Say NO to the days of sad sack lunches with stale, pre-packaged rice cereal treats. These three no-bake homemade versions are the tastiest ways to re-think those childhood snacks. With super easy steps and a variety of mix-ins and toppings (think: Oreos, sprinkles, caramel sauce… are you drooling yet?), you’ll be whipping up these bars in no time! Seriously though, they’re are SO simple to make and are just as crispy as you remember.
Ingredients:
– 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
– 3 full cups marshmallows
– 6 cups rice cereal
– 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
Add Ins:
Birthday Cake
– sprinkles or confetti
– 1 cup white chocolate, chopped
Cookies ‘N Cream
– 1/2 cup crushed chocolate sandwich cookies
– about 10-15 chocolate sandwich cookies, chopped in half
Candy Bar
– 1/2 cup peanuts, chopped
– 1/3 cup chocolate chips
– caramel sauce for drizzling
Instructions:
1. Spray a 9 x 13 baking pan with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
2. Melt butter over medium-low heat in a medium-large pot.
3. Add in the marshmallows and remove from heat. Stir to combine with a rubber spatula.
4. Stir in the vanilla and rice cereal treats.
5. Place rice cereal mixture into the prepared baking pan and spread with the rubber spatula.
6. Use a piece of parchment or wax paper to press the mixture into the pan.
7. Let completely cool and set before slicing.
Making the rice cereal treat base is a lot like riding a bike, you never forget how to do it! Stir marshmallows into melted butter. Add in the vanilla paste and rice puff cereal, then press the mixture down into a pan and let completely cool. That’s it! On they’re own, they’re pretty delicious. But we love taking ordinary sweets to the extreme, so that’s JUST what we’re gonna do.
You can make these cookies ‘n cream “sandwich” treats quicker than you can say OreOMG! Stir the crushed chocolate sandwich cookies in with the rice cereal and marshmallow base, and spread only half of the mixture into the baking pan. Layer the larger cookie pieces on top of the first half of the cereal mixture, then add on second half. Press into the pan with a piece of parchment or wax paper so that they’re smushed together real good.
Cookies ‘N Cream
When you slice the batch, they look like reverse ice cream sandwiches! But this sweet desert won’t melt in your hand ;)
If you’re obsessed with the taste combo of vanilla cake, buttercream frosting, and sugary sprinkles, then get ready for this rice cereal treat remix. Using the same base as before, dip your sliced snacks into a pot of melted white chocolate (you can melt it easily over a double boiler), then drizzle it over the rest of the treats. Scatter with sprinkles and let dry before you devour.
Birthday Cake
Luckily, they harden up in no time!
Can anything beat our epic four-layer candy bar cake? These rice cereal bars sure try with add-ins that include chopped nuts and chocolate chips. Just don’t over mix them in the marshmallow base — the chocolate will start to melt and turn the whole mixture chocolatey, and that’s not what we’re goin’ for here. Spread the mixture into a baking pan and let set before slicing, then drizzle caramel sauce over each bar. Oh come on, you can be a bit more generous than that ;)
Candy Bar
You made all three like us, right? These desserts would make amazing party favors or even extra-special lunchbox treats the week of your little one’s birthday. But since they’re so easy to make, do you REALLY need there to be an occasion to whip ’em up?
We say no!
