Step up your dessert game with these homemade Chocolate Chip Rice Krispies Treats, which go from bag to bowl to baking tray in just 15 minutes! Below I’ve outlined two different— but equally delicious— ways to make rice krispie treats with chocolate chips.
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About this recipe
Can Be Ready in 5 Minutes: when you make chocolate chip rice crispy treats in the microwave, you only need five minutes before they’re done and cooling in the baking tray— or if you’re desperate, you can eat them right out of the bowl.
Kid-Friendly Recipe: I’ve been making the simple version of these chocolate chip rice krispie treats in the microwave since I was a kid, and I can indeed confirm that they’re so easy even a 10-year-old can do it. Just remember to use a glass bowl rather than plastic, as the bowl will get quite hot from the butter & marshmallows.
Easy Storage: these treats can be kept for a week or so in a gallon-sized ziploc bag, or for up to six months in the freezer.
Ingredients
Unsalted Butter: this helps to smooth out the marshmallow mixture that glues the rice krispies together and sweetens them, though you can also use coconut oil or vegan butter. Just make sure to use the unsalted kind so that you can control the saltiness level of the final treats.
Mini Marshmallows: these are like the glue that keeps the treats together. The small ones are easiest to work with, but you can use regular or even jumbo-sized marshmallows if that’s all you have on hand.
Crispy Rice Cereal: use any brand you tolerate, but the smaller rice krispies are going to be crunchier, the brown rice cereal will generally have a stronger flavor.
Vanilla Extract: this adds balance to to the flavor of the treats. You can also use vanilla powder, if you want to avoid alcohol.
Chocolate Chips: mini-sized chocolate chips are preferred, but you can use any type you like most— just don’t forget to freeze them before adding them to the treats, otherwise they’ll completely melt upon contact with the hot treat mix.
How to make chocolate chip rice krispie treats: step-by-step instructions
STOVETOP METHOD:
Step 1. Line an 8×8′ baking dish with wax paper or parchment paper, and thoroughly grease (with butter or spray) any parts of the dish you’re unable to cover with paper, or use butter to help the paper stick better to the pan.
Step 2. Then put your butter into a heavy-bottom pan and turn on your heat to medium-low, warming the butter until fully melted, about 3 minutes (or 5-7 minutes for browned butter).
Step 3. Turn your heat to low and drop in your marshmallows, and vanilla, and allow them to heat up and melt without heating them too quickly; this will take about 8-10 minutes.
Step 4. Once your marshmallows are softened and completely melted into the butter (no lumps), then take the pot off heat and move to a cool, heat proof surface, if possible. Then pour in your rice krispies and mix well, until fully coated in the marshmallow mixture.
Step 5. Finally, grab your chocolate chips from the freezer and pour most of them in, quickly stirring them in completely (some will melt a bit, but that will be fixed in the fridge.
Step 6. Top the rice krispies treats with chocolate chips (any leftover), and quickly put them in the fridge for 30 minutes (or the freezer for 10, if you’re pressed for time). I recommend you set a timer.
Step 7. Once your timer goes off, pull out your tray of chocolate chip rice crispy treats, and cut them down to your desired size.
MICROWAVE METHOD:
Step 1. Line an 8×8′ baking dish with wax paper or parchment paper, and thoroughly grease (with butter or spray) any parts of the dish you’re unable to cover with paper, or use butter to help the paper stick better to the pan.
Step 2. Put your butter, marshmallows, and salt in a very large glass bowl— ideally the biggest one in your home— and then microwave everything on high for one minute.
Step 3. Then take it out and stir everything well, and immediately put it back in the microwave for another 1 to 2 minutes on high, taking it out every 30 seconds to give it a good stir.
Step 4. Once the butter and marshmallows have fully melted & combined together, stir in the vanilla and mix until well-combined.
Step 5. Then add in the rice krispies and stir them until everything has come together.
Step 6. Finally, pour in your frozen chocolate chips and stir them in well, then pour & press the chocolate chip rice krispies treats into your lined dish. Refrigerate them for 30 minutes (or freeze them for 10 minutes, or just eat them out of the bowl; I don’t judge) before cutting them into 12 individual chocolate chip rice krispie treats.
