Perfect Rice Krispie Treats |Cooking With Amanda

I spend days and days trying to come up with the perfect cake. Or the most beautiful cupcakes. Or to create the fudgiest brownies.

But, it's no secret, Rice Krispie Treats have always been the key to my heart.

Years ago I shared a story about my favorite treat. How sometimes when I make a batch of krispie treats, I have eaten the whole 13x9 before my kids even arrive home from school. I've made myself sick many times overeating this treat.

I have no willpower. The lure of marshmallow is too powerful. I am weak.

But, it's not ANY rice krispie treat that has this effect on me. For instance, store-bought individually wrapped treats? YUCK. Barf. So fake tasting.

Or I'm sure you've experienced the Rice Krispie Treat that has been pressed into a crunchy square of grossness. Too hard to enjoy, not the soft and chewy treat you've come to love over the years!

I love Rice Krispie Treats so much that I've created over a dozen flavors… from Fluffernutter, or Cherry, or Pistachio…. to Peppermint, Cinnamon Roll, and PayDay. I've even got these adorable TURKEY Krispie Treats for Thanksgiving!

But, in the end, it's the classic RICE KRISPIE TREAT that draws me in. And there IS such a thing as the PERFECT treat.

A few quick tips:

Line a 9-inch square baking dish with parchment paper. This way you don't have to worry about extra butter on your fingertips, or the other extreme of your bars sticking to the pan!
Use fresh marshmallows. Seriously, they make a difference. Don't grab that bag that's been in your pantry for months and months thinking it will be okay since you are melting them. It won't be okay.
Add my secret ingredient. VANILLA EXTRACT. Not imitation vanilla, but PURE VANILLA extract. It makes a difference in creating the illusion that you're using homemade marshmallows.
Toss in some extra marshmallows with your cereal. This adds a whole dimension of chewiness!
DO NOT (I repeat) DO NOT press these bars into your pan firmly. Using your fingertips, GENTLY press them in just until they are spread out. The harder you pack them in, the harder they are when it's time to eat them!
Store in an airtight container for two days. If they last that long, I'd be shocked! ENJOY

Check out some of my other favorite truffle and candy recipes!

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Perfect Rice Krispie Treats Recipe

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Ingredients

6 tablespoons unsalted butter
16 ounces miniature marshmallows, divided
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
6 cups rice krispies cereal

Directions

Line a 9-inch square baking dish with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Once melted, add in all but 1 cup of the marshmallows. Reduce heat to low and continue stirring until completely melted.
Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla. Add the cereal and the remaining 1 cup of marshmallows.
Pour into the prepared baking dish. Press GENTLY with your fingertips just until completely spread out (the harder you pack them in, the harder they are to eat).
Allow to set, about 1 hour. Cut and enjoy!