United States • Regional Dish • Dessert
Rice Krispies Treats
Rice Krispies Treats combine melted butter, marshmallows and crisp rice cereal in one of America’s simplest and most enduring no-bake desserts.
Instructions
- Lightly butter a 23 x 33 cm (9 x 13-inch) baking pan. For easier removal, line it with parchment and lightly butter the parchment.
- Melt the butter in a large saucepan over low heat.
- Add the marshmallows and cook, stirring constantly, until completely melted and smooth, about 3–5 minutes. Keep the heat low; overheated marshmallows can make the finished squares hard.
- Remove the pan from the heat. Immediately add the Rice Krispies cereal and fold until the cereal is evenly coated.
- Scrape the mixture into the prepared pan. Using a lightly buttered spatula or a sheet of parchment, gently spread it into an even layer. Do not compact it firmly or the squares will become dense.
- Let cool for about 20 minutes, or until set.
- Lift from the pan if using parchment and cut into 12 large squares. For smaller portions, cut into 24 pieces.
- Serve the same day for the best combination of crisp cereal and soft marshmallow.
Cultural Context
WK Kellogg launched Rice Krispies cereal in 1928, with “Snap! Crackle! Pop!” following soon after. The marshmallow treat arrived about a decade later, with Kellogg recognizing 1939 as the year its Home Economics Department developed it. Iowa State sources credit home economists Mildred Day and Malitta Jensen, although the exact authorship is less clear than the popular story suggests.
By 1940, newspaper recipes were circulating, often using more butter, marshmallows and vanilla. In the US, they’re Rice Krispies Treats; in Canada, Rice Krispies Squares — a tiny dessert with an international identity crisis.
Fun Fact
Rice Krispies cereal debuted in 1928, more than a decade before Kellogg recognized the famous marshmallow treats as being developed in 1939.
Cook’s Tip
Keep the heat low and press gently. Overheated marshmallows or firmly compacting the mixture can turn tender squares dense and hard.
Trivia
Snap, Crackle and Pop are older than the treats, too. The words appeared in a Rice Krispies print ad in 1929, and the characters began appearing in ads in 1933.
More American Recipes
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Creamed butter and mixed sugars create a soft cookie with crisp edges and balanced chocolate flavor rooted in the Massachusetts Toll House style.
View Recipe
Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
Build a flaky double crust, fill with strawberries and sliced rhubarb, then bake until bubbling for a sweet-tart, sliceable pie.
View Recipe
Classic American Lemonade
Dissolve sugar into a quick syrup, mix with fresh lemon juice and cold water, then serve over ice for a bright sweet-tart drink.
View Recipe