Chocolate Chip Rice Krispie Treats

The only way to make a gooey homemade rice krispie treat any better is to throw in some chocolate chips! These chocolate chip rice krispie treats are undeniably good with the perfect amount of marshmallows and butter.

I'm a little ashamed to say that I never cared for rice krispie treats as a kid. I like to think it's because I only had the store-bought kind and not the ooey gooey homemade treats packed with butter and mallows. Homemade rice krispie treats are so far above the prepackaged ones.

The only thing I could think of more delicious than a rice krispie treat was one packed with chocolate chips. And dang were these good!

I cut one in half (ya know, portion control) only to come back for the other half ten seconds later. Chocolate chip rice krispie treats weren't meant to be cut in half my friends. Treats this delicious are too good for that.

What You Need

You only need three ingredients for rice krispie treats and four when they're made with chocolate.

• Rice Krispies or a crisp rice cereal - You will need a crisp rice cereal. You can use Rice Krispies or an off brand here. Just make sure you like the taste and texture of the brand you buy. I can not have Rice Krispies brand anymore because they aren't gluten free.
• Unsalted butter - The butter makes the rice krispie treats gooey and delicious. I use unsalted since we don't want the treats to taste salty.
• Mini marshmallows - Mini marshmallows are easier and quicker to melt than the big ones which is why I used them.
• Mini Chocolate chips - I like to use mini chocolate chips because they disperse better throughout the treats and give you a better ratio of chocolate to krispies in each bite.
• Kosher salt - Just a pinch!

You will also need a 9 by 13 inch pan, a spatula, and a large pot or a microwave safe bowl.

How to Make Rice Krispie Treats with Chocolate Chips

Spray the baking dish

Spray the 9 by 13 pan with nonstick cooking spray. I like to place a piece of parchment paper into the pan and spray it too. This way I can just pull the rice krispie treats out of the dish by the parchment paper. See the picture below for reference.

Melt the butter and marshmallows

In a large Dutch oven or pot on medium low heat melt the butter and marshmallows together, stirring occasionally. You can also do this in the microwave in a large microwave safe bowl. Heat in 30 second intervals stirring in between until melted together.

Add the rice krispies

Add the rice krispies to the melted marshmallows and stir well. Make sure all the rice krispies are coated with the mixture.

Add chocolate chips

Add the chocolate chips and more mini marshmallows then stir once or twice. If you stir too many times the chocolate chips will simply melt into the mixture. If you don't want the chocolate chips to melt at all then wait a few minutes before stirring them in.

Spread into the pan

Use a spatula to scrape the mixture into the baking dish. Spread the mixture evenly into the pan. Spray the spatula with a little bit of nonstick cooking spray and use it to gently press them down evenly. Do not pack them down or press them hard or else your crispy treats will be denser. Sprinkle more chocolate chips on top and gently press them into the bars.

Let cool & then cut

You can cut these immediately but they will cut more uniform if you let them set up for an hour. I didn't have the patience and cut myself one right away (worth it!).

Can I make Rice Krispie Treats in the Microwave?

Yes! If you don't have access to a stovetop or just don't want to bother with it you can make them in the microwave too. Simply place the butter and marshmallows into a large microwave safe bowl and heat in 30 second intervals, stirring between them. Once the mixture is stirred together well continue to follow the recipe as directed.

Are Rice Krispies Gluten Free?

Technically no, the name brand Rice Krispies are not gluten free. They contain malt which can be derived from barley which makes them not safe for gluten intolerant and celiacs alike.

Luckily many of the off brands contain no gluten ingredients in them. If you are highly sensitive to cross contamination it's best to buy a labeled and certified brand. You can find these at health food stores like Whole Foods. Either way always check the ingredients!

Be sure to buy a brand you like or taste the rice crisps first. They are the main ingredient so it's essential you like them before using them to make bars.

How to Store Rice Krispie Treats

Wait until the rice crispy treats are completely cool then place them into an airtight container for up to 3 days. Technically rice crispy treats can be frozen but you may lose some of the texture so they're better fresh.

However if you would like to freeze them place them into a freezer-safe airtight container and use parchment paper to separate them so they don't stick together. Freeze for up to 6 months.

Recipe Tips

• Do not pack the mixture into the pan. You do want to press the mixture into the pan so it's even but you don't need to press down hard to do this.
• To make life easier line the 9 by 13 dish with parchment paper. Let the sides hand over the edge and then all you have to do is lift the chocolate chip rice krispie treats out of the pan using the overhang.
• If you're hands or spatula are too sticky you can spray it with a little nonstick spray. This will keep the rice krispie treats with chocolate chips from sticking to it.
• Make sure to use a certified gluten free brand of rice crisp cereal if you avoid gluten like I do!
• If you don't want the chocolate chips to melt make sure to wait a few minutes before stirring them in. If you want a small amount of melty goodness then stir them in immediately after the rice cereal but DON'T over-stir.
• Do not use stale cereal! If you start with old, stale cereal no amount of butter and mallows are going to make it taste better.

Rice Krispie Treats Variations

• Rice krispie treats with M&Ms - If you'd rather make them with M&M's then go for it! Simply substitute 1 cup of mini M&M's in place of the mini chocolate chips. Make sure the rice and marshmallow mixture is cool before adding the M&M's.
• Funfetti rice krispie treats - In place of mini chocolate chips use 1 cup of funfetti sprinkles!
• Chocolate rice krispie treats recipe - Once you've melted the butter and marshmallow together add 1 ½ cups of semi sweet chocolate chips to it and stir until melted. Follow the recipe as directed after that.

Other Fun Treats You Might Like

• Mint Chocolate Chip Nice Cream
• Gluten Free Funfetti Sugar Cookies
• Gluten Free Cookie Cake
• Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies