S’mores Rice Krispie Treats Recipe

I turned classic s’mores into Rice Krispie Smores Bars that surprised the table and instantly prompted everyone to ask for the recipe.

I grew up thinking s’mores were only for campfires, until I mashed them into Rice Krispie Smores Bars that stole every party. These bars, made with Rice Krispies cereal and gooey mini marshmallows, are crispy, sticky, and somehow way better than the sum of their parts.

I never intended to make something so addictive, and yeah the photos never capture the melty chaos I actually get. If you want something that reads like nostalgia but hits like a treat, these show up at bake sales and sit right beside Loaded Rice Crispy Treats on the table.

You’ll want to try one, or three.

Ingredients

• Rice Krispies cereal: Light crispy corn cereal, adds crunch and carbs, low fat mostly simple carbohydrates
• Mini marshmallows: Ultra sweet, mostly sugar, gives gooey texture and sticky sweetness kids totally love
• Graham cracker crumbs: Buttery slightly sweet, contributes fiber and whole grain-like flavor, recreates s’more crust
• Semisweet chocolate chips: Adds chocolatey richness, antioxidants from cocoa, balances sugar with mild bitterness
• Unsalted butter: Adds creaminess and flavor, provides fat for chewiness and helps bind treats
• Vanilla extract: Tiny bit boosts flavor depth, makes sweetness rounder, smells warm and cozy
• Pinch of salt: Cuts sweetness, enhances chocolate and graham flavors, small but powerful
• Extra marshmallows for topping: Topped and toasted give caramelized flavor and crunchy char, super melty

Ingredient Quantities

• 6 cups Rice Krispies cereal
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 10 ounces mini marshmallows about 4 cups plus 1 cup extra mini marshmallows for topping
• 1 cup graham cracker crumbs about 8 full crackers crushed
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips about 6 ounces or coarsely chopped chocolate
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter or nonstick cooking spray for the pan

How to Make this

1. Prep the pan: line an 8 or 9 inch square or 9×13 pan with parchment leaving an overhang, then grease the paper and sides with the 1 tablespoon unsalted butter or spray with nonstick cooking spray so nothing sticks.

2. Melt the butter: in a large heavy bottom saucepan melt 3 tablespoons unsalted butter over low heat, dont let it brown.

3. Add marshmallows and salt: add the 10 ounces mini marshmallows (about 4 cups) and a pinch of salt to the melted butter and stir constantly until completely smooth and glossy, then take the pan off the heat and stir in the 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract.

4. Mix in crumbs and cereal: immediately add the 1 cup graham cracker crumbs and the 6 cups Rice Krispies cereal to the hot marshmallow mixture and fold gently but thoroughly so everything is evenly coated, dont overmix or it will get tough.

5. Add the chocolate: fold in the 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips while the mixture is still hot so they soften and get gooey, you can reserve a few chips to sprinkle on top if you like.

6. Press into the pan: transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and press it evenly into the corners using a buttered spatula or buttered hands, press firm enough to hold but not so hard you squish all the air out.

7. Top with extra marshmallows: scatter the extra 1 cup mini marshmallows over the top and press lightly so they stick, then if you want a toasted top either toast with a kitchen torch or place under a very hot broiler for 10 to 20 seconds watching closely because they burn fast.

8. Cool and set: let the bars cool at room temp until firm, at least 30 minutes, dont cut them while theyre still warm or theyll be too gooey.

9. Cut and clean slices: use the parchment overhang to lift the slab from the pan and cut into bars with a sharp knife wiped clean or warmed under hot water between cuts for neat edges.

10. Store tips: keep in an airtight container at room temp for up to 2 days, or freeze between sheets of parchment for longer; to refresh a little, microwave a bar for 5 to 8 seconds so the chocolate gets soft again.

Equipment Needed

1. 8 or 9 inch square pan or 9×13 pan (lined with parchment, with an overhang)
2. Parchment paper (cut to fit so you can lift the slab out)
3. Large heavy bottom saucepan (for melting butter and marshmallows)
4. Heatproof rubber or silicone spatula (for stirring and folding)
5. Measuring cups and measuring spoons
6. Offset or flat spatula (buttered) or buttered hands for pressing into the pan
7. Sharp knife (wipe or warm between cuts for clean slices)
8. Kitchen torch or oven broiler-safe rack/pan (optional, for toasting the top)

FAQ

S’mores Rice Krispie Treats Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Rice Krispies cereal: swap for puffed rice cereal or a gluten free puffed rice, same volume (6 cups). You get the same crunchy chew, just check labels if you need GF.
• Unsalted butter: use coconut oil or a vegan buttery spread 1 to 1 (3 tbsp). If you use salted butter, skip or cut back the pinch of salt. Coconut oil will firm up a bit more when cooled.
• Mini marshmallows: replace with about 1 to 1 1/4 cups marshmallow fluff (creme) or use roughly 20 large marshmallows if thats what you have. Fluff mixes easier, whole marshmallows give more texture.
• Graham cracker crumbs: swap with crushed digestive biscuits, crushed vanilla wafers, or 1 cup finely crushed pretzels for a salty-sweet twist. Volume stays about the same (1 cup).

Pro Tips

– Work fast but dont panic: marshmallow cools and sets quick so have your pan ready and your hands or spatula greased. If it firms up while youre mixing, warm it over low heat for a few seconds and keep folding.

– Press with even, gentle force: use a piece of parchment on top and the bottom of a measuring cup to get flat, even bars without squishing all the air out. If you press too hard the bars go dense and chewy instead of light.

– Control the chocolate texture: fold most chips in while the mix is still hot for gooey pockets, but save a handful to sprinkle on top so you get visible chocolate bites. If you want chunkier chips, wait a minute so the mix cools slightly before folding them in.

– Toasting trick: a kitchen torch gives the best control, but if you use the broiler keep the door cracked and never walk away because those tiny marshmallows go from golden to burnt in seconds. If you dont want to risk it, quickly run a hot blow dryer over the top for a light puff.

– Clean cuts and storage: chill the slab 30 to 40 minutes for neater slices, lift it out with the parchment overhang, and use a sharp knife warmed under hot water and wiped dry between cuts. Store at room temp up to two days or freeze between parchment sheets so they dont stick.