for Rice Krispie Treats Microwave Recipe:
Rice Krispies Treats Variations:
- If you want to change things up, you can also make these treats with Cheerios, Lucky Charms, Fruity Pebbles, or Cocoa Krispies.
- Serving tip: if you want to make these into fun bite-sized treats for a party, make mini rice krispies treats by spooning the mixture into mini muffun pans instead of a 9x13 baking dish. Or make them in the usual dish and cut them into 1x1 inch squares. Let them set and you'll have bite-size treats that can be eaten by hand. Or if you want to get fancy, serve them on lollipop sticks or toothpicks 🙂
Pro Tips:
- First - the microwave is my main tip! Almost every time I tried to melt butter and marshmallows on the stovetop, I ended up with browned butter, scorched marshmallows, or both. And a huge mess trying to move the mixture over to a bowl big enough to stir in the cereal.
- By making them in the microwave, Rice Krispies Treats are nearly fool-proof and way less messy.
- Second - spray a turner (or spatula) with cooking spray and use that to press the treats into a pan. This way you can avoid sticky hands and the treats won't stick to the spatula either.
- To fix rice crispy treats that are too hard (see below for what causes this)... IF your Rice Crispy Treats do get hard, one possible solution is to place a couple of squares in a zip-top bag with a slice of bread and leave them overnight. They will absorb moisture from the bread and soften again.
- If your whole pan is hard, place a couple of slices of bread on top of them and seal the pan in an airtight container and leave overnight. There are no guarantees here (it depends on why they're hard), but there's a good chance you can save your dessert!
FAQ
Usually, this means you have too much moisture in your recipe. This could be because the marshmallows were over-melted or because the brand of butter you used has higher water content.
But this is an easy fix - just add more Rice Krispies until you get a stiffer mixture that will stick together. I usually add about half a cup at a time until I like the texture and the mixture is firmer and sticking together.
You may have to skip the butter and/or add more cereal to get the Rice Krispies Treats to stiffen up enough for good sculpting, but I promise, it can be done! And you really want them to cool and even leave them out overnight to harden for best results when sculpting for cake.
The biggest culprit for hard rice crispy treats is overcooking the microwave (on the stovetop). Thankfully, this is not as much of a problem when you make rice crispy treats microwave version.
But that's not the only reason they get hard. Another reason is over-stirring them when you add the cereal to the melted marshmallows and butter. This breaks the cereal and will make the treats more dense and hard.
And lastly, when you smooth them out, don't press down to hard and pack them really tight. This will also lead to very hard rice crispy treats. Instead. just press down enough to make them smooth and be done!
Yes! In addition to being a fat-free dessert if you leave the butter out, you could call these Gluten Free Rice Krispie Treats and you'd be absolutely correct!
Yes! They are best fresh, and will never quite be the same as that, but if you want to soften them up after a day or two, just pop them in the microwave for 10-15 seconds and they will be soft and chewy again!
How long do Rice Krispies Treats Last?
Rice Krispies Treats will stay fresh for 2-3 days at room temperature in an airtight container. If you're making them for snacks or a party, you can make them ahead and wrap the squares individually in plastic wrap.
If you want to keep them fresh longer, you can freeze them in an airtight container for up to 6 weeks!
Moving on. As I mentioned before, there's one thing about Rice Krispie Treats that I used to NEVER like.
That's the nasty mess in a pot or the burned marshmallow/butter combination that comes with turning your head away for a second.
Storage:
Store your treats in an airtight container at room temperature to keep them from drying out and getting rock-hard.
Add-Ins:
There are endless ways to customize your Rice Cereal Treats. Here are a few popular things you can add in:
- Vanilla Extract- a teaspoon will do - mix it into the melted butter/marshmallow mixture
- Mini Chocolate Chips - ½ to ¾ cup mixed in with the cereal
- Sprinkles - add ¼ cup of sprinkles to your treats to make them pretty and festive.
- Cookies - crush ½ cup of OREO cookies and add them to the mixture for Cookies & Cream treats
- Peanut Butter or Nutella - mix in ½ cup of peanut butter or Nutella to the melted marshmallows and add extra cereal as needed to stiffen up the mixture
You can also dip the Rice Krispies Treats in white chocolate to take them to the next level - check out these Easter Rice Krispies Pops and Baby Chick Rice Krispies Treats for Easter for some fun Easter treats!
Well, I don't remember where I found this tip, but now we make them in the microwave and I'll never do it on the stove AGAIN!
So..here's how we do it!
Enjoy!
More Rice Crispy Treats Recipes & Tutorials
Printable Recipe
PrintRecipe
Rice Krispies Treats in the Microwave
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 12 (3x3 squares) 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Microwaveable Rice Krispies Treats. Use this recipe to make Rice Cereal Treats in the microwave instead of on the stovetop.
Ingredients
- 4 cups mini marshmallows or 40 Large Marshmallows (10 oz. bag)
- 3 Tablespoons of Butter*
- 6 cups of Rice Krispies (plus a little maybe?)
- Non-stick butter spray
- *can be omitted for a fat-free snack...but a little butter never hurt anyone, right?
Instructions
- Pour the marshmallows into a microwave safe bowl - add 3 cut-up tablespoons of butter (be sure to mix the butter in so that marshmallows cover it up).
- Microwave for about 1 minute. Stir. Microwave for another minute. Stir again. If it's still not a very thin, melted consistency (like here in my marshmallow fondant), repeat at 30 second intervals until it's all melted and smooth.
- Stir in Rice Krispies until they're evenly coated. If they're too gooey, add alittle more cereal*. I like to use a silicone spatula to do this...it's easy clean up!
- Next, spray a 9"X13" dish with non-stick butter spray or coat the pan with butter.
- Now..here's a fun tip! Also, take a spatula with a very flat turner and coat the underside with butter or butter spray - that way the cereal won't stick to it when you're spreading it out! Pour the cereal mixture into the dish, then take the back (flat) side of the spatula and spread the cereal and flatten it. It works beautifully!
- At this point you can (if you must) let this 'set' for a few minutes and cool...OR you can eat warm, sticky, yummy Rice Krispie treats right away! All in all, this takes less than 10 minutes (more like 5), and if you wash your bowl immediately, the clean up is SUPER easy!
Notes
*I'm not sure if different brands of marshmallows melt differently or what, but sometimes the mixture seems gooier than other times. When this happens, I add an extra half a cup of cereal to stiffen up the mixture. If that's not enough, I do it again.
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 5
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Microwave
- Cuisine: American
Amy
Thanks Rose! I have printed it out and will be making up some today!!!!!
Rebecca
Mmm these sound yummy...and I have some vanilla marshmallow snowmen left over from Christmas baking...i'm going to try it...I also LOVE adding in cinnamon red hots!
Marie
No vanilla??
Rose
No, but I bet that would be good. I've never added anything else to my RKT.
Rebecca
I’m wanting for sculpting hulk hands for a cake once they set are they able to be squished and sculptures like when you buy them or do you need to sculpt with them straight away. I can’t buy Rice Krispie treats where I love so wanted to try these
Rose
They may have to cool a little before sculpting but either way, I think you can use them in the same way as the ones you buy.
Franny
I made these twice so far and so quick and easy!! A neighbor helps me with stuff around the house and was beyond delighted when I brought him a pan of these made fresh (minus one that I ate - hey, I cut them so he didn’t know!!). I made some today to watch fireworks with a bunch of people. People love these treats but they are a cinch to make with this recipe! Thank you!!
Rose Atwater
So, so happy to hear this!