Whether it’s a birthday party, after-school treat, or special dessert, it’s hard to go wrong with Rice Krispie treats. Kids (and adults, too!), love them for their marshmallowy goodness, and they have the added benefit of being super simple to make. There’s no oven involved, and it’s hard to mess up a recipe with only three ingredients. We all love Rice Krispies, but they’re not the only cereal in the aisle that can be transformed into a yummy treat. If you’re a bona-fide fan of the traditional Rice Krispie treats, you’ll love these marshmallow treats all inspired by that original sweet treat masterpiece.
1. Extra Marshmallowy Lucky Charms Treats
Double the marshmallow makes these sweet treats magically delicious. If your kids beg for Lucky Charms every time they enter the cereal aisle, this is a good way to satisfy their cravings without having to commit to the sugary cereal on a regular basis. They’ll be a special treat instead of a sugar-filled morning ritual.
To make them, follow your normal Rice Krispie recipe. You’ll need some salted butter, mini marshmallows, and a big box of Lucky Charms. It’ll only take about 10 minutes to make the treats, but we recommend letting the tray sit and harden for at least an hour before cutting them up and doling them out. This will help keep the gooey mess to a minimum.
2. Peanut Butter, Chocolate, and Marshmallow Cereal Bars
Peanut butter and chocolate is an iconic pairing, and it gets even better when you add the smooth sweetness of melted marshmallow. For these cereal bars, you can use your favorite brand of peanut butter and chocolate cereal. Reese’s Puffs are probably the most popular, but there are plenty to choose from–there are even chocolate and peanut butter Cheerios.
The rules are simple with this recipe: add as much marshmallow as you want and make sure you grease your pan. Cut them up, pull them apart, and watch the smiles spread.
3. Cap’n Crunch’s Crunch Berry Bars
You can’t exactly call Cap’n Crunch’s Crunch Berries a “fruity” cereal, but it is a nice flavor change if you want something besides chocolate or basic marshmallow. Sure, you could make marshmallow treats with the regular Cap’n Crunch, but the berry version will always be superior in our book.
The crunch in all the Cap’n Crunch cereals means you’ll probably have to add more marshmallow to this recipe than you would with traditional Rice Krispie. The cereal pieces are a little bigger and bulkier, and the marshmallow will keep the gooey squares from turning into hard bricks in the tray. You can also crush up the cereal pieces a little to help them stay together.
4. Golden Graham S’mores
Golden Grahams + mini chocolate chips + marshmallow = s’mores for everyone!
Okay, so this Rice Krispie inspired recipe will cost you an extra ingredient, but trust me, those mini chocolate chips will be worth the three seconds it takes to open the bag and dump them in the bowl. These delicious little squares are all the best parts of a s’more without the hassle of a campfire.
5. Chex Mix Marshmallow Treats
If you’re a fan of homemade treats and like to experiment in the kitchen, you probably already know you can make your own Chex Mix with a few different kinds of Chex cereal, some pretzels, and even those little bagel chip things. But Chex Mix isn’t the only snack this cereal is good for. With a little marshmallow (okay, maybe a lot of marshmallow), you can get a little creative and make your own version of a Chex Mix cereal bar.
For this recipe, it’s all up to you. Feel free to experiment and add whatever you want. You can’t go wrong with adding a salt to your sweet, so we suggest adding pretzels to whatever you make. Chocolate chips are also a winning choice.
6. Fruity Pebbles Treats
These Fruity Pebble marshmallow treats are basically the rainbow version of regular Rice Krispie treats. They’re perfect for a unicorn-themed birthday party (you could even add edible glitter), or just a regular after-school treat.
Whatever you do, make sure you use a fresh box of Fruity Pebbles. This is the type of cereal that seems to go stale seconds after you open the bag. You want all the crunch you can get, and even slightly stale cereal will make mixing a gloppy mess.
7. Pumpkin Spice Treats
Pumpkin spice is famous in fall, but if you’re a true fan, you’ll enjoy these marshmallow treats no matter the month. You have a couple of options for this recipe.
You can go the more traditional route (and also more involved) by adding the appropriate spices to your regular Rice Krispie treats, or you can skip the measuring and use a pumpkin spice flavored cereal—trust us, there are plenty of them these days. But you might have trouble finding them if it isn’t August through November. Mom Makes Joy has an easy-to-follow recipe for when you can’t find the cereal you want.