These S'mores Rice Krispie Treats are the perfect flavor combination of graham cracker, marshmallows, and chocolate! To make them Halloween-themed, we're going to add "spider webs" on top using marshmallows. Get ready for an easy & festive treat!
I have a tradition on Coined Cuisine of giving you guys a Halloween recipe each year... A dish that's really delicious, simple to make, and can easily be prepared with the kiddos for some holiday fun! This year, we have S'mores Rice Krispie Treats - and I think this is my favorite one yet.
I love everything s'mores, and I also never turn down a Rice Krispie Treat. (Side note: Do you spell it Rice Crispy? Rice Crispies? Crispy Rice Treats?) Anyway, these cereal treats will disappear faster than you can type out Krispie/Krispy/Crispy!
The Coined Breakdown
- Total Cost per serving: $0.58
- Total Cost (16 servings): $9.28
- Those Other Guys: $4.99 per bar
Ingredients
- Cereal - Either name-brand Rice Krispies or the off-brand of puffed rice cereal will work. You just want to make sure it's fresh! For the graham cracker part of our "s'more", we're going to also use Golden Grahams cereal.
- Butter - Salted butter is a must for this recipe - trust me... it adds a depth of flavor and helps balance out all of the sweetness. If you don't have salted butter on hand, just add about ½ teaspoon of salt to your butter. And use the real stuff, no margarine!
- Marshmallows - I love an ooey gooey Rice Krispie treat, and I don't think you get that texture by using corn syrup. So marshmallows are the main squeeze in this recipe. The regular-sized ones have more center fluffiness, but the mini ones melt better (and we also mix some in at the end.)
- Vanilla Extract - A tablespoon of pure vanilla extract gives these treats such an understated flavor that you'll miss if you skip the ingredient. I like to add this in right as the butter melts to ensure the taste is in every bite!
- Chocolate - I love to use dark chocolate for this recipe; it's a little less sweet so it balances out the dish, plus dark chocolate looks a lot spookier for our Halloween decorations! You can use milk or semi-sweet if you prefer.
Variations and Substitutions
Golden Grahams Substitute: Can't find Golden Grahams cereal? There is a Cinnamon Toast Crunch "CinnaGraham" variation that could work in a pinch! It may taste a little more like cinnamon, but it will still give that graham cracker flavor.
Marshmallows: I recommend mini marshmallows - they melt faster and stir into the cereal easier. However, you can use regular-sized ones as well and just chop up a few for mix-ins.
Peanut Butter S'mores Rice Krispies: If you like peanut butter s'mores, try stirring in some mini Reese's peanut butter cups before the mixture sets for an added pop of flavor!
Chocolate: If you're not a fan of dark chocolate, feel free to use milk or semi-sweet chocolate for the chocolate covered Rice Krispie treats. You can also use white chocolate.
Brown Butter Rice Krispie Treats: Brown butter brings a subtle nutty, caramel-like flavor to these classic treats!
How to Make Gooey S'mores Rice Krispie Treats
Step 1: Begin by melting your salted butter in a large saucepot.
Step 2: Add in the marshmallows. Stirring consistently (so they don't burn), melt until you get a silky smooth mixture.
Step 3: Mix in both types of cereal, and extra mini marshmallows as a mix-in.
If you want a more even bar, I recommend roughly chopping the graham cracker cereal.
Step 4: Stir well until all of the cereal is covered in the marshmallow.
Add this mixture to a parchment-lined 9x9 brownie pan and use a square of parchment to create an even layer.
Step 5: Melt your dark chocolate in a separate bowl, and cover the pan in an even top layer.
Let the chocolate set for at least 20 minutes in the refrigerator.
Step 6: Finally, heat up a few more marshmallows in the microwave for 20 seconds until puffy.
Use two forks (or your fingers) to create "webs" that stretch across the top. And it's ready!
Recipe Pro Tips
- Don't let it burn! The marshmallows need to be consistently stirred into the butter, otherwise they can easily burn. Be sure to watch the pot.
- Watch your hands. I personally like to use a square of parchment to create an even layer in the pan. You can also add non-stick spray to your fingers.
- Let the chocolate set first. Before adding the marshmallow "spider webs", be sure to let the chocolate set fully. It makes it easier for the marshmallow to have a stable surface to stick to.
Recipe FAQs
If you press the mixture into the baking dish too firmly, your treats could get hard when they set. Also, be sure to use FRESH ingredients - the cereal and the marshmallows should be a new bag and freshly opened!
You can refrigerate these, although I recommend letting them come to room temperature before consuming. They'll get more solid and hard in the fridge.
You can use a few different strategies. I like to add another piece of parchment paper down on top and then lightly press that barrier. You can also spray your hands with non-stick spray, or dip your fingers in water, shake the excess off, then press.
Yep, these freeze beautifully for up to 4 months!
Either wrap each treat individually in plastic wrap, or stack them in one layer on parchment paper.
Store in an airtight freezer bag or container.
Other Halloween-Themed Treats You'll Love!
If you tried this Halloween S'mores Rice Krispie Treats recipe, or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I love hearing from you! Thanks for visiting!
S'mores Rice Krispie Treats
Equipment
- Large Saucepot
- Silicone Spatula
- Parchment Paper
- 9x9 Metal Baking Pan
- 2 Mixing Bowls
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 16 ounces marshmallows separate & reserve 1 ½ cup
- 4 cups Rice Krispies cereal
- 2 cups Golden Grahams cereal crushed
Spider-Web Topping
- 1 ½ cups dark chocolate morsels
- ½ cup marshmallows from above
Instructions
- Line a 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper.
- In a large pot, melt the salted butter over medium heat. Stir in the vanilla extract.6 tablespoons salted butter, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- Turn the heat down to low, and pour in all but 1 ½ cups of the marshmallows. Stir continuously using a silicone spatula/spoon until the marshmallows are completely melted and smooth.16 ounces marshmallows
- Remove the pan from heat. Stir in both cereals, and 1 cup of marshmallows. If you have regular-sized marshmallows, cut or tear these into small pieces so they will distribute evenly.4 cups Rice Krispies cereal, 2 cups Golden Grahams cereal
- Pour the Rice Krispie treat mixture into the prepared baking pan. Press gently with a square of parchment paper + your fingers to spread it out to the edges.The harder you pack your mix into the pan, the harder the treats will be once they set. We want these to be nice and gooey!
- Melt the dark chocolate morsels in a bowl, for 30 seconds at a time. Stir until completely smooth.1 ½ cups dark chocolate morsels
- Pour the melted chocolate on top of the Rice Krispie treats and smooth it into an even layer.
- Let the Rice Krispie treats set in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes.
Marshmallow "Spider Webs"
- Melt the remaining ½ cup of marshmallows in the microwave for 20-30 seconds. They will puff up in the bowl until you remove them from the microwave.½ cup marshmallows
- Using two forks, stir the melted marshmallows until smooth and create "spider webs" on top of the cooled chocolate-covered Rice Krispie treats.
- Let sit for another 5 minutes or so, then cut and serve. Enjoy!
Notes
- You can wrap each individual bar in plastic wrap, and then add the wrapped treats to a large airtight freezer bag or container.
- You can also stack layers of bars in between parchment paper. Store them in a large airtight freezer bag or container.
JC says
Absolutely yummy! The s'mores flavor is prevalent, and I used dark chocolate as you suggested. It wasn't too sweet!
Shani W. says
Thank you so much JC! 🙂