Don’t like marshmallows but want to make some easy, crispy, sticky rice krispie treats? Well, it is possible! Using honey, brown sugar and lots of vanilla, these only require five ingredients but the results are just as good (if not better) than if you follow the recipe on the back of the cereal box!
The best news of this is that the recipe doesn’t use any corn syrup or have any additives like peanut butter (check out my scotcheroos for that!). They’re as similar to the traditional treat as possible without using packaged marshmallows.
How to Make Marshmallow-Free Rice Krispie Treats
This recipe is delightfully simple to make and comes together in less than 15 minutes (not counting the time it takes to allow the treats to set).
Start first by prepping the pan you’ll mould the treats in. Simply grease it and then line it with overlapping pieces of parchment paper to easily be able to remove the treats once done and you’re ready to cut them.
Then, add some honey and a bit of brown sugar to a small saucepan and then put it over medium heat. Stirring with a heatproof spatula to dissolve the sugar, bring the mixture up to a boil.
Once the mixture is boiling, continue to cook it for a couple of minutes longer – stirring to prevent scorching – before removing it from the heat.
Then, stir in a bit of salt to cut the sweetness and a good amount of vanilla. I like using vanilla paste as I think it has a more prominent vanilla flavour (I also like the black specks of vanilla seeds), but you can use extract if that’s what you have.
Pour the hot honey mixture over some puffed rice cereal and stir until they are evenly coated. Then spread the mixture over the prepared pan, pressing to compact it and ensure that it’s evenly distributed throughout.
Let the treats set until completely cooled – how long this takes depends on the ambient temperature of the room. You also can speed this along if you chuck them in the fridge.
Once set, lift them from the pan and cut them into a 4×4 grid, making 16 bars. Then go ahead and dig in and enjoy!
Rice Krispie Treats Without Marshmallows
Ingredients
- 170 g (½ cup) honey
- 75 g (⅓ cup) brown sugar
- 3 g (½ tsp) salt (see notes)
- 1 tbsp vanilla paste or extract
- 150 g (5⅓ cups) puffed rice cereal
Instructions
- Lightly grease a 20cm (8in) square baking dish with butter, vegetable oil or nonstick spray. Line with two overlapping pieces of parchment paper. Set aside.
- Add the honey and brown sugar to a small saucepan and set over medium heat. Stirring constantly to dissolve the sugar, bring the mixture to a gentle boil. Allow the syrup to boil for 2 minutes before removing from the heat.
- Add the salt and the vanilla paste to the pan and stir to combine. Add the cereal to a large bowl and pour the syrup over the cereal. Stir until evenly coated.
- Spread the cereal mixture into the prepared baking dish, ensuring that it's evenly distributed throughout. Allow to cool completely at room temperature – about 30 minutes depending on ambient temperature – before removing from the dish and slicing into 16 bars.
Notes
Nutrition
Disclaimer: Nutritional information is automatically generated and provided as guidance only. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
These rice krispie treats are so easy to make and don’t involve melting down a bunch of pre-packaged marshmallows!
Do you want some rice krispie treats that don’t use marshmallows? Have any questions about this recipe? Let me know in the comments!
