I was feeling a little nostalgic and decided to make some Rice Krispy Treats.  They are so good, I could eat a whole pan of the homemade kind, myself!  I love that they come together quickly and you can make them in a variety of flavors.

The original recipe is usually on the side of the Rice Krispies box, but here it is for easy reference:

Rice Krispy Treats

Ingredients:

3 Tablespoons butter
1 10 oz package mini marshmallows, or about 4 cups
6 cups Rice Krispies cereal

Method:

In a large sauce pan, melt butter over medium heat.  Add marshmallows, and stir constantly until melted and incorporated.  Working quickly, stir in 6 cups of Rice Krispies.  Pour into a baking dish that has been buttered or sprayed with cooking spray (for easier removal).  Press to evenly distribute in the pan.  Allow to cool, cut into bars, and store in an airtight container.

 

I am a big fan of peanut butter and chocolate, so I like to make a version that incorporates both!  Sometimes, I substitute half of the peanut butter with almond butter, just to mix things up a bit.

 

Chocolate and Peanut Butter Rice Krispy Treats

Ingredients:

3 Tablespoons butter
1 10 oz bag of mini marshmallows, or 4 cups
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter (or almond butter)
6 cups Rice Krispies cereal
2 cups chocolate chips (I love using dark chocolate)

Method:

1. In a large sauce pan, melt butter.  Add marshmallows and peanut butter, and stir constantly until melted and incorporated.  Working quickly, stir in 6 cups of Rice Krispies.  Pour into a baking dish that has been buttered or sprayed with cooking spray (for easier removal).  Press to evenly distribute.

2. Melt the chocolate chips using a double boiler, or in the microwave (Be sure to only microwave in 30 second increments, stirring in between, preferably on medium power).  Spread chocolate evenly over the top of the Rice Krispies.  Allow to cool completely, cut into bars and store in an airtight container.

 

Now for my new favorite Rice Krispy Treat flavor….

I recently started enjoying Nutella about a year ago when my husband and I went on a trip to Europe and I bought a Nutella crepe from a street side vendor in Paris.  Since then, I have consistently had a jar in my pantry.  I’ve been wanting to try out numerous recipes incorporating Nutella into yummy chocolately desserts.

A few days ago, I saw a post from Chef In Training, for Nutella Rice Krispy treats.  She described them as “to die for” so I was inspired to make some of my own!  These are a bit different from her recipe.

I just discovered chocolate marshmallows and thought this would be a great way to use them.  They made my whole pantry smell like chocolate.

My dog thought they made a nice pillow

Nutella Rice Krispy Treats

Ingredients:

3 Tablespoons butter
1 10 oz bag chocolate marshmallows
1/2 cup Nutella
6 cups Rice Krispies cereal

Topping:

2 cups chocolate chips (I used semi sweet)
1/2 cup Nutella
1 Tablespoon coconut oil (you could also use shortening)

Method:

1. In a large sauce pan, melt butter.  Add marshmallows, and stir constantly until smooth.  Remove from heat and stir in Nutella.  Working quickly, stir in 6 cups of Rice Krispies.  Pour into a baking dish that has been buttered or sprayed with cooking spray (for easier removal).  Press in to pan to evenly distribute.

2. Melt the chocolate chips using a double boiler, or in the microwave (Be sure to only microwave in 30 second increments, stirring in between, preferably on medium power).  Stir in coconut oil and Nutella until smooth.  Spread chocolate mixture evenly over the top of the Rice Krispies.  Allow to cool completely, cut into bars and store in an airtight container.

 

Tips and Thoughts:

I typically use a 9 x 13 inch glass baking dish, but in these recipes, I have used an 8 x 11 dish, which produces extra thick treats!

When making the Nutella Rice Krispy treats, you could easily substitute the chocolate marshmallows for regular marshmallows, and the semi-sweet chocolate chips for milk chocolate chips.  Also, if you can’t find coconut oil, shortening will work.

The coconut oil makes the chocolate topping a bit soft in the Nutella Rice Krispy Treats.  If you prefer the topping to be firmer (like in the PB Rice Krispy Treats), it can be omitted.