Ingredients I use
- 1/3 cup salted butter, for browning
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 bag regular marshmallows
- 1/2 cup dry sugar cookie mix
- 1 (9 oz) box Rice Krispies or similar crispy rice cereal
- 1/2 bag mini marshmallows
- 1/2 cup sprinkles, plus more for topping
I choose salted butter because the built-in salt keeps all this sweetness from tasting flat and one-note. I rely on sweetened condensed milk for a richer chew and light caramel edge that condensed-milk cereal bar recipes highlight—it makes the bars feel more like candy-shop squares than cafeteria treats. I use boxed sugar cookie mix so I can pull sugar-cookie flavor straight from the pantry instead of juggling separate flour, sugar, and flavoring.
How I make Sugar Cookie Rice Krispie Treats
I brown the butter first. I put 1/3 cup of salted butter into a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat so I have space to do everything in this one pot. I let the butter melt, foam, and then watch the bottom for tiny golden-brown flecks and wait for that nutty, toasted smell that tells me the milk solids have caramelized. The second I see those brown bits and smell the nuttiness, I pull the pot off the heat so I don’t tip it over into burnt.
Next I build the gooey sugar-cookie base. Off the heat, I pour in the can of sweetened condensed milk and stir until it scoops up all the browned bits from the bottom and turns smooth and glossy. I add the full bag of regular marshmallows, slide the pot back over low heat, and stir constantly until the marshmallows melt into the condensed milk and form a thick, shiny mixture. I keep the heat low here because I want everything to melt gently and avoid scorching the sugar, which would make the bars gritty and too firm. When the mixture looks perfectly smooth, I sprinkle in my 1/2 cup of sugar cookie mix and stir until no dry streaks remain; if I want even more bakery flavor, I add a splash of vanilla or a couple of drops of almond extract and stir that in too.
Then I fold in the cereal. Once the sugar-cookie marshmallow base is ready, I turn the burner off completely. I pour in the 9 oz box of Rice Krispies and use a big spatula to scoop up from the bottom and fold over the top so every puff gets coated. I work quickly but gently because I want to keep the cereal mostly intact for that light, crisp texture instead of crushing it into dense crumbs. If the mixture feels looser than I like, I sprinkle in a small extra handful of cereal; if it looks tight or too stiff, I know I can warm the pot briefly and stir more to smooth everything back out.
Now I add the mini marshmallows and sprinkles. While the mixture is still warm and movable, I tip in about half a bag of mini marshmallows and my 1/2 cup of sprinkles. I fold them in just until they’re streaked throughout the mixture because I want to see whole minis and clear pops of color in every slice. If I overmix at this point, the minis melt and the sprinkles bleed into the base, so I stop as soon as everything looks evenly dotted.
I press everything into the pan. I spread the warm mixture into a 9×13 inch baking dish; the original video-style recipe goes straight into an ungreased pan, but I usually line mine with parchment and leave an overhang so I can lift the slab out for neat slicing. I lightly grease my spatula or hands and gently press the mixture into an even layer, watching for it to look level but still feel a bit springy under my fingertips. Right away, I scatter extra sprinkles over the top and press them lightly into the surface so they stick before the top cools and sets.
Finally I cool, slice, and serve. I let the pan sit at room temperature until the bars feel set and easy to cut, usually about 30–60 minutes depending on the temperature in my kitchen. If it’s very warm in my house, I chill the pan briefly in the fridge, but I don’t leave it in too long because I like the texture best when the condensed milk and butter aren’t ice-cold. When I’m ready to cut, I lift the slab out by the parchment and slice it into squares or rectangles with a sharp knife; when I want to be extra, I press cookie cutters—like trees, stars, or hearts—into the slab and then gently press the scraps back into smaller rustic bars so nothing goes to waste.