These simple M&M Rice Krispie Treats are hands down the greatest no-bake treat around! They're fun, colorful, and best of all, only need 5 ingredients. These treats are ooey, gooey, chocolatey, and so fun for kids and parties!
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M&M Rice Krispie Treats
These are the absolute BEST mini M&M Rice Krispie Treats! They're gooey, crunchy, and jam-packed with chocolatey dots of mini M&Ms. (Just like these M&M Cookies!)
What really sends this recipe over the top on the delicious scale is the brown butter. Before adding the other ingredients you make a base of rich, nutty brown butter then melt in the marshmallows, stir in the cereal, finish with the M&Ms and Ta-Da! You've got yourself one heck of a no-bake treat that takes less than an hour to make.
This is a great dessert to make with your kids, to bring to a Summer party, or just to make when you want something sweet, but don't feel like turning on the oven.
For more no-bake treats, try these white chocolate covered pretzels or this edible brownie batter!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Only 5 ingredients are needed
- The sweet, crunchy treats are dotted with colorful mini M&Ms
- These are no-bake, so they're perfect for hot summer days when you don't want to turn your oven on
- They're super simple and easy enough that kids can make them
- Rice Krispie Treats with M&Ms are always a hit with crowds, both kids and adults LOVE them!
- The brown butter is the secret ingredients to making these the BEST!
Key Ingredients Needed
*the full list of ingredients and measurements can be found in the recipe card below*
- Butter: I like to use salted butter because it helps to balance out the sweetness from the other sugary ingredients.
- Marshmallows: Mini marshmallows are the best because they melt more evenly than the jumbo ones. While any size will work for the recipe, those are what I prefer.
- Rice Krispies: You can use name brand or the store brand variety. As long as they're fresh and not stale, either cereal will work.
- M&Ms: For this Rice Krispie Treat recipe, I like to fold in the mini M&Ms. That way, they blend in with the cereal and you get more chocolate flavor in every bite!
- Vanilla: I just like to add a splash because the hint of floral, vanilla flavor pairs well with the marshmallows and chocolate.
How To Make Rice Krispie Treats With M&Ms
STEP ONE: Place the mini M&Ms into the freezer for at least 20 minutes before starting.
STEP TWO: In a large, heavy bottomed pot, over medium heat, begin to melt the butter. Continue to cook it, swirling occasionally, until the top becomes foamy and you'll audibly hear popping sounds. When the noises stop, you'll want to swirl the pan until the butter smells nutty and you start seeing brown bits form at the bottom. Continue swirling for 1-2 minutes until the butter appears a rich, amber color.
STEP THREE: Turn the heat to off and add in the vanilla, marshmallows, and a pinch of salt, and stir constantly with a wooden spoon until all the marshmallows are smooth and melted.
STEP FOUR: Remove the pot from the heat. Then pour in the Rice Krispies and stir with a rubber spatula until all of the cereal is completely coated. Let the mixture sit for 3-4 minutes to cool off a bit. (no more than 4 minutes though!!)
STEP FIVE: After 4 minutes, add the frozen mini M&Ms to the cereal/marshmallow mixture and gently fold them in. Transfer the mixture to a prepared 9x9 inch baking pan and LIGHLTY press the mixture into the pan with your fingers or the rubber spatula
STEP SIX: Allow the treats to cool completely to room temperature before cutting into squares and enjoying.
PRO TIP! If you want to, once cut, you can drizzle melted white chocolate over each square and add a sprinkle of the mini M&Ms for decoration!
Can I Double The Recipe?
Yes, you definitely can double this recipe! All you'll need is a larger pot or mixing bowl to mix all of the ingredients together and a 9x13 inch baking dish. The treats will be a bit thicker because the dish isn't quite double the size, but that's ok!
Storing Instructions
Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
I do not recommend freezing these treats because I don't like the way the texture gets once the marshmallows thaw. I you do decide to freeze them, wrap the treats individually in plastic wrap and store them all in a freezer safe bag in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Recipe Variations
Looking to put a fun twist on these M&M Rice Krispie Treats? If so, try one of these variations!
- Use Cocoa Krispies for a chocolatey twist
- Make them with Fruity Pebbles for an extra colorful option
- Aldi sells "Crispy Rice" cereal which is gluten free if you have Celiac disease or a gluten intolerance
- Use your favorite cookie cutters to make fun shapes for kids, holidays, or parties
Expert Tips
- Use fresh ingredients: Stale cereal or marshmallows will cause your M&M Rice Krispie Treats to turn out hard and well, stale. You want to use fresh ingredients so you end up with ooey, gooey, chewy treats instead!
- Freeze your M&Ms: In order to completely prevent the chocolate from melting in the cereal treat mixture, I like to freeze the M&Ms for at least 20 minutes before mixing them in.
- Wait before mixing in the M&Ms: Even though the M&Ms have been frozen, I still like to wait about 10 minutes after mixing the cereal into the melted marshmallows to add the M&Ms so that the colors don't spread and the chocolate melts.
