Chocolate-Dipped Rice Krispie Treats
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These chocolate-dipped Rice Krispie treats are an easy 4-ingredient dessert made extra special with browned butter. Chewy, gooey, and sweet, these easy cereal bars are totally addictive!
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Rice Krispie squares are a nostalgic treat that is about as addictive as dessert gets. I could 100% inhale an entire pan in one sitting!
Sleepovers, birthday parties, game days, tea parties – for every occasion, these crunchy, heavenly bars are loved by both kids and adults (yes, I am speaking from experience.)
Because, I mean, what’s not to love about them? Rice Krispies? Love. Marshmallows? Love. Chocolate? Loove. Brown butter? Looooove.
While the brown butter is my personal addition to make them extra yummy, you won’t be going back to the regular ones after you try these!
And while the chocolate is also optional, it’s a nice touch that makes them extra special and decadent.
Why You Need to Make These Chocolate-Dipped Rice Krispie Treats
These chocolate dipped rice krispie treats are pillow-y, soft, chewy, gooey, and crunchy all at the same time. Think of all the textures you love and combine them – that’s what you get from these dipped rice krispie treats!
Not to mention, these are SO easy to make. No bake, and only 4 ingredients plus a pinch of salt.
Ingredient Notes
Marshmallows
You can use mini or regular-sized marshmallows. A 10-ounce bag is just right for this recipe.
The most important thing is to check the “Best By” date and use fresh marshmallows. (I’m gonna mention this a few times in this post because this has personally tripped me up before ;))
Unsalted butter
I prefer to use unsalted butter for desserts. We will brown the butter to give these chocolate-dipped rice krispie treats an amazing, rich, nutty flavor.
Rice Krispies
Rice Krispies or their knock-off equivalent are my choice for these treats, but another (preferably unsweetened) cereal like Chex or Cocoa Krispies (chocolate Rice Krispies) could be used instead.
Chocolate
I like to use semi-sweet chocolate for dipping these, but I’ve also dipped them in white chocolate before, with great results. Dark or milk chocolate work too!
Regardless of which chocolate you choose, tempering the chocolate will give you the best results. This post explains in detail my easy method for tempering chocolate in the microwave. It only takes a few extra minutes after melting and the results are 100 times better. Untempered chocolate gets soft at room temperature and will develop some unattractive gray streaks and blotches.
NOTE: Candy melts are another option if you prefer not to temper chocolate. Just melt them according to the package directions and dip. Check out this Strawberry Shortcake Rice Krispie Treats recipe for a fun way to use candy melts with Rice Krispie Treats!
Tempering Chocolate
There are many ways to temper chocolate and I’ve tried them all. The method described in the step-by-step, and in even greater detail in this post, is my preferred way and never fails me, something I can’t say for any other method I’ve tried!
Basically the process involves slowly melting some chocolate using the microwave and then stirring in some more unmelted finely chopped chocolate. This process is called “seeding” the chocolate and serves to encourage the formation of crystals that will stabilize (temper) the chocolate.
Step by step Instructions
- Spray an 8×8 inch pan with non-stick spray or grease it with butter.
- In large pot, melt your butter over medium heat. I prefer to use a light-colored saucepan so that I can see the butter browning without burning it.
3. The butter will begin to foam once it has been melted. Once the foam subsides, solids will form on the pan’s bottom and the butter will begin to smell nutty. Swirl the pan a few times while the butter browns to prevent the bottom solids from burning.
4. When the butter has browned, reduce the heat to low and add the marshmallows.
5. Stir constantly until the marshmallows are completely melted.
6. Using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, fold in the cereal until fully incorporated.
7. Now pour it into the greased pan and press into an even layer, without pressing down too firmly to keep them soft.
8. Let it cool and then cut it into squares.
9. Now we’re going to temper the chocolate. 3/4 of the chocolate (6 oz) should be coarsely chopped, and the remaining 1/4 (2 oz) should be very finely chopped.
10. In a small microwave-safe bowl, melt the roughly chopped chocolate for 30 seconds on high power. Stir and heat for another 20-30 seconds, or until just melted, with just a few small unmelted bits.
11. Add about 1/2 of the finely chopped chocolate and stir vigorously until fully melted. Add a little more chocolate and stir until melted again. Keep adding chocolate in smaller and smaller quantities until it is taking longer to melt. Stir vigorously for a good 2-3 minutes even after it is fully smooth and melted. You will not need all of the finely chopped chocolate.
