Loaded with melty marshmallows and sweet chocolate candies, these are the best gooey M&M rice krispie treats ever!
You might also like Halloween Candy Cookies, Almond Joy Truffles, and Nutter Butter Brownies.
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Rice Krispie Treats With M&Ms
I love the simplicity of a homemade rice krispie treat. There are so many ways to liven up this classic sweet snack. One of my favorite ways is making rice krispie treats with M&Ms.
The gooey marshmallows combined with the chocolate M&M candies is simply amazing! Whether you’re making them to enjoy with friends, little ones, or treating yourself, homemade M&M rice krispie treats can’t be beat!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
There are so many things to love about this super easy rice krispie treat recipe, but here are just a few things:
- It’s a no-bake dessert! What’s better than that??
- It’s super family/kid friendly
- You only need 6 simple ingredients
- It’s easy to put together in just 10 minutes
- You can mix it up by substituting any of your favorite cereals
Ingredients
Rice Krispie cereal: You can use the name brand cereal or any generic brand of rice cereal that you want. In my experience, they all snap, crackle, and pop equally!
Marshmallows: The stickiness of the marshmallows is what holds the rice krispies in tact and gives them their sweet flavor. I like to use mini marshmallows, but you can use the regular or large marshmallows if desired.
Butter: Adding butter to your marshmallows not only gives more flavor, but keeps the melted marshmallows from becoming too sticky. Butter is key for making gooey rice krispie treats.
Pure vanilla extract: Adding vanilla to your melted marshmallow mix gives an incredible flavor to your rice krispie treats!
Salt: A pinch of salt helps bring out the flavors of the sweet elements.
M&Ms: You can’t make gooey M&M rice krispie treats without chocolate M&M candies! Chocolate and marshmallow is an incredible combination, and the candies add a fun pop of color! This recipe uses regular chocolate m&ms, but you could also use mini m&ms too.
How To Make Homemade Rice Krispie Treats
Before you get started, prepare a 9” x 13” glass pan by lightly spraying it with cooking spray. If desired, you can line the pan with parchment paper before spraying it.
The first step in making these M&M rice krispie treats is to combine marshmallows and butter. In a large microwave-safe bowl, add the marshmallows and butter. The marshmallows will expand quite a bit when you heat them so be sure to use a large bowl.
Microwave them for 2-3 minutes total in 1-minute increments. Keep an eye on it in the microwave to make sure the marshmallows don't overflow. Once the marshmallows and butter are completely melted, remove the bowl from the microwave.
Be sure to have the rest of the ingredients ready when you take the marshmallow mixture out of the microwave. You’ll need to add them immediately before it cools down.
Promptly add the vanilla and pinch of salt to the melted marshmallow mixture and use a spatula to combine. Then, add the rice cereal and mix until fully combined. Lastly, add in the chocolate M&M candies and mix.
Use a rubber spatula to transfer the rice krispie mixture into the pan and lightly press it out to fill the pan. Continue to press the mixture until the whole pan is covered and the rice krispie treats have an even thickness throughout. Keep in mind that the more you press them down, the more dense your rice krispie treats will be.
Serve & Store
Finally, allow your M&M rice krispie treats to set up. I like to leave them on the counter covered with tinfoil for an hour or so. You can also put them in the refrigerator to firm up faster if you’re feeling impatient.
Once they are set up, slice them into squares and enjoy! If you want to save some for later, wrap them in parchment paper and keep them in the freezer in a sealed bag or container.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
Use salted butter: I like to use salted butter when making most sweet treats to add more flavor. This is definitely the case for homemade rice krispie treats as well.
Prep the ingredients ahead of time: Have all your ingredients ready when you begin microwaving your marshmallows and butter. The melted ingredients start to solidify quickly, so you need to mix in the dry ingredients right away.
Use a 9x13 inch pan: This will give the rice krispie treats a decent thickness and also make enough for a crowd.
Rice Krispie Treat Add-Ins
One of the best things about these gooey M&M rice krispie treats is the added candy. I love making rice krispie treats with M&Ms, but here are some other add-ins you might like:
- Reese’s Pieces
- Chocolate chips
- Chocolate bar chunks
- Whole mini marshmallows
- Peanut butter
- Sprinkles
Cereal Variations
Rice cereal is commonly used to make cereal treats, but there are lots of other cereal options that also taste great. Here are some of my favorite cereals to turn into marshmallow cereal treats:
- Cocoa Pebbles
- Fruity Pebbles
- Cheerios
- Cinnamon Toast Crunch
- Reese’s Puffs
Recipe FAQ’s
Yes! The best way to store rice krispie treats in the freezer is in precut squares. Wrap the individual rice krispie treats in parchment paper or plastic wrap so they don't stick together. Then, place them in a well-sealed plastic bag or container and freeze for up to 2 months.
Nope. Rice krispie treats can be kept at room temperature. Just be sure they are well-covered to keep them from hardening and drying out.
Yes! If you don’t have marshmallows or want an alternative, you can also use marshmallow fluff to make rice krispie treats.
Yes, oil can be used in place of butter in these rice krispie treats if needed. Coconut oil or canola oil are good replacement options.
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Recipe
Best Gooey M&M Rice Krispie Treats
September 27, 2022Equipment
- Large bowl microwave-safe
- 9" x 13" glass pan
Ingredients
- 16 oz mini marshmallows
- 6 cups rice krispie cereal
- 6 tablespoon butter salted
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 10 oz M&Ms
Instructions
- Prepare a 9” x 13” glass pan by lightly spraying it with cooking spray (add parchment paper if desired).
- In a large microwave-safe bowl, add the marshmallows and butter. Microwave for 2-3 minutes total in 1-minute increments.
- Once completely melted, remove the marshmallow mixture from the microwave and stir briefly to combine. Immediately mix in the salt and vanilla extract.
- Quickly add in the rice krispie cereal and mix well. Then, mix in the M&Ms until they are evenly distributed throughout the mixture.
- Evenly press the rice krispie mixture into the prepared pan with a rubber spatula. Cover and let them sit for about an hour to fully set up. Once they solidify, cut into squares and serve.
Notes
- Be sure to use a large bowl to heat the marshmallows and butter to avoid overflow. The marshmallows will expand quite a bit in the microwave.
- Have all of the ingredients prepped and ready to go before microwaving the marshmallow mixture. They need to be added immediately after removing the mixture from the microwave before it cools and solidifies.
- The more pressure you apply to press the rice krispie mixture into the pan, the denser your rice krispie treats will be.
- Cover and place the rice krispie treat pan into the refrigerator or freezer to set up faster.
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
nancy says
cute! it was a lot of fun making with my kid
Jere says
Honestly, there is nothing better than a gooey Rice Krispie bar. Made these for a party of adults and they were a hit.
Shelby says
These rice krispie treats come out delicious and my kiddos loved the M&M addition!
Giangi says
Love this recipe! Fun to make and so deliciously yummy.
Judith says
So easy and fun to make!
Gina says
Rice krispie Treats are so popular in our home and the addition of m&m's added the perfect amount of chocolate in every bite.
Katie says
These are so dreamy! They came out so gooey, and the M&M's were fantastic!
Jacqui says
I love how fun and easy to make this recipe is!