- Don't pack them in: Another way to prevent hard, dense cereal treats is to NOT tightly pack them into your pan. Just lightly press on the tops to make an even layer and let them set.
- Prepare your pan: For easy removal and clean up, I like to either spray my pan with non-stick cooking spray or line it with parchment paper. Both are quick, easy, and make sure your treats don't get stuck!
- Cool completely: If you want to be able to cut the Rice Krispie Treats with M&Ms into squares, let them cool and set completely before using a sharp knife to cut them.
- Decorate: For a little decoration, I melted some white chocolate chips and dipped the top of the treats. I also added a few mini M&M's for extra color and flair!
Frequently Asked Questions
If they're not sticky, then you didn't use the correct amount of marshmallows. The marshmallows are like the "glue" that holds the cereal together and makes them nice and gooey.
No. Marshmallow fluff is not a suitable substitute for marshmallows.
While these are best enjoyed fresh on the day that you make them, you can make them up to 3 days in advance. Just tightly cover the pan with plastic wrap or aluminum foil.
There's 3 reasons that your treats turned out hard and dense.
1. The marshmallows were stale. You want them to be squishy and fresh for the best results.
2. You didn't add enough marshmallows. I know the amount may seem like a lot, but it's really what gives the cereal treats their ooey gooey texture.
3. You pressed them down into the pan. While yes, you want to press them into a nice even layer, you don't want to compress them THAT much. I like to lightly press the top to get a flat layer, then leave them to set.
No, there is no need to refrigerate your Rice Krispie Treats. In fact, I suggest not to because I've found that it dries them out quicker.
No, in the United States, Rice Krispies are NOT gluten free. They're made with malt syrup, which comes from barley, which is a kind of wheat that can trigger those with a gluten allergy/intolerance.
More Recipes You Might Like...
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PrintBest M&M Rice Krispie Treats
These simple M&M Rice Krispie Treats are hands down the greatest no-bake treat around! They're fun, colorful, and best of all, only need 5 ingredients. These treats are ooey, gooey, chocolatey, and so fun for kids and parties!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 12 Servings 1x
- Category: Bars
- Method: No-bake
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 8 tablespoons salted butter
- 10 ounces mini marshmallows
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 6 cups Rice Krispie Cereal
- ⅔ cup Mini M&Ms (frozen)
Instructions
- Place the mini M&Ms into the freezer for at least 20 minutes before starting.
- In a large, heavy bottomed pot over medium heat, begin to melt the butter. Continue to cook it, swirling occasionally, until the top becomes foamy and you'll audibly hear popping sounds. When the noises stop, you'll want to swirl the pan until the butter smells nutty and you start seeing brown bits form at the bottom. Continue swirling for 1-2 minutes until the butter appears a rich, amber color.
- Turn the heat off and add in the vanilla, marshmallows, and salt, and stir constantly with a wooden spoon until all the marshmallows are smooth and melted.
- Remove the pot from the heat. Then pour in the rice cereal and stir with a rubber spatula until all of the cereal is completely coated. Let the mixture sit for 3-4 minutes to cool off a bit. (no more than 4 minutes though!!)
- After 4 minutes, add the frozen mini M&Ms to the cereal/marshmallow mixture and gently fold them in. Transfer the mixture to a prepared 9x9 inch baking pan and LIGHLTY press the mixture into the pan with your fingers or the rubber spatula
- Allow the treats to cool completely to room temperature before using a sharp knife to cut them into squares. Enjoy!!
Notes
- Use fresh ingredients: Stale cereal or marshmallows will cause your M&M Rice Krispie Treats to turn out hard and well, stale. You want to use fresh ingredients so you end up with ooey, gooey, chewy treats instead!
- Freeze your M&Ms: In order to completely prevent the chocolate from melting in the cereal treat mixture, I like to freeze the M&Ms for at least 20 minutes before mixing them in.
- Wait before mixing in the M&Ms: Even though the M&Ms have been frozen, I still like to wait about 10 minutes after mixing the cereal into the melted marshmallows to add the M&Ms so that the colors don't spread and the chocolate melts.
- Don't pack them in: Another way to prevent hard, dense cereal treats is to NOT tightly pack them into your pan. Just lightly press on the tops to make an even layer and let them set.
- Prepare your pan: For easy removal and clean up, I like to either spray my pan with non-stick cooking spray or line it with parchment paper. Both are quick, easy, and make sure your treats don't get stuck!
- Cool completely: If you want to be able to cut the Rice Krispie Treats with M&Ms into squares, let them cool and set completely before using a sharp knife to cut them.
- Decorate: For a little decoration, I melted some white chocolate chips and dipped the top of the treats. I also added a few mini M&M's for extra color and flair!
- Storing: Keep leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Keywords: rice krispie treats with M&Ms, M&M rice krispie treats,
Lucy says
SO yummy! They were definitely gooey, and the kids loved stirring in the M&Ms!
★★★★★