11. Dip the Rice Krispie squares into the chocolate and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper to set.
12. Before the chocolate sets, sprinkle the chocolate-dipped portion with jimmies, nonpareils, or whatever else you like.
Optional: To make Rice Krispie pops, insert a straw, popsicle or lollipop stick into the sweets.
Expert tips for the best chocolate-dipped Rice Krispie Treats
- Fresh marshmallows melt more easily and are soft and gooey, making them excellent for Rice Krispies squares. Old marshmallows get dry and melt into a large glob, making them difficult to blend into the cereal. They will also result in hard treats.
- To prevent the mixture from burning, melt the butter and marshmallows over low heat. It will take a few more minutes, but it will keep the Rice Krispies squares soft and chewy.
- After transferring the treats to the baking sheet, use a soft pat to mould them into place rather than pushing them into the pan. Pressing them too hard will make the treats hard.
- For good clean-cut squares, use a large sharp kitchen knife.
Recipe Variations
- Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats would make any peanut butter fan happy! For a tasty tweak on the original recipe, add a 1/2 cup of smooth peanut butter to the Rice Krispies mixture.
- You can substitute the semi-sweet chocolate for white chocolate, milk chocolate or dark chocolate. Or use candy melts if you prefer not to temper chocolate.
- Try different colours of candy melts instead of chocolate for dipping. Any colour of chocolate candy coating can be used. From red or pink for Valentine’s Day to any hue for a holiday or birthday celebration.
- You can add anything you want to create your Krispies treats! Try graham crackers, butterscotch chips, and other roasted nuts, as well as peanut butter M&Ms.
Storage Instructions
Put them in an airtight container lined with wax paper sheets in between each layer to keep them from sticking together. Keep at room temperature for up to 3 days.
You may also freeze them in an airtight container sealed with wax paper between each layer for up to 6 weeks. Before serving, let it thaw for 15 minutes at room temperature.
More Classic Easy Treats to try
White Chocolate & Raspberry Blondies
The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies
Frequently Asked Questions
This usually happens when the marshmallows are melted fast over high heat or when they are left on the heat source for an extended period of time. Heat the marshmallows slowly and only for as long as it takes for the marshmallows to completely melt. Using marshmallows that are past their Best By date will also result in hard treats.
Definitely, letting them cool will improve their ability to maintain their shape. Also, it will make them more stable when dipped in chocolate.
pour and scrape the melted chocolate onto a sheet of wax paper and allow it to harden. You can chop and re-use this chocolate as needed. It can be tempered again without a problem.
Chocolate Dipped Rice Krispie Treats
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 10 ounces marshmallows
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 5 cups Rice Krispies
- 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate *see note
- 2 tablespoons sprinkles optional
Instructions
- Spray an 8×8 inch pan with non-stick spray, or butter it.
- Melt butter over medium heat in a large pot. I like to use a light-colored pot since it is easier to see the butter browning without burning it. Once melted, the butter will begin to foam. As the foam subsides, solids will begin to develop on the bottom of the pan and the butter will start to smell deliciously nutty. Swirl the pan a few times while the butter is browning to make sure the solids at the bottom don't burn.
- As soon as the butter is browned, turn the heat down to low and add the marshmallows. Stir continuously until the marshmallows are fully melted.
- Fold in the cereal with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon and mix until well combined.
- Pour into prepared pan and pat into an even layer.
- Let cool to room temperature (30 minutes to an hour) and cut into squares.
- Coarsely chop 3/4 of the chocolate (6 oz), and very finely chop the remaining 1/4 (2 oz) of the chocolate.
- Place the coarsely chopped chocolate in a small microwave-safe bowl and heat in the microwave on full powder 30 seconds. Stop stir and heat another 20-30 seconds until mostly melted. Stir the chocolate until it is completely smooth and melted.
- Add about half the remaining finely chopped chocolate to the melted chocolate and stir until completely smooth and melted. Keep adding the finely chopped chocolate 1 tablespoon at a time and stirring until it is taking a long time for the added chocolate to melt. Stir the chocolate vigorously until smooth. (You should not need all the chocolate).
- Dip the Rice Krispie squares into the chocolate and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet to set. Sprinkle the chocolate-dipped portion with jimmies, nonpareils or anything else you like before the chocolate sets.
- If you like, stick a straw, popsicle or lollipop stick in the treats to make Rice Krispie pops.