Recipe notes & tips
Don’t Let the Marshmallows Burn: it’s very important that you don’t overcook the marshmallows, or else you’ll end up with rock-hard krispie treats. Only warm the marshmallow and butter mixture until it’s smooth, with no more lumps.
Make Them Dairy-Free: for dairy-free rice krispies treats, make sure you use dairy-free dark chocolate chips and swap the butter for coconut oil or vegan butter.
Flavor Variations: add up to 1/3 cup chocolate spread for double chocolate flavor, up to 1/2 cup of nut butter or peanut butter chips for peanut butter chocolate chip treats, or swap the chips for sugar-free mint chips to make mint chocolate chip rice krispies.
Homemade Chocolate Chip Rice Krispie Treats Recipe Card
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Chocolate Chip Rice Krispie Treats
Crunchy, sweet & gooey chocolate chip rice krispie treats that are kid-friendly and come together in less than 15 minutes!
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 10 ounces mini marshmallows (1 bag, regular marshmallows are also fine)
- 4 1/2 cups crispy rice cereal
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (or 1/4 teaspoon vanilla powder)
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 cup mini chocolate chips, frozen
Instructions
STOVETOP METHOD:
- Line an 8x8' baking dish with wax paper or parchment paper, and thoroughly grease (with butter or spray) any parts of the dish you're unable to cover with paper, or use butter to help the paper stick better to the pan.
- Then put your butter into a heavy-bottom pan and turn on your heat to medium-low, warming the butter until fully melted, about 3 minutes (or 5-7 minutes for browned butter).
- Turn your heat to low and drop in your marshmallows, and vanilla, and allow them to heat up and melt without heating them too quickly; this will take about 8-10 minutes.
- Once your marshmallows are softened and completely melted into the butter (no lumps), then take the pot off heat and move to a cool, heat proof surface, if possible. Then pour in your rice krispies and mix well, until fully coated in the marshmallow mixture.
- Finally, grab your chocolate chips from the freezer and pour most of them in, quickly stirring them in completely (some will melt a bit, but that will be fixed in the fridge.
- Top the rice krispies treats with chocolate chips (any leftover), and quickly put them in the fridge for 30 minutes (or the freezer for 10, if you're pressed for time). I recommend you set a timer.
- Once your timer goes off, pull out your tray of chocolate chip rice crispy treats, and cut them down to your desired size.
MICROWAVE METHOD:
- Line an 8x8' baking dish with wax paper or parchment paper, and thoroughly grease (with butter or spray) any parts of the dish you're unable to cover with paper, or use butter to help the paper stick better to the pan.
- Put your butter, marshmallows, and salt in a very large glass bowl— ideally the biggest one in your home— and then microwave everything on high for one minute.
- Then take it out and stir everything well, and immediately put it back in the microwave for another 1 to 2 minutes on high, taking it out every 30 seconds to give it a good stir.
- Once the butter and marshmallows have fully melted & combined together, stir in the vanilla and mix until well-combined.
- Then add in the rice krispies and stir them until everything has come together.
- Finally, pour in your frozen chocolate chips and stir them in well, then pour & press the chocolate chip rice krispies treats into your lined dish. Refrigerate them for 30 minutes (or freeze them for 10 minutes, or just eat them out of the bowl; I don't judge) before cutting them into 12 individual chocolate chip rice krispie treats.
Notes
Don't Let the Marshmallows Burn: it's very important that you don't overcook the marshmallows, or else you'll end up with rock-hard krispie treats. Only warm the marshmallow and butter mixture until it's smooth, with no more lumps.
Dairy-Free Rice Treats: for dairy-free rice krispies treats, make sure you use dairy-free dark chocolate chips and swap the butter for coconut oil or vegan butter.
Recipe Variations: add up to 1/3 cup chocolate spread for double chocolate flavor, up to 1/2 cup of nut butter or peanut butter chips for peanut butter chocolate chip treats, or swap the chips for sugar-free mint chips to make mint chocolate chip rice krispies.