Easy Christmas Tree Rice Krispie Treats Recipe - Rachel Cooks® (2024)

FAQs

Why are my homemade rice crispy treats so hard? ›

If you melt the marshmallows too fast, it might result in a Rice Kripsy treat that is harder and crunchy than chewy. Take your time and let the butter and marshmallows melt slowly. Use an 8×8 or slightly smaller pan. Use a small and deep pan if you want thick and chewy rice Krispy treats.

Don't use old marshmallows.

Most importantly, they don't melt nearly as well. Instead of becoming soft and gooey, they melt into a one giant blob. → Follow this tip: Save the older marshmallows for hot cocoa and s'mores, and pick up a fresh bag of marshmallows to ensure a really great batch of rice krispie treats.

Should you refrigerate homemade rice crispy treats? Rice krispie treats do not need to be refrigerated because they contain so much sugar, which acts as a preservative. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week, but I doubt they will last that long!

Cook the marshmallows low and slow: Everyone has the tendency to speed through the melting process. But the mallows need some serious love, people. If you try and rush through this, they will get hard once they cool instead of keeping the chewy texture everyone loves. So to avoid this, turn that heat down to low.

What happens if you put too much butter in Rice Krispies Treats? If you put too much butter in rice krispies treats they will become oily, the cereal will soak up the butter and the treats will become soggy, rather than crispy.

Vanilla Extract: Adds a touch of vanilla flavor, enhancing the overall taste of the treats. Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances the flavor of the other ingredients. Rice Krispies: The star ingredient, these crisped rice cereal pieces absorb the melted marshmallow mixture and provide a crispiness.

If you want to store them for longer than two days, try freezing them. To Freeze: Allow these gooey Rice Krispie Treats to cool completely and cut them into squares. Freeze in an airtight container, or wrap each square in a piece of plastic wrap and place them in a gallon freezer bag. Freeze them for up to 3 months.

Marshmallows tend to become stickier as they age, which can be a telltale sign that they are past their prime. Despite this change in consistency, marshmallows can remain safe to eat for 6 to 8 months beyond their marked best before date, though their optimal quality may have diminished.

* Make sure your marshmallows are fresh. Stale, hard marshmallows won't result in nice, chewy bars. ** Any brand is fine, but be sure the cereal you use is fresh. Stale cereal will make for stale-tasting Rice Crispy Treats.

Guideline for Homemade Treats: Homemade Rice Krispies treats generally last about 3-4 weeks after the expiration date of the cereal when stored properly. Ensure that the storage area is cool, dry, and dark to maximize their shelf life.

Do you add butter to melt marshmallows? ›

However, if you need the marshmallows to be melted for use in a recipe like a mousse or cereal bar, then it's best to do so very gently in a saucepan, ideally with other ingredients like butter, milk or water, depending on your recipe.

The substitute breaks down like this: combine an inverted sugar (like syrup or honey) with a nut or seed butter to create a sweet adhesive for your Rice Krispy treats. Not only does this sticky mix work as a proper swap for marshmallows, but it also brings its own unique flavor to your crunchy bars.

To make cutting the treats a breeze, spray a knife or cookie cutter with non-stick cooking spray beforehand. This will prevent the marshmallow from sticking to the knife. If you have fun cookie cutter shapes, this is a great non-cookie use for them.

Just dip your fingers in, let the excess water drip off, and then start pressing. Dip as many times as needed. I've seen tips where you spray your hands with cooking spray, which does in fact work, but I'm not about that oily mess life after… Get ready for gooey rice krispie treats, friends!