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    You are here: Home / Desserts / Candy / Caramelized Rice Krispie Treats

    Caramelized Rice Krispie Treats

    July 17, 2015 Updated April 30, 2020 BySam 32 Comments

    This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure policy.
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    A sophisticated twist on the classic rice krispie treat, these caramelized rice krispie treats are made with an (easy) homemade caramel sauce and drizzled with chocolate.  

    carmelized rice krispie treats, drizzled with chocolate

    I’m admittedly guilty of having an addictive personality.  When I find something I like, I have the tendency to obsess over it.  As a child, it was Star Wars and books, as an adult… well my obsessions evidently don’t really change over time, but the list does seem to grow.

    Currently, my newest obsession on the list is caramel–homemade caramel sauce to be precise.  Deserts filled, dipped, or ladled with copious amounts of caramel are currently resting near the top of my “favorite things” list right now, ranking even higher when paired with chocolate (and even higher when sprinkled with sea salt, too!).

    carmelized rice krispie treats, drizzled with chocolate

    Making caramel sauce on the stove top is not difficult (and, of course, rice krispie treats are one of the easiest desserts out there) You aren’t making actual caramel candies here so there is no boiling and no need for a candy thermometer.  While I definitely don’t recommend walking away from your caramel sauce for even a second while cooking, it’s a lot more difficult to burn than its candied equivalent and even a complete kitchen novice can manage a good sauce.  As a bonus, the way the caramel smell permeates the air leaves your kitchen smelling like a candy shop.

    I actually prepared two no-bake recipes for the blog and, though perhaps I should have held off on sharing another caramel dessert so quickly, this is the one that demanded to be posted today (bossy, that caramel sauce is).

    I think you will love this recipe for its easy, fun twist on a nostalgic classic.  The flavors are rich and intense, especially for something so easy to prepare; these would make the perfect quick treat if you need something in a pinch for a potluck or party.

    carmelized rice krispie treats, drizzled with chocolate

    These treats are thick with caramel, crunchy and chewy, less stretchy and gooey than their basic counterparts but still sticky, easy to make and sure to be a quick favorite. The chocolate drizzle is optional but very complementary, and, of course, I’ve lightly salted them too. 

    I refrigerated these before serving to help them firm up a little before cutting them.  This helps and I recommend it, but I think they taste best as they return closer to room temperature, though they are definitely more messy this way and you won’t be able to escape eating one without sticky fingers.

    A small price to pay, if you ask me.

    More Recipes You Might Like:

    • Caramel Popcorn (how good would this be drizzled with a bit of dark chocolate, too!?)
    • Scotcharoos
    • Puppy Chow
    • Peanut Butter Bars
    • S’mores Cereal Bars

    Enjoy!

    caramel rice krispie treats with chocolate drizzle

    Carmelized Rice Krispies

    A sophisticated twist on the classic rice krispie treat!
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 5 minutes
    Servings: 20 squares
    Calories: 181kcal
    Author: Sam Merritt

    Ingredients

    • 8 Tbsp butter
    • 1 cup brown sugar packed
    • 6 Tbsp heavy cream
    • 1 tsp vanilla extract
    • ½ tsp flaky sea salt
    • 10 oz marshmallows
    • 7 cups crisped rice cereal
    • ¼ cup semisweet chocolate for drizzle, optional
    • ½ tsp additional flaky sea salt for sprinkling on top optional
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Prepare a 13x9 saucepan by greasing the bottom and sides with butter. Set aside.
    • In large saucepan, melt together butter, brown sugar and heavy cream on medium-low heat, stirring constantly.
    • Once butter is melted, increase heat to medium and whisk 2 minutes (do not allow to come to a boil).
    • Reduce heat to medium-low.
    • Stir in salt and vanilla.
    • Stir in marshmallows, stirring constantly until completely melted.
    • Stir in cereal, ensuring ingredients are well combined and cereal is entirely coated by caramel mixture.
    • Spread into prepared pan.
    • Melt chocolate in microwave by heating at 15 second increments and stirring regularly.
    • Drizzle chocolate over cereal in pan.
    • Allow to sit until chocolate hardens (this can be expedited by placing treats in refrigerator).
    • Cut and serve.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1square | Calories: 181kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 19mg | Sodium: 57mg | Potassium: 38mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 208IU | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 1mg

    Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.

    Tried this recipe? Show me on Instagram!Mention @SugarSpun_Sam or tag #sugarspunrun!
    Caramelized Rice Krispie Treats www.SugarSpunRun.com
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Andres

      May 07, 2021 at 3:01 pm

      I love it when you do recipe makeovers(the old photos are still great, and I’ll gladly spend 15 min of my day going through your recipes laughing and then proceeding to go to the store to empty my bank account for one of your recipes), but I would love to see this one with a new look! I made your Brown Butter Toffee cookies but replaced the milk chocolate toffee bits with 3 ingredient toffee that I made on the stove(butter, brown sugar, salt). They were sooo good and gone in one day.

      Reply
      • Sam

        May 07, 2021 at 10:53 pm

        I’ll have to see what I can do. Sometimes it’s fun to see how much better the new pictures are. 🙂

        Reply
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    The author (Sam) in blue shirt holding donut Hi, I'm Sam! I'm dedicated to bringing you sweet, simple, and from-scratch dessert recipes. My life may or may not be controlled by my sweet tooth. Send help (or chocolate). Read more about me.

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